"Please, don't make me do this!" The girl wailed. "Please, please, please!" She clutched handfuls of her hair and bit on her lower lip so hard that Emilia was scared that she'd hurt herself.

Emilia crouched down, carefully positioning herself on the cold, uneven dungeon floor as she looked directly into the girl’s terrified, wide eyes. The girl pressed herself into the corner, hands trembling, her gaze darting between Emilia and the basket of food.

“Please,” Emilia said gently, holding her hands up to show she meant no harm. “You’re safe. I’m not here to hurt you.”

The girl’s breaths came in shallow gasps, her body stiff and trembling. She...