Ice-cold numbness stole my breath. Something brushed past me as my vision blurred. I staggered back, my ankle twisting painfully as I slipped on the slick green moss. A thick tendril of Devil’s Pet wrapped itself around my arms and legs, keeping me from tumbling down the steps. It righted me and I raced out into the Poison Garden.

Karter stood, eyes wide, chest heaving on the other side of the moon gate. Marie stood next to him, shaking her head. She’d pulled him to safety, probably with enough strength and speed to make him think he was losing it.

“Great,” I said to myself. Now I was going to have to tell him secrets that weren’t mine to share, and I didn’t know where to start. I closed the hidden door, locking it. A dull ache throbbed in my right ankle. I hobbled over to Karter.

“Are you hurt?” I asked. I didn’t see any cuts or scrapes, but I couldn’t tell if the shock on his face was from almost being poisoned to death or if he was trying to process all the highly weird shit he’d just seen.

“What—what was that?” Karter asked. “Did you see that?”

My sock suddenly felt too tight. My ankle was swelling. “I gotta get home. I think my ankle is broken.”

Marie was immediately at my side, taking my entire weight as she slipped her hand around my waist.

“I—I think I need to lie down,” said Karter. “Something’s not right.”

My heart cartwheeled in my chest. “Did you touch something? Were you holding your breath?”

“He’s not poisoned,” Marie said. “I made sure he didn’t touch anything. Me, on the other hand . . .” A ragged cut lay open on her upper forearm. A lacework of veins, black as the night sky, traced a path up her arm.

I grabbed her hand. “Oh no.”

“It’s fine,” she said. “I’ll be okay.”

Karter glanced at me, sweat beading on his forehead, his mouth stuck in a hard line. He shook himself from his panic-induced stupor. “Come on,” he said. “Let’s get out of here.”

With Marie practically carrying me, we left the garden and I locked the outer gate. The darkness was complete and stifling as Karter led the way home, lighting the path ahead of us with his phone. I kept putting my foot down to at least keep up the illusion that Marie was only assisting me, not effortlessly taking my entire weight, but each attempt sent a bolt of pain straight through the side of my leg. I winced.

“If you keep trying to ‘help’ me, I’m gonna lift you up so high you can’t touch the ground at all,” Marie said.