Kenneth's POV
The cold stone floor of my cell was familiar by now—too familiar. My back throbbed, the deep lashes burning like fresh fire despite the hours that had passed. Each breath came in ragged pulls, the pain gnawing at my ribs. I shifted, trying to find a position that didn’t make me wince, but there was none. The guards had made sure of that.
I could feel Jeffrey. His restlessness, his anger, simmering just below the surface, flooding through the bond we shared. He was pacing, furious that he couldn’t be here, that he couldn’t tear this place apart brick by brick.
I bit my lip, swallowing back the scream that clawed at my throat as another wave of pain coursed through me. They had been relentless today, pushing harder, leaving no part of me untouched by their cruelty. But the
