Chapter 9 · Every Door Knows Her Name

"Run."

Elise's hand locks around my wrist before I can blink. Not "Are you okay?" Not "What the hell did you just do?" Just that one word, sharp and certain, in a voice I haven't heard in three years.

The room's still shaking. Black lines crawl up my arms like something's trying to claw out from under my skin.

"Elise, what—"

"They're coming." She's already dragging me toward the door. The shard in my pocket burns hot enough to sear through fabric. "Every door in the network just woke up. You understand? Every. Single. One."

I don't. But the way she's looking at me—like I'm five and about to step into traffic—makes me shut up and move.

Kieran's on his feet, one hand braced against the wall. His face is gray. "How many doors?"

"Four hundred and sixteen active nodes." Elise shoves past him, scanning the hallway. "And she just lit up every one like a goddamn beacon."

Dorian hasn't moved from his chair. He's watching me with a look I can't read. Not angry. Not surprised.

Worse.

"Interesting," he says.

That's it. Just interesting. Like I didn't just paint a target on my back.