We left the house before sunrise.
The underground river had become strangely quiet.
Too quiet.
Ashbel created a path across the water while Bella watched the darkness behind us.
Nicole stayed close to Sofia.
I walked beside my mother.
She hadn't spoken since we found the parchment.
"Mom."
She kept walking.
"Tell me the truth."
"I've told you enough."
"No."
I stopped.
She stopped too.
"You told me what happened eighteen years ago. You didn't tell me what happens now."
Seraya looked at me.
"The prophecy says the key must be lost."
"Lost doesn't mean dead."
Her expression tightened.
"It can."
Sofia stepped closer.
"Then we'll make sure it doesn't."
Seraya looked at her.
"You don't understand what the Hollow wants."
"Then explain it."
Seraya sighed.
"The Hollow doesn't want you dead."
Sofia frowned.
"What does it want?"
"It wants your blood."
"Why?"
"Because your blood can open the ancient seal."
Bella looked confused.
"Which seal?"
Seraya pointed toward the river.
"The first prison."
Ashbel's face changed.
"The Hollow's prison?"
"Yes."
Nicole looked at me.
"And Rohgah is the heir?"
Seraya nodded.
"He was born with the ability to break the seal."
I stared at the river.
"So Vaelor needs Sofia to open it and me to control what's inside."
"Yes."
"And if we refuse?"
"The Hollow will force the bond."
"How?"
Seraya looked at our hands.
"By making you choose each other."
I frowned.
"That doesn't make sense."
"It will."
We continued walking.
Then Sofia suddenly stopped.
"Wait."
I turned.
She was staring at the water.
"What?"
"There."
Something was moving beneath the surface.
A small object floated toward us.
Ashbel pulled it closer.
It was a child's shoe.
Sofia's face went white.
"I remember that."
I looked at her.
"From when we were children?"
She nodded.
"I wore it the night we were separated."
Seraya closed her eyes.
"I thought it was gone."
Sofia picked it up.
The moment she touched it, the river exploded.
A vision appeared above the water.
Two children stood beside the river.
Me.
Sofia.
We were laughing.
Then Vaelor appeared.
The vision changed.
Seraya screamed at someone.
Machir arrived.
Kael stood between them.
Then everything became chaos.
I watched myself as a little boy being carried away.
Sofia was screaming.
"Rohgah!"
Then I saw something I had never seen before.
Kael grabbed Machir.
"Take the boy."
Machir looked horrified.
"What about Liora?"
"She's the key."
"Then she'll die."
Kael shook his head.
"Not if we separate them."
The vision ended.
I stared at Seraya.
"Kael gave me to Machir."
She nodded.
"To save both of you."
"But he knew we'd forget each other."
"Yes."
Sofia looked devastated.
"He chose to separate us."
"He believed it was the only way."
Sofia wiped her tears.
"Everyone keeps making choices for us."
She looked at me.
"I'm tired of it."
I took her hand.
"Then we'll make our own."
Suddenly, the river began turning black.
Ashbel raised both hands.
"I can't control it!"
Bella drew her sword.
Something rose from the water.
A massive black serpent.
Nicole attacked first.
She moved faster than my eyes could follow.
The creature threw her into the river.
"Nicole!"
Ashbel pulled her out with a wave.
Bella attacked from the side.
Her sword struck its scales.
The creature roared.
Seraya raised her hand.
Silver magic blasted across the river.
The serpent disappeared.
But the black water remained.
Then Sofia screamed.
I turned.
A black symbol had appeared on her wrist.
She dropped to her knees.
"Sofia!"
I ran toward her.
The mark spread up her arm.
"Mom!"
Seraya rushed over.
"No."
"What is happening?"
"Vaelor has activated the seal."
Sofia cried out.
"Make it stop!"
Seraya held her hand.
"I can't."
I knelt beside Sofia.
"Look at me."
She did.
"Don't be afraid."
"I am."
"I know."
The mark reached her shoulder.
I grabbed her hand.
Silver light moved between us.
The mark stopped.
Seraya stared.
"You're suppressing it."
"How?"
"I don't know."
Sofia squeezed my hand.
"Maybe because we're connected."
Seraya looked at us.
Then she whispered,
"That is exactly what Vaelor wants."
The black mark suddenly vanished.
For a moment, everything was still.
Then Sofia's eyes opened wide.
"What?"
"What happened?"
"I heard him."
"Vaelor?"
She nodded.
"What did he say?"
Her lips trembled.
"He said…"
She swallowed.
"He has found the first seal."
The river began glowing.
A giant circle appeared beneath the water.
Seraya stepped backward.
"No."
I looked at her.
"What is it?"
"The prison."
The circle opened.
A huge black door rose from beneath the river.
Across it were carved two words.
THE HOLLOW.
Then another message appeared.
THE HEIR MUST OPEN.
I stared at it.
The black mark returned to my palm.
But this time…
it wasn't calling me.
It was waiting for me.
Sofia grabbed my arm.
"Don't open it."
I looked at the door.
Then at her.
"I won't."
A voice echoed from beneath the river.
YOU WILL.
The door began opening by itself.