Page 71 of Hollowed

Noone to hear your plea.

Veilsof smokeand shadow hide

Thetruest hearts of stone.

Andwith the dead to help her,

Deathwill build a throne of bones.

Run,little phoenix,

Runfar, run fast.

ForDeathwill always find you,

Yourpeace

Itwill not last.

Bloodand embersfill the streets,

Theworld ready to become

Anendless maze of bodies.

Oh, how quickly you’ll succumb.

Thescreamingof the kettle made my heart jump into my throat asIslammed the book shut once again, pressing my hand to my chest.

Numb,Istood and stared at the book on the table.Icouldn’t bring myself to touch it.Noteven to return it to the shelf.

I’dbroughtDeathtoSleepyHollow.Andnow she was going to destroy it.

Thirty-Three

Myworld spiraled as muted colors mixed with the smell of lavender.Ciaramight have been the one to summon her, butDeathwas going to destroySleepyHollowbecause of me.Acidburned in the back of my throat, and an oily sensation churned in my stomach.

Standingat the table in the kitchen,Ilost all track of time.Visionsof empty eye sockets, crackling fires, and the blood-red lips of the woman who’d sprung from the shadows ran through my mind over and over and over.Icould hear nothing, save the pounding in my heart that echoed through my chest and into my head.

Ahand came down on my injured shoulder and yanked me back into focus as a cry escaped my lips, layered equally in both pain and fear.

“Katrina, it’s me,”Alexandersaid, cutting through the frantic cacophony of my heartbeat.

Squeezingmy eyes shut to fight the prick of tears,Iturned to face him, sucking a breath through my teeth. “Ididn’t hear you.”

“DidIhurt you?” he asked.AsIslowly opened my eyes,Alexander’sface filled my field of vision, pinched tight with worry.Orperhaps it was exhaustion.Hishand reached out for my shoulder, stopping before he touched it again. “Whathappened?”

“I’mfine,”Imanaged, through clenched teeth.Thepain had dulled some, and as long asIdidn’t move my arm much,Icould almost forget it was injured. “Howare you feeling?”

“Iam stable for now and will get better as more time passes,” he replied, bending to catch my eyes.Iattempted to turn away, unready—and unwilling—to face him, not with all the secrets he’d apparently been keeping, but he caught the hand of my uninjured arm and kept me still. “Please.You’reobviously in pain.Tellme what happened.”

Heatkissed my cheeks, butIknew ifIdid not tell him, he would only drag this out longer. “Ifell fromLiathgetting you back here.Idislocated my shoulder whenIlanded on it.”

“Isit still dislocated?” he asked, gingerly touching the neckline of my dress and peering closely.

“No,”Ireplied, stepping away from him.Hefrowned at our separation.

“Buthow…”Hiseyes widened. “Youput it back in place yourself?”