Outside the door, Carl chuckled darkly, the sound of Eirik's muffled screams barely penetrating the heavy wood. The twisted pleasure dancing in his eyes as he turned and met Sadiki's gaze was undeniable.
Sadiki stood stiffly, his posture betraying the rigid control he tried to maintain. His face was drained of color, the weight of guilt and fear hanging over him like a storm cloud. Carl's grin widened, cruel and mocking, as he closed the distance between them.
"Can I see my mother now?" Sadiki's voice was barely a whisper, stripped of the authority it once held. The usual confidence that marked his presence as Prince Eirik's personal guard was nowhere to be seen. His eyes, usually sharp and watchful, were now dull with desperation. He was pleading, something he had never thought he would have to do.
