The sound of boots was getting closer. Each step was heavy, measured, and perfectly in rhythm—just like the strange patrols they had seen earlier.
Somewhere in the far end of the chamber, a dark figure moved. Its head turned sharply from side to side, scanning for even the smallest sign of movement. The way it moved was unnatural, like it was built only to watch and hunt.
Mia's eyes flicked to the floor. Near her foot was a small, loose piece of stone. Without saying a word, she looked at Hiro. He caught her gaze, and she gave a short nod. She bent slightly, picked up the stone, and with a quick flick of her wrist, sent it flying to the opposite side of the room.
The rock hit the polished floor with a faint clink, then rolled a short distance before stopping in the darkness.
The figure's head snapped toward the sound instantly. It drifted across the chamber, its attention locked on the spot where the noise had come from.
That was the moment the group moved.
