Chapter 69:
Ciara’s POV
I had been asleep when the harsh sound of iron scraping against bars jerked me awake. My head throbbed instantly, each pulse matching the dull ache behind my eyes. I squinted, the dim light of the dungeon pressing against my lids. My stomach twisted painfully with hunger and growled in protest, reminding me of just how long it had been since I had eaten.
I had lost track of the days in this cold, damp cell. Time had stretched and blurred until I felt as though I no longer belonged anywhere. The bundle of keys clinked against the bars, the metallic sound sharp in the silence. One of the guards twisted the lock, tugging at the door.
“Up!” His voice was curt, commanding, but beneath it I caught a flicker of unease that made my stomach tighten.
Another guard steppe
