When l came to, my whole body was on fire. l was burning and sweating and l tried to scream but the sound was trapped inside my throat.
I tried to open my eyes, but they felt thick and heavy. When I finally managed to pull my eyelids apart, everything was blurry and dark, smelling like damp and old rust.
The agony was centered on my skin. I was bound. Heavy, cold metal was wrapped around my wrists and neck, pulling me tight against the wall. I recognized the smell and the tearing pain instantly, silver. It was burning me like acid, melting my skin where it touched. I groaned, a weak, wet sound that barely echoed in the small space.
I was in some kind of cell. The walls were rough concrete, and the floor was cold and dirty. I forced myself to move, trying to sit up straight and ignore t
