The massive shape moved slowly between two crumbling buildings, then turned down a different street entirely, its heavy footsteps fading into the distance.Sera let out a breath. "It's not coming this way," she said. "Not yet.""That's not exactly comforting," Ethan said."Nothing about today is comforting," Sera said, finally letting go of his wrist. "Come on. We need to get inside before something else decides we look interesting."They pushed through the greenhouse doors and kept moving, cutting through back alleys toward the dungeon entrance Ethan remembered from his old life. The streets around them stayed eerily quiet, too quiet, the kind of quiet that made Ethan's skin prickle with every step."How did you know my name?" Sera asked suddenly, breaking the silence.Ethan kept his eyes forward. "I told you already. Lucky guess.""That's not an answer," Sera said. "I've been thinking about it since the school dungeon. You knew my name before I ever told you. You knew things about t

The countdown ticked lower. Four minutes, thirty seconds.Ethan studied the stone door carefully, running his fingers along the carved symbols. Ancient text spiraled around a circular groove at the center, two handprints pressed into the stone below it."There," Ethan said, pointing. "Handprints. It wants something from both of us.""What kind of something?" Sera asked, already wary.Ethan pressed his palm against the stone. Words flared to life above the door, burning gold against the dark chamber walls.[Trial of Trust: To pass, both must offer a drop of blood freely, weapons lowered, backs turned to one another. Doubt of any kind will seal the chamber permanently.]Sera read the words twice, her face going pale."Weapons down," she repeated slowly. "Backs turned. In a room I've never been in, with a man I met three days ago, who just told me he's lived through the end of the world once already.""I know how it sounds," Ethan said."Do you?" Sera snapped. "Because from where I'm sta