The glow spread fast across the floor, bright enough to burn through the shadows in the hall. The air around us turned cold and sharp, like a storm was gathering inside the room. The runes Arlo had drawn earlier pulsed with dark light — not the soft blue we’d seen before, but deep, twisting black.
“Asher—” I started, but before I could finish, the air split open with a sound like thunder.
A tear opened in the middle of the room — swirling smoke, shifting shapes, a hole straight into the Shadow Realm. The pull of it was strong, dragging at the air, dragging at us.
“Get back!” Gage shouted.
Everyone moved except Arlo. He stood frozen, staring into it. His eyes were wide, filled with a mix of fear and curiosity.
“Arlo, don’t—” I yelled.
But it was too late.
The pull grew stronger. A gu
