The tension in the air was thicker than smoke.
But it was the gunshot that shattered everything.
It came from below... from the basement cells. The sound tore through the walls like a blade through silk. Luke froze mid-step, his heart stopping before it slammed back into motion. Gavin, seated near the control room, shot up from his chair, eyes wide.
“That came from Amara’s cell,” Luke said, his voice rough, breath quickening.
They didn’t wait. Both men moved as one, sprinting through the corridor, calling for the nearby guards. The metallic clang of boots on marble followed them down the narrow staircase leading to the lower levels.
The dim lights flickered, casting long, distorted shadows on the stone walls.
By the time they reached the cell block, the smell of gunpowder still linge
