Haverford had let him escape, but only to drive him deeper into the mountain where he'd be even more isolated, even more helpless. The Duke was playing a longer game, using Xavier's own desperation against him.
But then Xavier noticed something that didn't fit the pattern—a section of the tunnel floor that looked different from the rest. The stones were newer, fitted more carefully, and when he pressed his weight against them, they shifted slightly. His heart leaped. Naomi. This had to be one of her contingencies, one of the bolt-holes she'd mentioned during their planning sessions.
Xavier dropped to his knees and felt along the edges of the stones. There—a hidden catch, disguised as natural wear in the rock. He triggered it, and a section of the floor slid away with a grinding sound that seemed impossibly loud in the confined space.
