"Guards! Someone! Please!"
Esme's voice rang out, trembling with desperation as she glanced around the dimly lit chamber. Panic surged through her veins, but the shadows offered no response at all—no guards, no help.
Her gaze fell to the boy crumpled on the floor, unconscious and utterly still. Swallowing her fear, Esme knelt beside him. She removed her shawl and carefully folded it, placing it beneath his head as an improvised cushion. It was all she could offer in the moment, though she had no real knowledge of how to care for someone in such a state.
Leaning closer, she positioned her ear near his mouth and nose, straining to detect even the faintest breath from him. His chest rose so slightly it was almost imperceptible, and his stillness was more unnerving than the silence lingering around the two of them.
