Serena woke up in a cell.
Or at least she thought she did.
The walls were damp stone, slick with moisture and something darker. The air was thick with the smell of iron and rot. A single torch flickered on the far wall, casting shadows that danced.
Fin Shadowclaw hung from the ceiling by his wrists, iron chains biting deep enough to show raw flesh beneath. His head lolled forward, dark hair matted with blood. His shirt had been torn away, and his torso was a map of wounds, old and new, some still weeping.
But the worst was the stab wound in his side, still seeping crimson.
"Fin!" Serena ran to him. "Fin, can you hear me?"
He didn't respond. His eyes were closed, and his breathing was shallow and labored.
She reached for him, but her hands passed through his body like smoke.
Horror clawed up her throat.
She turned, searching the cell for something, anything, and that's when she saw him.
Hyran hung from chains on the opposite wall.
