"She was working there against her will. The moment I saw her, something about her caught my attention. She had this quiet fire in her eyes even while surrounded by filth and despair. Later, I came to know the full truth. She had been kidnapped from her family during a raid on their caravan months earlier and sold into that place. Since I took a strong liking to her, I decided to help her escape."
Although Julian could not properly see Louisa's face, he could feel every subtle reaction in her body. She was trembling now. Her breathing had grown noticeably shallower, her back rising and falling with quicker, uneven breaths.
He let the silence linger for a heartbeat before continuing.
