Chapter 11 · Under Ironbound

The heartbeat behind Marcus wasn't human.

Evira heard the rhythm wrong. Too slow. Too heavy. Something big enough that its pulse made the air press against her eardrums. She yanked Marcus sideways as the floor where he'd been standing caved in. Stone and dirt poured through. The hole opened wider.

Below, another heartbeat. Felix. Faint but steady.

"Down," Marcus said. He was already moving. He dropped through the gap before she could argue. She heard him land hard. Heard him grunt.

She followed.

The drop was maybe twelve feet. Evira hit packed earth and rolled. Her shoulder slammed into something metal. A support beam. The space smelled like rust and old blood. She couldn't see Marcus. Couldn't see anything. Then his hand found her wrist.

"Don't make noise," he said. His voice was barely there.

She stayed still. Listened. The big heartbeat had stopped. Or moved. She couldn't tell which. Felix's heartbeat was closer now. Ahead and left. Her blood knew the direction the way it knew to flow.

Marcus pulled her forward. She felt him testing each step. The ground sloped down. The air got hotter. She realized they were under the guild hall. Under Ironbound itself.