I lay in the dirt for what felt like an eternity, my body trembling, my mind spinning. The remnants of Thalindra's dark magic still clung to my skin, and the cold night air seemed to bite harder than before.
My breath came in shallow gasps, and as I slowly pushed myself up to my knees, I could barely believe I was still alive.
I had been spared, but it didn't feel like a victory. No, this was something else a reprieve, a game Thalindra was playing, and I was just a piece on her board.
Her words still echoed in my ears: "You intrigue me. Don't disappoint me."
What the hell did that mean?
I dragged myself to my feet, my legs shaky, my body screaming in pain. I glanced around the now-empty clearing. The heroes had gone, of course, long gone, probably convinced I was dead.