Liah's POV

Two days.

That's how long I'd been rotting in this cell. Two days without food, without water. My throat burned raw, my stomach twisted in on itself, and every breath felt like it scraped my ribs.

But the worst part wasn't the hunger. It was knowing Aurora had won.

I lay curled on the bench, lips cracked, tongue thick. My hands shook as I pushed myself upright.

When the door creaked open earlier, I'd begged. ...