Page 49 of Blood Ties

“I’m Bryony Ellison, Edith’s heir. Harrowmere recognised me and sealed me inside. This garden is mine to enter.” I pushed my bleeding knuckle harder against the carving. “Open the path. Shut Adrian out.”

The black light fought me.

Pressure closed around my throat, making the last command feel wrong. I remembered Stellan’s warning about compulsion. The choice I’d made before the pressure arrived hadn’t changed.

I kept my hand on the crown.

“Open the path,” I repeated.

The basin answered.

Silver light burst from the carving and ran down every side of the stone. It struck the roots at my feet and burnt the black colour out of them. Vines dropped across the beds. Roses opened all at once, red petals shaking in the warm air.

The outer gate slammed back into place. Fresh silver lines crossed its bent hinge and locked it against Adrian’s next blow.

A clear path opened from the basin to the sitting room.

I pulled my hand away. The cut on my knuckle was small. The tightness around my throat vanished with the black light.

Stellan remained at the entrance. Relief hit me from his direction, sharp enough to make my knees weak now the danger had passed.

“Are you hurt?” he asked.

“My jumper lost an argument. I’ve got a few scratches and black plant muck on my hands. Nothing serious.”

“Come back to me. Stay on the silver.”

I picked up the knife and crossed the garden. The vines stayed inside their beds. One rose followed me with a slow turn, but its thorns pointed towards the outer gate.

When I reached the doorway, Stellan held out his hand.

I stopped inside the garden. “The ward still won’t let you cross.”

“The new path begins at your blood and ends at you. It may recognise me while we’re touching.” He kept his palm open. “If I’m wrong, let go and step back. The ward will throw me into the sitting room again.”

I looked at the burn it had left the first time. “You make that sound simple.”

“I’ve had practice being hurled into walls.”

Relief pulled a laugh from me. I put the knife away and placed my hand in his.

His fingers closed around mine. He drew me close enough that my free hand rested against his chest. The heat of him steadied the last shake in my legs.

“One step,” he said. “Slowly.”

I moved backwards onto the path. Stellan came with me.

Silver light climbed over our joined hands and ran across the chain at his waist. The ward didn’t strike him. It settled around both our feet.

Stellan crossed the threshold and entered the garden.

His hand tightened around mine.

I held on.

13

STELLAN