Chapter 11 · Blood Echo

"You're bleeding black."

Carson's voice cut through the dark before I even got my eyes open. His hand locked around my wrist and yanked it into the light.

The cut on my palm was still open from the upgrade sequence. Blood welled up slow and thick, but it wasn't red. It was dark. Almost black, with this shimmer at the edges like oil on water.

"Let go," I said.

"Not until you tell me what the hell that is."

"I don't know."

"Try again." He pulled me closer. His grip was iron. "You activated the core with your blood. The screen confirmed royal bloodline. Now your blood's the same color as the tide that's trying to kill us. So I'm asking one more time—what are you?"

I met his eyes. They were cold, flat. The kind of look that came right before someone made a hard choice.

"I'm the girl who just saved your city," I said. "Twice."

"That's not an answer."

"It's the only one I have."

He didn't let go. His thumb pressed against my pulse, and I knew he could feel how fast my heart was beating.