“I know exactly what I’m talking about!” Gage shouted. “She’s got you wrapped around her little finger, and now you’re both dragging us into something that’s going to kill us!”
The air around me started to crackle. My heart raced, my chest burned hotter. Their voices blended with the pulse of the mark until I couldn’t tell what was real and what wasn’t.
“Stop!” I shouted. “Both of you!”
But they didn’t.
Gage lunged at Asher, fury in his eyes. Asher caught his wrist, twisting it, but Gage fought back harder. The sound of metal rang through the temple as their blades clashed.
Arlo shouted, “You’re making it worse! The guardian feeds on conflict—it grows stronger from it!”
The guardian roared again, shaking the ground. Cracks spread across the floor. Shadows poured out like smoke, reach
