“I want to go back,” I say.
“To the rift?” Twig asks.
“I need to see if it’s still there.”
Twig frowns. “Even if it is, I won’t be able to see it.”
He’s right, of course. Twig can’t see rifts. That particular ability seems to be reserved for humans with an angelic lineage. While Twig doesn’t actually know his lineage—he was left on a doorstep as a baby without so much as a note—it doesn’t appear to be angelic.
“Selah and I can go,” Jude says. “You can stay here, see if you can get some more information out of Griffin.”
Twig bobs his head, like this is a good plan.
But something tells me Griffin has no more information to give.
“Let’s meet up for dinner,” I say, taking theseed back and sliding it into my pocket. “Six o’clock at the Ember Oven?”
The three of us agree and I excuse myself to the ladies’ room. My mind spins as I use the restroom and wash my hands. I’m not sure why I didn’t tell them about the vision.
My mother, running through the woods.
Me, the thing that was chasing her.
Why did touching the seed give methatvision?
And how in the world is Lainey alive?
I’m fixating on the questions, working the soap into a rich lather when the bathroom plunges into darkness. The power has gone out. There’s an audible reaction in the waiting room—a collective gasp, followed by the low rumble of confused voices as I stand in place, water running in the sink. Then, just like that, the light returns, blinking to life.
Only I’m not alone.
Rafe Vandenberg stands behind me.
“Help,” he rasps.
With a strangled cry, I spin around.
But Rafe isn’t there.
I turn back to the mirror, my heart pounding inside my chest.
Rafe isn’t there, either.
It’s just me and my frightened reflection.
3
SLAMMED SHUT
“It should be right up here,” I say, moving aside a low-hanging branch as thorny brambles snag at my joggers.
Jude and I tromp through the woods, fallen leaves crunching underfoot, the air nipping at my nose. I lead the way, walking so fast I’m all but running. Urgency pushes me from behind. I’m afraid of missing it. Afraid of reaching the spot and the rift will be gone, just regular air, like the seed in my pocket.
Thankfully, my fear is unfounded.
As soon as we reach the gully, I spot it below.
A flickering window.
