The stone barriers of the secret metropolis loomed about Avery as she was carried down the narrow, torch-lit hallways. Her hands were firm, and her footfall echoed in the solitude, each one leading her closer to the judgment that lay ahead. Every shadow felt adored and began to watch, anxious to see her fate.
Lucas and Damien had battled hard to get her this far, but now that Avery had entered the heart of the hidden village, she was on her own. Her captors, a group dressed in darkish garments, moved stealthily alongside her. The tension grew thicker, each stride heavy with the realization that her existence had become part of their arms.
