Chapter 18 · The Core Is Hungry

Ashmark's hand was on my shoulder when I came back.

I jerked away. The alley still smelled like burnt ozone and Nova's blood, but she was gone—someone dragged her off while I was blank. My fingers were numb. I couldn't remember how long I'd been standing there.

"Easy," Ashmark said. His voice had that rough edge, like he'd been shouting. Or lying. "You've been out for three minutes. Nova's people got her. You did good."

I didn't feel good. I felt like someone scooped out part of my skull and forgot to put it back. There was a gap where something used to be, something warm, and now it was just cold air.

"What'd I lose this time?" I asked.

He didn't answer right away. That was the tell. Ashmark always had an answer—except when the answer was bad.

"Don't know," he said finally. "You tell me."

I tried. I went through the list: my name, Kai Ruin. My age, seventeen. The shelter number, Nine. My mom's face—still there, barely, like a photo left in the sun too long. The day the shelter fell. The sound of the storm. All still there.

But there was a hole. Something small.