Nobody moved.Ethan's words remained in the corridor long after he stopped speaking.Take Adrian.And leave the other one.I looked at Marcus.He wasn't looking at me.He was staring at the floor.That was enough to make my chest tighten."Dad."He didn't answer."Dad, look at me."Slowly, Marcus raised his head.His face had changed.The strength I'd always associated with him was gone.He looked tired.Not physically.Tired in the way someone looked after carrying something heavy for too long."Is that what happened?"Marcus swallowed."I don't know."Jace laughed quietly."You don't know?"Marcus looked at him."I remember the hospital.""That's not what I asked.""I remember the night.""Then tell us."Marcus looked at Ethan.The boy was still standing beside Amy.He looked frightened.Marcus's expression softened."Ethan shouldn't have to hear this."Ethan shook his head."I want to."Marcus looked at him."Ethan—""I want to know."His voice wasn't loud.But it was firm.Marcus

The darkness lasted only a few seconds.But in those few seconds, everything changed.I heard movement all around us.Not one person.Not two.Dozens.Footsteps echoed through the tunnels, some distant and some frighteningly close.Ethan was still covering his ears."They're coming."Marcus moved immediately."Everyone stay together."Lucian raised his weapon."Where?"I listened.My hearing pushed through the darkness.Footsteps.Breathing.Heartbeats.Too many to count.But something bothered me.The heartbeats weren't all the same.Some were human.Some weren't.And some...I couldn't hear at all."There's someone directly behind us."Jace turned.Nothing."How close?""Very."He moved beside me."Can you hear a heartbeat?"I shook my head."No."That was worse.Before either of us could react, something struck the wall beside my head.Stone exploded.I dropped instinctively.A figure moved through the darkness.Jace grabbed me and pulled me backward.Lucian swung his weapon.The b

Choose.The word echoed through the cavern.Not once.Three times.Mine.Jace's.Ethan's.Then everything went silent.I couldn't hear the attackers.I couldn't hear the officers.I couldn't even hear my own heartbeat.I looked down.The three circles beneath us were glowing faintly.Mine.Jace's.Ethan's.And between them was the fourth circle.Empty.Or at least it had been.Now there were three figures standing inside it.They looked like us.Not exactly.But enough.One looked like me.One looked like Jace.One looked like Ethan.Except their faces were expressionless.Their eyes were completely black.Ethan grabbed my arm."Those aren't us.""I know.""They look like us.""I know."Jace stepped closer to the edge of his circle."What are they?"Daniel answered from behind us."Possibilities."Jace turned."Stop saying that."Daniel didn't respond.Jace pointed toward the fourth circle."You know what they are.""I know what the sanctuary believes they are.""That's not the same t

For several seconds, nobody moved.Amy was still holding the black journal.The final words written across the page seemed impossible to ignore.DON’T TRUST THE BOY OUTSIDE.JACE IS NOT THE ONE WHO’S COMING.THE FIRST DAUGHTER IS.SHE HAS ALREADY ENTERED THE SCHOOL.Jack read the words again.Then a third time.He looked toward Jace.Jace was staring at the page too.“That isn’t me,” he said quietly.Nobody answered.Jace swallowed and stepped closer to Amy. “The journal says I’m not the one coming.”“I know,” Amy said.“But somebody outside looks like me.”“That’s the problem.”Jack turned toward the corridor.The underground facility had become strangely quiet.Not peaceful.Quiet in the way a place became quiet when everyone was listening for something.Above them, faint sounds filtered through the ceiling.Police radios.Doors opening and closing.People shouting instructions.A siren passed somewhere outside the school grounds.Ravenwood High was no longer just a school.It had b

The laughter stopped.Jack stood halfway down the stairs, listening.Nothing.Then the heartbeat returned.Small.Fast.Human.He looked at Jace.“You heard it too?”Jace nodded.Amy was behind them, one hand gripping the railing.“I heard the voice.”Jack looked at her.“What did it say?”“Your name.”Jack turned back toward the darkness.The emergency lights in the stairwell flickered once.Then twice.A faint red glow settled over the concrete walls.Jack took another step.The metal railing creaked beneath his hand.“Jack.”Amy's voice was quieter this time.He stopped.“What?”“I don't think we should go down there.”Jack looked at her.“Why?”She held up the journal.The pages were moving by themselves.Not rapidly.One page at a time.Then they stopped.A sentence appeared.DON'T FOLLOW THE HEARTBEAT.Jack stared at it.Jace leaned over Amy's shoulder.“That's pretty direct.”Jack looked down the stairs.The heartbeat continued.“Then why can I hear it?”Amy looked at him.“May