Pretending to believe

The first thing Liora felt was pain.

It sat deep in her chest, heavy and sharp, like fire trapped beneath her ribs. Every breath stung, every heartbeat echoed the memory of claws, of darkness, of someone’s hands forcing her to drink something bitter before everything went black.

She opened her eyes slowly. The room was dim, lit only by a single lantern. The familiar scent of herbs clung to the air, mixed with something metallic—blood. Her blood. Her hands ...