open inward-and what's behind

wasn't qu

isen figures stood in half circles around the shattered fountain, heads bowed, silent now.

st from the creatures. From the w

" Asher asked,

lt in front of him. Its skin was tight over bones, black veins pulsi

id finally. "Not in the way we

es of

ething

lipped away while t

l knelt, as if waiting

k a slow

them fo

fro

el said softly. "But it's no

Hollow without

self-and even clearer she didn't want to answer questions yet. They moved through the

ossed into the southern quarter.

It was like something inside me rea

nched a

ter echoed like footsteps around them. Lirael leaned against the w

n them once be

he

poken aloud." She looked up at him. "And that time, th

ween them then-not unco

His heart was still thudding in the strange rhythm he'd felt back in the Hollow

" he said. "What

face just enough for him to see the cracks there-not just the scars, but

e war. Hidden. Powerful. Not vampire. Not hum

t one of th

eplied. "Yo

caugh

ected to something ancient-a power that should've stayed sealed. The word Tenebris isn't just o

Then why the hell

omeone put

h the viaduct unti

said something

n stay

. "At the

him, hesitant. "Wh

a lair at all. I

ten, wrapped in ivy and silence. Warm light flickered behind thick

ilence. He didn't speak. Neither did she. Something had shi

he looked softer. O

that tasted like berries and winter-a

dra

etly: "Were you afraid

hed. "I was a

pped c

hy

ay. "Because if what I saw is true...

mea

et hi

ng they're tryi

opped th

spilling across t

shaking his head.

hands on his shoulders,

k at

d

still faint beneath his shirt. "What

broken. "You're not

"But you're not just

she kis

anned. It wa

s ins

ger. Years of silence

cool skin and scar tissue. She gasped against his mouth, biting his lip h

agnets-gripping,

stairs, but the

hs crashing, and he let her pin him, fire licking behind his r

t the floor like

he touched him. There was something primal in the wa

s in her hair, gaspin

wn-not har

rol," she whispere

I want

yes lit l

d on his chest, fingers tracing lazy circles over t

, so

you're the mons

e said. "And I don't know

est. "Then we'll find the ke

dn't

ickered-and for just a moment, it l

in tension, cinematic detail, and with emotional weight that pulls the story deeper. Expect more c

the full chapter shor