Chapter 13 · Where the Blood Ends

"Eli."

I spin around. Rachel's ten feet back, gun lowered but not holstered. Breathing hard. There's dust in her hair and a fresh scrape along her jaw.

"How the hell did you—"

"Followed the blood." She nods at the wall behind me. "Same as you."

I step sideways, blocking the map. Stupid protective instinct. Like I can hide a whole wall covered in wet red lines. "This is Maya's."

"I know."

"So you're here to destroy it."

"I'm here," Rachel says slowly, "because the Council sent a kill team after her three days ago. And I want to know if they succeeded."

The words hit like a fist. I can't breathe. "You—what?"

"They gave the order. I wasn't on the team." Her voice is flat. Professional. But her hand tightens on the gun. "I only found out yesterday."

"And you didn't tell me."

"I'm telling you now."

I want to punch her. Want to scream. Instead I turn back to the map and trace the longest line with my eyes. It runs down the wall, splits at a junction marked LAB, then continues in a thinner trail that looks like someone painted it with fingertips instead of a whole hand.