Kaden laughs and sets off toward the rear stairs. I go after him, hoping he’ll lead me to Fin and Anna, but Kaden reaches the stairs while I’m still fighting through the crowd. By the time I hit the bottom step, he’s already disappeared through the double doors at the top.

Max joins me at the top, and we barrel around the corner to find Kaden waiting in the hallway. He bolts, and we follow. Where is he leading me? The hallway is lined with glass and broken pictures, doors all along it flung open, as if the house went wild.

We duck through open doors and down corridors, moving deeper into the maze of the house. As we curve around another corner, we reach a dead end, and Kaden whirls to face me.

He clasps his hands behind his back, an inhuman smile on his lips.

“No more running,” I say. “We’re ending this now.”

“But you were being such a good boy,” he mocks.

I know Kaden is just a distraction, but I’m also sure he knows where Anna is. I look to Max, but he’s already shifting, his body turning translucent as he darts through the nearest wall to look for her.

“Where is she? Where’s Fin?” I keep one knife fully palmed but prepare the other to throw.

Kaden’s smirk only grows. “Finally found his name, have you? Took you all long enough.” His laugh sounds like something dying.

I lunge for him.

Chapter 27: Anna

I break Fin’s hold on my wrist and take off. There’s no choice but to go for the stairs; there are too many people to fight through any other direction. I can feel him following me, and I pray that the others are watching. I have a few tricks here and there, but I can’t take on someone this strong.

Then again, I should have known better than to think it would be a fair fight.

As I sail down the hall, the house shudders. Doors fly open in my wake, forcing Fin to dodge from side to side. Picture frames shoot from the walls, their glass shattering when they slam into him, but he doesn’t slow.

What does he want with me?

I make my way to the front of the house and up to the third floor. When Fin reaches the stairs, they begin to splinter beneath his weight. He navigates them with the grace of a cat, and I force myself to stop looking back; it’s only slowing me down.