SAMANTHA
Darkness. Pain. The distant sound of growling. I surfaced from unconsciousness slowly, my body screaming with agony. The claws in my back, the searing heat, the roar of Finnian's beast—it all came flooding back in a disjointed rush. I was being held. Not by Finnian, but by something warm and solid. His arms were wrapped around me, his massive body curled protectively around mine.
Then I heard the shouting.
"Separate them! Now!"
Rough hands grabbed me, tearing me from Finnian's embrace. I cried out, reaching for him, but my vision was blurred, my limbs too weak to fight. Finnian roared, a sound of pure fury, and I heard chains rattling, weapons being drawn.
"Samantha!" His voice was broken, desperate. "Father, please! Don't hurt her!"
But the guards were relentless. They dragged me across the cold stone floor, my bare legs scraping against the rough surface. I tried to focus, to fight back, but my body refused to cooperate. I was too weak, too broken.
