Chapter 91

• Alex
• My head throbbed like a drumbeat, each pulse heavier than the last. I forced my eyes open, but the world around me was a distorted blur. Everything felt upside down. My temples screamed, and I had to shut my eyes again to block out the spinning. My breaths were shallow, each a struggle against the sour air filling my lungs.
• My vision sharpened when I opened my eyes again, though I wished it hadn’t. My arms and legs were bound with heavy chains that dug into my skin. I tested the restraints, pulling gently at first, then harder. The metal links didn’t even budge. My body felt like lead, and my muscles screamed in protest. The acrid stench of manure and hay assaulted me, forcing me to swallow down bile. The ground beneath me was cold, damp, and covered in muck that clung to my clothes and skin.