The dungeon reeked of damp stone and something stale—like old iron and rotting wood. The guards dragged Reed and Lena down a narrow corridor, torches casting flickering shadows on the moss-covered walls.
The fortress had been cold, but this place was worse. It felt wrong.
Reed's instincts screamed at him. Every step deeper sent a prickling sensation down his spine, like something unseen was watching.
A rusted cell door creaked open.
The guards shoved them inside, the heavy iron bars slamming shut behind them. The lock clicked into place, final and unforgiving.
Then, silence.
The guards left without a word, their footsteps fading.
Reed exhaled, flexing his sore wrists. "Great hospitality."
Lena ignored him, pacing the small cell. She ran a hand along the bars, testing their strength. Her expression was tight, controlled.
Reed pushed himself up, groaning slightly at the dull ache running through his body. He leaned against the wall, watching her.
"…You expected this," he finally said.
Lena stilled for just a second before continuing to inspect the bars. "Not like this."
"That doesn't answer anything."
She didn't reply.
Reed sighed, running a hand through his tangled hair. "Right. So we're doing the whole silent and brooding thing. Fantastic."
Still nothing.
He clicked his tongue. "You know, if you've got a plan, now's the time to share it."
Lena turned her head slightly. "I don't."
That wasn't comforting.
Reed exhaled through his nose. He didn't trust her. Not in the slightest. He barely knew her, and nothing about this situation made him feel like she was the type to be on his side.
But—
She didn't trust him either. That much was obvious.
And considering they were both locked in a dungeon with no idea what was coming next, that meant one thing.
They were stuck together.
For now.
A long silence stretched between them.
Then—
A sound.
A faint, whispering sound.
Reed stiffened.
"…Do you hear that?" he muttered.
Lena's head turned slightly, her eyes sharp.
The whispering was soft, barely there—like wind slipping through cracks in the walls.
But there was no wind here.
Reed pushed himself up, inching closer to the cell bars. The hallway beyond was empty, torches flickering weakly.
Then—
The whispering stopped.
A moment passed.
Then another.
Lena's body was tense, her stance shifting slightly, weight centered.
Reed swallowed. His gut twisted.
Something was down here.
And it wasn't human.