Chapter 123

Eve cradled Vincent's head in her lap, his almost lifeless weight a dull ache against her weary body. Her eyelids drooped, heavy with exhaustion and a longing for a reality not shrouded in this grim cell. Just a moment ago, she'd dreamt of escaping the stench of damp stone and the gnawing ache of hunger, of waking up to warmth and sunlight but that was all it had been - a dream. The clink of keys, sharp and sudden, pierced the air, snapping her back to the cold, hard truth. She flinched, eyes flying open to find Thane standing across the cell. Even in the dim light, the darkness radiating from him was evident, an aura so strong that it choked her senses. She gasped, scooting back against the wall, trying to put as much distance between them as the cramped cell allowed. "What... what did you do to yourself?" she whispered, her voice rough from disuse and dread. Thane, a predator savoring the fear in her eyes, stretched his lips into a cruel smile. "Did what needed to be done. Now I