Two . . .
Twenty-five . . .
Twenty-six . . .
Forty-four . . .
Forty-five . . .
The next set of boots passed by the door, and I began counting once again.
“Forty-five seconds,” I confirmed as the next set of boots passed beneath the door.
“Damn, okay,” Iver’s voice was a rough grunt as the lock clicked free, no alarms immediately sounding an alert. “We’ll make it work.”
“What exactly are we making work?” Finn questioned as Iver tested the door handle, confirming it was fully unlocked.
“Moving through this hallway. It will be a tight timeline, but doable. We just need to get to the stairs two doors down,” he confirmed.
“How do you know there are stairs there?” Finn replied, eyes narrowing.
“I just do.” His voice brokered no argument.
“That’s not enough time.” My voice shook as I stared at the male. “We don’t even know if the door to the stairs is unlocked—whether there are guards on the stairs or not. It’s a terrible idea!”
Iver huffed a scoffing laugh. “This entire plan is a terrible idea. But we’re here now, so we will just have to risk it.”
“Risk it?” The question was a squeak on my lips as I stared at the door in terror. “Do you realize how many guards have passed by this closet already?”
“We’re here foryoursister,” Iver stated, monitoring a device in his hand. “We go on my command. Unless, of course, you’ve changed your mind? But seeing as we’re already inside the temples?—”
“Okay, okay.” My tone was a defeated sigh as I gestured for him to continue.
Another set of footsteps sounded, combat boots thudding against the floor as they passed our door. And then Iver was opening the door before I could process his actions, and we were?—
Stars-damned.
Finn was gesturing for me to follow after Iver, and I found myself racing along the corridor as I followed after the male, praying we didn’t get caught. I nearly tripped over myself as I sprinted after Iver. The male moved impossibly fast as we raced past the first door, and then approached the second.
I found myself skidding to an abrupt halt as Iver fidgeted with the handle, the door refusing to open.
Come on. Come on. Come on.
The handle didn’t budge as he shook against it before dropping the bag he’d been carrying on the ground and quickly grabbing a new device from the side pocket. I watched as he began working with the door handle, attempting to free the lock.
I could hear the guards’ footsteps drawing nearer, and I knew they would round the corner soon, the three of us in plain sight.
Hurry. Hurry. Hurry. It was the only word running through my mind as the male continued to focus on the lock keeping us from safety. Iver kept messing with the door handle, jiggling the metal as the chatter in the hallway grew louder and louder.
Footsteps thudded in the distance whenfinallythe lock sprang free, and Iver was throwing open the door as the three of us rushed into the dimly lit stairwell, the door latching shut behind us.
“Neverdo that again,” I hissed, my fury directed at Iver. “A little warning would have been nice.”
“In case you hadn’t noticed,” he replied, unbothered, as he began climbing up the stairs. “We’re a little short on time.”
I cast a glance toward Finn as he simply shrugged in return, the two of us having no reply as we began following after Iver, entirely out of our element. The marbled stairs spiraled up, continuing higher and higher as we approached the second floor . . . and then passed it.
“Where are we going?” My words were a whisper.
