Chapter 12 · Who Fed the Fire

The roar came from behind them, not ahead.

Evelyn spun, brass key scalding her palm. The fire channel stretched back the way they'd crawled, but the flames didn't move like normal fire anymore. They climbed the walls in loops, spiraling inward like something was pulling them into a center point.

"Move." Nolan grabbed her wrist and hauled her forward.

She jerked free. "That woman said Theo's name—"

"She said your mother's. Not the same thing."

"She knew about the bloodline. She gave me this." Evelyn shoved the key toward him. The metal glowed dull orange now, hot enough to hurt. "Greyvale. You heard her. It's not just a safe house, it's—"

"A trap." Nolan's voice went flat. "You think Silas doesn't know about every bolt-hole in this city? You think he didn't plant that woman there to hand you exactly what you wanted?"

The spiral of fire tightened. Something moved inside it. Not flame. Not smoke. A shape with too many joints.

Evelyn's throat closed. She'd seen hounds before. This wasn't a hound.

"What the hell is that?"

Nolan didn't answer. He was staring at the thing, and his face had gone white under the ash.