Chapter 95: Captive Reflections

**Olivera’s POV:** The sound of shuffling feet echoed once again outside the iron door, jerking me back to full awareness. My heart leaped with fleeting hope, but as the seconds stretched into minutes, the door remained sealed, silent. The false hope was dashed—again. For what felt like the hundredth time, I found myself waiting, straining to hear some indication that we’d be freed. The waiting was unbearable. Counting the slow, deliberate steps of those mysterious footsteps had become my only distraction from the swirling thoughts in my head. *Won’t they ever let us out of here?* I pressed the heel of my hand against my forehead, gently massaging it in an attempt to soothe the headache that had taken up permanent residence in my skull. My patience was worn thin, frayed by the endless uncertainty. How long were they planning to keep us in this prison? I glanced sideways at Jeremy, who was staring at me yet again. He’d been doing that ever since the guards had thrown us into this cell