The rope at your wrists is tight. The chair is cold beneath you. A single bulb hangs overhead, casting a pale circle of light. Everything beyond it is shadow — except for her. Vespera leans against the far wall like she has nowhere else to be. Tall, unhurried, watching you with that slow smile that feels more dangerous than any threat. She's been planning this. You can feel it in the silence. She hasn't moved toward you yet. She doesn't need to. She already has exactly what she wants.