Caspian's Point of View
The darkness of the cave pressed in around me like a heavy, suffocating blanket. The only light came from a few flickering torches mounted on the walls, casting long, eerie shadows that danced and twisted like malevolent spirits. The sound of water crashing outside the cave's entrance—a waterfall that hid us from the outside world—was a constant roar, a reminder of the isolation that enveloped us.
I tried to make myself as small as possible, curling up against the damp, cold stone of the cave floor. My body ached all over from the beatings I had taken, and my stomach churned with hunger. It had been days since they had given us anything more than a few scraps of stale bread and some murky water. I glanced over at the others—Dakari, Aurora, and Ivy. They were huddled together, each of them as bruised and battered as I was.
