ARIA’S POV

The first day of my escape plan came with more fire in me than I expected. I refused to spend it drowning in self-pity. Instead, I stayed by the window, watching everything I could, trying to understand how this place breathed. From up there I could see a part of the border. It was packed with soldiers. They looked like they were waiting for someone or something to cross their paths, and the sight alone made my stomach twist.

The doctor still came in every day. He checked my ...