(Isla)
The air outside the holding chambers felt different once the door closed behind us. It didn’t carry their voices anymore, and it didn’t press against my skin the same way. I walked beside Caius without looking back. For once, I didn’t feel dragged toward what I had left behind.
The guards at the top of the stairs moved before we reached them. Their heads lowered faster than before, not only for Caius this time. I noticed the way their eyes dropped before they could fully meet mine. Something in me recognized the difference immediately.
Caius didn’t ask if I was alright. I was grateful for that because I didn’t know what answer I would have given. I wasn’t falling apart, but I wasn’t untouched either. Everything inside me still felt too new to place properly.
We reached the upper
