Chapter 12 · Say I Do at Moonrise

“Keep moving,” Inez said, and shoved the rusted service door open before Mara could grab her arm.

The door slammed against concrete with a crack that ran down the tunnel.

Ronan swore behind Mara.

Not loud. Not dramatic. Just one rough word through clenched teeth, like the silver arrow buried under his ribs had finally found a new way to hurt him.

Mara spun on Inez. “You said this was an exit.”

“It is.” Inez’s face had gone pale under the tunnel’s weak red emergency lights. “Or it was.”

Beyond the door sat a wide chamber with black glass walls. Not windows. Not exactly. The surface reflected Mara back at herself in pieces, stretched and warped by silver lines running through the glass.

At the center stood a round stone platform.

An altar.

Her black mark burned so hard she almost dropped to one knee.

Ronan caught her elbow before she hit the ground. His grip was hot. Too hot. His fingers shook against her skin.

“Don’t,” he said.

Mara looked at him. “Don’t what?”

“Don’t go in there.”

“That thing has been dragging me underground for two days.” She pointed at the altar. “And now it’s right there.”

“Yeah.”