Chapter 25 · Moonclaim - Chapter 25: The Gate Knows Her Blood

The blade's at his throat before she can think.

Ivy's arm moves on its own. The hunter mark on her neck burns like someone pressed a brand there and forgot to pull it away. Her fingers lock around the hilt. Silver edge, two inches from Leon's pulse.

He doesn't move.

"Ivy." His voice is low. Careful. Like he's talking to something wild. "You're still in there."

She is. She's screaming inside her own skull but her body won't listen. The gate's open behind them now, stone arch yawning into darkness, and the air smells like old blood and wolfsbane. Her blood opened it. Hers. Not his.

The curse doesn't care about logic.

It wants him dead. Wants to finish what her clan started ten years ago. Wants to carve through every Ash it can reach.

"I know." Her voice comes out broken. "I know, I'm—Leon, I can't stop it."

Her wrist twitches. The blade scores a thin red line just under his jaw.

He hisses but he doesn't pull back. "Yes you can."

"I can't." The mark's crawling now, black lines spreading down her shoulder like roots digging in.