Chapter 23 · She Made My Sister the Hammer

Mara's mom told her to kill Cass. The rite map was still glowing on the tower floor, burning key three's location into her vision like she'd stared at the sun. Her sister's clinic. Of course it was her sister's clinic.

Cass was already moving, boots loud on stone. "We go now."

"She said kill you." Mara's voice came out flat. Her hand was still hot where her mother's ghost-fingers had wrapped around it.

He stopped. Turned. His face was pale under all that dungeon dust and dried blood. "Yeah. I heard."

"You heard."

"Mara." He took a step closer. She could smell the smoke on him, the salt-sweat, something copper. "Your mom's been stuck in a blood circle for how long? She doesn't know what's happening up here. She saw the ring on my hand and made a call."

"A correct call, maybe." But Mara was already walking toward the door. Her legs were doing the deciding. Her brain was three steps behind, still stuck on Mom's voice, on the way her fingers had felt solid for just a second.

Cass caught up. "If you're gonna stab me, do it after we get your sister out."

"Generous.