CHAPTER - 30

Iris POV:

Pain.

It was the only thing I felt when I woke up, dragging me from the void of unconsciousness into a reality that was even worse.

The first thing I noticed was the sharp, throbbing ache in my scalp where they had yanked my hair so brutally.

My head pounded in rhythm with my heartbeat, the pain radiating down my neck, making every small movement feel like a trial.

I tried to swallow, but my throat was so dry it felt like sandpaper. Even my saliva seemed to have dried up.

Thirst gnawed at me, a primal need that I couldn’t satisfy.

I wondered if this was how it would end for me— dying of thirst, my body slowly giving out in this filthy, dark place.

It wasn’t as though I hadn’t considered dying before.

In my darkest moments, the idea of ending it all had crossed my mind.

But back then, he had saved me. Maybe not this time.

I moved slowly, trying to sit up despite the pain shooting through my head. My vision was blurry, my eyes struggling to focus.

Everything felt heavy