Lexander frowned.
“What are you talking about?”
The skeleton stepped backward.
Then pointed toward the mountain.
“THE GRAVE WILL ANSWER.”
And began walking again.
The path ended at sunset.
No one had spoken much.
Even Lysandra had fallen quiet.
That frightened Lexander more than the dead.
The forest eventually gave way to a narrow valley surrounded by stone cliffs.
At its center stood a hill.
Nothing else.
No temple.
No castle.
No ancient ruins.
Just a hill.
Io stopped.
Her face had become pale.
“We’re here.”
Lexander looked around.
“Where?”
Io pointed.
“There.”
Mara frowned.
“That’s a hill.”
“Yes.”
“At least it isn’t suspicious.”
Lysandra muttered.
The skeleton approached the hill.
Then knelt.
The earth began to shake.
Lexander grabbed his sister.
The soldiers raised their weapons.
Cracks spread across the ground.
A deep sound echoed from beneath the earth.
Stone grinding against stone.
The hill split open.
A staircase descended into darkness.
Nobody moved.
Finally, Mara spoke.
“No.”
Lexander nodded.
“Agreed.”
Io stepped forward.
Mara looked at her.
“You can’t be serious.”
Io looked down the staircase.
“Seven lives.”
Lexander sighed.
He already knew what she was going to say.
“Seven deaths.”
Io took another step.
“Seven chances.”
She looked back at him.
“And one answer.”
Lysandra raised her hand.
“Question.”
Io blinked.
“Yes?”
“Why do all ancient answers require going underground?”
Mara nodded.
“She’s got a point.”
Atreyu sighed.
“Everyone be quiet.”
Lexander looked at the darkness.
Then at Io.
“I’ll go first.”
She immediately shook her head.
“No.”
“I have spent my entire life fighting things I don’t understand.”
“So have I.”
“Exactly.”
Io stepped closer.
“I know you don’t remember everything.”
Lexander looked at her.
“But I do.”
Her voice was quiet.
“Some of it.”
She looked toward the darkness.
“And I remember enough to know that the First Grave is dangerous.”
Lexander’s expression hardened.
“So am I.”
Io almost smiled.
“That isn’t comforting.”
“I wasn’t trying to comfort you.”
“I know.”
For a moment, they simply looked at each other.
Then Lisbeth walked between them.
“Enough.”
Both turned.
“I am going first.”
Lexander stared.
“Mother.”
Lisbeth lifted an eyebrow.
“You said you would protect me.”
“I will.”
“Then do so from behind.”
Lysandra covered her mouth.
Io stared.
Mara slowly looked at Atreyu.
“We may be the only sane pair here...”
Atreyu sighed.
“You may be right.”
The staircase descended farther than it should have.
That was Lexander’s first conclusion.
They had been walking for nearly half an hour.
The mountain should not have been that large.
The stairs continued downward.
Torchlight flickered across walls covered in symbols.
Seven circles.
Again.
And again.
And again.
But there were other images.
A man.
A woman.
Sometimes standing together.
Sometimes separated.
Sometimes—
Dead.
Lexander stopped.
His torch illuminated one carving.
A woman knelt beside the body of a man.
Above them stood a dark figure.
The figure held something in its hands.
Lexander leaned closer.
“A crown?”
Io approached.
Her expression changed.
“No.”
“What is it?”
She stared at the carving.
“A soul.”
Lysandra’s voice was small.
“What?”
Io pointed.
“The ancient belief was that the soul wasn’t something invisible.”
Lexander looked at her.
“What does that mean?”
“Some believed a soul could be held.”
Io touched the stone.
“Contained.”
“At least temporarily.”
Lexander looked at the dark figure.
“And that thing is holding mine?”
Io didn’t answer.
That was beginning to become a habit Lexander deeply disliked.
They continued.
Eventually, the stairs ended.
A massive stone door stood before them.
There was no handle.
No keyhole.
Only seven circles carved into its center.
The skeleton approached.
It pressed one bony hand against the symbol.
Nothing happened.
Then it looked at Io.
She stepped forward.
Lexander grabbed her wrist.
“Wait.”
Io looked down at his hand.
Then at him.
“I’ll be fine.”
“That sentence has never made anyone safer.”
A faint smile touched her lips.
She placed her palm against the stone.
The first circle began to glow.
Then the second.
The third.
The fourth.
The fifth.
The sixth.
Io closed her eyes.
The seventh remained dark.
Everyone waited.
Nothing happened.
Lexander frowned.
“What now?”
Io slowly opened her eyes.
“The seventh is supposed to be me.”
The skeleton spoke.
“NO.”
Io turned.
“Then what?”
The creature pointed toward Lexander.
“THE LOST ONE.”
Lexander stared.
“Of course.”
Io stepped away from the door.
Lexander approached.
His hand hovered above the final circle.
“I don’t like this.”
Lysandra grabbed his sleeve.
“Then don’t do it.”
He looked at her.
For once, there was no humor in her face.
Only fear.
Lexander smiled softly.
“I have to.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
He looked at the door.
Because he wanted answers.
Because Io had spent seven lives dying beside him.
Because something was killing people.
Because his reflection smiled.
But more than anything—
“Because I’m tired of everyone knowing things about me that I don’t.”
Lysandra released his sleeve.
Lexander placed his hand against the final circle.
For one second—
Nothing happened.
Then the entire mountain screamed.
Light exploded across the door.
The seven circles connected.
The stone cracked.
A voice filled the chamber.
Not loud.
Not quiet.
Everywhere.
WELCOME HOME.
The door opened.
Darkness waited beyond it.
Then something stepped forward.
Lexander dropped his torch.
It hit the ground.
The flame flickered.
The figure standing in the doorway looked exactly like him.
Same face.
Same eyes.
Same hair.
Except—
He was wearing ancient armor.
And blood covered his hands.
Lysandra whispered.
“Brother?”
Lexander couldn’t answer.
The man smiled.
The same smile Lexander had seen in the mirror.
Io stumbled backward.
“No.”
The stranger looked at her.
His expression softened.
“Io.”
She began to cry.
Lexander stared at him.
“Who are you?”
The man looked back.
For a moment, he appeared genuinely confused.
Then he smiled.
“I am you.”
The torches went out.
Darkness swallowed the chamber.
And from somewhere deep within the First Grave—
Something laughed.
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