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Gareth gave a mocking little wave before disappearing down the corridor. His voice drifted back, addressing unseen guards. “No food or water for our esteemed guest.”

Bastard.

With that, he sauntered off, leaving me alone with my rage and mounting panic.

I paced the narrow confines of my cell like a caged animal, my mind racing. There had to be a way out, some angle I hadn’t considered yet. But as the hours crawled by, marked only by the gnawing in my belly and the growing ache in my bones, despair began to set in.

Think, Ilyana. You’ve gotten out of worse scrapes than this.

Have I, though?

I slumped against the wall, sliding down until I hit the floor. The stone was cold and rough against my back.

How long has it been? A day? Two? Time blurred, punctuated only by the occasional echoing footsteps that never stopped at my cell.

The silence was maddening. My stomach twisted with hunger, but it was nothing compared to the weight in my chest. No Gareth, no Red…

does that mean they haven’t found Tommy and Laurel?

I clung to that slim hope like a lifeline.

The not knowing was worse than any physical torment.

As fatigue and hunger wore away at my defenses, my thoughts drifted to Anderic. What would he do in this situation? Probably call me ten kinds of idiot for getting myself into this mess in the first place. I could almost hear his voice, that perfect blend of exasperation and fondness.

“You impossible, reckless woman,” he’d say, before crushing his lips to mine.

The memory of our kiss that night flooded my senses - the heat in his eyes, the possessive press of his hands, the way the golden prince had come undone at my touch. For a moment, I could almost believe he was here, that any second he’d come bursting through that door to save me.

The memory was so vivid I could almost feel his breath on my skin and taste the wine on his lips. The way he’d looked at me, like I was the only person in the world. For a moment, it had felt like the mask of the perfect prince had slipped, revealing something raw and hungry underneath.

Stop it, I chided myself. Daydreaming about the prince isn’t going to get you out of here.

But oh, what I wouldn’t give to see him burst through that door right now, all righteous fury and flashing eyes.

The sound of approaching footsteps snapped me back to reality. My heart leapt—was it Anderic? Had he somehow found me?

But no, the gait was all wrong. Too heavy, too hurried. Still, I hoped.

I strained my ears at the sound of approaching footsteps, hope and dread warring in my chest. The cell door creaked open, and I squinted against the torchlight as Red strode in, flanked by his thugs and a smug-looking Gareth.

I hoped too much.

Red’s cold eyes swept over me, his lip curling in disgust, no doubt repulsed by the grime and filth that clung to my skin after days in the cell. “I’ve lost my patience with you, girl. You will answer my questions now.”

I met his gaze, summoning all the dignified scorn I could muster. “And here I thought we were getting along so well.”

His hand shot out, gripping my chin painfully. “Why were you at the Meadows Inn? What did you want? Who else knows about this?”

I remained stubbornly silent, my heart pounding, knowing I could die any moment. Red’s fingers tightened, his nails digging into my skin.

“Last chance,” he growled. “Give me answers, or die.”

A chill ran down my spine as an eerily familiar scene flashed before my eyes - Captain Maxwell, his sword at my throat, giving me the same ultimatum in my previous life. The memory of cold steel biting into my chest was so vivid I could almost feel it again.

Not this time. I won’t let it end like that again.

I lifted my chin, meeting Red’s gaze defiantly. “Go to hell.”

I raised my leg and kicked—or rather tried to kick him in the shin. Red quickly blocked me, his face contorted with rage. He stepped back, nodding to his men. “Make her talk.”

What followed was a blur of pain and terror. Fists rained down on me, each impact sending shockwaves through my body. I bit my lip to keep from crying out, tasting copper as my teeth broke the skin.

Think of something else, I told myself desperately. Anything else.

I focused on the dank cell around me - the crumbling stone walls, slick with moisture. The acrid smell of mold and decay. The distant drip of water echoed through the corridors.

A particularly vicious blow to my ribs drove the air from my lungs. I doubled over, gasping.

“Ready to talk now?” Red sneered.

I spat a mouthful of blood at his feet. “Is that… the best you can do?”

He isn’t getting anything from me.

His face twisted with fury. In an instant, his hands were around my throat, squeezing mercilessly. I clawed at his fingers, desperate for air. Black spots danced at the edges of my vision as my lungs screamed for oxygen.

Anderic, I thought hazily. Please, save me. I have so much to do yet.

Just as consciousness began to slip away, a thunderous crash echoed from outside the cell. Red’s grip loosened in surprise, and I collapsed to the ground, gulping in precious air.

“What the hell was that?” Red snarled, whirling towards the door.

As I lay there, struggling to breathe, a familiar voice cut through the chaos - deep, commanding, and absolutely furious.

“You’re going to pay for that.”