Page 85 of Dangerous Devotion

My mind reeled, trying to process the information. “But what about you? And Isa and Mira and Milli?”

“I’ll find them,” Birdie assured me, her voice firm. “You need to get out now while you have the chance. We’ll be right behind you.”

I hesitated, torn between escaping and wanting to help. But Birdie was already pushing me toward the door. “Go, Jemma. Now!”

With one last look at her determined face, I stepped out into the hallway, my heart pounding as I began my dash for freedom.

I followed Birdie’s instructions, but my pulse throbbed so loud in my ears that I had to stop multiple times and listen for any outside noise.

It was eerily quiet.

I hurried along another corridor, which seemed to stretch endlessly, and my anxiety surged.

Right, right, then left. I repeated the directions in my head like a mantra.

As I rounded another corner, I realized with a sinking feeling that I must’ve taken a wrong turn.

The way Birdie had described it, I’d gone too far already. I turned on my heel and hurried back the way I’d just come. Panic clawed at my throat, making breathing more difficult.

Suddenly, footsteps echoed from somewhere in front of me. I froze, but they grew louder with each passing second. Without thinking, I ducked into the nearest room, pressing my back against the wall and holding my breath.

The bare concrete space was empty save for a partially constructed staircase leading down.

Down.

I stared at it, my mind racing. Should I hide in here and hope whoever was coming would pass by? Or should I take my chances and try to escape?

According to Birdie’s instructions, I needed to go down anyway.

I took a deep breath, crossed the room as silently as I managed, then stepped onto the first concrete step with slightly jittery knees.

Holy shit.

I winced as the concrete creaked under my weight.

Concrete wasn’t supposed to creak, right? My heart pounded in my chest as I descended, each step feeling more fragile than the last.

The stairs did not look very stable. The bare concrete was rough and uneven, with exposed rebar jutting out at odd angles. Dust and small pieces of debris rained down with each careful step I took. The staircase spiraled downward into darkness as if suspended in the air. I leaned sideways and stared over the edge but couldn’t see the bottom from where I stood.

I pulled back when I got slightly dizzy, paused, and strained my ears for any sound.

Silence. The footsteps I’d heard earlier seemed to have faded. Did they walk by?

I took a deep breath and continued my descent. The air grew cooler and damper as I went deeper, and the smell of mold filled my nostrils.

It was getting pretty dark, but I was almost down at the bottom. Suddenly, my foot slipped on a loose piece of concrete, and the world tilted.

I flailed, desperately trying to grab onto something, anything, but my hands met only air.

Shit.

I was falling, tumbling down over the edge in a painful, dizzying blur.

I landed hard at the bottom. First with my body, then with my head. The impact knocked the wind out of me.

Ouch.

For a moment, I just lay there, stunned and aching all over. I looked up, then to the side. A hot flash of pain shot through my head, and I groaned. How could I’ve been so clumsy? After everything, to mess up like this.

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