TETHERED
The crowd gasped loudly, a collective intake of breath that echoed off the cave walls.
I tilted the jug and drank deeply, the liquid flooding my mouth with a strange, bitter taste that sent a shiver down my spine. It was unlike anything I’d ever tasted—metallic, earthy, and tinged with something darker, something I couldn’t quite place. But I forced myself to swallow, feeling the burn as it slid down my throat.
The crowd’s gasp grew louder, a wave of shock and disbelief rippling through the cave. But I didn’t let it distract me. I dropped the now-empty jug to the sandy ground with a hollow clang and turned, making my way toward where the council members stood.