Verena's body felt like it was made of stone, every muscle frozen in place. The searing pain in her limbs was unbearable, but she couldn't even bring herself to scream. Each breath was shallow, as though the air itself was being withheld from her.
Wait a minute. Something was off. Her mind snapped to attention, piecing together the situation as her eyes fluttered open. The dim, cement walls of the room stared back at her, cold and unforgiving.
Panic surged in her chest as she tried to move, but her hands and feet were bound tightly with ropes. She was strapped to a rickety chair, her body stiff and aching.
What the hell?
The voice was jarring, a familiar tone she hadn't expected. "Oh, you're finally awake!"
Verena's head snapped up. Her eyes darted around the room, trying to make sense of what was happening. The walls were grey and bleak, offering no comfort or explanation. And then she saw her-Ariana.
