45

Kira's pov

I stopped believing in nightmares the day I realized waking up didn't make them disappear.

The cell was dark. The cold bit deeper than before. Chains rattled with every shallow breath I took. I counted them to stay sane,breath in, chain shift, breath out, chain clink. A rhythm of survival in a place that reeked of betrayal and blood.

And tonight, everything broke.

He stepped into the cell like he owned it,no mask, no hesitation. Just the face of a man I'd once laughed with, trusted with secrets I never told even Draven.

Ronan.

I knew my baby sister was just a bait.

I stared at him as if my eyes were lying. He didn't flinch. Didn't blink. Just tossed a half-eaten apple into the corner and leaned against the wall like this was a casual visit.

"You look worse than I expected," he said.

I spat blood to the floor. "And you're more disgusting than I remembered."