In a dark, silent room, a girl sat bound tightly to a chair. Thick ropes were wrapped around her arms and legs, restraining her completely, while another rope had been forced into her mouth, preventing her from making even the slightest sound.
Her head hung slightly forward, her breathing faint and uneven.
Slowly, her eyelids began to tremble.
A dim light seeped into her vision as she forced her eyes open, the world around her appearing blurred and distant at first. The faint glow in the room gradually sharpened, revealing the outlines of walls, the cold floor beneath her, and the emptiness surrounding her.
Then—
A figure.
Seated calmly in front of her, behind an office desk, was a young man she recognized instantly.
Shadow.
He sat there as if everything was under control, his posture relaxed, his presence calm yet suffocating. He had brought Jane here—an empty room hidden deep within a secluded section of the academy, far from where anyone would notice or hear.
