“The authorities at the Foundation think most of the staff survived,” North said. “They got a warning before the explosion. But there was no time to warn the residents of Fogg Lake. The people in town didn’t even know there was a secret government research lab hidden inside these caves until after the explosion. That’s when the authorities arrived to assess the damage.”

Sierra smiled. “And discovered a town full of people who claimed they were just fine, thank you very much.”

“Fogg Lake is one tough little town,” North said. “The residents had every right to be pissed off when they found out they had been the unwitting subjects in a government experiment that went bad.”

The dowsing stick abruptly changed color. The paranormal blue radiance took on an ultraviolet heat.

“What does that mean?” Sierra asked.

North stopped and surveyed the rock walls around them. “I think it means we’re right on top of the lab.”

“But there’s nothing here. We’re standing in the middle of a tunnel.”

North’s aura got hotter. So did his gaze. Sierra realized he was looking at what appeared to be a solid wall of rock and shattered black glass. He smiled a slow, cold, knowing smile.

“Just a trick of the light,” he said softly. “My grandfather was very, very good with light.”

Sierra felt more heat rise in the narrow confines of the passageway. North was pulling on all of his powerful talent. A storm of energy swirled around them.

The seemingly solid wall shimmered and dissolved, leaving what appeared to be a view into the depths of a starless universe. The sense of eternal nothingness was terrifying.

All of Sierra’s senses responded by slamming into panic mode. She felt the mirror crystal in her locket heat. It’s just an illusion, she told herself. But instinctively, she took a step back.

“The abyss,” North said. “Griffin Chastain’s most spectacular trick.”

Sierra’s pulse skittered wildly. “Is it real?”

North’s smile turned into a crack of appreciative laughter. “Real enough to do the job it was designed to do.”

“Which is?”

“Conceal the lab.”

“I see.” Sierra took a deep breath to steady her nerves. “Well, I can certainly understand why your grandfather thought it would protect his secrets. No sensible person would walk into that weird energy. It feels as if it could stop your heart.”

“It might just do that.”

“Then how do we get into the chamber?”

“I’ve spent a year studying my grandfather’s techniques, and I’ve got his talent.” North’s eyes burned with anticipation. “Stand back and let me show you how it’s done.”

“Go for it,” Sierra said. But she took his advice and moved back another couple of steps. She opened her locket and glanced at the reflection of North’s aura. It blazed dark, hot and icy cold. An aurora of paranormal light flooded the space.

When she looked up she saw that deep within the abyss, dangerous energy was stirring. Sierra’s palms prickled. The fine hair on the back of her neck lifted.