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Into the Fire

Author: Lee Ray
last update Last Updated: 2025-12-26 17:38:47

Chapter 74: Into the Fire

Ethan moved through the pitch-black service tunnels with painful slowness, every step forcing another shallow breath out of his injured ribs. The darkness felt heavy enough to press against him, as if the stone walls themselves were leaning in to swallow him. Damp earth clung to the air, thick with mould, and the smell only grew stronger the deeper he went. His suit dragged across the rough concrete, the expensive fabric now reduced to nothing more than a thin shield between his body and the cold, unfriendly walls.

The only thing guiding him was the small tactical lamp clipped to his harness. Its narrow beam carved a thin path through the dark, barely strong enough to touch the corners of the tunnel. In that light, Silvio’s stolen schematics felt almost too detailed—evidence of a traitor who had known the Chateau’s bones more intimately than anyone should. Every turn, every access point, every exit door had been mapped by a man who had never planned to
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