242

LIAM

When I came to, the first thing I felt was the cold metal against my wrist. It was tight, biting into my skin. I blinked my eyes open, trying to focus my vision. The ceiling above me was unfamiliar. I tried to move but something held me back.

I looked down and saw the chain. It stretched from a cuff around my wrist to a hook in the wall behind the bed. Where was I? The last thing I remembered was being in the dark cell.

I tried to sit up, and pain shot through my chest and spread to my limbs. I winced, biting back a groan. My mouth was dry. How long had I been out?

The sound of a chair scraping against the floor caught my attention. I turned my head and saw Varis, slumped in a chair a few feet away. He was dozing, his head resting against the wall. His arms were crossed over his chest. He looked exhausted, with dark circles under his eyes.

I shifted again, the chains making sounds and Varis’s eyes flew open. He blinked and then focused on me.

“You’re awake,” he said. His voice so