Chapter 24 · Blood Anchor

"Stay down, little glitch. I’m not done playing with you yet."

Mord’s boot slammed into my ribs, pinning me against the cold, metallic floor. The air left my lungs in a sharp, wheezing burst. I tried to twist, to find some leverage, but he didn’t even look at me. He was just staring at the ceiling, bored, like I was a bug he was deciding whether to crush or keep as a pet.

"You’re slow today, Kael," Mord said. He shifted his weight, grinding my chest into the floor. "Is it the trauma? Or are you just realizing that no matter how many times you reset, you’re still just a rat in a maze?"

I spat blood onto his polished boot. "Fuck... you."

He laughed. It wasn't a real laugh—just a dry, mechanical sound. "Still got that fire. I’ll make sure to keep that for the Vessel. It’ll make the transition so much more... vivid."

I glanced to the side. Vera was there. She wasn't moving. The hole in her chest from the laser gate was a charred, blackened ruin. She looked like a broken doll tossed aside by a bored child.