The blindfold came off with a sharp tug, and light stabbed into my eyes. I winced, instinctively jerking back, but the chair I was in didn’t give me much room to move. My wrists ached from where they’d been bound for… God, how long had it been? Minutes? Hours?

When my vision adjusted, the first thing I saw was her.

Eliana.

She stood like she owned the air in the room. Perfect posture, chin tilted just enough to give her the air of someone who’d never had to hurry for anything in ...