Dust suddenly tickled my nose, triggering a violent sneeze. The sound echoed as if we were in a large, enclosed space.
“Try not to announce our location to every Shadow-Wolf in the area.”
I sniffed and scowled in the direction of his wry voice. “They can’t catch up to us that quickly in the Old Quarter.”
His voice was suddenly so close I jumped. “Figured that out, did you.”
I shrugged. “It wasn’t hard. This must be an old warehouse from the feel of it. Since we need to get to the Noble Quarter, we must be in one of the warehouses located near the wall in the Old Quarter.”
His breath was a warm breeze on my forehead. I tilted my chin to blindly meet his gaze.
“You can see through the scarf,” he said flatly.
“No.”
“Then how did you know there were warehouses here?”
“I studied maps of the city as part of my training.” Which was true. “If the city was ever compromised, I needed to know where to take the royals. I remember this cluster of large warehouses near the wall.”
There was a long silence, but I could still feel him inches away from me.
“I would very much like to know,” he said in a deadly quiet voice, “what else was on those maps.”
A tricky request. I licked my dry lips. “I can assure you that your tunnel was not on them.”
“Why do you think it’s a tunnel?” he asked sharply.
“What else could it be? We can’t go over the wall because it’s too high, and no rooftop is close enough. So, we must be going under it.”
Another silence. I waited, my heart hammering in my ears.
“Clever little thief,” he murmured.
“Does that mean I can remove this blindfold?”
“No.” He grasped my elbow. “You may have figured out a few things, but I still have secrets to keep.” He led me on a jagged path across the soft floor. Most likely avoiding obstacles. But what kind?
“Mind the stairs. Five small ones.”
I edged closer as his grip tugged me downward, into the tunnel. The air grew damp and still, every sound muffled. Even though my eyes were closed under the scarf, I couldfeelthe heavier darkness press around me.
How long had this tunnel been here? Aiden must use it for more than sneaking in and out of the Noble Quarter.
“Wait for me,” he whispered.
My lips parted to beg him not to leave me, even for a moment in this abyss, but he was gone. Shutting the entrance behind us.
My heartbeat spun out of control, fear clawing at my throat and my insides. “Aiden?” I didn’t care that my voice trembled.
Warm fingers slid around my arm. “Kiera.”
“Can I take it offnow?”
“It won’t make a difference in here. But I can’t let you see where we come out.”
I sighed. “Just don’t . . . don’t let go.”
“As you wish.”
