Aeliana barely had a moment to catch her breath before Kael tensed beside her, his gaze snapping toward the dark corridor ahead. His hand went instinctively to his sword hilt, though they both knew the blade was barely worth wielding at this point.
"I heard footsteps," Kael muttered under his breath. His stance shifted, readying for another fight. "We've got company."
Aeliana's exhaustion vanished in an instant. Her muscles, already sore from battle, tensed once more as she turned toward the tunnel's entrance. The flickering torchlight barely reached past the jagged stone walls, casting deep, shifting shadows that made it impossible to see who—or what—was approaching.
Garrik sighed dramatically, rolling his shoulders. "Can't we get a break for five minutes?" He still gripped his axe, but there was a glint of readiness in his eyes.
