Driven by worry for Tithi, Ayan headed into the dense forest the next morning, following the coordinates. The trail was overgrown, hidden from the main road. After hours of trekking, he found a crumbling, ivy-covered bungalow.
Inside, the air smelled of damp wood and expensive tobacco—the same scent he noticed in the alley. On the floor lay a torn piece of lavender wool. It was from Tithi's sweater. Heart in his mouth, Ayan searched the house until he found a heavy rug covering a wooden trapdoor. Below lay a dark, narrow tunnel leading deep underground.