Page 92 of Blood Heir

I crawl out from behind the body, feeling the stiff stickiness of blood clinging to my skin and clothes.

“Wait.” I crouch beside the dead guard and fumble at his belt. My fingers find it—the second gun.

I pull it free and check the chamber. Full. Loaded.

She looks around nervously, her head snapping toward every sound like a hunted animal. “I know a way out. There’s a fence not far from here—it’s lower than the outer wall.”

I nod sharply, my pulse roaring in my ears. “Lead the way.”

We move fast, staying low. My knees scrape against the cold concrete as we dart around corners, hugging the shadows. Every light that flickers sends a spike of fear through my chest, but we don’t stop. We can’t.

After several tense minutes, we reach a narrow service corridor that leads to the back of the compound. The stench of damp mold fills my nostrils.

“There!” Emilia whispers, pointing ahead.

I follow her gaze to see it: a low metal fence, no more than seven feet tall, the coils of razor wire barely intact. It’s still a barrier, but compared to the towering outer wall, it’s a godsend.

I sprint toward it without hesitation. My hands grab the cold metal bars, and I haul myself up. My boots scrape against the steel as I climb quickly, my breath tight in my chest. When I reach the top, I swing my legs over, careful not to catch the wire. My palms sting from the friction, but I don’t care.

I drop down on the other side, landing with a soft thud. My knees buckle slightly, but I steady myself. My heart pounds, adrenaline keeping me sharp.

“Come on, Em!” I whisper sharply. “You’ve got this!”

She stands frozen, staring up at the fence like it’s ten stories high. “I—I don’t know if I can.”

“You can.” My voice is fierce now, unwavering. “I’m not leaving you here.”

Emilia swallows hard. Her hands tremble as she grabs the bars.

“That’s it,” I coax her. “Feet in the gaps. Pull yourself up.”

She grits her teeth, climbing slowly, her limbs shaking but determined. Inch by inch, she makes her way toward me, pale and breathless.

“Emilia, keep going!” I hiss. My voice cuts through the darkness, sharp as the pounding in my chest.

Her foot slips on the cold metal bar. “Shit!” she whimpers, her hands clutching the fence tighter. The thin wire cuts into her palms, and she freezes halfway up.

“I can’t—” she gasps. Her breathing’s ragged, panic rising fast.

“You can. You’re almost there.” My voice stays calm, but my stomach twists. I step closer, reaching my arms up. “Look at me. Don’t look down, don’t think, just climb.”

She glances at me, her face streaked with sweat, hair sticking to her damp skin. Her bottom lip trembles. “You better catch me if I fall.”

“I will.” I plant my feet steady on the ground, ready to grab her if she slips.

Her foot finds another foothold. Then another. I watch her knuckles turn white as she pulls herself higher. She grits her teeth and scrapes her knees against the rough steel, panting, muttering curses under her breath.

“There! One more pull. You’ve got it.”

With one final groan, she hauls herself to the top, straddling the fence, swaying slightly. The metal creaks beneath her weight.

“Now swing your leg over—careful of the wire,” I coach.

She nods quickly, wiping tears from her face with a shaky hand. She swings her leg with a grunt, clears the wire, and straddles the top.

“Okay. I’m gonna jump.”

“Do it.”

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