Chapter 18 · Frequency Trap

"Stop fighting it, Sloane. You're just making the bleed-through worse."

His voice doesn't come from his mouth. It vibrates straight through my skull. Jagged. Like a rusted nail dragging across my teeth.

He's got me pinned. Back to cold stone. One hand crushing my wrist over my head, the other jamming that shimmering crystal into my temple.

"Get off me," I choke out.

"You feel that?" he whispers. His breath is hot on my ear. The archive air is freezing and his chest is pressed right against mine. "That's you fighting yourself. Don't."

My vision fractures. I try to push. Throw my own frequency at him. He doesn't block.

He mirrors.

Whatever I throw, he throws back. Harder. My own weapon turned into a hammer against my head.

"You're shaking," he murmurs. His thumb is on my pulse now, feeling it stutter. "Scared? Or just pissed you finally met someone smarter than you?"

"I don't know who the hell you are," I snap. My heels scrape stone trying to get leverage. "But I know a parasite when I feel one."

He laughs. And the laugh lands inside my head like a rockslide.

"Parasite? Sweetheart, I'm your mirror.