Chapter 14

The first scream isn’t sound. It’s pressure. The air in the ritual cavern buckles, like the whole realm is inhaling to sob, and the black-rose mark over my heart detonates in one long, white-hot pulse. I double over, palms on my knees. “What did you do?” I gasp, but it’s not really a question for anyone here. I know exactly what I did. I cut him off. “You feel it?” Varyn’s voice is almost pleased. The elder’s skeletal hands hover over the stone altar, tracing sigils that...