Chapter 10 · The Echo in the Bone

"Get away from the door, Lorne! Now!"

Cade’s hand slammed into my shoulder, yanking me back. I didn't budge. I couldn't. My boots felt glued to the clock tower floor, my eyes locked on that pale, tiny hand reaching out from the void.

It wasn't just a hand. It was a summons.

Then the crying started. Raw. Jagged. The sound of a child in pain, vibrating not in the air, but inside my own teeth.

"Do you hear that?" I whispered. "Cade, it's calling me."

"It's bait," he snarled. His grip tightened, fingers digging into my skin. He stepped between me and the breach, his broad shoulders blocking my view. "That's not a baby. Nothing that comes through a black door is ever just a baby. It's a lure, and you're the fish."

Behind us, my foster father let out a low, rattling laugh. He looked like he was enjoying the chaos. "The anchor is responding," he murmured. "The contract isn't just between you and the Warden, girl. You're tuned to the frequency of the Void. That child is your echo."

"Shut up!" Cade roared, spinning on him. "You did this. You rigged the lock to trigger this breach.