Chapter 17 · The Wall Splits

"Move!" Mara's hand locked on my collar and yanked me back as the floor cracked open.

I stumbled into her, chest heaving. "What the hell did we just—"

"Later." She shoved me toward the stairs. "The wall's breaking."

The bells wouldn't stop. Every tower, every chapel, every street corner shrine. My ears rang with it. The black mark on my chest was gone but I could feel it inside now, coiled around my ribs like wire.

"Rowan!" Pip's voice crackled through the speaking tube mounted on the wall. "Get out of there!"

I grabbed the tube. "What's happening?"

"Sea wall just split at the third dock. Water's coming through. And there's something in it."

Mara was already moving. I followed her up the spiral stairs, legs shaking, blood still buzzing from whatever the core had done to us. The stone walls trembled. Dust rained down.

"How bad?" I shouted.

"Bad enough that the guard's falling back to the inner wall," Pip said. "Mara, your captain's calling full retreat."

Mara didn't slow down. "Tell Garret I'm on my way."

"He said you're relieved of duty. Something about unauthorized entry and—"

"Tell him I'm coming anyway.