Chapter 28 · Hounds in the Dark

"Don't touch the gate." Elias caught Nora's wrist before her fingers reached the black iron.

His grip was hot. Too hot. The pulse under his thumb kicked against her skin like it wanted out.

Nora looked at his hand, then at his face. "Take your hand off me."

"You open that, the grid will strip your name before you take a second breath."

"Finn is behind it."

"Finn is trapped behind it. That's not the same as safe."

She twisted hard. Elias didn't let go. His shoulder slammed into the stone wall, but his fingers stayed locked around her wrist.

The gate stood three feet away, built from black metal and old blood. Thin red lines crawled across its bars. Each one carried a name. Some were bright. Some had already faded to gray.

Nora could still read one of them.

FINN KANE.

Her brother's name pulsed once.

Then the letters started to disappear.

"Let go," she said.

"Not until you listen."

"You dragged me through half the city, lied about what this place was, and now you want me to listen?"

"I brought you here because I can cross it. You can't."

"You said you could reach him.