Aria's POV
Aria Tim practically dragged me through the temple corridors, his grip tight on my arm. Audrey trailed behind us, her footsteps echoing in the silence. I could feel her eyes boring into me, dissecting every detail of what she had witnessed. She saw too much. Far more than I ever wanted anyone to see. My face burned hot, not from shame but from the memory of Victor's mouth against mine, a sensation that had branded itself into my very soul.
The heavy temple doors slammed shut with a resounding crash that made me flinch. The familiar walls of my prison seemed to press closer, suffocating me with their cold stone embrace. The chill from the shadowy hallways crept through my skin and settled deep in my bones. I had hoped the walk back would calm my racing heart, but my pulse still thundered in my ears like war drums. It had been pounding like this since the moment I saw Victor waiting in that narrow alley.
