CHAPTER SEVENTY THREE - When Winter Claims Its Due

They fell silent, listening. At first, there was nothing. Then Lucas caught it—the faintest sound of movement, barely perceptible even to his enhanced hearing. Not one person, but many, converging from multiple directions. "They've found us," Gabriel whispered, panic edging his voice. Lucas moved to the window, peering carefully around the curtain. Shadows shifted across the grounds, too coordinated to be anything but an organized search party. "We need to move," he said, turning back to the others. "Now." They slipped into the hallway, moving swiftly toward a service stairwell Aria indicated. The sounds of pursuit grew louder behind them. "This leads down to the kitchen level," Aria whispered as they descended. "From there, we can access the tunnel system that runs beneath the entire compound." They reached the bottom of the stairs and paused at the closed door. Lucas listened carefully, then nodded. Aria pushed the door open, revealing a deserted corridor lined with storage roo