Page 130 of Heart of Mischief

Over here are six people you love, said the voice.

Gradually, the six lights molded themselves into distinct shapes, becoming human-shaped silhouettes. They took on detail and texture, eventually turning into six figures that she recognized instantly: Lou, Abigail, Mason, Sophie, Elias, and her mother.

Over here is the rest of the world.

To the left, more silhouettes came to life. Hundreds of them. Thousands. Millions. They kept appearing, multiplying to infinity, until Charlie could see nothing but an endless crowd.

You are required to light one side of this hill on fire and watch the people atop it burn alive, said the voice.Which hill do you choose?

“That’s an odd question,” Charlie said.

It is a question of morality, responded the voice,intended to cut to the heart of who you truly are. Now that your emotions are gone, you can think without bias. You can use only your mind to answer the question.

So, who do you burn?

Do you sacrifice those dearest to you to save billions?

Or do you murder the world for the sake of those you love most?

“Is this question supposed to be hard?” Charlie asked. “Because it’s not. The answer is obvious.”

Is it, now?

It was. It wasstupidlyobvious, in fact. She found it hard to believe that anyone before her had ever struggled with this test.

“Of course it is. The answer isnone of the above. The answer is screw your idiotic test. The answer is I find you, the person behind this voice, and anyone else associated with you and this ridiculous operation, and I kill you all. Cut off your heads and whatnot. Then I won’t have to answer the question.” She raised her hands high, beaming without joy. “Problem solved!”

For several seconds, the voice did not respond. It seemed not to know how.

“What?” asked Charlie. “Has no one ever picked that answer before?”

More silence.

The gray landscape in front of her started to shiver, to blur at the edges.

It’s you, said the voice.

“Me?” Charlie asked. “What do you mean?”

It’s you.

It’s finally you.

It felt like the faceless voice was holding its breath.

“What the hell are you talking about?” Charlie demanded. “Tell me. Now.”

The bringer of Ragnarök, the voice whispered.Here at last.

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Charlie rushed back to realitylikea bullet speeding through a tunnel. One moment, she was standing in a black-gray hole, listening to the whispers of a strange, unknown voice. The next, she was hurtling through space and time, wind roaring in her ears… only to land right back where she started.

The crowd.

The arena.

A hundred shimmering bodies.