Chapter 173: Clicked
The lock clicked.
They entered.
The stairwell smelled of dust and old cooking oil.
Denzel climbed.
One floor.
Two.
The Knight stayed behind him.
He kept his eyes on the stairs.
"What are we looking for?"
"The fourth floor."
Denzel glanced back.
"You said this building was old."
"It is."
"That doesn’t answer why we’re climbing four floors in the middle of the night."
"It wasn’t my idea."
"Whose was it?"
"The message."
Denzel stopped.
The Knight nearly walked into him.
"What?"
He looked down at her.
"The message told us to leave."
"Yes."
"And now we’re following it upstairs."
"I’m not following it."
"Then what are we doing?"
She looked past him.
"Checking whether someone else is."
Denzel stared at her for a moment.
Then continued climbing.
The third floor came and went.
By the fourth, the air had grown colder.
The stairwell narrowed, the walls stained darker from years of dampness. A single lamp burned at the landing ahead, its flame weak enough to leave the corners in shadow.
Denzel slowed.
The Knight noticed immediately.
"What?"
He pointed.
"The door."
A wooden door stood at the end of the landing.
It was slightly open.
Neither of them spoke.
Denzel’s hand drifted toward the weapon at his side.
The Knight moved past him.
He caught her wrist.
"Don’t."
She looked at his hand.
Then at him.
"I was going to check."
"Which is exactly why I said don’t."
Her eyebrow rose.
"You have a better idea?"
"Several."
"Such as?"
"Letting me go first."
The Knight studied him for a second.
Then she nodded.
Denzel released her wrist and stepped toward the door.
He didn’t touch it immediately.
The gap was barely two inches.
Enough to see darkness inside.
He listened.
Nothing.
No voices.
No footsteps.
Not even the creak of settling wood.
He pushed the door open.
Slowly.
The room beyond was empty.
Denzel entered.
The Knight followed.
It looked like an abandoned storage room.
Broken chairs had been stacked against one wall. A table sat beneath the window, covered in dust. Several wooden crates occupied the far corner.
Denzel looked around.
"Nothing."
The Knight walked to the table.
"Not nothing."
She pointed.
A candle sat in a brass holder.
The wax was still soft.
Denzel touched it.
Warm.
His eyes sharpened.
"Someone was here."
"Recently."
He looked at the window.
It was closed.
He crossed the room and opened it.
Cold air rushed inside.
Below them, the street stretched into darkness.
No one stood beneath the building.
No carriage waited outside.
Denzel looked toward the opposite rooftops.
Nothing.
The Knight came beside him.
"See anything?"
"No."
"Then why are you still looking?"
"Because whoever was here didn’t leave through the door."
She frowned.
"How do you know?"
Denzel pointed at the dust near the doorway.
"No footprints."
He looked at the floor.
"There aren’t any near the window either."
The Knight’s eyes narrowed.
"So where did they go?"
Denzel didn’t answer.
He turned toward the table.
There was something beneath it.
A thin strip of black cloth.
He crouched and pulled it free.
The fabric was torn.
The Knight looked at it.
"That’s not Sophia’s."
"No."
Denzel rubbed it between his fingers.
"Too rough."
"Guard’s uniform?"
"Maybe."
He stood.
The Knight was already examining the room again.
Denzel followed her gaze.
The crates.
The shelves.
The table.
The walls.
Then the ceiling.
His eyes stopped.
There was a small iron ring embedded in the wooden ceiling.
Denzel pointed.
"What’s that?"
The Knight looked up.
Her expression changed.
"I don’t know."
"You don’t know?"
"I’ve never been here."
Denzel gave her a look.
"You’re surprisingly comfortable saying that in a building where you’ve already admitted to knowing a secret passage."
She ignored him.
A small ladder leaned against the wall.
Denzel dragged it beneath the ring.
The Knight caught his arm.
"Wait."
"What?"
"If it’s trapped—"
"It probably isn’t."
"Probably?"
He looked at her.
"You really like that word tonight."
"I was making a point."
"You’ve made several."
Denzel climbed anyway.
He reached the ceiling and pulled the iron ring.
Nothing happened.
He pulled harder.
A wooden panel shifted.
A narrow opening appeared above him.
Denzel stared into the darkness.
"Interesting."
The Knight stepped onto the ladder.
"What?"
"There’s another passage."
She looked up.
"That isn’t part of the building."
Denzel glanced down.
"How do you know?"
"Because I know the building."
"Finally. Useful information."
She ignored the remark.
Denzel climbed through.
The passage above was barely tall enough for him to crouch.
It stretched toward the opposite side of the building.
He crawled forward.
The Knight followed.
After several yards, Denzel noticed a faint light ahead.
He stopped.
The Knight nearly collided with him again.
"What?"
"Someone’s there."
They waited.
A shadow moved across the light.
Denzel’s hand tightened.
A voice drifted through the wooden wall.
"Did they take the bait?"
Another voice answered.
"No."
Denzel froze.
The Knight looked at him.
They both listened.
"They’re still downstairs."
"Then wait."
"For how long?"
"Until they leave."
Denzel’s eyes narrowed.
The Knight leaned closer.
Neither spoke.
The first voice returned.
"What if they don’t?"
"They will."
"How do you know?"
A pause.
"Because the girl is gone."
Denzel’s expression hardened.
"The girl?"
The Knight’s hand caught his sleeve.
He shook his head.
The voice continued.
"He’ll go after her eventually."
"You’re certain?"
"Men like him always do."
Denzel’s jaw tightened.
The Knight looked at him.
For the first time since they entered the passage, she seemed genuinely worried.
The second voice spoke again.
"And if he doesn’t?"
"Then we move to the next part."
Denzel’s eyes narrowed.
"What next part?"
The Knight whispered the question.
He shook his head.
The voices were moving.
Footsteps approached.
Denzel looked toward the light.
"We need to move."
They crawled backward.
Quietly.
The footsteps stopped.
A floorboard creaked beneath them.
Denzel froze.
A shadow appeared beneath the thin gap in the wooden wall.
Someone was standing on the other side.
"Did you hear that?"
Silence.
Denzel’s hand moved toward his weapon.
The Knight caught his wrist.
Don’t.
Her expression said it without a word.
The shadow remained.
Then the person moved away.
The footsteps faded.
Denzel waited several seconds.
Then he whispered.
"Back."
They retreated until they reached the opening.
Denzel lowered himself first.
The Knight followed.
The moment both feet touched the floor, Denzel closed the ceiling panel.
Neither spoke.
He looked at her.
"They’re in the building."
"Yes."
"They knew we were here."
"Yes."
"They expected us to leave."
"Yes."
Denzel stared at her.
"You’re getting really good at agreeing with me."
"I’m trying not to interrupt."
"Try something new."
"What?"
"Explain."
The Knight leaned against the table.
"The people upstairs aren’t necessarily the ones who sent the messages."
Denzel frowned.
"Why?"
"Because they were waiting for us."
"Which means they knew we’d come."
"Yes."
"But they weren’t surprised we stayed."
"No."
Denzel’s eyes sharpened.
"So they were expecting either outcome."
"Exactly."
He looked toward the ceiling.
"Which means the messages weren’t a trap."
The Knight shook her head.
"No. They were a test."
Denzel went still.
"To see what we’d do."
"Yes."
He looked down at Sophia’s necklace still hanging from his hand.
"They wanted to see whether I’d chase her."
"Probably."
"And if I did?"
"They’d know you were predictable."
Denzel gave a humorless smile.
"And if I didn’t?"
"They’d know you’re more cautious than they expected."
He looked at her.
"Either way, they learn something."
"Yes."
Denzel’s expression darkened.
"Then we’re already behind."
The Knight straightened.
"Not necessarily."
"Why?"
"Because we learned something too."
She pointed toward the ceiling.
"They’re waiting for you to leave."
Denzel nodded.
"And they think Sophia is the reason."
"Yes."
He looked at the second message.
She already did.
Then at the first.
You should have left.
His eyes narrowed.
"There’s one problem."
"What?"
"If they wanted me to chase Sophia, why tell me she already left?"
The Knight crossed her arms.
"To create urgency."
"No."
Denzel shook his head.
"Urgency gets people moving. This doesn’t."
He tapped the paper.
"She already did."
His eyes hardened.
"That’s confirmation."
"Of what?"
"That Sophia is gone."
The Knight stared at him.
Denzel continued.
"Whoever wrote this wanted me to stop wondering whether she left. They wanted me to accept it as fact."
"And?"
"And that means they knew I was going to ask."
Silence.
The Knight slowly nodded.
"They knew exactly how you’d react."
"Which means they’ve been watching me."
"Yes."
Denzel looked around the room.
"How long?"
"I don’t know."
"Long enough to know Sophia matters."
"Yes."
"Long enough to know I’d come looking."
"Yes."
He looked at her.
"And long enough to know this building."
The Knight’s expression tightened.
Denzel turned toward the door.
"We’re leaving."
She immediately shook her head.
"Through the front?"
"No."
"Then where?"
"The passage."
"You just said leaving was what they wanted."
"They want me to leave the obvious way."
Denzel opened the hidden panel.
The Knight followed him into the passage.
"But you said they were waiting for us."
"They are."
"Then why are we going toward them?"
"We’re not."
He stopped.
She looked at him.
Denzel pointed toward the opposite wall.
"The passage doesn’t only have one exit."
The Knight’s eyes widened slightly.
"How do you know?"
"I don’t."
He smiled faintly.
"But old buildings routinely come with secret passages, remember?"
She stared at him.
Then, despite everything, the corner of her mouth moved.
"You’re impossible."
"Apparently."
They continued.
The passage split after several yards.
One route went left.
The other went right.
Denzel looked at both.
"Which one?"
The Knight examined the walls.
"Left."
"Why?"
"The right side leads toward the street."
"And the left?"
"Underground."
Denzel nodded.
"Then left."
They moved deeper.
The stone beneath their feet became uneven.
The smell of damp earth grew stronger.
Denzel kept one hand against the wall as they walked.
After another minute, the passage descended.
Then descended again.
The Knight whispered.
"This wasn’t meant for ordinary escape."
"Why?"
"Too deep."
Denzel glanced back.
"Maybe it’s not an escape route."
"What else would it be?"
"A way to move things."
"Things?"
"People. Weapons. Information."
She looked at him.
"You think this building was used by smugglers."
"Maybe."
"You’re enjoying this."
"No."
"You look like you are."
"I’ve always wanted to discover a secret underground network while being hunted."
The Knight rolled her eyes.
They reached the bottom.
A wooden door stood ahead.
Denzel approached.
There was a small symbol carved into it.
A circle crossed by three lines.
The Knight stopped.
Denzel noticed.
"You know it."
She didn’t answer.
"You know that symbol."
"I’ve seen it before."
"Where?"
"On a document."
"What document?"
"The Elder’s."
Denzel turned toward her.
"What did it mean?"
"I don’t know."
"You saw it and didn’t ask?"
"He burned the document."
Denzel stared at the symbol.
"Why?"
"I don’t know."
"You’re becoming very fond of that answer."
She ignored him.
Denzel touched the door.
It wasn’t locked.
He opened it.
Beyond was a small underground chamber.
There was a table.
Two chairs.
A lantern.
And a single sheet of paper.
Denzel stepped inside.
The Knight followed.
He picked up the paper.
His eyes moved across the first line.
Then stopped.
"What?"
The Knight came closer.
Denzel handed it to her.
She read.
Her face went pale.
"What does it say?"
She looked at him.
"It says Sophia is not the target."
Denzel’s expression hardened.
"Then who is?"
The Knight looked back at the paper.
"You."
Denzel didn’t react.
For several seconds, neither did she.
Then he gave a quiet laugh.
"That doesn’t make sense."
"It does."
"No."
He pointed at the paper.
"If I were the target, why involve Sophia?"
"To move you."
"Move me where?"
She looked around the underground room.
"Here."
Denzel’s gaze swept across the chamber.
The table.
The chairs.
The lantern.
The paper.
His expression changed.
"This was prepared."
"Yes."
"Before we arrived."
"Yes."
"Which means they knew we’d find this."
"Yes."
Denzel stepped closer to the table.
There was something carved into its surface.
A single word.
WELCOME.
He stared at it.
Then looked toward the Knight.
"Whoever this is has a strange sense of hospitality."
She didn’t smile.
"Denzel."
He looked at her.
"There is more."
She pointed to the bottom of the paper.
A second line had been written there.
Denzel leaned closer.
His eyes narrowed.
It was the same handwriting.
The same pressure.
The same angle.
The same spacing.
But this time, the words were unmistakable.
You should have left when Sophia did.
Denzel’s fingers tightened around the paper.
The Knight looked at him.
"That changes things."
"No."
He folded the paper.
"It confirms them."
"What?"
Denzel looked toward the ceiling.
"The second line was written separately."
She stared at him.
"And?"
"The first message."
He held it up.
"You should have left."
Then the second.
"She already did."
Then this one.
"You should have left when Sophia did."
He placed all three papers side by side.
"Three messages."
The Knight’s eyes narrowed.
"Three different moments."
"Exactly."
Denzel pointed at the first.
"This one was written before Sophia left."
Then the second.
"This was written after."
Then the third.
"And this was written after we entered the building."
The Knight’s expression hardened.
Denzel looked toward the door.
"Which means someone is here."
She reached for her weapon.
Denzel raised a hand.
"Not yet."
"Why?"
"Because if they’re watching us..."
He looked at the lantern.
Its flame flickered.
Not from the draft.
From movement.
Denzel slowly turned.
The Knight followed his gaze.
Behind them, the door was open.
Neither of them had left it that way.
Denzel’s expression became cold.
A voice came from the darkness beyond.
"You finally noticed."
The Knight stepped in front of him.
Denzel moved beside her.
A figure stood at the far end of the passage.
Face hidden.
Only the outline of a long coat was visible.
Denzel’s hand tightened around his weapon.
"Who are you?"
The figure didn’t answer.
Instead, something dropped onto the stone floor.
A small object rolled toward Denzel.
It stopped against his boot.
Denzel looked down.
His expression changed.
A ring.
Sophia’s ring.
The one she never removed.
The Knight saw it too.
"Denzel..."
He bent down and picked it up.
His fingers trembled once.
Only once.
Then became still.
The figure finally spoke.
"If you want her alive..."
Denzel looked up.
"Then don’t follow the eastern road."
Silence.
The figure stepped backward.
Denzel moved forward.
"Wait."
The figure stopped.
Denzel’s voice hardened.
"Where is Sophia?"
A faint laugh came from the darkness.
"Closer than you think."
Then the lantern went out.
The passage disappeared into blackness.
Denzel heard the Knight draw her weapon.
A second later, something struck the wall.
Then footsteps.
Running.
Denzel moved immediately.
"Stay here."
"Absolutely not."
He didn’t argue.
They ran into the darkness together.
The footsteps ahead grew fainter.
Denzel followed the sound.
Left.
Then right.
Then down another narrow passage.
He could hear the Knight behind him.
He could hear his own breathing.
Nothing else.
Then the footsteps stopped.
Denzel stopped too.
Silence.
He looked around.
The passage was empty.
But something had been left behind.
A small wooden box rested against the wall.
Denzel approached it cautiously.
The Knight caught up.
"Don’t touch it."
He crouched.
"There are no wires."
"That doesn’t mean—"
"I know."
He opened the lid.
Inside was a single piece of paper.
Denzel picked it up.
Only four words had been written.
She trusted you once.
He stared at it.
The Knight read over his shoulder.
Then looked at him.
"Denzel."
He folded the paper.
His expression had gone completely still.
"Now I know what they’re trying to do."
"What?"
"They’re not trying to make me find Sophia."
He looked toward the darkness ahead.
"They’re trying to make me doubt her."
The Knight’s eyes narrowed.
"And?"
Denzel closed his fist around Sophia’s ring.
"That’s not going to work."
For the first time that night, there was no uncertainty in his voice.
Only determination.
"We find her."
The Knight nodded.
"And the people behind this?"
Denzel looked back toward the abandoned passage.
His eyes hardened.
"We find them too."