The air inside the narrow passageway beneath the concrete bridge of the Iron District hummed with a violent, ceaseless vibration. Above them, the massive steam engines and gears of the upper-level factories ground against each other, pouring a steady drone of industrial noise down into the dark underpass. Hot, oily water trickled through cracks in the overhead stonework, creating slick black pools across the gravel floor. Zeven walked with heavy steps, his boots splashing through the dark residue as his thoughts remained locked on the dead tracker's final words. The revelation that Rey had been taken back to the freezing laboratory cages of Fenrir Valley burned like a physical brand inside his chest, clouding his judgment with raw frustration.
"We need to slow down and pick our route care
