Valtira.
I woke to a stabbing pain so sharp it ripped a cry from my throat. My eyes flew open, but the world spun violently, a blur of shadows and stone. My body felt heavy—too heavy—like my bones were made of iron and my skin was too tight to hold the agony inside.
Then I smelled it.
Blood.
Thick. Metallic. Fresh.
It reached my senses before my mind fully woke, and my heart lurched. With trembling fingers, I pushed myself off the cold floor, only to freeze when I saw the dark red stains smeared beneath me.
Not droplets.
Not scratches.
Puddles.
My vision blurred instantly. I tried to twist to see where it was coming from, but pain—raw, burning pain—tore through my back and abdomen, splitting me open from the inside.
A scream ripped out of me.
“No… no, no—” I gasped, clutching at
