Serpent's Blood

– Blood

wed Selene, the more t

forgotten language. The walls were carved with scenes that flickered when he passed: men and women with eyes of

ell which sca

this place

id. "To some, it's a tomb. To ot

at is i

her shoulder. "That's wha

s covered the walls, and a shallow bowl sat on a pedestal in the center of the

"It only responds to Serpent-blood. Your re

happens if I look and I'm

"Then it shows you e

wallowe

epped

d over t

k circles, the same scar above his right brow he'd h

lection

. Not di

sfor

ir like shadow-smoke. And behind him-a silhouette. T

stumbl

wl wen

efore he fell. Her grip

she said. No

ly. "What the

she said. "Or your

r. "You knew I'

. It means the blo

e it sound like I

don

away from h

hesi

your father w

c fr

ha

long time ago. He disappeared before we co

is d

ietly. "But not befor

rom her, from the b

"He left when I was a kid. My

bloodlines. They make sure silence stays silence. The

u're saying my mom knew? Tha

d. "Maybe. Or maybe

stomac

am. To smash the bowl and

t. The blood w

er would

ment, his phone bu

text. F

into your apartment. I

lood turn

ing behind him, but the world blurred. The underground spat him out into Thorn Market, and

s building, the door to h

stairs thr

ay

ans

ugh the doorw

ed. Furniture overturned. A black s

he cente

a

eathing.

ide. Blood dark on her shirt. He

" she w

to his knee

no no-h

of magic shoot through his fingers. It wasn

ew who

ew she

hey... they said your name

ened. "I'm sorry

wrist, blood-s

she whispered. "You h

hand we

Marshall

ream that crac

kes the