The deeper they went, the quieter it became.
Not the kind of silence that comforted—
But the kind that listened.
Isabella Vicks walked beside Damien Hayes, her steps measured, her breathing steady despite the storm raging inside her. Every instinct told her this place was dangerous—calculated down to the smallest detail.
Nothing here was accidental.
Not the lighting.
Not the layout.
Not even the silence.
Ahead of them, Astra walked with unhurried confidence, as if the entire structure bent to their will.
Which, in a way… it did.
“Stay observant,” Damien murmured under his breath, just low enough for Isabella to hear.
“I already am,” she replied without looking at him.
Their voices were calm.
But beneath that calm—
They were both thinking the same thing.
Find the weakness.
T
