Chapter 91. The End of the Game

Poppy's POV

The dank air clings to my skin like a second, unwanted coat as I descend the stone steps into the bowels of the Luparian dungeons. My boots squelch softly against the dampness that seeps through the cracks in the floor, and I can almost taste the must and decay on my tongue. James trails behind me, his presence a constant prickle at the back of my neck- always there but never quite solid or reassuring.

"Keep your eyes peeled, James," I mutter, scanning the shadows for any sign of movement. "Nathan could be down here, hurt... or worse."

"Or he could be playing us for fools," James replies, his voice echoing hollowly off the walls. I ignore the bite in his tone; my focus is solely on finding Nathan.

We turn the corner, and there, illuminated by the flickering torchlight, is the silhouette of a man huddled in the corner of a cell. My heart leaps into my throat. It's him. It has to be. Niamh stirs within me, sen