Secret of the Snow Queen (Fire and Ice Book #1) *GOING THROUGH EDITS*

CH. 28 Live Bait

                                                                                   Kelvin

As I paced back and forth in the dimly lit cell, the walls seemed to close in on me, suffocating me with their oppressive presence. The straw strewn across the cold stone floor offered little respite, its rough texture scratching against my skin as I moved restlessly.

I yearned for freedom, for the taste of crisp winter air on my lips, for the exhilaration of running through the snow-covered fields beyond these prison walls. I longed to feel the rush of adrenaline coursing through my veins as I beat the punching bag in the army's recreational arena back in Imperia, each strike a release of pent-up frustration and anger.

But here, confined within these stone walls, such simple pleasures were nothing but distant memories, taunting me with their absence. I lay on the straw, staring up at the cracks in the ceiling, each one a reminder of the limitations of my imprisonment.

Counting sheep, a futile attempt to lull myself to sleep, only served to heighten my restlessness. I closed my eyes, imagining the sound of my fists pounding against the heavy bag, the rhythmic thud reverberating through the air like a heartbeat.

I longed to break free from this confinement, to breathe in the fresh air and feel the sun on my face once more. But for now, all I could do was wait, trapped in this endless cycle of longing and frustration, counting the hours until I could escape the suffocating embrace of my cell.

As I struggled to maintain my focus, the relentless drip of water echoed through the confines of the prison, its rhythmic cadence a stark reminder of the passage of time. Minutes blurred into hours, each moment stretching on endlessly as I fought to keep track of the passing time.

But despite my best efforts, the minutes seemed to slip through my fingers like grains of sand, leaving me disoriented and adrift in a sea of uncertainty. How long had I been confined within these walls? Days? Weeks? The question lingered in the back of my mind like a persistent whisper, its answer elusive and maddeningly out of reach.

As exhaustion threatened to pull me into the depths of sleep, a sudden jolt of sound shattered the silence of the cell, ripping me from the edge of oblivion. My heart pounded in my chest as a voice, piercing the stillness of the solitary cell I was in.

Luca.

"Let me out of here!" His words reverberated through the stone walls, carrying with them a sense of urgency and desperation that sent a chill down my spine. I could hear the frustration and fear in his voice, the sound of his fists pounding against the unforgiving surface of his own cell door.

My brows furrowed in worry as I listened to Luca's pleas, his cries echoing through the floor of the prison-like a haunting refrain. The realization hit me like a physical blow— if even Luca, the strongest warrior I knew, was beginning to succumb to the madness of this place, what hope did the rest of us have?

The possibility of being condemned to a lifetime of imprisonment in the dark, suffocating depths of the psycho cells sent a shiver down my spine. Had Morgana and Dimitri orchestrated this cruel fate for us all along? The thought gnawed at the edges of my mind, filling me with a sense of dread and unease.

But as terrifying as the prospect of spending the rest of my days in this prison was, it paled in comparison to the alternative—being subjected to the brutal and torturous execution methods favored by those in power. The image of being hung, drawn, and quartered alive sent a chill coursing through my veins, a reminder of the ruthless cruelty of those who held sway over our fate.