Athena's eyelids fluttered—the weight of exhaustion clinging to her lashes—when she felt the bulky guard pause, and she pried her eyes open to meet a world that was dim and cruel.
The chamber was dank—humid in a way that clung to her skin like sweat even though she felt cold. The single bulb dangling from the middle of the ceiling flickered sporadically, humming like it was protesting its last hour on earth.
Its trembling light carved broken shadows across the walls, illuminating metal pipes, rust stains, and the faint silhouettes of rats darting behind crates.
Her gaze dragged forward, catching on a massive metal tub at the center of the room. A pot—no, a cauldron—large enough to fit two grown adults. Steam hissed from its surface, rolling upward like ghostly fingers.
Beneath it, flames licked steadily at the base, heating it to a roiling, furious boil. The bubbles slapped against the sides with violent pops.
