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CHAPTER SEVENTY-THREE

Ellery

“I don’t think he’s going to fit through the entrance,” Callan said.

“No, but he’ll protect us.”

“How did you end up entangled with the Scourge of the Ghouls, Ellery?”

I gave him a half-hearted smile. “Well, that’s an interesting tale, and you have a lot to learn about us, but the short and simple answer is my mother.”

His jaw dropped. “Mrs. Marian got you together?”

“That wasn’t her intent when it all started, but things have a way of going awry… as you know.”

Before Callan could reply, a portal opened in the center of the rock. It was likely Luna, but I set my lantern down and swung my bow off my back. I pulled an arrow from my quiver and nocked it against the bow.

Ten seconds later, Luna emerged. Her blue eyes widened when they landed on me, and she stepped back.

“Luna!” Callan blurted.

Still hunched over, he scrambled across the small space and threw his arms around his sister as I lowered my bow. They embraced while I returned my arrow to its quiver and swung my bow onto my back.

I gave them a few seconds before knocking three times on the rock, right where I knew Ryker stood. A small thud from the other side confirmed what I’d already known.

Callan stared from me to the rock and back as they parted. “You were right.”

I didn’t acknowledge his words as I focused on Luna. “Close your portal.”

She blinked at me before shifting her attention to the open portal and waving her hand to close it. It had been years since I last saw the woman, and she’d changed in that time.

Luna was always slender, but she was thinner than the last time I saw her, and her collarbones stood out sharply beneath her ill-fitting black clothes. Her cheekbones were also more pronounced, as were the bones in the backs of her hands. Her golden blonde hair hung in a tangled mass around her shoulders and bruised face.

“We have to go,” I said.

“Where?” Luna demanded. “And what are you doing here?”

“Somewhere safe, and you’ll learn all about that soon enough, but we can’t stay here.”

“It will be okay,” Callan assured her.

Luna still looked doubtful, but her shoulders slumped a little, and some of her defensiveness ebbed. Even if she’d continued to fight, I wouldn’t have stood here and debated this. I wanted out of this rock of memories, away from The Hollows, and back with Ryker.

While I waved my hand, I pictured Tucker’s encampment and opened a portal. I stepped back and let Callan and Luna enter before I followed them.