Before they could even make a move, the sound of a scraping chair came from downstairs, and everyone stopped.
Elion listened, his hand resting near Kurogoroshi, until the sound was followed by a few slow footsteps and the familiar creak of the front door.
Through his eyes, he watched the woman pause beneath the entrance to speak with one of the guards.
"Go," he whispered.
Cole led them into the rear passage, with Mayumi close behind.
The staircase was narrow enough that they had to descend in single file, their shoulders brushing the walls while the worn wood gave occasional, treacherous creaks beneath their weight.
Elion went last.
He kept his attention divided between the people ahead and the movement at the front of the building, waiting for a shout or a sudden change in the guards' behaviour.
At the bottom, Cole eased the rear door open.
Cold air entered the passage, carrying the smell of damp stone and stagnant water.
