The pale hands didn't let go until the earth closed over Veronica's head and the garden remained above as if no hole had ever existed. The descent was fast, too fast to resist, with the walls of dirt and stone brushing against her shoulders just inches away as she was dragged downward by a grip that didn't loosen at all, no matter how much force she pushed back with.
Her daggers struck the dirt at her sides, searching for something to latch onto and stop the fall, but the tunnel was exactly the size of her body, with no room to maneuver, no useful angle, as if it had been built specifically for her so she couldn't do anything on the way down.
The spiritual copies she had left in the garden reacted instantly. All five dove into the hole after her, one after another, their silver vapor forms compressing to fit into the tunnel and following her downward without hesitation, guided by the same instinct that bound them to Veronica as long as the transformation remained active.
