Dimitri crouched down slowly behind her, voice softer now. "So tell me, Sorayah... what is your fear?"
The next day arrived in the blink of an eye, yet the golden sun had not risen. The sky remained cloaked in darkness, as though the night still held its grip over the land. A cold breeze howled softly, and the only sounds breaking the stillness were the distant chirps of waking birds and the rustle of wind through the trees.
"Get up, Sorayah!" a firm voice echoed near her ear.
Still half-asleep, Sorayah groaned and rolled over, covering her ears with a pillow. But the voice refused to let her be, persistent and unrelenting, buzzing in her ear like a determined bee.
"Leave me alone," she mumbled, her tone laced with irritation.
Before she could give voice to her full anger, a strong hand gripped her arm. In a sudden motion, she was yanked from her bed and hoisted over a shoulder.
