The silence after the leader left was unbearable. My heartbeat filled the void, loud and irregular in my ears. Damian shifted slightly, testing the ropes binding his wrists, but he didn't look at me. I could feel his frustration as sharply as my own.
I flexed my fingers, trying to work some feeling back into them. The ropes weren't just cutting into my skin; they were starting to cut into my focus. Each movement sent a fresh wave of pain up my arms, but I couldn't stop. Pain meant I was still here—still fighting.
"Do you recognize them?" I asked Damian, keeping my voice low.
His eyes flicked toward the corner where our captors had gathered, their voices muffled as they spoke among themselves. "No. Their faces are hidden, but their methods...they're organized. Dangerous."
