Ezra

Ezra's heart sank as the heavy wooden door creaked open, the flickering torchlight casting ghostly shadows in the damp stone cell. He had long since lost track of the days, the musty air heavy with despair and betrayal, but the sight of the girl being unceremoniously hurled into his prison reignited a flicker of hope buried deep within him. Her tattered clothes clung to her frail frame, marred with crimson stains, and as she crumpled to the ground, the pain etched across her face radiated a silent plea for help. The guards snickered before slamming the door shut, leaving the two of them in the oppressive darkness. Ezra struggled to his feet, his own scars a reminder of his prolonged agony, but this was different—this girl, with her haunted eyes, was another victim of Duke Cain's treachery, and he could not abandon her to the same fate that had brought him low.