The darkness was absolute. Marwan and Laith pressed themselves against the cold stone wall, their breathing loud in the silence, their eyes straining to see anything at all. The tunnel had narrowed here, the ceiling lowering, the walls closing in. They had been walking for what felt like hours—or maybe minutes, time had lost all meaning in the labyrinth beneath the mountain."We need to move," Marwan said."Which way?""Any way. Standing here won't find us an exit."Laith nodded, though Marwan couldn't see it. He pushed off from the wall and chose a direction at random—left, or what he thought was left. The tunnel curved, then curved again, then opened into a slightly larger chamber.And then the ground shook.It started as a tremor, barely noticeable, the kind of vibration that could be mistaken for exhaustion or hunger or fear. But it grew. The stones beneath their feet began to tremble. Dust rained from the ceiling. A low rumble echoed through the corridors, growing louder, closer.

The sun was setting when they finally emerged from the tunnel. Marwan and Laith stumbled out of the hidden opening in the hillside, blinking against the orange light, their clothes torn, their faces streaked with dust and dried ichor. Behind them, chained and stumbling, came Antar.The safe house was less than a kilometer away. They walked in silence, too exhausted to speak.Hadi was waiting at the door.His face went through several expressions in rapid succession—relief, anger, confusion, and then, when he saw Antar, outright fury."What. Is. That." Hadi's voice was low, controlled, dangerous."A ghoul," Marwan said."I can see it's a ghoul. Why is it here? Why is it not dead? Why is it walking behind you like a lost puppy?"Laith stepped forward, raising his hands. "Hadi, let us explain—""You got lost. In a tunnel. For two days. I had every available Knight searching for you. I had Ali running satellite sweeps. I had Hazem ready to come back from and lead a rescue mission himself.