Chapter 16 · Cracks in the Memory

"Get out. Now."

Silas's voice didn't just echo; it slammed into me like a physical blow. I wasn't in the physical world anymore. I was submerged in the gray, swirling sludge of his subconscious, and I had just touched something I wasn't supposed to.

I scrambled back, my ghostly form flickering. I'd been snooping—there was no other word for it. The system had promised a 'memory peek' at thirty percent synchronization, and I'd taken the bait. But the moment I'd reached for that shimmering shard of gold in the dark, the Tyrant had woken up inside his own head.

"Who the hell are you?" he roared. In this space, he wasn't just a man; he was a towering shadow of pure aggression, his presence suffocating. "You're in my head. My private, goddamn head. Do you have any idea what I do to parasites?"

"I'm not a parasite," I snapped back, though I was shaking. I tried to steady my voice, making it sharp, defensive. "I'm the only reason your heart is still beating, you arrogant prick."

He laughed, a cold, jagged sound that felt like glass scraping against my soul. He lunged, his hand closing around my throat.