Keira POVThe recruits sat in rows, their backs hunched like broken branches, clutching bowls of thin, gray porridge that smelled faintly of ash and despair. The air in the camp was heavy, thick with the stench of unwashed bodies, smoke, and the ever-present tang of fear. Voices stayed low, barely rising above a murmur, as if speaking too loudly might summon the whip. Kaden’s men prowled the edges of the meal yard, their heavy boots crunching on the packed dirt, whips coiled at their belts like sleeping serpents. One wrong move, one raised voice, and those whips would bite.I sat at the far end of a splintered bench with Vera and Thea, my only allies in this pit of misery. Nylo, my shadow in feline form, was curled against my shin, his black fur blending with the darkness pooling around us. His tail twitched, a restless metronome, and his sharp green eyes tracked every movement in the yard—every glance, every shuffle. My own eyes followed suit, scanning for threats, for opportunities
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-09-09
Masuk
