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How had I ended up in this situation?
Just as I thought I’d recognized a familiar corridor and a hint of hope rekindled, they appeared ahead of me, their looming forms casting shadows on the glowing corridor walls.
They’d somehow managed to outflank me.
My heart thudded, deafening in my ears.
I skidded to a halt, my eyes darting around in desperation, seeking an escape route.
I felt the coarse fabric on the wall against my back, the fine graininess of its texture pressing into my palms as I backed away from the advancing duo.
Their eyes, which held a predatory glint, roamed over me, their mouths twisting into triumphant smirks.
“It’s been a long time since we’ve had a Prize,” one of them, the one with a scar running diagonally across his face, murmured.
His voice was gravelly, and there was an unsettling hunger in his tone. “And with our records, it’s doubtful we’ll get another anytime soon.”
The other, slightly taller one, grinned, revealing a set of sharp, yellowed teeth. “We ought to savor the moment then, shouldn’t we?”
Their meanings were all too clear.
Fear welled up inside me, so raw and potent I felt almost paralyzed.
My eyes stung, and the familiar tang of tears threatened to spill over.
I would not give them the satisfaction of seeing me cry.
I had to do something.
Gathering every ounce of strength and defiance I had left, I let out an ear-piercing scream.
I screamed for help, screamed in the hope that someone, anyone, would hear me.
5
THILLAK
I was back in the dream that was a memory.
The intense pulse of pain wrapped around my very soul, and I was caught in the grasp of a memory so raw and vivid, it was almost tangible.
I could feel the cold, rough texture of the concrete beneath my back, and the heavy weight of the restraints that held me in place.
The pungent aroma of dampness and decay filled my nostrils.
The ritualistic chants of the four shadowy figures echoed ominously in the dimly lit chamber, casting an eerie pallor over everything.
Isla’s terrified face was right next to mine, her blue eyes wide with a mix of fear and defiance.
The pale light from the hovering orbs illuminated the contours of her face, making her appear ethereal.
I tried to reach out to her, to reassure her, but the weight on my chest was suffocating, making it impossible to move or speak.
Her screams mingled with mine as an indescribable pain seared through me, like a part of me was being viciously torn away.
My heart raced, the adrenaline coursing through my veins making me feel jittery.
The scene shifted.
