Page 67 (1/2)

He’d lost count of the steps he’d taken His lung felt like soainst it

Da

Another step

He’d lost feeling in his frozen fingers His arainst him

One more step

One more step

Just one more step

He reached the snow-covered front stairs to the castle The door at the top lay open Voices wafted out fro Sweat trickled down his brow This was it He was going in He hoped to hell he’d meet a friend instead of a bullet

He took the first stair with a groan Four more He could do it

Four Bloody hell, the pain

Three Breathe Slow Shallow

Two Hold it together Nearly there

One S the pain

There He was there The sharp agony under his ribs was stronger Stars burst in front of his eyes He stepped into the hallway, boots heavy on the wooden floor He was past stealth He didn’t care who heard He took a step towards the grand rooh the door

Alastair froze It took a second for hiasped