Darkness swallowed the hallway.
Ariana’s hands were glued to Adrian’s, her nails digging into his skin. Her heart pounded so hard it felt like it might tear through her chest. Dust and debris rained down, the air thick with the metallic tang of fear.
Adrian’s eyes darted through the shadows, scanning, calculating. Every instinct screamed danger, every muscle taut like a coiled spring.
“Adrian… what is it?” she whispered, barely audible over the groaning of the building.
He didn’t answer immediately. His jaw flexed, his grip on her hand tightening. Then he spoke, low, deadly serious:
“They’re not just after me. They’re here for you. And they know exactly what I did.”
Ariana froze. Her stomach twisted. “What… what do you mean?”
He inhaled sharply. “The people from my past… the ones I
