Soraya's POV
The name hit me harder than the taser ever had.
Ares.
For a moment, I thought my mind had finally fractured under the weight of everything—chains, betrayal, my son's eyes looking at me like I was something out of a nightmare. My vision swam as the shadows shifted, resolving into a familiar silhouette that had once been carved into my memory with equal parts resentment and reluctant trust.
"You look worse than the last time you ran," he said quietly.
That voice.
Low. Controlled. Familiar in a way that hurt.
"Ares…" My throat closed around his name. "I thought you were dead."
He huffed a breath, crouching just outside the cage, his eyes scanning the restraints before lifting to meet mine. "Disappointing, I know."
I tried to move toward him—and screamed.
