Chapter 19 · Price of the Pact

"Drop the knife, Kael. You're shaking so hard you'll probably cut yourself before you even reach me."

Silas didn't move. He sat in that oversized leather chair like he owned the damn city, one leg crossed over the other, staring at me with a look that was halfway between pity and boredom. He knew I was bleeding. He knew my nervous system was screaming because of the black crystals burrowing into my skin. And he didn't give a shit.

"You sold me out," I spat. The words tasted like copper. I stepped forward, the blade in my hand trembling. "You told me the fusion was stable. You told me Nyx was a tool, not a parasite."

"I told you she was an asset," Silas corrected, his voice smooth, devoid of any real emotion. "The fact that your pathetic human frame can't handle the load isn't my fault. It's a hardware limitation. You're a budget model, Kael."

*He's lying,* Nyx’s voice hissed in the back of my skull. She wasn't just a voice anymore; she was a pressure, a heat blooming at the base of my spine. *He knows exactly what's happening. He's watching you break for the data. Kill him.