Every muscle in my body screams for rest, but I don't let myself stop. I can't stop. Not yet. My breath comes in ragged gasps, my lungs burning with every inhale, but the adrenaline coursing through my veins keeps me moving.
Rage and desperation propel me forward, my hand tightly clinging to Lise's as if she's the only thing anchoring me to reality. We push through the darkness of the fortress, its shadows twisting and bending, almost alive, almost sentient.
The walls seem to breathe, exhaling cold, oppressive air that cuts through to my bones, but I don't care. Not when Lise is beside me.
I risk a glance at her. Her face is pale, and there's a hard determination in her eyes that I recognize too well. She's hurting too tired, drained but she doesn't show it. She's steady, guiding us through this labyrinth of nightmares.