Chapter 271

NATALIE’S POV The cell was so cold my bones felt like they would crack at any moment. I sat on the damp stone floor with my arms wrapped tightly around my stomach, rocking slightly just to keep some warmth in my body. My thoughts drifted like smoke. I tried to remember some memories but they felt slippery and half-formed. I saw faces. I forced myself to hear voices and remember names. They came and went before I could hold onto them. Every time I reached out in my mind, they scattered, leaving me emptier than before. One face stayed longer than the others. Liam. My chest tightened. His name echoed over and over again in my head. I pressed my forehead against the bars, whispering to the darkness. “Please… find me. Please, don’t give up on me.” Across the dungeon, I heard movement. It was the sound of chains. Then a soft voice spoke. “Natalie.” I lifted my head slowly, blinking. I looked at the woman chained to the wall opposite mine. She had pale skin. I could see the exhaustion in her