Chapter 6 · You have the key

The black ring flared.

Pain shot through my wrist. The same doorway symbol appeared for one second under my skin, nine bars and a broken hinge.

Dax saw it.

His face went hard.

"You have the key."

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Mara."

"Don't use that voice."

"What did your sister leave you?"

The question punched the air out of me.

I stepped back.

"You don't get to ask about her."

"What did she leave you?"

"Shut up."

"The doorway mark. What did she give you?"

"I said shut up!"

Evelyn gripped the bars. "What doorway mark?"

Dax's head turned toward her.

I moved first.

I slammed my palm against the lower seal.

The stone door split down the center.

White lines burst across it, racing beneath my hand. The red vow marks on the walls snapped awake. The entire stairwell shuddered.

Dax grabbed my shoulders and pulled me away.

"What did you just do?"

"I opened it."

"You said you couldn't."

"I lied."

"Why?"

"Because you had a gun on me."

"I don't like being lied to."

"You should try being me. It's constant.