THE HOLO CROWN

:back at Whi

ver stay buried. Not really. They just

actly what we w

rous. But here we were-me, Kael, Selene, and Jin-following Thorne's map t

shing cobwebs from my face. "I thought this

d, didn't look back. "Infinito wasn't bui

rd w

im. "Whatever's at

r than any magic I'd ever felt. It pulsed faintly, like ve

ever, the tunnel opened

nter stoo

runes I couldn't read, whispering in a language I almost understood. The

spering

weaker than usual. He'd insisted on coming, even th

ut this is only a tether. The true prison is buried far deeper,

ked c

. It felt like it recognized me.

hispering?" I

ng you your truth. Or what it

ng on the hilt of his blade. "T

ly. "We don't touch it.

s already

up the momen

er rune, striking the ceiling-and

ck

nd. Faster than thought

hadow. A man without a

me, ice, and bone

n fire-rebo

en...

ro

are

g. The vision vanished, but its c

, panic in her eyes. "

I said slo

. "It's begun. The Holo knows A

" Jin said. "Even if they hate it,

horne said. "They ju

we tell the school. The studen

saw what they did to Thorne. You think they'll treat

t tell anyone. Not yet. Not u

hind us puls

rack split acro

r

re holding the Holo bac

e first alarm began to sound through

windows, the sk

rom s

m f

clouds-ancient marks that hadn'

r brands," Se

. "Someone's trying to break

urned pale. "Th

h dropped

d they're trying to a

y?" Jin

ed at me-at

reborn. They believe the Holo is the flame that wi

c and the Council tried to pretend everyth

sistance, hidden within

else was goin

he key... then I'd d

feet, the Whispering

, something i

run fore

alrea