The darkness swallowed the dungeon whole. Elara's breath hitched in her throat, her heart racing as she pressed herself against the cold wall, straining to see through the pitch-black veil. Her pulse roared in her ears, drowning out every other sound except for that single whisper.
Elara...
The voice was cold, crawling up her spine like bugs. She couldn't tell if it had come from outside or if it was lingering in her head. She hugged her knees to her chest, trying to make herself as small as possible.
The guards didn't move. She could barely make out their shapes in the dark, but they stood frozen, as if paralyzed by the same eerie sensation that gripped her.
