The staircase grew colder as Sienna and Jari descended, the flagstones less worn and older looking as the torchlight faded. Clearly, few people came down here, preferring to live their days up in the towering city of the eagles. There were only a few lamps and the steps between them were shrouded with shadow. The drums faded after a while and soon, the only sounds were their footsteps and their breathing.
Jari had led the way at first, but Sienna noted that her breath came faster now, her breaks longer on the ledges where they rested on the way down. Clearly, she was in great pain, but she wouldn’t admit it.
Sienna counted the stairs for the first three hundred or so but then she’d lost count, unable to concentrate as the pain in her leg muscles burned and she clenched her teeth with eve
