The cold, damp air of the dungeon wrapped around them like a shroud, making the stone walls feel even more oppressive. Esha's breath came out in shallow bursts, though she kept her gaze locked on the guards who prowled the cells, eyes scanning them like prey. She and the others—Kris, Zahra, Jude, and Cassy—were all chained up, but they hadn't been harmed. At least not yet. They were bait, nothing more.
Two soldiers approached her, leering as they inched closer. One of them reached out, his hand hovering just above her face, his fingers twitching. Esha flinched instinctively, but before anything could happen, the heavy sound of a door slamming open echoed through the hall.
"Back off," Darius's voice cut through the air, cold and commanding. His figure emerged from the shadows, and the soldiers froze, tension tightening around their shoulders.
