Chapter 10

Chapter

Ten

Nothing happens.

The smear of my blood soaks into the page. I stare at the lava river, not seeing any changes. There don't appear to be any answers hidden within the drawing.

I hear a click on my door, and it creaks open to reveal a sliver of freedom.

"Oh, thank goodness." I hop up from the bed and grab my sneakers, phone, and the prophecy book. Clutching them to my chest, I rush to escape the bedroom.

I don't know who opened the door, and I don't care. All I know is I can't be here tonight to sign a betrothal agreement.

Conrad is not waiting for me in the hallway.

The penthouse feels stifling, all marble and glass reflecting the luxury of my family's world. The chandeliers overhead glitter, casting a soft light over the spotless surfaces. Yet all I can see are the invisible cracks underneath—the secrets, the manipulations, the expectations. This is the life they want me to live, trapped in a cage of wealth and power. But none of it matters—not Mortimer's premonitions or my engagement to Chester—not with what's coming.

I clutch the prophecy book tighter, feeling its weight in my hands, and for a moment, I wonder if this could be all just a bad dream. The thick windows silence the sound of the city below. Not for the first time, I think we're living in a bubble, disconnected and lifted from the chaos outside.

But I know that bubble is about to burst.

I feel the floor tremble beneath my feet and instantly reach for the wall to steady myself. It is a strange sensation, but it stops as quickly as it begins. I continue to make my way toward the elevators. I stay close to the wall and keep my head down so as not to draw attention. I hear sounds from the kitchen and assume that Howard is preparing for tonight's party.

I call up the elevator and use the time waiting to tug on my sneakers. The elevator dings its arrival, and I flinch at the noise. The second the door opens, I slip inside.

"Whose there?" I hear my father's voice as the doors shut.

I press against the corner so he doesn't see me.

I shove my phone into my back pocket and lift my shirt to tuck the book into my waistband. It's not comfortable, but I let my T-shirt hide it from view.

I watch the numbers count down from the penthouse. I'll figure out a place to hide out until dusk, when I can meet Costin by the mausoleum.

Errrrrrrrch.

A loud groan sounds overhead, and the elevator jerks. I grab onto the handrail, gripping tight as I stare at the lighted numbers. I'm only halfway down.

Err. Err. Errrrch. Screech.

The metal box vibrates and shudders, only to lurch several times. It tosses me around as I lose my footing. My hands shake as I try to hold on. The numbers tick down slowly. I think everyone, at one point or another, has imagined what it would be like to have the cables in an elevator snap. It seems like it would be a pretty common fear. I never actually thought that fear would become real.

The screeches turn to grinds as if the metal is scraping against metal. The shaking stops, and I feel like I'm moving faster. The numbers tick by one after the other, blinking at a speed that cannot be safe.

"Help!" I yell, the sound coming out more like a scream than a word .

My body suddenly becomes light, as if I'm in free fall. My stomach does little flips, and my heart beats so hard I feel like I might throw it up. I scream as the elevator barrels down toward the lobby. I close my eyes tight as I approach the final countdown. Suddenly, gravity returns, and I fall to my knees, still gripping the rail. I feel tears on my face, and I can't move. I can't force my eyes to open.

The sudden ding of the elevator startles me, and I gasp as the doors slide open. Relief washes over me for a brief moment, but it quickly dissipates as I'm met with the dissonance of terrifying sounds.

The blaring of car horns from the street blends with the screams of people running past the lobby window. As if that weren't alarming enough, deafening explosions momentarily drown out the chaos, and plumes of dust fill the air, adding to the sense of panic and fear.

"Get down! Get down!" The doorman runs inside, covered in dust, before diving behind the front desk.

Despite the sense of impending danger, I sprint toward the front door, compelled to see what's happening for myself. Pressing my face and hands against the glass, I feel the thick security door quiver. Suddenly, another deafening boom reverberates through the air, accompanied by a cloud of dust. The piercing sound of more screams stampede past .

The scene is chaotic. Dust swirls in the air as I struggle to make sense of the commotion. A woman frantically runs toward me, clutching a small dog in her arms. Without hesitation, I push open the heavy door, allowing her to seek refuge inside.

As she hurries past me, I catch a glimpse of terror in her eye. The air is filled with piercing screams and the distant sound of sirens, disorienting me further. Instinctively, I cover my nose and mouth with my sleeve, attempting to protect myself from the swirling dust and debris.

Suddenly, an unseen force yanks me outward, pulling me from the relative safety of the building and onto the frenzied sidewalk. The disharmony of screams and shouts grows louder, seeming to emanate from all directions. Confused and struggling to regain my footing, I attempt to understand the unfolding events.

Another deafening boom echoes through the city streets, sending shockwaves over the ground. I stand frozen, watching in horror as a nearby building crumbles into a pile of rubble. My breath catches in my throat as I brace for the suffocating plume of dust rolling toward me, but to my surprise, it doesn't engulf me.

Panic seizes the crowd as people scatter in all directions, desperate to escape the attack. I find myself swept along with the frantic throng, my heart pounding in my chest as I try to make sense of the unfolding mayhem. Everything is chaos. No one seems to have answers.

All at once, the daylight changes, taking on a mesmerizing orange hue. It casts a warm glow as it encases the dusty air. Suddenly, a strange rumble fills the air, and the sound of rubber tires pop in rapid succession. The screams behind me grow fainter, swallowed by the unsettling noise. The orange glow intensifies, bathing the scene in an otherworldly hellscape that compels me to stop running and turn to face the source of the phenomenon.

A river of scorching lava snakes its way through the streets, swallowing everything in its path. The acrid stench of burn fills the air as billows of black smoke blackout the heavens, obscuring the once-bright sun. All we have now is the orange glow of death coming for us.

As I frantically attempt to flee, a sudden impact sends me crashing to the ground. I gasp for breath as a heavy foot forcefully presses into my stomach, and then a sharp blow to my ribs follows as panicked figures trample past in a frenzied attempt to escape.

Before I can make it to my feet, the lava reaches me. I don't expect to survive. I push up from the ground just as it rolls against my legs. I automatically scream in fright, waiting for the feel of my body melting just as it consumes those around me. The prophecy book slips out of my waistband, and I watch it sizzle into oblivion.

The pain doesn't come. I feel the pressure of the lava against my legs, but it doesn't burn. I turn to look around. An eerie silence replaces the panic, and I realize I'm the only one left standing. An alarm blares in the distance, but it's way too late to warn anybody.

The deafening roar of falling buildings reverberates through the city. The air is heavy with a suffocating mix of dust and ash, obscuring everything in a murky shroud. I desperately spin in circles, seeking an escape from the lava, but there is no refuge to be found in this desolate landscape.

A loud rumble sounds behind me, and I turn in time to see my home crashing to the ground. Chunks of concrete rain down, splashing into the infernal landscape the street has become.

Tears stream down my face as I come to a chilling realization. My parents are in that building. They may be immortal, but that does not mean they can't be killed. There is no way they would have survived the fall.

I took too long to heed the prophecy, allowing doubt to cloud my judgment and ignoring fate. Now, I am faced with the grave consequences of my inaction.

How am I still alive?

I don't understand how I survive when everyone else is dead. Is this a punishment? Is the universe holding me responsible for my inaction? The lava swirls around me, consuming everything else in its path, but I remain untouched, a spectator to the end of the world.

I can't help but wonder, why me? Why am I the one who has to fix this?

Can it even be fixed?

I want out of the lava. I see it rushing around a large chunk of the building, and I hurry to climb onto the debris. Sharp edges cut my hands, but I don't care.

The air grows thick with ash, choking the sky. Every breath feels like it should be my last. I taste the ash against my tongue, but I somehow keep breathing. The actual terror isn't the destruction but the emptiness that comes after. The horrible silence. The screams, the panic... all of it is gone.

The buildings continue to collapse around me like sandcastles under a rising tide of molten lava. I watch as glass windows explode, showering the streets with glittering shards, while the once-proud city skyline crumbles into ash. I am alone in a world on fire, the last witness to everything I've ever known turning to dust.

Why won't it kill me, too?

Why didn't I go with Costin when he asked me to?

The heat is unbearable, but what's worse is the hard knot in my chest where my heart should be. I watch as smoke rises from the destruction. I can't bury the knowledge that this is my fault. I let this happen. I failed. I didn't listen to the warnings, and now there's no one left to save.

I remain trapped on the rubble, hearing more buildings fall in the distance. The sounds seem to stretch on forever.

This can't be it.

Why am I alive?

I search for signs of life, but there are none.

"Help!" I yell. "Is anyone there?"

How do I stop this? How can I make it right?

The amulet reversed time once before, maybe…

I fumble to feel my pockets. In my haste, I forgot the amulet upstairs. I look at the destroyed building. I'll never find it now.

My fingers bump the phone in my back pocket, and I grab it. The screen is flickering and I'm not getting any signal.

I set the useless object down on my concrete island and pull my knees to my chest. I close my eyes and lean my head down, willing it all to go away. I don't know how long I sit there. More crashes puncture the silence. I can't begin to comprehend the full depth of my loss. Everyone I care about is gone.

This is how the world ends, and it's all my fault.