the Boundary. It could be an invasion. A
war
. I believe the demons are working with their human conspirators to take over this world forever.â
Silence fell after Jacobâs words. His face was serious. In the darkness, Callum could see faint lines of shadow crease against Jacobâs gleaming white forehead. It wasnât exactly filling him with confidence.
âThereâs one thing you mustnât forget though,â Melissa put in. Callum turned to look at her quizzically. Heâd almost forgotten she was there.
âYeah?â he said, pleased to break the tension.
âCallum, youâre
strong
. Maybe even the strongest of all the chime children that were active before the Shadowing began,â Melissa said emphatically. âHow else do you explain that youâre the one still alive? You may not quite have a handle on all your powers yet, but I just have this feeling that you shouldnât be underestimated.â She paused, and a glimmer of a grin began to flicker on her lips. âAnd thereâs one other thing they havenât counted on,â she said.
âWhatâs that?â Callum asked.
âMe and Jacob.â
Jacob stared at Melissa with some surprise, and Callum could see something like respect in his face. Melissa stood shivering in the dark, but wide-eyed and alert.
âSeriously, Iâll do whatever I can to help.â
âIt will not be easy,â Jacob said, nodding to acknowledge Melissa. âYou have only just learned your power exists, Callum. We do have some time, but we also have a distance to go. You are going to have to master your abilities, and you are going to have to do it under a degree of pressure.â
âHow exactly
will
I master them?â
âI will teach you. Do not forget that although I died at birth, I too am a chime child.â
Callum nodded. He would have been lost without Jacobâs help when the Fetch had reared its hideous head only weeks ago. He looked at Jacob again, who was staring at Callum pointedly.
âWhat, you want to teach me
now
? Here, in the dark?â
âNo time like the present,â Jacob replied.
Again, Callum glanced at Melissa. She nodded once in encouragement.
âOK,â Callum said. âWhat do I have to do?â
Jacob didnât answer him. Instead, he raised one white hand and pointed towards Callum.
âDoom.â
Without warning, the great black Grim leaped for Callum. The last thing Callum saw before he shut his eyes were the ghost dogâs teeth, flashing like icicles as Doom opened his jaws . . .
Chapter Three
The whole thing happened in the blink of an eye.
Callum was knocked over by the force of the dogâs attack. The Grimâs body was so cold it took his breath away, sucking the air from his lungs and leaving them screaming for oxygen. He writhed desperately as the dogâs breath washed over him, the hot stench of rotting meat making his stomach churn. Somewhere in the background he heard Melissa scream. Callum could feel Doomâs weight on him, heavy as a pile of rocks. He lay there, his eyes squeezed shut, waiting for the inevitable â for those glittering, razor-sharp fangs to sink into his throat. But the shadow-dog heldhim pinned fast to the floor of the ruined church, his growl rumbling menacingly. Callum was sure his blood was turning to ice in his veins. He knew he was foolish to have ever trusted the beast, or to have believed that Jacob wouldnât betray him.
Oh, please, just let it be over
. . .
âRelease.â
Jacobâs voice came from somewhere above them. Suddenly the crushing frigid weight on Callumâs chest disappeared. His breath came out in a shivering rush. Doom stalked away from him and went to guard the church entrance once more.
Callum sat up slowly, quaking, and not with cold. Melissa was watching, and she wrapped her arms around herself quickly, as if the deathly chill of Doomâs lunge