Page 169 of GlitchBorn Heart

“Probably,” he says, allowing the corner of his mouth to lift. “But that’s never stopped me before.”

We enter the grand ballroom together, and for once we aren’t dark and light, we’re two fragments of the same creation born from StarFell. Built to destroy each other, yet drawn together by something I thought I’d never believe in. Fate.

I can’t stop looking around; the space is breathtaking. The VikkCorp ballroom opens up before us like a cathedral, all glass and onyx with robotic servers gliding like specters between the elite. Normally drones would hum overhead, broadcasting the event across public news channels, but since we’re in a blackout, I just hear beautiful music instead of a constant buzz. A holographic banner flares across the ceiling, powered by a battery pack on the floor below.

ECLIPSE NIGHT: THE FUTURE IS HUMANITY PERFECTED

More irony. I see Kael glance up, his face contorting in disgust.

A short, stout, gray-haired man approaches us. On one arm is a PleazureHolo much younger than him; on the other is his human wife, turning her pointed nose away from us in dismissal. “Dr. Ryudon, good to see you. I hear you have outdone yourself in the cybernetics space this year. Putting my endowment to good use, I hope.”

Kael straightens his suit, putting on the good corporate employee facade. “Thank you, Mr. Dillinger. Dr. Vosse and I have been working hard for this night to come to fruition. I see you have the latest and greatest update to the PleazureHolo product.”

His gaze turns to me, and I can feel him mentally undressing me. I feel as if I may vomit.

“Yes, yes. But what do we have here? Your holo looks like she stepped out of a dream I was never meant to have.” His eyebrows raise in curiosity. “Very realistic, very stunning.” He begins to touch me, but Kael steps in front of him casually.

“This is my upgraded PleazureHolo prototype. Version 2K. Neural cybernetics with a DreamNet overlay. She’s a demo for the evening. Just a little test run for me to collect some valuable data to present to the investors.” Kael’s arm whips out behind me and draws me in around the waist.

Mr. Dillinger notices the possession and still dares to touch me, defying Kael. “This is incredible, Doctor. She’s absolutely beautiful, and she looks so present, so alive. May I?” He squeezes my forearm without waiting for Kael’s response.

I can hear alarm bells going off in my head. If this doesn’t bring out killer Kael, I will be floored. Let the games begin.

“Lyra is her name. She’s both present and untouchable, sir. We wouldn’t want my prototype broken now, would we? I’d just have to spend more of that endowment of yours for repairs. Not very cost-effective.” Kael’s jaw is clenched so tight I think his teeth are going to crack under the pressure.

His words are smooth, tempered, but I can feel the edge in them, the warning hiding behind the corporate charm. Stars, he knows how to play these people.

The couple laughs, that slick, condescending sound that fills the air like dense fog. His wife, draped in violet silk and boredom, leans in with a fake smile. “Does it speak?” she asks, her voice dripping with jealousy and animosity.

It.

I suddenly feel my cheeks flood red with rage, calling me to assert my dominance in a room full of soulless predators.

Do not let your magic flare, not here, not now.

I tilt my head slightly, the motion deliberate, almost feline. “It speaks,” I answer, eyes locked on hers. “And it also listens, remembers, and sometimes, if you’re not careful, it bites. It also sucks and fu—”

Kael begins a nervous laugh, placing his hand over my mouth before I can finish. “She’s still learning her manners; you’ll have to excuse the bluntness. Just haven’t uploaded the social norms data yet,” he says smoothly, though his eyes reflect something darker. If we were alone, I’d definitely get the “What the fuck, Taiyō?” face.

Mrs. Dillinger’s red-painted lips falter, the smirk freezing midair. A few of the nearby guests exchange uncomfortable glances. The silence stretches, just the robotic symphony providing the soundtrack. Two can play Kael’s dangerous game. I may be a damsel, but I’m definitely not in distress.

Kael’s hand brushes the small of my back, part warning me to back off, part pride for defending myself.

“But that’s the beauty of AI evolution, isn’t it? You never quite know what it’ll turn into next. It learns from us, mimics us, but it also evolves. I mean, one minute a pup, the next a wolf!” he jokes, mouth turning upward one-sidedly, his brow not receiving the message.

The man’s wife gives a stifled laugh, pretending to understand the threat. The candles flicker across Kael’s face; it’s strained. He’s had enough.

I smile sweetly and press my breasts out, the kind of move that wins the older men over with a dash of hope for something they’ll never own. “Don’t worry, I’m not hungry this evening,” I add.

Kael exhales softly beside me, but there’s a gleam in his eye now, like he’s both terrified and turned on by my defiance.

Right on cue, Ash grabs Kael by the shoulder. “Thank the fucking stars,” Kael spits through his gritted teeth.

“Dr. Ryudon,” Ash’s usual grin is plastered across his face. He’s out of place here. He knows it and embraces it boldly. As confident as ever, whiskey glass in hand, eyes all glowing wild neon blue, he smiles mischievously. Ember stands beside him, a very large wine glass in her hand, eyes constantly scanning for her father across the room. Her tension is palpable, but she’s right to be on such high alert. The poor girl is terrified of him.

“Apologies for interrupting the science fair,” Ash says, eyes flicking between Kael, the man, his wife, and holo. “But the good doctor’s needed elsewhere. You know, saving the world, curing cancer, breaking hearts, same old agenda.”

Mr. Dillinger frowns, unsure if he’s being mocked by Ash.