Chapter 3

A train whistle wailed in the distance.

Isaac bolted upright. "The train's coming. Let's go."

We sprinted toward the platform. As we passed a concrete pillar, Isaac shoved me violently to the side.

I stumbled and hit the ground, looking up just in time to see a dark shadow slice past my face and pin itself against the pillar.

It was a bird.

No. That wasn't a bird.

It had wings, but the bone structure was horribly mangled, as if someone had snapped its joints to force it into the shape of one.

"Run!" Isaac grabbed my arm and dragged me into the tunnel.

A heavy flapping sound erupted behind us, growing louder and denser by the second.

We rushed into the tunnel, and the light gradually faded. The platform was lit up just a few dozen yards ahead.

Isaac was half a step ahead of me when he suddenly groaned and slumped sideways. I saw a gash split open across his back, blood pouring from it.

"Keep moving!" he bellowed.

I threw his arm over my shoulders and continued running.

Right then, a heavy door swung open along the concrete wall of the tunnel. That was a maintenance access door.

A hand shot out and yanked me inside.

When I hit the concrete floor, I looked back to see Isaac dragged in right behind me.

The door slammed shut with a deafening thud. The frantic flapping outside was instantly cut off.

Chest heaving, I forced my head up. Mom and Dad were standing over us.

"Trevon." Mom crouched down, her hand cupping my cheek. "You're safe now."

I flinched, pulling back slightly.

Anyone. That thing could take the form of anyone.

"What are you doing here?" I stared at them. "Aren't you supposed to be back home?"

"We came to see you take your exam, and it happened to be your birthday too," Dad said gently. "We took the earliest train over."

I studied their faces, searching for the slightest sign that something was off.

As if reading my mind, Mom reached into her pocket and pulled something out. It was a tiny wooden sword, barely hand-sized and roughly carved, with two uneven words etched into the hilt—Aegis Blade.

My breath hitched.

When I was seven, Isaac and I were playing near the back of Mount Aethel when an old priest handed it to me. He claimed it was blessed, meant to ward off evil. I used to carry it everywhere until I eventually lost it.

"You slept with this in your hand every night when you were little," Mom whispered. "Remember?"

I took the small sword. There was a faint dent on the pommel from when I dropped it at eight years old.

It was real.

This was Mom.

I threw myself into her arms, tears spilling instantly.

Isaac sat against the wall, clutching his wound as he caught his breath.

I wiped my face and turned to him. "Isaac, can you tell me now? What the hell is going on?"

The flapping outside had completely vanished. The silence in the room was so heavy I could hear my own pulse hammering in my ears.

Isaac slowly rose and pulled me behind him. His back was still bleeding, but he didn't make a sound.

Mom held my hand tightly, her palm slick with cold sweat. Dad stepped out front, raising the rusted iron shovel he'd hauled off a construction site.

The door didn't move, and silence fell outside.

"Isaac," I whispered under my breath. "What do you know?"

Isaac didn't look back. "I told you. I can't say it."

"Not even now?"

Isaac's face was ashen as he clutched his wound. "I am telling you right now. You just can't hear it."

I watched him suddenly open his mouth, silently mouthing something. But I couldn't understand a word. I could only hear the strange cadence of his speech.

"What?"

"I said, you are…" His lips moved through the exact same pattern again.

I spun to Mom and Dad. "Mom, Dad, what is he saying?"

They nodded slowly and turned to me, saying, "He said you are…"

I was what?

All three of them formed the exact same mouth movements, producing the exact same cadence, but all I heard was a meaningless scramble of noise.

The absurdity of the scene made the hair on my arms stand straight up. A suffocating wave of terror burst through my chest.

What was wrong with them? What was this? Why was any of this happening?

I stared blankly at the floor, my mind fracturing into complete chaos as tears and sweat dripped onto the dusty concrete.

Fear, despair, absurd horror, and overwhelming guilt overwhelmed me. I felt like a giant maw was lurking right behind my back, waiting to swallow me whole.

Then, my eyes fell on the tiny wooden sword still clutched in my palm.

And in an instant, everything clicked. I finally understood.