Chapter 24 · Voidbound - Chapter 24: The Door Below

"Move!" Mira's hand clamped around my wrist and yanked me toward the far wall.

I stumbled after her, my boots skidding on stone slick with something I didn't want to name. Behind us, Rook's voice echoed through the arena tunnel—closer than it should be, louder than made sense.

"You think walls stop me, street rat?"

Mira didn't answer. She was too busy dragging me through a maintenance door I hadn't seen, one that opened into a shaft dropping straight down into black.

"Tell me there's a ladder."

"There's a ladder." She swung onto it without slowing. "Also tell yourself it holds."

I grabbed the first rung. Rust flaked under my palm. The whole frame groaned.

"How far down?"

"Far enough." Her voice came from below, already fading. "Don't look up. Don't stop. Don't let go."

Above, the door banged open. Light spilled into the shaft, yellow and sick.

"Found you."

I dropped three rungs at once. My shoulder hit the ladder and my teeth clacked together hard enough to taste blood. The Voidling pulsed under my ribs—hot, eager, awake.

*Not now. Not here.*

But it didn't care. It never did.

Mira hit bottom first.