Chapter 21

Guilia

My eyes opened slowly to the harsh rays of the sun that bounced off on the champagne travertine, a reminder that the night was over and a new day had emerged. However, the enthusiasm that the bright weather carried failed to rub off on me as I struggled to get into a sitting position.

Sharp aches traveled through my joints, my muscles spasming with each slight move I made, but it wasn’t more terrifying than the fact that I couldn’t remember why I was in this situation, why my body sang with pain as if I’d barely just made it through a stampede.

I shut my eyes...