Chapter 33: No Way Back

Ethan didn’t have to tell me twice.

The sound behind us wasn’t just footsteps anymore—it was a rhythm, deliberate, faster now, echoing in the hallway like the building itself was chasing us. My pulse matched it, hard and unrelenting.

Isla’s hand was in mine, ice-cold, her little legs trying to keep up with the brutal pace Ethan was setting. The woman was ahead of us, knife still in hand, her eyes darting to every shadow like she expected one to come alive and grab her.

The corridor stretched on longer than it should have, lined with doors that were all closed—too closed. No voices. No signs of life. Only the hollow thud of our feet and that steady, closing pursuit.

“Where’s the exit?” I hissed.

“Down the stairs, left, then straight out,” Ethan said without looking back.

The stairs. Great. Just what you want when someone’s behind you—a nice, predictable choke point.

We reached the landing and took the turn hard. The metal railing rattled under my palm as we descended, every clan