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I sniff the ground, then follow her scent up the walls into the air. I stop. It’s above me. She is above me.

Slowly, I raise my eyes. At first, it is too gloomy to see anything. Thick, black, web-like reeds coat the ceiling. Beneath them, something bulges. Pinned like a fly in a spider’s trap.

I strain my eyes. The shape solidifies in my vision. I stifle a howl and scoot back, slamming against the wall as I bite down the urge to run.

My mother’s face stares down at me. Gray cheeks, unblinking eyes, head hanging at an unnatural angle while the black web pins the rest of her body to the ceiling.

She is dead.

My mother is dead.

* * *

I stare at her for too long. I don’t know how much time has passed or whether I’m about to be discovered at any moment. Eventually, I tear myself away, vowing with every breath in my body that I will return for her when this is done. Vowing that she will at least have a proper burial despite the path she chose to tread with Ragnor.

I move deeper into the belly of the building. Vines trail along the wooden floorboards, growing thicker and darker the further in I go.

Ahead is the ballroom with its chandelier and its pool table, except something tells me those things are no longer there. Something tells me that is where he is. The King.

I find myself drawn toward it. The door undulates and shifts in front of me. His energy bleeds through into my nose, and my skin, and my lungs. The familiar ice-cold darkness that turned every waking second into torture when I was with him in that place returns. I want to run, yet something inside tells me I need him. I need the pain. I need his darkness to fill me, and blind me, and help me see.

I reach the door and rub against it, nuzzling it with my furless skull. A howl bites at my throat, but I swallow it down.

“Baby, are you lost?” Eve’s voice brings me back to myself. I whimper as she crouches in front of me. “Are you hurt, my love?”

I lift my paw, then lick it, whining plaintively.

She tilts her head. “Poor darling.” She cups my skeletal snout and kisses it. “Come with Mommy.” She drifts off down the hall, patting her hip to tell me I should follow her.

Tearing myself away from the throbbing call of The King’s darkness, I pad after the witch. In the entrance hall, I try to keep moving but my feet stop of their own accord. The heavy knowledge that my mother is suspended, lifeless, above my head weighs down on me. I don’t want to look at her, but I can’t help it.

Ahead, Eve stops. She looks back and smiles. “When she’s fermented a little longer, you and your brothers can have her.” She tilts her head and rubs her hands. “I’m glad I only broke her neck. If I hadn’t kept her whole, I wouldn’t be able to watch you tear her apart.” She smooths her palms over her hair and sighs wistfully. “And I will take such joy from that.” She blinks and returns her gaze to me. “Come, we will feed on the wolf later. Now, come, let me look at your foot.”

When we reach the kitchen, Eve moves through the filth toward the sink, taking a cloth and muttering something about cleaning my hurt paw, but I whimper again and stand in the doorway.

Eve tilts her head. “You need to show me something? Did something hurt you?”

I trot down the steps. Now, she is following me. At first, I have no idea where to take her, but then a flash of memory reminds me of the day I left—through the river—to fetch Nova’s blood results from the hospital. So, I head for the water.

We use the same narrow place to cross to the other side of the lawn. At the river bank, panting, Eve catches up with me. I stand at the edge, staring down into the water. She kneels beside me. “What is it, my darling? What have you found for Mommy? Is there something here that hurt you? Some nasty water beasts that crept up from beneath?” She puts her thin hand on my shoulder.

I wait, my heart thudding loudly in my ears. Then I let it take over… I let the bloodlust race through my veins. I feel it rip through me, but I don’t make a sound. I fix my eyes on the witch’s face. Eve frowns. She opens her mouth to speak, then I clamp my jaws around her head and rip it from her shoulders.

44

NOVA

“You’re okay with this?” I take Sam’s hands and pull him away from the group. “I know we haven’t had enough time to talk.” I reach up and brush his curly hair from his face. “I’m sorry.”

Sam looks down at my fingers, now once again decorated with all five rings. He runs his thumb over the one he gave me. “I’m sorry too.” He presses his forehead to mine then kisses me so deeply I’m almost knocked off my feet. “I love you, Nova. I might not be fated to be a part of this, but I still believe I’m fated to be yours.” He smiles and strokes my hair from my face.

“From the moment I saw your flash of red hair, standing on the doorstep when I was dropped off at your parents’ house, I knew I would love you forever. I just didn’t know how I’d love you.”

A sigh hums inside me. I hold him close, my fingers tracing the shadow of his scars, only just noticeable beneath his black t-shirt. When he pulls away from me, Sam looks at the others. “Take care of her. I’ll see you all soon.”

There’s a moment of hugs and goodbyes between the boys, then Tanner and I stride out ahead with Mack, Snow, Luther, and Kole following.

When I get to The Cross, I turn and look back. I can make out Sam’s silhouette in the town square. With Rev and Sarah, he will wait for my sign. Then they will bring the supers of Phoenix Falls to The Hollow for one last fight.