Kieran awoke to the distant clang of armored footsteps echoing through the tunnels. The cold sweat on his skin told him he had drifted off for longer than he should have. He blinked, his vision still tinged with the haze of the poison, but the pain had dulled—a temporary reprieve, thanks to Julian’s antidote.

Julian was already on his feet, his figure a dark silhouette against the torchlight filtering through the cracks in the stone. He turned sharply at Kieran’s stir. “We need to move.”

Kieran forced himself upright, his muscles protesting. “How long was I out?”

“Too long,” Julian replied, his tone clipped. “The guards are closing in.”

Kieran caught the flicker of tension in Julian’s jaw. He knew the other man wouldn’t say it outright, but waiting for him had been a risk. The weight of that realization settled in Kieran’s chest, heavy and unwelcome.

He shoved it aside and took a shaky step forward. The dizziness that followed was immediate, but Julian was there before he could sway, gripping his arm tightly. Their eyes met in the dim light, and for a moment, something unspoken hung between them.

Julian exhaled sharply, guiding Kieran forward. “Lean on me if you have to.”

Kieran bit back his pride and allowed himself to shift some of his weight onto Julian. It was fleeting, barely a second, but enough for Julian’s grip to tighten, steadying him.

They navigated the tunnel in tense silence. Every distant sound sent a ripple of urgency through them. The deeper they went, the more the walls closed in—cracked stone, damp air, the scent of rust and earth pressing in around them.

Then Julian suddenly stopped. His hand shot out in front of Kieran, forcing him to halt.

Kieran followed his gaze. A faint glimmer in the darkness—a tripwire. Barely visible, but deadly in its precision.

Julian knelt, inspecting the mechanism. “This isn’t just for an alarm,” he muttered. “It’s rigged to collapse the tunnel.”

Kieran’s pulse spiked. “They really don’t want us getting out of here.”

Julian shot him a dry look. “What gave it away?”

Kieran ignored him and surveyed the wire. It was delicate, expertly placed, but there was a gap beneath it—just enough space for them to crawl under.

Julian turned to him. “Think you can make it?”

Kieran rolled his shoulders. The poison still gnawed at his strength, but he had no choice. “I’ll manage.”

Julian went first, sliding under the wire with practiced ease. Kieran followed, his breath catching as he moved carefully, deliberately, his body brushing dangerously close to the line of death above him. The weight of Julian’s gaze on him didn’t help.

Finally, he was through.

Julian offered his hand. Kieran hesitated for a fraction of a second before grasping it, letting Julian pull him the rest of the way up.

The moment their hands separated, another sound cut through the tunnel.

Boots. Close.

Julian cursed. “We have to run.”

Kieran forced his legs to move, following Julian into the darkness, deeper into the unknown.

To be continued...