you’d been sitting in a cold, metal-lined room for days now. you were starting to drift out of consciousness again, when suddenly the door blew open. in came xaden, a rage so calm it was utterly terrifying. the atmosphere grew thin when he took a step in, as if the air itself was trying to escape his wrath. through the open door, the hallway was lined with bodies, no mercy to the people who’d taken and kept you here.

his face was stone cold set as he flicked his hand— shadows curling around the iron chains that held you, and breaking them. his gaze stayed on you the entire time. when you became free, you instantly collapsed forward from the exhaustion and ache setting in.

he was by your side in a heartbeat, catching you before you hit the ground. there was something almost like pity in his eyes as picked up your cold, pale, thin frame. “you’re okay, you’re going to be okay” he murmured almost softly, as if trying to convince himself.