The journey to the tunnels dragged on as long as expected. The world around them was already steeped in darkness, and as the last threads of daylight bled away, the air grew colder, heavier. Shadows stretched unnaturally across the uneven ground, and every step echoed louder than it should have.
At first, Stephan had taken Anna Mary on his back, her weight barely a burden compared to what he had endured before. But after a while, he felt the steady rise and fall of her chest against him, the heat of her breasts pressed too close. It unsettled him in a way he liked but couldn't admit. Without a word, he shifted her back into Grief's arms, letting the soul servant carry her instead.
