The Frozen Ascent

[KAELIA BRYNN HALLOWAY]

Chains.

I can hear the scrape of chains all around us as we tread through the blood-shadowed halls. My ears twitch with every clank, but other than the uniformed footsteps of the crown guards behind us, I see no one.

Not a single soul.

Where were they?

Where were the humans?

My eyes lift only slightly to glance behind me as if I might see a group of them chained and lugging