AMBER POV
The moment Luka shoved Vic and me into the narrow space between the stacked wooden crates, I barely had time to regain my footing before he turned to face the door.
Luka’s broad shoulders blocked most of our hiding spot, pressing Vic and me into the cramped gap between a heavy wooden cabinet and the cold stone wall. The air was thick with mildew, damp earth, and something far worse—a sickly, cloying stench of rot. It hit me like a punch to the gut, burning the inside of my nose and making my stomach twist.
It took me a second to place it. Then I saw it.
A dead animal.
The remains of some unfortunate creature—maybe a crow, maybe something bigger—shriveled and half-decayed in the shadows. I clamped a hand over my mouth, swallowing back the bile that threatened to rise.
Luka
