[Imperial Palace—Dungeon—Lavinia's POV—Continuation]
I stepped back, letting the cold stone floor press firmly against the heels of my boots, eyes fixed on Caelum as he struggled to swallow the soggy, fungus-ridden bread. He coughed violently, each breath shaky, and his wide, glassy eyes—brimming with a mixture of pain and defiance—made a small, wicked thrill curl in my chest.
"Gosh… it's filthy," I murmured, tossing my glove onto the stone floor with a soft thud.
My bare hands hovered over the array of instruments laid out neatly on the table, each one glinting in the flickering dungeon torchlight.
"You know…" I continued, my voice deceptively gentle, dragging the words like fine silk over broken glass, "since I have a very timid heart… I gave you food, after all your… betrayal." My fingers lingered over a set of gleaming tools, letting my eyes roam over each one as if admiring them.
