Chapter 53
108 words
The underground arena reeked of desperation, old sweat, and the metallic scent of blood. A crowd of onlookers gathered in a half-circle, eager to witness another brutal clash. Shadows stretched long under the dim, flickering lights, making everything feel more sinister.
Isabella stood still, her heartbeat pounding like a war drum. The murmur of anticipation from the audience felt like a rising tide, closing in. Across from her, an opponent entered the ring-someone she was wholly unprepared to see.
Her breath caught. For a second, the world tilted.
It was impossible. She had witnessed this person's demise with her own eyes, had grieved the loss, had sworn that