Chapter 13 · Hollowborn - Chapter 13: The Woman Behind the Wall

The thing behind my mother had fingers.

They slid through the crack in the hidden door, black at the tips and too long to belong to any human hand. One of them hooked around Layla's shoulder. Another pressed against the stone beside her head.

Cole was still disappearing in front of me.

His body stood three steps away, but the edges of him kept breaking apart. Pale light leaked through his ribs. His face twisted every time the Gate above the altar pulled at him, and his real voice came out rough and scared.

"Ivy. Don't listen to it. Get away from the door."

"That's my mother."

"I know what it sounds like."

"You said the contract could copy her voice. You never said she could open a door."

"Because she couldn't. Not before."

A fist slammed into the wall behind us.

Marcus.

Dust dropped from the ceiling. Somewhere in the safe house, hunters shouted over each other. Metal scraped stone. They were forcing their way in, and Marcus had the blood key now. He did not need to search for me anymore. My blood had already told him where to stand.

Layla lifted both hands.

"Ivy, look at me.