Chapter 110
Elizabeth
“She hasn’t remembered you yet.”
The words hung in the air.
The stranger’s golden eyes remained fixed on Damon.
Not on me.
On Damon.
For the first time since we’d arrived at the church, Damon looked genuinely irritated.
Not angry.
Not amused.
Irritated.
Like someone had said something they weren’t supposed to know.
My stomach tightened.
Because that was far more interesting.
“What does that mean?” I asked immediately.
The stranger looked at me.
Then smiled.
And somehow managed to look apologetic and annoying at the same time.
“I’ve already said too much.”
I hated people who spoke in riddles.
Unfortunately, my life seemed full of them.
The church bell rang once more.
The stranger’s attention shifted toward the staircase.
Whatever amusement had been on his face vanished.
Instantly.
The change was so sudden that even Lucien noticed.
And Lucien noticed everything.
“That can’t be good.”
Nobody disagreed.
The air felt different.
Heavier.
The crowd surrounding the church remained kneeling, their heads lowered.
Not moving.
Not speaking.
Waiting.
The stranger looked toward me again.
“You shouldn’t be here.”
I blinked.
“That seems a little late.”
A brief smile touched his face.
Then disappeared.
“Fair point.”
Adam stepped forward.
“Enough.”
His voice was calm.
Controlled.
The way it always was.
“We have a gate opening, a city full of possessed civilians, and a church sitting on top of an ancient prison.”
A pause.
“Start explaining.”
Honestly?
I appreciated Adam.
The stranger sighed.
“You sound exactly like your brother.”
Adam frowned.
“I don’t have a brother.”
The stranger looked mildly surprised.
Then he glanced at Damon.
Then back at Adam.
“Huh.”
Silence.
“What?”
The stranger shook his head.
“Nothing.”
That was suspicious.
Very suspicious.
Before Adam could press him, a deep rumble echoed beneath the church.
The ground shook.
Not violently.
Just enough to send dust drifting from the stone walls.
Every head turned toward the entrance.
The heartbeat had returned.
Stronger now.
Closer.
The stranger’s expression darkened.
“We’re out of time.”
The mark on my hand suddenly burned.
I gasped.
The key around my neck grew hot.
And before anyone could react—
The church doors slammed shut.
The sound echoed through the entire street.
The crowd collectively inhaled.
Nobody moved.
Then every stained-glass window lit up.
Gold.
The same unnatural gold I’d seen before.
The church looked alive.
Watching us.
Waiting.
The stranger swore under his breath.
“That’s early.”
Damon stepped forward.
“What is?”
The stranger’s eyes never left the church.
“The gate isn’t supposed to wake until dawn.”
The church bell rang.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
The sound became distorted.
Wrong.
Like multiple bells ringing at once.
Then—
A scream erupted from inside the church.
Everyone froze.
The scream lasted only a second.
Then silence returned.
My blood ran cold.
“What was that?”
Nobody answered.
Because nobody knew.
The little girl suddenly stood.
The fear on her face was gone.
Replaced by determination.
She looked at me.
“Someone entered.”
My stomach dropped.
The crowd erupted into whispers.
Not loud.
Just enough to create a strange murmur around us.
Someone entered.
Someone entered.
Someone entered.
I looked toward the sealed church doors.
“But how?”
The little girl pointed toward the ground.
“There are other ways in.”
Of course there were.
Why wouldn’t there be?
Nothing in my life was ever simple.
Adam looked at Damon.
“We need to know who’s inside.”
Damon nodded once.
Immediately.
No hesitation.
No debate.
Just action.
Very Damon.
The stranger sighed.
“I was afraid you’d say that.”
Lucien folded his arms.
“You’re afraid of a lot of things.”
The stranger looked at him.
“No.”
A pause.
“Just this.”
That shut Lucien up surprisingly fast.
Another rumble shook the street.
The stained-glass windows flashed brighter.
Then every single civilian surrounding the church lifted their heads.
Simultaneously.
The movement was so synchronized it made my skin crawl.
Hundreds of eyes turned toward the church.
Watching.
Waiting.
Then one person stood.
A man near the front.
Middle-aged.
Ordinary.
He started walking.
Straight toward the church.
The doors were closed.
Locked.
Yet he kept walking.
My pulse quickened.
“What is he doing?”
The stranger cursed.
The man didn’t stop.
Didn’t hesitate.
Didn’t slow down.
He reached the church wall.
And walked straight through it.
My mouth fell open.
The crowd began moving.
One by one.
Toward the church.
Toward the walls.
Toward the windows.
People disappeared into stone as if it wasn’t there.
The street erupted into chaos.
“Stop them!” Adam shouted.
Too late.
Dozens were already entering.
Vanishing.
Like ghosts.
The little girl looked horrified.
“No.”
The stranger looked worse.
Much worse.
Because for the first time since we’d met him—
He looked scared.
Genuinely scared.
I swallowed.
“What happens if they get inside?”
His answer came immediately.
“They become fuel.”
Silence.
Every ounce of color drained from my face.
Fuel.
For what?
The stranger looked toward the church.
Then at me.
“The gate is feeding.”
The church bell exploded.
Not rang.
Exploded.
The sound shattered several nearby windows.
Glass crashed onto the street.
People screamed.
The civilians didn’t react.
They kept walking.
Kept disappearing into the church.
The mark on my hand flared painfully.
I doubled over.
Damon caught me instantly.
One arm around my waist.
Steadying me.
The pain vanished almost immediately.
But the moment remained.
Awkward.
Very awkward.
My heart chose that exact moment to become completely useless.
Wonderful.
I looked up.
Far too close.
Silver eyes met mine.
For a second, everything else disappeared.
The church.
The crowd.
The chaos.
Then Lucien cleared his throat loudly.
Extremely loudly.
The moment shattered instantly.
I stepped back so fast I nearly tripped.
Damon looked mildly amused.
Which was rude.
Very rude.
I pretended not to notice.
Adam pretended not to notice.
The stranger definitely noticed.
The little girl looked confused.
Honestly, good for her.
Another rumble echoed beneath us.
The church windows darkened.
Then—
A symbol appeared above the entrance.
Gold light carved itself across the stone.
Ancient.
Beautiful.
Terrifying.
The stranger stared at it.
Then whispered one word.
“No.”
My stomach tightened.
The symbol looked familiar.
Not because I’d seen it before.
Because it looked like the mark on my hand.
The realization hit me instantly.
The church.
The mark.
The gate.
They were connected.
The stranger turned toward me.
For the first time, all traces of mystery disappeared from his face.
Only urgency remained.
“Elizabeth.”
My pulse jumped.
“What?”
His golden eyes locked onto mine.
“The gate isn’t opening because of you.”
Silence.
The world seemed to stop.
“What?”
He pointed toward the glowing symbol.
Toward the church.
Toward the people still vanishing inside.