Chapter 14
Chapter 14: The Descent
Inside the walls, the darkness was absolute.
Daniel climbed down the narrow iron ladder, supporting Emily from above. She was severely weakened from her hospital stay, and holding the baby made the descent treacherous.
"I can't see anything," Emily whispered, her voice echoing in the tight metal shaft.
"Just feel for the next rung," Daniel said gently. "I've got you. I won't let you fall."
Hope was remarkably quiet, nestled against Emily’s chest, lulled by the rhythmic motion.
They descended past the second floor, then the first. The temperature in the shaft began to rise. Through the metal grates, they could hear the roar of actual flames consuming the east wing.
"She really did it," Emily coughed as a wisp of smoke entered the shaft. "She set the house on fire."
"She wanted to destroy Dad's true will and the financial ledgers," Daniel said. "If she dies in the fire, she goes down as a tragic victim. If we die, she controls the narrative."
Emily's foot hit solid ground. "We're at the bottom."
Daniel dropped down beside her. He pushed open the ventilation grate and they tumbled out into the cavernous sub-basement.
It was a part of the estate Daniel hadn't seen in twenty years. It was cold, damp, and lined with old stone.
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But they weren't alone.
The heavy steel door to the basement stairwell shuddered. Someone was trying to break in from the other side.
