Chapter 25 · Mother Beyond the Rift

The thing growing out of Felix's back screamed when Evira's blood hit it.

Not Felix. The mark.

It split down the middle like somebody had cut open a black eye, and the stone floor under them gave a hard, ugly jerk. Marcus caught Evira around the waist before she went down on her face.

"Evira. Back up. Now."

"Can't." Her hand was still pressed to Felix's shoulder blade. Blood ran between her fingers, hot and slick. "It's got him."

"It's got all of us if you keep feeding it."

The altar answered with a deep crack.

Black light spilled from the carved bowl in its center. Not light exactly. More like darkness with teeth. It shot across the floor, climbed Marcus's boots, and wrapped around his leg.

Marcus swore and hacked at it with his silver knife.

The blade went through.

The black strand kept climbing.

"Marcus!"

He shoved Evira toward Felix. "Get your brother out."

Then the floor opened.

There was no warning. No slow rumble. One second they were in the buried ritual room beneath Ironbound Guild's east wing, surrounded by dead candles and old stone.