Maddie’s POV The palm was ice-cold against my skin, smelling of lye and old stone. My heart jackhammered against my ribs, a frantic, trapped bird, and I began to thrash. I slammed my elbow back, trying to catch my captor in the gut, but they were quicker. They shifted, their grip tightening as they hauled me away from the double doors and the sickening sight of the Elders. "Stop it," a voice hissed into my ear. It wasn’t a man’s voice. It was soft, feminine, and laced with a desperate kind of terror. I didn't stop. I bit down hard on the hand over my mouth. The person let out a muffled gasp but didn't let go, instead using their weight to pin me into a dark alcove. I managed to twist my head, wrenching my jaw free from their fingers. "Get off me!" I wheezed, ready to scream, ready to bring the whole temple down on us if it meant getting away from these monsters. "Shhh! Maddie, please!" I froze. I turned my head fully and saw her. She was dressed in the same stark, white uniform
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