Chapter 24

• I started walking down the stairs slowly, taking each step with deliberate caution, and Ethan was right behind me. The atmosphere in the air was tense, heavy with unspoken anxiety. I could sense the nerves practically radiating off of him. He was nervous—more than just slightly—and I knew exactly why. He was worried that there might have been guards stationed down there, lurking in the shadows, watching over the prisoners like rabid sentinels. But I told him to relax, brushing off his concern. His anxiety wasn’t helping the situation. In fact, it was only making things worse. His nerves weren’t doing anything for me right now, and I needed to stay focused. I needed him focused, too.
• “What are you talking about?” he asked, confused, his voice echoing slightly in the cold stairwell.
• “You,” I said simply, keeping my tone calm and direct. “I can feel how nervous you are. Knock it off.”