The older man didn’t press him further. Not yet. “Sit,” he said, nodding toward a flat stone. Murat lowered himself down, his legs finally giving in to the exhaustion. The warmth from the fire they reignited reached him now. The younger one stepped forward, pulling a small piece of bread from a cloth bundle.
He held it out. Murat took it without hesitation. “Thanks,” he said, quieter this time. The third man leaned back against the wall, watching him. “You must’ve wandered pretty far to end up here,” he said. Murat let out a tired breath. “Yeah… farther than I thought.”
The older man glanced at the shaft, then back at Murat. “If what you’re saying is true… you didn’t come in from any normal way.” Murat shook his head. “I didn’t even know this place existed.” A brief pause. Then the older man turned toward a narrow passage along the side.
“Come,” he said. “There’s a way out.” The others moved without question. Murat pushed himself up and followed.