I let my shoulders sink back into the bed, exhaling a breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding. The tension that had coiled through my muscles began to loosen, just slightly, just enough to let me breathe properly for the first time in what felt like hours.For the first time since waking up in Kael’s room, since being trapped in this impossible situation, I felt the faintest sliver of control slide back into my hands.And God, I clung to it with everything I had.“Bring me paper,” I whispered, my voice emerging raspy like brittle parchment itself, worn thin by emotion and exhaustion. “And ink. A pen.”Mira tilted her head ever so slightly, studying me as though trying to read the hidden meanings beneath my calm exterior, searching for the plan forming behind my eyes. Then, without a word of question or protest, she stood. Her steps were noiseless across the floor, soft soles brushing against the expensive rug with practiced silence.When she returned, her hands carried a simple tray
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