I tested the door first—not because I expected it to open, but because I needed to confirm the extent of my confinement. The handle turned easily enough, but the lock held firm. Heavy iron that would require more than determination and a hairpin to overcome.
The walls were next. Solid stone, fitted so precisely that mortar was barely visible between the blocks. No convenient loose stones, no hidden passages, no melodramatic escapes waiting to be discovered. Just rock that had been standing for centuries and would likely stand for centuries more.
The barred window offered the most unsettling discovery. Beyond the iron lay not another room or corridor, but genuine darkness—the kind that spoke of vast spaces and considerable depth. I could feel air moving through the bars, carrying scents t
