They didn't speak until they were out.
Not because there was nothing to say but because everything felt too loud inside their heads.
The hallway stretched longer than it should have, the red emergency lights casting uneven shadows that made every movement feel watched.
Dante walked slightly ahead, his pace controlled but urgent, every step calculated. Camille stayed close, close enough to feel the tension radiating off him, close enough to know he wasn't as untouched as he pretended to be.
Behind them, Elena followed.
Not rushed.
Not hesitant.
Just… there.
That alone was enough to keep Camille on edge.
The silence finally broke when they reached the exit door.
Dante stopped.
Not abruptly but deliberately.
His hand hovered over the handle, then dropped.
He turned.
His eyes went straight to Elena.
"You don't come with us," he said.
No hesitation.
No room for negotiation.
Elena didn't look surprised.
"Figured you'd say that."
Camille's gaze flicked between them.
