Chapter 17 · Echoes in the Cage

"Get your hands off that thing!" Lucan’s voice cracked like a whip, but he was too late.

I didn't listen. I couldn't. The rift in the wall wasn't just a hole; it was humming, vibrating with a frequency that made my teeth ache and my blood boil. And inside that hum, I heard it. Noah. Not a clear voice, but a jagged, desperate echo of my brother’s cry, calling my name from the dark.

I lunged forward, my fingers brushing the shimmering edge of the tear. The second I touched it, the blood contract on my wrist didn't just glow—it screamed. The metal links fused into my skin, searing through the dermis, welding my arm to the void. A shockwave of raw, unfiltered magic blasted backward, throwing me against the damp stone wall of the cellar.

"Dammit, Mara!" Lucan was on me in a heartbeat. He didn't help me up; he pinned me against the wall, his forearm pressing hard against my collarbone to keep me still. His eyes were dark, pupils blown wide, flickering with that terrifying violet light of the curse.

"He's in there," I gasped, clawing at his sleeve. "I heard him, Lucan.