Chapter 17 · Her Mother's Verdict

"Don't touch the gate." My mother's voice came through the crack, cold and sharp enough to stop my hand over the command seal.

Dorian grabbed my wrist and pulled me back.

The seal burned between my fingers. Heat climbed through my palm, up my arm, and settled behind my ribs. Under our boots, the stone floor gave another hard shudder.

"You heard her," he said. "Step away."

I yanked against his grip. "You don't get to order me around anymore."

His fingers tightened for half a second. Then he let go.

That was worse than if he'd held on.

The first gate had cracked open behind us. Black dust spilled through the split. Something moved on the other side. Not a person. Not anything that breathed.

My mother's voice came again.

"Mara, put the seal on the floor. Now."

I stared at the narrow opening. "You know my name. That doesn't prove you're my mother. Calder knew my name too. He used it to build half his lies."

"Calder never knew what you were."

"Funny. He knew enough to erase me."

Dorian stepped between me and the gate. His shoulder brushed mine, warm through both our coats.