Athena pressed herself against the stone wall, her heart pounding. The dim torchlight flickered across the hallway, casting long, eerie shadows.
The boy in her arms clung to her cloak, his tiny fingers trembling against the fabric.
The guard remained in the cell across from them, and Athena could hear muffled cries of pain. Her stomach twisted. Who else was imprisoned here?
She turned her attention back to the boy. His golden eyes were glazed with exhaustion, and his breathing was shallow. He was weak, barely holding on. There was no time to hesitate.
Taking a deep breath, she shifted the boy's weight in her arms and crept toward the hallway's end.
Every step was calculated, each movement as silent as a whisper. She needed to get out before the guard noticed the unlocked door.
Just as she reached the corner, a deep voice echoed through the passage.
"Where is the boy?"
Athena froze. How did he come... here?
