Latrel stumbled through the dark passageway, his heart pounding in his chest like a war drum announcing the end of times. The cold, damp air entered rapidly through his nostrils, threatening to freeze his lungs as his breath came in ragged gasps, like a mist in the frigid air. His fingers were numb as he fumbled along the narrow corridor, trying to make his way through this labyrinthine darkness.
"Damn them all!" he cursed, glancing over his shoulder into the blackness. He could almost feel a presence closing in on him, like a predator in the night, ready to pierce his throat. This feeling forced him to move even faster. "I should've killed that woman," he hissed, thinking of the former queen who had probably betrayed him.