Shadows of betrayal
The silence of the abandoned building wrapped around them, thick and heavy. Dust clung to the air, settling in their lungs, coating their skin. Isabella leaned against the cold, splintered wood, her heartbeat drumming in her ears. She could still hear the distant crunch of footsteps outside, slow, deliberate.
The man beside her remained still, his breath controlled. His eyes flicked to the broken window, scanning the darkness beyond. The dim moonlight sliced through the gaps in the rotting walls, casting jagged shadows across his face.
She pressed a hand against her ribs, feeling the dull ache beneath her fingertips. The chase had stolen the last of her strength, but she couldn't stop now.
A distant door creaked. A voice, low and measured, murmured something she couldn't make out.
He shifted closer, his scent of earth and iron filling her senses. His hand brushed against hers—a brief, fleeting touch, but enough to ground her.
