Chapter 63: Deal with a Devil
"Hey!" Veira screamed, an iron fist grappling at her wrist. Despite her struggles, they refused to let go. Her feet dragged against the earth, leaving frantic grooves in the mud as she was pulled into a narrow opening carved into the forest wall. Her eyes welled with tears as she was thrown into a small, boxed-off room—no, a cage disguised as shelter.
The walls were made of thick, sun-hardened clay, cracked from the changing seasons and streaked with the fingerprints of those who built them. The roof was thatched, but reinforced with dense wooden beams wrapped in thorned vines—meant less for protection and more to discourage escape. The only light slipped in through tiny holes near the top, carved just wide enough to taunt her with the breeze. The air inside was humid, bitter with the scent of old sweat, rot, and smoke.
"What’re yo—"
Before she could even finish the thought, the heavy woven curtain dropped shut, and she heard the scrape of a wooden beam sliding into place behind it.
She was locked in.
Her fingers dug into the packed earth beneath her. It was cold, damp, and clumped beneath her nails like blood. Veira’s teeth gritted with annoyance and disdain, biting down on every instinct that screamed to fight.
"You can’t keep me here! Hello?!" she shouted, voice echoing against the dirt-packed walls. But her words, like all things in this place, went unanswered.
"Idiots..." she muttered under her breath.
She sat up against the uneven wall, the dampness seeping into her bones, her hair pressing against the dirt-caked border. Only the constant sound of birds and insects beyond, a cruel reminder that life was still happening—just not for her.