VALERIA

"I never lied to you. You can leave this place by falling into the abyss—I just never assured you that you could do it alive," I said, looking into their terrified, resentful, and astonished eyes. They had no time to defend themselves.

I gripped their hearts tightly in my hands and tore them from their chests, crushing them into pulp between my claws.

They fell backward over the edge of the bridge. I extended my bloodied hand and caught the chain in the air, the key dangling from it, sh