*Chapter 25: The Darkness*
Mira's world was reduced to darkness and silence. She was trapped in a cold, damp cell, with no food or water. The guards had left her to rot, just as Leo had ordered.
As the hours ticked by, Mira's body began to weaken. She was thirsty, hungry, and exhausted. But she refused to give up. She knew that Leo wanted to break her, to crush her spirit. But she was determined to resist.
Mira's mind wandered back to Eva, the woman who had betrayed her. She wondered why Eva had helped her escape, only to turn her over to Leo. What had driven Eva to make that choice? Let's not even gets to jades part where he just left her there when he was trying to protect her .
As Mira sat in the darkness, she heard the sound of footsteps outside her cell. The door creaked open, and a guard stood in the doorway, a tray of food in his hands.
"Leo's orders," he said gruffly. "You're to eat and drink. You're not going to die on his watch."
Mira's eyes narrowed. What was Leo's game? Why was he suddenly showing her mercy?
The guard set the tray down on the floor, his eyes flicking to Mira's face. For a moment, Mira thought she saw a glimmer of sympathy there. But it was quickly extinguished.
"Eat," he said, his voice firm. "You need to keep your strength up."
Mira's eyes locked onto the guard's, a spark of defiance igniting within her. She knew she had to play along, to pretend to cooperate. But she also knew that she couldn't trust anyone...