Page 222 of Light Leech

“I never trusted Deleon in the first place.”

“I know… It doesn’t matter. Once I gave into his reading, I sat in that chair facing away from him. Red flag right there. You know how Ralia can tap into someone’s neurospace without an analog connection?”

“Everything is wireless now.”

“Everything should be. That’s when I screamed. When he pierced the back of my head, trying to work those things into my neurospace hardware.“ She shook her head, smirking. “Poor shac had no idea what he was messing with. I don’t even know what he was messing with, but the serpent didn’t like it. It shot him back, you came in, now we’re here on the other side of the story.”

I chewed on my bottom lip, squinting at the corpse as I tried to work my way through what had happened.

“That black light,” she said. “Do you think he had a Gui?”

“No zegging idea. You don’t think yours is, so why would his be?”

“Then what could it be? An anti-Gui serving the Gongtide?”

“Your guess is as good as mine. Let’s dig though what we can, maybe pull out some of the hardware, and take it back for Ral and the Luxists to analyze.”

She nodded, unfocused and lethargic.

“What? Do you have a better idea?”

“No, I’m… I just don’t know.”

“Do you have a problem with the Luxists?”

“No, it’s just…” She looked up at me. “I’m sure they have answers, but I don’t know… This is the first time seeing them since you told me that the serpent and phantom face you saw on me in that diner are the same as those on the relics they carry.”

“And the problem with that is? Are you scared they’re going to pull you in as a member?”

“No,” she laughed, but her nerves were getting the best of her. “Petya, have you ever heard of anyone being a living version of that symbol? Just look at the Cross followers. Their symbol represents their God.”

“You… think you’re the Luxist God? Or possessed by it?”

“Laugh all you want, but is that thing living inside of you anything less than a god? As far as we can understand it? Sure, it’s not the thing you saw in the Earth’s core–all that still doesn’t make sense, I’m sorry. What I mean is even if it’s not a god at all, what if they treat me like it? Zeg, Pet.“ She took a deep breath. “I’ve just escaped being worshipped as a false god.”

“You’re retiring?”

“No, maybe, I don’t know. What I mean is, I’ve escaped being the pop goddess Reef forced me to be. Even if I continue, I can’t be the same idol that manipulated so many people.”

“You can use that influence for good.”

“You’re missing the point. I don’t want to be treated like a goddess.”

“Then what do you want?”

“A life? My past? To help you do what you have to do.”

“Why? You’re free from Reef, Nichley, you’re not constrained by–”

“A light ghost like you are? I think I am. Really, Petya, do you think I’m that shallow? Now that I’m free I can just run?”

“No, I didn’t mean–”

“What is there to run to? More ownership while you and the others are doing the only thing that really matters to the world? Freedom doesn’t matter as long as Gongtide is still working.”

“I’m sorry if I—“

“Don’t. It’s fine, really. Light, there are so many questions to figure out. Where the world sees me now, where Nichley is, and those are just my problems.”