Asher's POV
The cold bite of the stone beneath me matched the chill in my bones as I woke up. My head throbbed as I blinked into the dim, suffocating darkness. It took a moment for my eyes to adjust, but I could tell immediately that I wasn’t where I had been before. The room was darker and quieter, and the smell of mildew was stronger. Slowly, I recognized the place—the dungeon behind the palace.
This wasn’t the cell beside the training grounds where I’d been held before. This one was worse. It was a place meant for forgotten souls, a place where prisoners were left to rot. My memories were a blur, but I remembered just enough to know why we were here: my father’s games.
A groan from the corner caught my attention, and I turned my head to see my brothers, Axel and Aiden, huddled near the wall. Kingston was there too, his massive form slumped over with his head in his hands. We were all in the same state, bruised, broken, and defeated.
I sat up slowly, biting back a groan as pai
