Water. Reflected light, moving. The sound they’d heard below was louder here—no longer a distant rush, but a steady roar that filled the space and vibrated faintly underfoot. They followed the passage as it curved gently to the left. With every step, the air grew cooler, wetter. The reflected light brightened, spreading across the stone like something alive.
And then— Snap. The sharp crack of something giving way echoed through the space, followed instantly by a man’s scream. It was raw and panicked, tearing out of him as if he’d already begun to fall. Nora gasped, clutching Ethan’s arm. The scream cut off abruptly, replaced by frantic, breathless muttering.