xt to him, hugging her knees tightly to herself, observing the town fade from the rearview mirror. She had nothing, no suitcases, no b

her whispered: This is

til even the stars above seemed foreign to them. The trees grew taller, wilder. The light

p. "Where are

that does not appear on human maps. It lies beyond t

is it true? Everything, Lycan

you've ever known," he ad

ed in her head-Garrett's smirk, the cold shoulder from Mrs. Harrow, the never-en

in there,"

at is why you were not

silence when Kael pushed the ignition to life and drove the automobile onto a vacant strip of highway. Elara sat next to him, hugging her knees tightly, observing the fade of her town in the rearview mirror. Sh

ts that dated back before maps, past roads the GPS did not show, until even the sky above grew alien. Trees stood

up. "Where a

ty that doesn't appear anywhere on the human map. It lies betwee

o, is it true? Everything, Ly

ou've ever known," he told

rrett's smirk, the cold shoulder from Mrs. Harrow, the endless grayness of

long there,"

hat is why you follow

beneath lay a sea of silver haze. A partially ruined bridge

rom here,"

ed him out.

ed. "Not

it up. The air shimmered, rippled, and then the mists parted

ed. "Is it

u're meant

. "What happe

u f

t the steps.

rust me?"

dered, but she

ped onto

r feet, not in weight, but in memory. Every step forward came with a whisper, a ghost of a life s

cross, sh

ge tests you. It wants to know i

es

yes unreadable. "We'r

step was t

the cliffside, an enormous archway carved from obsidian and bone

against it. "Kael Thorne. Bloodworm Guard

unes

rk burned

e groan

city of twiligh

do

oonlight and crystal. Creatures with wings, horns, cloaks, some human, some no

aught in her thr

," Kael said. "If

o him. "What

They'll see your mark. They'll remember t

the r

want yo