The walk back to the building was quiet, punctuated by hushed swearing whenever Joanie felt her ankles roll. Finally, they reached Bellum Letale, and she had never been happier to see that damned place. She followed Aiden shakily to the stairs, looking up beside him.
"Ah'm scared," she murmured before taking a step forward, gripping the banister tightly to help her take the first step up. She gasped as she rose, feeling her body lurch to the side, but she held herself steady. Glancing back at him, she took another step up, still clinging to the banister. "It's safe. If you're still scared," she said with a laugh as she climbed the staircase.