"It's Beatrice!" the voice echoed from the bottom of the pit, distorted but unmistakable.
Amelia's heart hammered against her ribs. Beatrice down here, trapped in a hidden pit? It was a scenario so bizarre, so unexpected, that Amelia could barely process it.
"Beatrice?" Michael breathed, his voice a mix of disbelief and suspicion. "How did you get down there?"
A frustrated sigh came from below. "Long story," Beatrice's muffled voice replied. "More importantly, can you get me out of here?"
Amelia exchanged a hesitant glance with Michael. Could they trust Beatrice? Was this an elaborate trap, a way for Beatrice to lure them into a dangerous situation?
"Why should we trust you?" Michael demanded, his voice firm.
Beatrice scoffed. "Look, if I wanted to hurt you, I wouldn't be calling for
