Eleanor had no time to think before she was plunged into darkness. The next moment, her consciousness returned. She found her wrist tied to a pillar. The cold air against her bare skin sent shivers of fear through her already trembling frame.
Her breathing came in ragged bursts. She tugged at her arms, but the resistance bit into her wrists. Rope! The rough fibres scraped her skin as she twisted. Her legs were also bound, rendering her completely vulnerable.
A cold chill ran down her spine. Panic set in. The scent of blood hung in the air, metallic and sickening. A throbbing pain radiated from every inch of her body, as if she had been trampled by a heavy roller. She swallowed hard, tasting the salt of blood on her tongue.
