Chapter 12 · The Door Knows His Name

Mara's knuckles were still bruised from the last fight when the air behind the dormitory split open.

Not a door. Not a window. Just a crack that smelled like burnt sugar and old blood, hanging in the middle of the stairwell like someone had torn the world in half and left it bleeding. Cass stood three steps down, his father's ring catching the light, and she knew—she knew—he was about to do something stupid.

"Don't," she said.

He looked up at her. His hair was still damp from the duel, sticking to his forehead, and there was a cut on his jaw she didn't remember seeing before. "Don't what?"

"Whatever you're thinking. Don't."

The crack pulsed. The edges shimmered, and for a second she saw something move on the other side. A shadow. A hand. She couldn't tell.

Cass took a step closer to it. "Seraphina said my father's waiting. She gave me the key. I have to—"

"She lied." Mara came down two steps, her boots loud on the stone. "She always lies. You know that."

"Maybe." He turned the ring on his finger, slow, like he was thinking. "But what if she didn't?"

Mara wanted to hit him.