Chapter 24 · The Core

"Ivy."

The voice comes from the gun in my hand—not my head. The metal buzzes against my palm like it’s got a throat.

I know that voice.

The nameplate slides off the pod and clatters against the tile.

SUBJECT L-07. STATUS: INTEGRATED.

Underneath, in handwriting too small and too hurried to be official, are two words:

Lyra Crowe.

My sister.

"Ivy, listen—"

The gun screams. Heat rips up my arm, and the rune flares so bright I lose sight of my fingers.

Zero grabs my shoulder. "We gotta move. Marcus is coming."

"That’s her." My voice breaks. "Zero, that’s Lyra."

"I know what the name says. Move."

I wrench free. The gun vibrates hard enough to rattle my teeth. Blue lines crawl past my elbow and wrap my bicep, tightening like fingers.

"Lyra?"

"You weren’t supposed to find me." Her voice comes through the metal, thin beneath the static. "You were supposed to stay out of this."

My stomach twists. "What did they do to you?"

"The same thing they’re doing to you."

The rune pulses with each word.

"You think you’re holding the weapon, Ivy? You are the weapon. I’m just the test run.