Chapter 26 · You become a door

He looked away.

"Riven."

"You become a door."

The word crawled over my skin.

"A door to what?"

"The thing under the city."

The barrier cracked again. This time, a guard pushed an arm through. Black flame wrapped around it, but the silver bracer held.

Riven's grip tightened.

"Give me the page and get behind the table."

"You said the page is a trigger."

"It is."

"Then why would I hand it to you?"

"Because I can burn it."

"And if the fire jumps?"

"It won't."

"You don't know that."

"I know more than you."

"That's getting less impressive by the minute."

He reached for the page.

I pulled it against my chest.

The black ink moved again. A second line appeared beneath the vessel warning.

RESONANCE REQUIRED.

Then a third.

LIFE ANCHOR: RIVEN ASH.

Riven saw it over my shoulder.

His fingers stopped inches from mine.

"What does it say?"

"You can read."

"Talia."

"It says you're my anchor."

The fire in his eyes went cold.

"No."

"There's more."

"Don't read it."

"Why? Worried the old paper will hurt your feelings?"

"I'm worried it will tell you what your body already knows."

My heartbeat stumbled.

"Say that again."

"No."