Chapter 69

Mara's POV

Black Hollow's towers appeared through the rain near midnight. No welcoming signal answered our lanterns. The guards at the north postern had to lift its bar by hand. The southern road gate remained barred.

The first sound inside was a bell. A runner called its meaning across the courtyard, and another repeated it toward the kitchens. They were passing news the way people had before pack links carried it for them. Wolves went about their work at a pace their legs could manage, with each errand spoken aloud.

Ronan reached for Tamsin through the link and got nothing. He stopped short, and I knew he had felt the loss in his body.

“Grimm?” I asked.

“Here.” He pressed two fingers to his chest. “Everyone else is behind