Damien.
The damp air of the subterranean tunnel felt like ice against my face, but sweat was dripping down my neck as I carried Maria in my arms. Her weight was nothing, but the sheer terror of how quiet she was—how shallow her breathing felt against my chest—made every step feel like walking through wet cement.
Adrein pushed open the heavy wooden door at the mouth of the tunnel exit, the rusted iron hinges letting out a faint, painful screech.
"Be careful and quiet," I hissed, pulling Maria tighter against my chest as the cold night wind rushed into the shaft. "We don't know who's watching this riverbank."
Adrein stepped out first, his hand resting on his weapon, his face pale and sunken. His frayed bond thread was tearing him apart from the inside, his breathing coming in short, ragged gasps. He scanned the dense treeline, his sharp eyes cutting through the dark before he motioned for me to follow.
