The detonation’s fury echoed outward, shaking the very slopes around them. And then, with a deafening crack, the avalanche began.

“Go back! Go back!” Elliana’s voice rang out, sharp and commanding against the thunder of collapsing snow.

They obeyed instantly, scrambling farther away as the avalanche roared down like an angry beast. A thunderous crash echoed through the valley, and in seconds, the mountainside was gone.

When the rumbling finally died, silence fell—thick and eerie. Where the underground base had once been, there was now only an untouched, endless expanse of snow. Not even a hint of rubble remained.

Adah broke the silence first, her voice low but edged with grim satisfaction. “Guess that’s that. Miguel must’ve lost his cool and blown the place sky-high.” She exhaled through her teeth. “Serves him right. He and Maxine—may they keep clawing at each other in hell.”

Elliana said nothing. Her gaze was distant, unreadable. She still hadn’t pried the truth about her mother from Maxine.

Cole stepped closer, brushing the frost from his jacket. “It’s over,” he said quietly. “We should head home.”

Before Elliana could respond, movement flickered at the edge of the storm.

A lone figure stumbled through the snow, coming from the opposite ridge—ragged, bloodied, but unmistakably human.

Adah’s jaw dropped. “You’ve got to be kidding me. That’s—” she said, disbelief twisting her face. “That’s Maxine! How the hell is…”

“She walking in from that side? She was supposed to be buried! What, did she crawl out through solid rock?”

Everyone stared as Maxine stumbled toward them, moving one agonizing step after another.

Watching Maxine intently, Elliana explained to the group, “An underground base that large would never have just one exit; there had to be a hidden escape route, and that’s how Maxine got out.”

Your imagination thrives at puntocom

The people listening finally understood what had happened. Maxine had heard everything Elliana said. By the time Elliana finished talking, she had finally reached them.

“You’ve never lost your sharpness, Elliana,” Maxine commented, her tone carrying a rare, heartfelt appreciation.

Her ripped black dress was soaked with blood. Her face was a mess of deep, bleeding cuts, and a slow stream of dark red ran from her mouth. She spoke in a weak voice and trembled in the night air, looking like she might fall over at any moment. It was obvious her injuries were extremely serious.

With a surgeon’s eye, Elliana took in the shallow rise and fall of Maxine’s chest and knew instantly: the woman wouldn’t last much longer. Her internal organs had to be shredded, bleeding out. A normal person would have died on the spot, let alone found the strength to walk this far.

Elliana had no plan to treat Maxine, and even if she did, it wouldn’t work. A doctor wasn’t a miracle worker, and not every person could be saved from the brink.

As someone with the knowledge of the Medical Codex, Maxine knew better than anyone that her wounds were fatal.

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