Obviously, my head start ensured I got to climb up into the cellar before Luca could and being the competitive sibling that I was, I sent him a satisfied smirk that I knew would rile him up.
"Cheater," he said.
"Loser," I countered.
Ah, even in these trying times, I always managed to find moments that helped uplift my spirits. Often enough, there was nothing better to put a smile on my face than showing Luca once again that I was the big brother.
While the rest of my team made their way up the ropes, I spent that time surveying the room we'd arrived in.
We were in a wide earthen space with stone walls and an arched ceiling. But it wasn't the kind of cellar I knew about because instead of the row upon row of wine bottles I was expecting, I was treated to what was basically a torture chamber.
