~Riya~

When I woke up, everything hurt. My head throbbed, my throat burned, and for a moment, I couldn’t remember where I was.

Then the smell hit me: metal, damp air, and the faint, bitter scent of blood. I blinked into the darkness, my eyes adjusting slowly. Cold stone walls. A narrow cot. The sound of dripping water somewhere far off.

And then I remembered. The battle, the fire, and the screams.

Nightfang had fallen. I pushed myself upright, although my muscles protested. My shoulder ...