“Free.”
The word came from under Blackridge.
Not loud.
Not shouted.
Worse.
Satisfied.
Every alarm in the estate began ringing at once.
Cael roared outside.
Ren’s heartbeat slammed against mine.
Ronan grabbed my hand.
“What is moving?”
I closed my eyes.
The ground.
The blood network.
Something deeper than both.
“It is coming up.”
Mason looked at the console.
“Every northern pack is reporting the same thing.”
Lydia turned.
“The same alarm?”
“No. Ground movement.”
Cassian swore.
“So Marcus did not just open something under Blackridge.”
Mara’s face went pale.
“He opened the old channels.”
Aldric looked at her.
“All of them?”
“If the prison was tied to the Root, yes.”
Ronan’s expression hardened.
“Meaning?”
Mara looked at me.
“Whatever is free can move anywhere th
