Every breath I took sent a jolt of pain through my battered body. I hated this feeling, helplessness. Hours of torture had left me bruised and broken.
I shifted my weight, wincing as my muscles protested. The thin blanket they'd given me was rough against my skin, offering little comfort against the cold stone floor. I closed my eyes, focusing on my breathing, trying to center myself the way my grandmother had taught me. In through the nose, out through the mouth. Feel the earth beneath you, the air around you.
The lock on my cell door clicked, sending a shiver of anticipation down my spine. I tensed, every muscle coiled like a spring, ready to strike. The door creaked open, and through the narrow c***k, I saw the silhouette of one of the guards. He was too focused on balancing a tray of
