Zara's hands trembled as she worked the hairpin against the ropes. The metal scraped against the knot, each movement testing her patience and dexterity. Sweat dripped down her forehead, but she refused to stop. Every second counted — she could hear footsteps approaching in the hallway.
Finally, with a sharp tug, the knot loosened. Her wrists were free. Heart pounding, she flexed her fingers, silently thanking the small glint of metal that had given her this chance.
She glanced around the room. A narrow corridor led to a stairwell. Guarded lightly, but enough to give her a chance. She crept forward, every step calculated.
A door creaked. Zara froze. Two guards appeared, unaware of her escape attempt — but only for a heartbeat. Instinct took over. She pushed a nearby chair toward them, tripping one. The second guard lunged, and she twisted out of the way, barely keeping her balance.
She bolted up the stairs, adrenaline surging. The layout of the building was unfamiliar, but she remembered the faint sketches of the floor plan she had noticed during her brief moments of observation.
At the top, a window glimmered with moonlight. Zara pried it open quietly and slipped onto the fire escape, the cool metal biting her palms. Below, the street stretched empty, but she couldn't take chances.
Her mind raced back to the letter. "Trust no one… they are closer than you think…" If the Ashes were rising, every step she took could bring her closer to the enemy — or into a trap.
Suddenly, a shout echoed from below. Guards had spotted her. She scrambled down, narrowly avoiding capture. But just as she thought she was free, a sharp whistle pierced the night, and shadows surrounded her.
One familiar figure stepped forward — the stranger she had trusted, the one who had guided her abroad. But now, under the dim streetlights, Zara's instincts screamed danger.
"You shouldn't have run," he said softly, a smirk curling across his lips.
Zara froze, chest heaving. The realization hit her like a punch: escape was never going to be easy — and the Ashes were far more dangerous than she imagined.