Page 151 of GlitchBorn Heart

Her face pales, but her jaw stays firm. “Kael, I didn’t betray—”

“Don’t lie to me!” My fist slams the wall again, harder, rattling the monitors. Her eyes widen, but she doesn’t wince. Brave or stupid, I have no clue. Maybe both.

Ash is between us in a blink, one hand pushing back against my chest. There’s no plastered smile this time, no jokes. “Back off, Kael. She’s not your punching bag. You want answers, fine, tear apart your system, but you don’t get to tear her apart.”

I meet his eyes; a neon-blue pulse matches my orange, and for a moment I almost shove him aside. But there’s something in his look, a kind of steady, grounding weight only Ash has ever been able to throw at me. It makes me pause.

“Oh, this is adorable. You two together now or what?! Ash is your knight in shining leather?” My breathing is ragged, my hands trembling with the urge to break something or break someone. Either will suffice.

“More of a jester, actually. A really hot jester, but I digress.” Ash sucks in a breath calmly. “Real talk: Save the drama for later; we’re busy trying to get Lyra the chew toy out of LINK’s mouth. Remember?”

Lyra. Shit. I’ve been pulled in so many different directions in the last hour I almost forgot that she’s still inside. And in danger. I feel my pulse pound in my temples as my nerves begin to fray.

Ember continues to grovel. “I didn’t tell him, Kael. If Vikktor knows, it’s because he’s watching you closer than you think. And if you can’t trust me in your battle, then you’ve already lost the war.”

The silence that follows is a razor’s edge. My teeth grind together. Every instinct in me screams to push her harder, force a confession. But somewhere deep inside me, past the fury, I know she’s telling the truth.

The emergence of my magic is making me irrational and unrestrained. Still, I let my eyes burn into her and Ash. “If I find out you betrayed me, Ember, it won’t be Vikktor you need to fear. It’ll be me.”

Ash leads Ember by the arm to the doorway. “I’ll be right out.” He closes the door behind him and leans his weight into it. His voice is stern, lacking the usual lightness. “What the hell’s going on? What’s wrong with you?”

The air stiffens between us. I trust Ash with my life, but right now, we’re at an impasse. “She’s hiding something,” I snap.

Ash takes two slow steps forward, placing himself in my path, forcing me to move back. He exhales through his nose and shakes his head. “I’ve known you a long time, Bro. Long enough to know you’re running hot right now. This is so unlike you I’m going to chalk it up to the whole magic spanking you’re taking. So, I’ll spell it out for you.” His tone is forceful but calm. “If Ember is feeding your every move to Captain Abandonment upstairs, we’d already be erased. You especially.”

I glare at him, fire still roaring underneath my skin.

“She’s not your enemy, man. You start treating her like one, you’ll lose the only ally inside this place who actually gives a damn about you or your work.” Ash’s words resonate like a physical blow, knocking some sense into me.

Knowing when to disengage, retreat, or avoid a conflict entirely can ensure ultimate victory.

—Master Kenji

I lean on my desk, exhaustion setting in. “She’s still in there, Ash. With LINK. With Eli. And I—” The words break apart in my throat. “I left her.”

“Aha...there it is! So, that’s what this is about.” His hands disappear into his pockets. “You didn’t leave her. You came back so you could be the one to save her. Survival. Just like when we were kids.”

“I’m done being his weapon.” My voice wavers but my decision is firm. Another vow that etches itself into the fabric of the air.

We both can see clearly now, this isn’t about obedience or compliance, or even rebellion. It’s about Lyra, about giving her back the life that was stolen from her by corporate sovereignty.

Ash exhales, his laugh shaky and a bit unsure after calling me out. “You owe Ember an apology.” He turns the handle on my office door. “And maybe dim it down a bit? If Vikktor even sees a hint of that little light trick glowing under your skin, we’re all going to be vaporized before breakfast.”

I don’t answer him because he’s right.

She’s still in there. And now I know: She brought out my power. My magic is tied to hers. If I lose her, I lose myself.

I’ll use this cursed power, burn myself out if I have to. Whatever it takes, as long as I bring her back.

58

TwoShips

Playlist: What It Cost - Bad Omens

Lyra

The DreamNet sky begins its slow, scheduled rendering from dusk to night, pastel pixels melting into the dark hues of navy and indigo. It’s a perfect simulation of nighttime, despite the fact that here, time doesn’t flow. It just loads frame by frame.