The group fanned out just enough to comb the cavern, beams of flashlights slicing across the black.
No one strayed too far—their movements stayed tight, connected, every step echoing across the drowned stone chamber.
Overhead, the drones buzzed faintly, red indicators blinking in rhythm like distant warning beacons.
Their light skimmed ripples over the dark water, bouncing shadows against walls that seemed to stretch forever.
Eli hugged close to Kairo's side. His boots sank a fraction with every step, splashing softly, the icy water biting at his ankles despite the supposed waterproof fabric of his gear.
The air pressed heavy in his lungs, thick with moisture and the sharp tang of wet stone.
His gaze dropped. The water crept over uneven ground, slipping between jagged rocks that jutted out like broken fangs.
Slippery patches of algae clung to the edges, catching red light from the drones, making them gleam like veins.
