Chapter 13 · Choose

“Mia.”

The voice came from inside the black crack in the gate.

Not through the speakers. Not through the tunnel. Right behind my teeth.

“Mia Lane.”

My knees almost gave out.

Carson caught my elbow before I hit the grated floor. His hand was shaking. Silver blood ran down his forearm in thin dark lines, smoking where it touched his skin.

Across the chamber, Jonah strained against the iron chair bolted beside the altar.

“Don’t listen to it!” he shouted.

Gideon shoved the knife harder under Jonah’s jaw.

“Easy,” Gideon said. “You move like that again, kid, you’ll open yourself up.”

The gate made a sound like a huge animal breathing through its nose.

Black light spilled from the split in the metal arch. It crawled over the floor in oily strips. Every old rune carved around the altar lit up one by one.

Sera stood near the controls, one hand pressed against her bruised throat. Carson had nearly crushed it a minute ago. I wished he had finished the job.

“You hear it, don’t you?” she asked me.

I didn’t answer.

Her smile was small and ugly. “That’s what I thought.”

Carson stepped in front of me.