CHAPTER [ierty feur borborygmi (n.) the rumbling sounds your stomach makes Wila Just as I REACHED THE kennel’s exit, the door opened to reveal a stern-faced Albert. I took a step back, hid my wrist in my coat sleeve, and forced an innocent expression. His suspicious gaze slid from mine to take in the room behind me. “What are you doing in here?” he asked. “Digging an escape hole into the woods.” Albert was either used to my sarcasm or I was the most pathetic captive in town. He didn’t even consider the possibility I was trying to escape, his eyes narrowing on the only dog in the building. “What are you doing here? I thought you left to go kill people in Moscow.” My stomach tipped when I realized if Albert was here, Ronan probably was too. They’d left the house together. I wondered if they forgot the keys to the underworld and turned back for them. “So you wait to do the things you are not supposed to after we leave?” I frowned in thought. “Yeah. That sounds about right.” He grumbled something in Russian, and I pushed past him. “Now, excuse me. That escape plan didn’t go very well considering the solid cement floor, so I need to go think of another.” I only took two steps out the door before his voice drew me to a pause. “Mila.” The word was a low warning against my back. “You are bleeding.” Glancing down, I saw a few drops of crimson on the snow and then closed my eyes. Albert had warned me to stay away from Khaos. Anxiety