“Is there another way out?” I asked, my heart hammering against my ribs.

“The old coal chute,” Ryker said. “It leads to the northern gardens.”

He helped me up, his grip firm and reassuring despite the chaos around us.

We retreated back down the corridor, the sound of boots echoing behind us.

They were pursuing us into the tunnels.

“They’re coming from both sides,” I whispered, panic rising in my chest.

Ryker stopped by a small wooden door hidden behind a stack of old wooden pallets.

He kicked the pallets aside with a splintering crash.

“Inside,” he commanded.

The room was tiny, filled with dust and the smell of ancient coal dust.

An iron ladder climbed up the far wall, leading to a small square of faint starlight high above.

“Climb,” Ryker told me. “Take Lily first.”

I grabbed the cold iron rungs, my hands slipping slightly on the rust.

“Go, Lily,” I whispered, nudging her upward.

The five-year-old climbed with surprising agility, her small shoes scraping against the metal.

I climbed right behind her, my eyes scanning the darkness below.