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CHAPTER ELEVEN
Last Updated:
2023-07-27 20:04:00
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Marked (Mortal, Book Four) CHAPTER TWELVE
WinterAlec is standing at the edge of the river, his back to us. I can see his dark hair and the broadness of his shoulders, and I feel my heart both ache and race at the same time. He's alive. He's really alive.My heart skips a beat, and I break into a run. I don't even think about the danger I might be walking into. I just need to get to him."Wait!" Jack calls out behind me, but I don't stop. I'm too close.As I approach, Alec turns around, and my relief is short-lived. His eyes are vacant and empty. Something is wrong."Alec!" I yell, skidding to a stop in front of him. "What happened? Are you okay?"He doesn't answer, just stares blankly at me. I reach out to touch his arm, but he flinches away from me, his eyes darting around as if he's afraid of something."What's going on?" I turn to Jack, who's arrived behind me."I'm sorry," he gasps. "This is what I was about to tell you. Sometimes, when people come here, they go through some sort of amnesia. It could have happ
Last Updated : 2023-07-27Marked (Mortal, Book Four) CHAPTER THIRTEEN
HeatherI watch the back of the grocery store like a hawk. There's no sign of anyone, and so I signal for Marlow to go for it.Darting out from behind his tree, he grabs a roll of bread from the dumpster and runs back into the woods, where Gregory, Brynn, and I are waiting.God, I feel so pathetic. Is this what it's really come to? Eating out of the trash like a raccoon?We're too close to Hawthorn to show our faces in public, though. School is only a twenty minute walk from here. Which means there could be Silver Hunters around."Looks like it's still good." Marlow tears the bag open. "There's only a little bit of mold."I hesitate before accepting a piece of the bread. It's not like I haven't eaten questionable food before, but this seems like a new low."We have to keep moving," Brynn says, breaking the silence. "We can't stay in one place too long or they'll find us."Marlow nods in agreement. "Yeah, we need to find somewhere to hide out for a while. Somewhere they won'
Last Updated : 2023-07-27Marked (Mortal, Book Four) CHAPTER FOURTEEN
WinterAs we make our way down the path along the river, I can feel my heart pounding in my chest. Every step feels like a step closer to doom, and I can't help but feel a sense of despair as we go further and further towards our goal. The path is narrow and winding, and the trees are so thick that it's almost impossible to see through them.Suddenly, Jack grabs my arm and pulls me back. "Shh," he whispers, pressing his finger to his lips.I quiet down immediately, signaling for Alec's attention. "Alec," I hiss. "Get down."Thank God he listens. The three of us huddle behind a thick tree, watching the path ahead of us."What is it?" I whisper.And then I see it. A three-headed dog the size of a horse, with wings and a tail like a dragon's. The creature is black, with eyes the color of coal.Every hair on my body stands on end, and I freeze in place. I've seen a lot of monsters since discovering the supernatural world is real, but something about this one is particularly chil
Last Updated : 2023-07-27Marked (Mortal, Book Four) CHAPTER FIFTEEN
WinterAlec and I run until we're out of breath and can't go on. We collapse onto the ground, panting heavily. My mind is still stuck on Jack, on how he sacrificed himself for us. I can't process it, can't comprehend why he would do that. But I know that he did it because he cared about us. He didn't want us to suffer the same fate.And maybe he saw his sacrifice as his last good act. A final way to make up for the horrible things he did as a Silver Hunter."I can't believe he did that for us," I whisper.Alec nods but says nothing. He still seems confused, like he's not sure what just happened.We sit next to each other, looking around. Everything looks the same next to the river, just like in the rest of the underworld. Just dark water and fog, with dead trees lining the riverbank.I'm dead hungry, so thirsty my mouth feels like a desert. Reaching into the bag Lavinia gave me, I pull out the water bottle and some biscuits. When I offer them to Alec, he shakes his head."I
Last Updated : 2023-07-27Marked (Mortal, Book Four) CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Winter"Look who it is."The voice--a familiar one--sends a shiver down my spine.Turning on the trail, I face the man with a smirk on his face. It’s the same guy from earlier--the one that Jack chased off for me.And his buddy, the woman, is with him too.A lump forms in my throat. I've been through so much since arriving in the underworld. I've run and fought an endless amount. I don't know how much more I can keep this up.The woman studies Alec. "Who’s your friend?"I protectively step closer to Alec. "None of your business."We've been walking for the last few hours or so without seeing any wisps or hellhounds. We did find a spring, though, that fed into the river. I was able to fill my water bottle there. Things felt like they were looking up.But now this.Apparently I can't get more than a few hours of peace in this place."Who are they?" Alec asks.I keep a close eye on the duo as I answer. "They're assholes who have been working with the wisps. They lead the w
Last Updated : 2023-07-27Marked (Mortal, Book Four) CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
DamonI stare at Winter, almost unable to believe it. The spell worked!She traveled to the underworld!At least... I hope she did."Oh, god," I murmur. "I didn't kill her, did I?"I lean closer to the table and inspect her. She's lying flat, the Golden Coin in her hand and the candles flickering around her. Her chest rises slightly with each inhale, like she's deeply asleep.I breathe a sigh of relief."Good job, Winter," I whisper. "You can do this. Find Alec and bring him back home."I pace the room, trying to find something to do. It's up to me to stay here and watch her body, and I have no intention of leaving. At the same time, though, I feel restless.I still don't know how long I was in that pocket dimension for. From what Winter and Alec told me after we met, I gather that it was at least five years.Is the world any different? Do my friends all think I'm dead?I consider turning on my cell phone and calling one of them. Maybe they could help me and Winter out b
Last Updated : 2023-07-27Marked (Mortal, Book Four) CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
WinterAs we approach the dock, I can see a small wooden boat tied up to it and a figure standing on the decaying boards.It's a man, dressed in a cloak, with a hood covering his face. He holds a long pole that he uses to guide the ferry across the river.I gulp. Will the man just give us a ride across the river if we ask?I doubt it’s that simple. He’ll probably want a toll of some kind.Alec slows the hellhound to a stop as we reach the dock. The man looks up, his eyes meeting mine. For a moment, we stare at each other."Are you the ferryman?" I ask, breaking the silence.The man nods. "I am.""We need to get back to the other side," I tell him.He studies us--still sitting on the hellhound--for a long moment. "Many come here asking to go to the other side. It does not work that way, though. I ferry souls from Earth to here. This is the underworld, children. Once you arrive here you do not leave until you are ready to ascend."My heart sinks at his words. I don't want t
Last Updated : 2023-07-27Marked (Mortal, Book Four) CHAPTER NINETEEN
HeatherWe make our way towards the boiler room. My heart is pounding, and my mind is racing with all sorts of terrible scenarios that could happen. What if the passageway is blocked off? What if the Silver Hunters catch us before I even get there?But then I remember why I'm doing this. Nora needs my help. She was a total badass taking on all those Silver Hunters herself, and honestly kind of my hero. I'm not backing out now, and I'm not letting her down.We manage to cross the bridge and get onto the island where the school is, probably thanks to the cover of dusk. With the light barely there, we press our shoulders against the main building and run around its exterior.The boiler room is a short distance from the main building, right next to the river. As we approach, I can hear the hum of the boiler and the sound of rushing water. But I can also hear something else. Footsteps. Coming from inside the room.I signal for the others to stop, and we press ourselves against the
Last Updated : 2023-07-27
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Marked (Mortal, Book Four) EPILOGUE
Tyr"Back so soon?" John Grace doesn't even bother to look at me as I stride into the room in my high-rise apartment that houses his cell.I smirk. He's always so cocky, so sure of himself, even though he's been my captive for weeks now."I have some happy news I would like to share with you," I say.He stiffens, and I can nearly read his thoughts. He's worried that this is about his daughter."I did run into Winter," I say, "if that's what you're wondering. She's alive, though. For now."He glares daggers at me and I laugh. For the first time in years, I feel like I'm walking on air."Look what I found." I pull the Golden Coin from my pocket and hold it up for him to see. His eyes widen in shock."Where did you get that?" he breathes."Off your daughter," I say, drawing the words out, enjoying how much the news is tormenting him. "And there's more, too. I figured out how to activate the coin."His eyes narrow. "No one alive knows how to activate it.""But you were hopin
Marked (Mortal, Book Four) CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE
Winter"There's nothing happening." I set my end of the sled in the snow and inspect the old farmhouse.In the sled, Damon lets out a low moan. He's been in his wolf form the entire trip to Hawthorn, which included two hitched rides in the back of people's trucks.Thank God those drivers seemed to buy our story that he was our German Shepard, injured after a run-in with a car.Alec crouches and studies the farmhouse. "I'm not picking up on anyone inside, but that could be because of a protective spell. One cast to make it seem like there's no one there."I suck in a breath. This is the safe house Damon received a text about. Let's just hope it's still technically safe and not overrun with Silver Hunters."I'll check it out." I take a step forward. Predictably, Alec stops me with a hand to my shoulder."It's too dangerous." He frowns.I try not to smile. The trip back to Hawthorn was hard and uncomfortable, especially seeing Damon in pain. And losing the Golden Coin makes me
Marked (Mortal, Book Four) CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR
WinterWe're standing in complete darkness, the only sound the beating of our hearts."Where are we?" Alec asks, his voice barely above a whisper."I don't know," I reply, trying to make sense of our surroundings. "But I think we did it. I think we defeated the wisps."As I speak, the darkness begins to lift. We're standing on the edge of the river, right in front of the dock.The ferryman and his boat are there, a lamp bobbing at its bow."Welcome back," the ferryman says, his voice gruff. "I've been expecting you. You did well. You discovered and used the greatest force. Earth is fortunate to have you two on it."“Love,” I breathe with realization. “The greatest force is love.”"How did we get here?" Alec asks, still dazed from the battle. “Love… sent us here?”"The Golden Coin sent you here," the ferryman replies, gesturing to the coin in Alec's hand. "It has the power to transport you wherever you need to go. And it seems like you needed to come back here."I look at
Marked (Mortal, Book Four) CHAPTER TWENTY THREE
TyrI stop on the quiet, dark street and listen. The Silver Hunters were supposed to meet me here thirty minutes ago.I've given up working with higher ups in the Silver Hunter community. Since Gray Finnegan failed at her mission to retrieve the Golden Coin from the pocket dimension, I've decided that I have no problem just picking and choosing Silver Hunters to work as mercenaries for me.Like the two I hired this morning to track down Winter and the Golden Coin. They may pretend to be loyal to their organization, but it was easy to win them over using a wad of cash."Where are you idiots?" I whisper into the night.Footsteps sound on the sidewalk, and I whirl around to see the two Silver Hunters and their dogs. From the looks on their faces, I can already tell they weren't successful."You didn't get it, did you?" I snap.They share a quick look."We found a werewolf," one of them says. "It got away, though.""A werewolf?" I frown. Could this werewolf have any connection
Marked (Mortal, Book Four) CHAPTER TWENTY TWO
Nora"What's that?" Charlie asks.I cock my head and listen to the bumps outside of the room. It's hard to say since the doors at Hawthorn are so thick.Instead of responding, I go back to my work. After Jared was killed, my resolve to get myself and the other captives out of this hellhole doubled. I refuse to see anyone else murdered.It took a lot of practice, but finally I got that spell right. The old, almost-forgotten one that's said to work on even the strongest magicked cages and locks.Taking a deep breath, I hold my hands against the bars of my cage and recite the incantation--or what I can remember of it. This is probably my hundredth attempt, and I just pray to God that I'll get it right eventually.Suddenly, I feel a warmth emanating from my hands. Sparks fly, and the bars of the cage begin to warp and weaken. My heart races with hope as I continue to pour all of my energy into the spell."Everyone, wake up!" I yell to the other captives in nearby cages. "Get rea
Marked (Mortal, Book Four) CHAPTER TWENTY ONE
AlecThe girl in front of me stands tall, facing the monsters. She told me to run, but I'm frozen. I can't just leave her.I don't even know what's going on.Why can't I remember anything?"Go!" She turns and looks at me, tears in her eyes. She's sacrificing herself for me.And, just like that, in the blink of an eye, it all comes back.Her name is Winter. She came to the underworld to retrieve me after I sacrificed myself so she could take the Golden Coin and use it to save our school, Hawthorn, from the Silver Hunters.And my name is Alec.And I love her to a degree I didn't know was possible.Now here she is, sacrificing herself for me. Showing that she has the biggest, bravest heart. Showing that she's a hero.No way in hell will I let her do that. Winter Grace is something special--a gift to the world. I'm the one that needs to be protecting her.Popping my fangs, I jump in front of her."What are you doing?" she screeches."Protecting you!" I roar back, my eyes s
Marked (Mortal, Book Four) CHAPTER TWENTY
WinterI stare at the creatures, their long hooded cloaks barely skimming the ground, fear filling my every cell.We need to run.We need to hide.I know these things are dangerous. What it is they do, I don't know. Maybe I did at some point, but it's like information is slipping right out of my brain."Run!" I point at a break between two wisps, and Alec and I duck through it.We take off, our feet pounding against the spongy earth. We sprint through the mist, our hearts racing and our breath coming in short gasps. I can hear the wisps behind us, their eerie whispers filling the air. I glance back and see them getting closer."We need to find somewhere to hide," I say, looking around frantically.But there's nowhere to go. The landscape is barren, with only twisted trees and gnarled roots around us. I can feel the wisps closing in, can feel their cold breath on the back of my neck."Alec!" I shout, my voice quivering with fear. "What do we do?""I don't know!" he yells b
Marked (Mortal, Book Four) CHAPTER NINETEEN
HeatherWe make our way towards the boiler room. My heart is pounding, and my mind is racing with all sorts of terrible scenarios that could happen. What if the passageway is blocked off? What if the Silver Hunters catch us before I even get there?But then I remember why I'm doing this. Nora needs my help. She was a total badass taking on all those Silver Hunters herself, and honestly kind of my hero. I'm not backing out now, and I'm not letting her down.We manage to cross the bridge and get onto the island where the school is, probably thanks to the cover of dusk. With the light barely there, we press our shoulders against the main building and run around its exterior.The boiler room is a short distance from the main building, right next to the river. As we approach, I can hear the hum of the boiler and the sound of rushing water. But I can also hear something else. Footsteps. Coming from inside the room.I signal for the others to stop, and we press ourselves against the
Marked (Mortal, Book Four) CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
WinterAs we approach the dock, I can see a small wooden boat tied up to it and a figure standing on the decaying boards.It's a man, dressed in a cloak, with a hood covering his face. He holds a long pole that he uses to guide the ferry across the river.I gulp. Will the man just give us a ride across the river if we ask?I doubt it’s that simple. He’ll probably want a toll of some kind.Alec slows the hellhound to a stop as we reach the dock. The man looks up, his eyes meeting mine. For a moment, we stare at each other."Are you the ferryman?" I ask, breaking the silence.The man nods. "I am.""We need to get back to the other side," I tell him.He studies us--still sitting on the hellhound--for a long moment. "Many come here asking to go to the other side. It does not work that way, though. I ferry souls from Earth to here. This is the underworld, children. Once you arrive here you do not leave until you are ready to ascend."My heart sinks at his words. I don't want t
