“It’s around here somewhere… Ah!”
He pressed a button and an invisible door popped open on the wall.
“What’s this?”
“Maintenance tunnel. It goes all through the compound so we can access pipes and electrical supply easily. And it also is a direct route downstairs to the cells.”
“You’re taking me to Gideon?” I asked, my pulse quickening.
“I think you’re right,” he said after a beat. “You should try — even if it gets us nowhere.”
I felt my eyes prickle. “You would do this for me?”
He shifted uncomfortably.
“I don’t like him,” Dev said. “And I don’t trust him. But I trustyou.”
That landed harder than it should have.
“And I won’t let him hurt you,” he added, more firmly now.
I nodded, swallowing past the tightness in my throat. “Thank you.”
Dev didn’t answer. He stepped into the narrow tunnel first, then turned back and held out his hand again—this time without hesitation.
“Watch your step. It drops.”
The tunnel was cramped and dark, metal ribs pressing in on all sides. Dev moved with practiced ease, one hand braced against the wall, the other never letting go of mine. Every sound echoed too loudly—our footsteps, my breathing, the distant hum of power running through the walls.
“How do you know about this?” I whispered.
“Everyone who’s been here long enough learns the shortcuts,” he murmured.
“And how long have you been here?” I asked softly.
He cast me a small grin. “A while.”
We descended in silence. The air grew colder. He slowed as we neared the end, shoulders tightening.
“Seph,” he said quietly, stopping me with a gentle pull. “If it gets too much—tell me. Don’t push through it.”
I looked up at him. His jaw was clenched, eyes sharp with worry he wasn’t trying to hide.
“I will,” I promised.
Only then did he release my hand and reach for the final hatch.
“Okay,” he said, voice low. “We’re here.”
We exited the tunnel into a long, narrow corridor. It was windowless and cold. I heard talking down one end and I paused.
Dev lifted a finger to his lips and moved ahead without a word.
I stayed back, pressed to the wall, watching.
He slipped into conversation like he belonged there—easy, confident, just enough charm to disarm without drawing attention. One of the guards laughed. The other shifted, distracted for half a second.
That was all it took.
