The hallways were eerily silent now, the echoes of chaos fading but leaving a tension that hummed in every corner. Dust hung thick in the air, coating walls, floors, and the remnants of shattered glass. Ariana moved cautiously, every nerve alert, every step measured. Adrian’s hand was tight around hers, iron-strong, a tether she clung to as if her very survival depended on it.
“Adrian… we can’t keep doing this forever,” she whispered, her voice raw and tight. “They’ll catch us eventually.”
Adrian’s jaw flexed, black stormy eyes scanning the broken corridor. “We won’t get caught. Not if we stay sharp. Not if we move like predators, not prey.” His gaze flicked to the shadows, calculating, aware. “One mistake, one hesitation… and we’re done.”
Ariana’s chest tightened. “I’m not afraid.”
He
