Chapter 28 · Mom Signed My Death Warrant

"You don't touch that file." Cael's hand closed around my wrist before I could reach the final authorization seal.

His fingers were warm despite the blood running down his sleeve. Too warm. The ghost-bind jumped between us, carrying his sharp breath straight into my chest.

I looked at his hand. Then at his face.

"Take it off."

"No."

"Cael."

"You open that seal, the Tower locks your mind." His grip tightened. "I don't know what it put in your file, but I know what it does to people who dig too deep."

Behind him, the dead version of me still floated inside the medical display. Same face. Same scar under my chin. Same silver line in my left eyebrow.

Her mouth moved in the frozen recording.

RUN. MOTHER—

Then the image broke into static.

My mother’s name stayed bright above the authorization panel.

MARA QUINN.

Final authority.

Death order approved.

"She signed it," I said.

Cael stepped between me and the screen. "We don't know that."

"Her name is right there."

"Names can be copied."

"Not executive ghost keys." I yanked against his hand. "You know that. You were an Adjudicator. You saw the clearance level.