The crack spreading across the far cavern wall pulsed like a heartbeat.
A red one.
Not the soft silver glow of the Hallows. Not the ancient light of the guardians. This was wrong. Sick. Poisoned. The color of old blood mixing with fire. It seeped across the stone veins like infection, devouring the silver as it spread.
Felix backed up so fast he tripped over his own feet.
“I knew it. I knew something horrible would wake up down here. Why did we come here? Why do we do anything?”
Leah grabbed his arm and yanked him upright.
“Do not panic.”
“I am absolutely panicking.”
Another crack shot across the wall, splitting stone as easily as tearing cloth. Dust rained down around us. Ember whimpered and hid her face in Lira’s coat, trembling so violently her fingers slipped.
Nathan moved in
