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  He kissed me again and again. Each time, the pain shot through my skin, but I suffered through it. His hands ran up and down my back, but instead of bringing pleasure, the touch began to sting.

  Somewhere between desire and pain, I continued to dance. I was able to ignore the discomfort as my heart beat with passion. Silas let out a small groan as I pressed my body fully against his. His hands began to move their way up my back, pressing me harder into him as he burrowed his face into my neck.

  The delight of his lips was unlike anything I had felt before. Until a hard nip pierced my flesh.

  A bright light flashed through my mind, alerting my nerves of danger. I let out a yelp and pulled away, my limbs tightening at the sudden movement. Placing my hand on my neck, I felt a warm liquid coating my fingertips. There was only one guess as to what it was.

  I stared at Silas, who was wiping the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand.

  "I'm sorry, Addie," he said, walking closer with a different gleam in his eyes. "I got a little carried away."

  "Just a little," I snapped, wiping more of the blood off my neck. What was the matter with him?

  He began to wrap his arms around me again, but I took a step back, extending my arm between us. "I don't know about this, Silas."

  He then smiled a beautiful, crooked grin that I had never seen before, making my knees weak. "Addie, it's me, remember? I would never hurt you."

  Reaching out, Silas cupped my face, his rough fingers caressing my cheek. A shudder spiraled throughout my body, and I shut my eyes, savoring the sweetness of his delicate touch. I wanted to push him aside and rid myself of whatever was happening, but my body drew closer as I allowed myself to succumb to his embrace again. His strong arms moved from my neck to my waist, wrapping tightly around me. The icy scent surrounding him relaxed my muscles, and I held onto him as if nothing else mattered. It wasn't long before I was completely lost in him once more. Our bodies moved perfectly in time with one another as the music thumped faster and faster.

  "I just want to eat you up, to drink you in, to feel you," he whispered in my ear, kissing my neck and shoulders.

  I let out a gasp as he pushed me back against the wall. A whimper escaped my throat as my spine collided with the stone.

  "Shh," Silas said softly, running his hand up my thigh.

  I held my breath as he leaned closer, his face only inches from mine.

  Run, Addie, the soft voice said.

  I knew I shouldn't ignore it. The last time I did, I had almost died.

  But as I began to unwrap myself from him, Silas cupped my cheek and crushed his cold, thin lips against my mouth. It was like fire and ice, heating me up and cooling me down all at the same time. So pleasant and yet so—

  The smell of burning flesh washed over the room, and I pushed Silas away, feeling my neck and shoulders. The skin where he had kissed me was raw, red, and decaying.

  The dim light of the room revealed terrible burns that covered almost everywhere Silas had kissed me. How had I missed it?

  Silas stood before me, studying every part of my body. The same gleam in his eyes had returned. Leaning down, his lips reached for mine once more. My heart raced, pounding as if it would explode. Terrified, I tried to back away, but the wall trapped me.

  "Silas, st-stop . . ."

  "Oh, Addie." Silas's voice began to change, becoming entwined with other voices. "It doesn't matter if it's right or wrong. I will get what I want."

  Blood drained from my face. I tried to run away from him, but his hands reached out and clenched my wrists.

  His hands felt like fire. Every follicle, every nerve, seared beneath his touch. I gagged as I smelled my own flesh burning.

  I screamed. But no one heard me. No one would save me.

  I desperately tried to dodge the lecherous kisses from Silas as he pressed his weight against me. Wriggling with all my strength, I jerked my arms forward, attempting to break the hold he had on me.

  "I don't think so," he growled with a grin that was no longer Silas's.

  I tried to wrench my arms free once more, but he only grasped them tighter. The harder I struggled, the more painful it became. My body ached. New burns were forming, branding my skin.

  I shouted in surprise when a flash of light descended into the room, causing the sword to materialize at my side. Thankfully, Silas was too consumed with holding me to notice.

  Knowing this was my only chance, I braced myself as a perfectly thought-out plan entered my mind. Taking a breath, I relaxed my trembling limbs, causing Silas to loosen his grip ever so slightly.

  In that moment, I quickly reached to my side and grabbed the hilt of the sword. The power within the sword immediately flew through me, feeding my hope once more. Like a cornered animal, I reared back before shoving Silas in the chest.

  He moved back enough for me to scramble out of his grasp. I clutched the sword with both hands, heaving. Silas leaned his head back and laughed with a voice that had become the Beast's. "Do you think you can defeat me with your little sword? Oh, Adelaide, you know nothing."

  The beautiful brown eyes that were once Silas's darkened into the life-parching depths of the siti. The body that had fooled me for Silas leapt at me, a horrible moan escaping its lips. Ignoring the brands of painful lust on my skin, I held the sword high and charged at the monster. I didn't care if I was desirable. I didn't care if being with him felt good.

  My hands gripped the hilt tightly as Silas's hands grabbed for my body. Fiery lips bit down on my mouth, sending shock waves of piercing pain into my flesh. Struggling, I lifted the sword and plunged the blade straight through his chest.

  Chapter 24

  Silas choked, his black eyes widening in shock. A haggard breath escaped his lips as he staggered backward. I couldn't stop the tears from filling my eyes. I knew the monster before me wasn't Silas, but a sharp pain pierced my heart. Nausea boiled in my stomach as black blood poured from his chest.

  I quickly untangled myself from him, jerking the sword with me. Siti Silas groaned, falling to the ground before his body began to transform. His eyes were still black, but his skin faded from Silas's normal, smooth complexion to a grayish, leathery one. The fingernails on his hands grew into long claws, scraping the stone floor.

  I gripped the sword tightly as I watched a single cord of black rope thread itself through his lips, preventing him from ever speaking again.

  The creature's body moved, its limbs stretching until they were horribly thin. I whipped my head around, frantically looking for an exit. I spotted one on the opposite end of the room. Not giving the siti another look, I raced away with all the strength I had left.

  A horrible moaning from the siti trailed after me. I ran faster, wishing I hadn't been so easily lured in. I should have listened to the voice—and my heart—the first time they warned me.

  The hollow feeling from my Extraction returned to my chest as I ran, the cold emptiness of my heart magnified by a moment of pleasure that didn't amount to any ounce of love.

  Suddenly, the sword glowed in my hand, shooting warmth up my arm. Glancing down, I watched, amazed, as several pieces of yarn appeared in midair, looping back and forth, stitching together as they traveled up my arms and legs. Soon, my body was clothed once more in the familiar comfort of Lyle's sweater and Claire's clothing, my heart hidden in the old satchel.

  The scratching of claws behind me pushed my thoughts back to escape as I pumped my legs faster. I soon stumbled onto another dance floor, where the dancers were undressing themselves and openly groping one another while their bodies shifted into monsters. I looked away, horrified. Was that what I was about to do? Become so completely lost in physical lust that I didn’t care about who was around?

  I shook my head and kept running. The only sounds I heard were my own footsteps pounding in time with my beating heart.

  After a while, realizing no one was closely pursuing me, I slowed to a jog, exhausted from all the Choices. Either the siti had gotten
tired of me, or it had become lost in another lecherous act. I shifted my pace into a slow walk until the royal blue door appeared ahead of me, accompanied by the lantern light illuminating Claire's figure leaning against it.

  I hung my head and allowed the sword to fall until it dragged behind me. The burn marks on my skin hadn't faded away. With every step, the sharp memory broke through my mind, reminding me of my sensual desires. I kept my focus on the pattern of the teal carpet as I drifted toward the door, unwilling to see the disappointment on Claire's face.

  My mind kept showing Silas's bleeding body over and over again, branding the image into my memory. My head knew it wasn't him, but my heart ached, seeing Silas transform into a monster. Tears rolled down my face before I reached the door to exit this horrid Choice.

  Claire's footsteps sounded just beyond the threshold. I didn't care if she called me stupid. I just wanted to get out of here.

  Before I could tell what was happening, two arms wrapped around my shoulders, pulling me into a tight hug. That was enough for my waterworks to fully release. I cried into Claire's dirty vest while her gloved hand stroked my short curls.

  I cried for Nana. I cried for Lyle. I cried for Silas. I cried for Claire. But mostly, I cried for myself. My stupid, stupid self.

  A loud crack resonated through my ears. My muscles quivered beneath my skin before a rush of boiling heat flooded into my chest. A guttural scream erupted from my throat as pain encased my nerves. I touched the circle on my chest, only to remember my heart was no longer there. Pulling away from Claire, I frantically searched through the satchel until my fingers latched onto the white fabric. Carefully peeling back the pieces, I saw the pulsating heart still alive and beating. But it had changed so much since this journey had begun. While the center was still pure red, the outer edges of my heart had changed from red to pure white to a dark gray.

  I wiped the tears off my face before I spotted a small crack in the middle of the top of my heart. It wasn't very large, but it was enough to paralyze my body. I took a deep breath before rewrapping the cloth. I didn't know what was happening, but I knew I needed to get through these doors, and quickly.

  Wiping my face with my hands once more, I ran my fingertips along my cheeks to make sure all the tears were gone before I looked up. Claire gave me a sympathetic glance, then turned the snake key in the lock.

  "I told you this one was going to be tough," she said softly. "You can break all the bones in your body, but nothing can compare to the pain of a broken heart."

  Swallowing the knot in my throat, I tried to hold back more tears. The pain from that tiny crack was worse than anything I had felt so far. I didn't want to know what would happen if it cracked more.

  "Okay," Claire said, clutching her rod and the lantern. "Let's get out of here."

  With an aloof nod, I followed her through the doorway. The bright sand shocked my eyes as we returned to it. I cupped my hand above them to lessen the impact of the blazing force. I hadn’t seen anything so brilliant since the sun shone in Barracks, which was years ago.

  As I squinted, my eyes slowly adjusted to the light among the darkness. The bright white sand against the midnight black sky reminded me of the first time I had seen snow. It was a hot summer in Barracks, and Lyle had traded one of his springs for a ball of freshly packed snow from the Shalley Mountains. I loved how it sparkled and shined in the sunlight. A soft warmth filled my chest as I replayed the memory while looking out over the clear, white sand. It was incredible to see anything this pure in a place so dark.

  A light breeze caused the short hair around my face to tickle my cheek, reminding me of the doors I had gone through and that the memories I had of Lyle were in the past. I brushed a curl away as I continued to follow Claire through the desert, the tip of the sword forming a rut in the sand as it dragged behind me.

  Twice, the sword had saved me from my stupid decisions. Twice, when I had pushed the warning voice away, it was still there. I didn't know why either one had chosen to come to me, but I was thankful they had.

  "So," Claire said over her shoulder as we walked through the sand. She used her rod as a staff in one hand and clutched the lantern with the other. "Do you want to talk about it?"

  The sword continued to drag as my feet dragged along with it. That last door had completely broken me; I didn't know how much more I could handle. Stopping in the sand, I collapsed, crossing my legs on the sandy ground.

  Claire turned around with an irritated look. "Is that a yes?"

  I stared blankly at her until she let out a huff and slumped down on the ground as well.

  "After Lyle left, I thought I'd be alone forever," I murmured, immediately catching her attention. "But this boy—this man," I corrected myself, “came into my life right when I thought I had no one. He was a miracle. He took care of me when I was sick, fed me when I was hungry, and listened when no one else would." The large knot in my throat resurfaced. "And I just stabbed him through the chest and watched him transform into a monster." My voice wobbled as I tried to control the tears from running down my cheeks again.

  "Addie, you know that wasn't really him. That was Ophidian playing tricks with your head. He's good at that." Claire gripped the rod, then plunged it into the sand, hoisting herself up.

  I shook my head, unable to give myself the excuse that Ophidian made me do anything on the other side of that door. I knew what my heart wanted, and I had chosen my own path.

  Claire sighed, running her hand through her hair before looking down at me. "You made a stupid decision, all right? We all do. But you wouldn't be here right now if you didn't fight back."

  Her words made me pause as I remembered fighting against siti-Silas’s grip, how I hadn’t given up even when I couldn’t find an escape.

  "Look," she said, scratching at her white hair again. "I can't heal your hurt, but at least I can say this: you fought back. You chose to resist. If you didn't, you wouldn't have any skin left to show." Claire pointed to the scars on my arms, my face.

  "There's no way to hide these marks," I muttered, pulling the sleeves of Lyle's sweater down as far as I could. "I failed."

  Claire placed her hand on her hip and leaned over until she was almost nose-to-nose with me, allowing me to study her numerous freckles. "That's another choice you have to make. Are you going to let the Beast get the best of you? Are you going to let that snake get inside your head and mess with it? Or are you going to take charge—are you going to take control?" She let out a huff. "Not every choice is evil, Addie."

  I stared at her blankly. How could I have any control over this? Over anything?

  "You have that—and that—for a reason." She stood straight, pointing forcefully to the sword, then to the satchel where my heart beat softly. "Someone obviously thinks enough of you to have chosen you as the carrier of both of those things. You have more power than you think."

  I frowned at her. This wasn't the first time I had heard that. Maybe there was more truth to it than I believed.

  I grabbed the sword and held it up. The mark of the Mender stared back at me, daring me to take its power again. My heart quickened as I studied the emblem. It felt as though my heart and the sword were one, pulsing with the same life that flowed through me. I knew the break in my heart was still there, but, for a moment, it felt as though it had been healed, mended somehow.

  Claire pointed the rod down at me, the wrinkle between her brows returning. "Are you going to be stupid and let that snake win, or are you going to toughen up and fight?"

  I looked up at her with a new-found power surging through my veins. I had always thought I was alone, a burden to everyone else around me. I had always needed help from someone, whether it was Lyle, Nana, or Silas. And because I couldn't take care of myself, the people I loved suffered.

  Clenching my fingers around the hilt, I plunged the sword into the sand. I reached out and grasped Claire's rod, pulling myself up. A jolt of power surged through the rod and down my arm. It felt ten times as p
owerful as the sword.

  A shimmering sheath of crystalline light escaped from the rod, traveling up my fingertips and coating my skin. It was warm, tingling, and soothing.

  I glanced up at Claire, who watched with mouth agape. Like fine, sparkling dust, the sheath of light began to fade and was carried off in the wind.

  I stared at the skin on my arm, stunned. It had been completely healed. All evidence of scarring the monster had created on my arm had vanished.

  "Now, that's new," Claire whispered.

  Clenching my hands, I stood with a new determination. I pulled the sword back out of the sand and looked to Claire. "Where's the next door?"

  A devious grin spread across Claire's face. "That's my girl."

  She pulled out her keys and swung them around until she grasped the one with the pig symbol. As soon as her hands touched the iron, an orange door appeared behind her.

  I focused on the door, ready for whatever Ophidian had up his sleeve. He was no longer in control.

  Claire placed the key in the lock. "Remember, Addie—"

  I flicked my hand at her. "I know, I know. Don't be stupid." I waited for her snarky response, but none came. Instead, a voice I had longed to hear for seven years responded.

  “Addie?” Lyle’s voice crackled.

  My heart stopped as every cell in my body froze. I slowly slid my eyes from the orange door toward the direction of the voice and let out a gasp. It was no longer Claire before me, but the bruised body of my brother.

  Chapter 25

  “Lyle!” I cried, rushing toward him. I stopped short of embracing him. Bruises covered almost every inch of his exposed skin. A nasty gash on his cheek looked like it had tried to heal several times but kept getting reopened.

  “Lyle,” I whispered, my heart wrenching in pain as my eyes scanned him. I gently took his hand. “What happened?”

  “Addie?” he repeated, a confused look coming to his face as he reached up to adjust his cracked spectacles.

  “Yes, Lyle, it’s me,” I said, tears forming in my eyes as I gripped his hand a little harder. “I’ve come to get you out of here.”