ARIA POV
Lena retreated into the shadows of her cell the second the sound of footsteps reached us, her back hitting the wall, her fingers curling into the stone like she could sink into it if she pushed hard enough, her eyes snapping to mine with something frantic, something urgent, silently begging me to do the same.
Hide.
Disappear.
Don’t be seen.
I didn’t move.
I couldn’t.
Because whatever had her that terrified—whatever had reduced her to that trembling, shrinking version of herself—I needed to see it. I needed to understand what we were dealing with, what kind of monster walked these corridors like it owned them, because hiding wouldn’t get me out of here, and it wouldn’t get her out either.
Heavy footsteps echoed down the hallway.
Slow.
Measured.
One person.
Only one.
A
