Chapter 8 · The Key

The screen showed Jonah on his knees with a silver collar around his throat, and Carson was growling behind me like he wanted to tear the whole room apart.

I grabbed the edge of the dead control console before my legs gave out. Blood from my cut palm smeared across the metal. The old file with my father’s face was still open in front of me.

Gideon Mercer. First Gate Architect.

My dad had been standing beside Sera Voss in that photo.

Not near her. Not caught in the same room.

Beside her.

Like they were a team.

“Mia.” Jonah’s voice came through the speakers, thin and scratchy. “Hey. Don’t do the face thing.”

“What face thing?”

“The one where you look like you’re about to stab somebody with a screwdriver.”

I stared at him through the grainy feed. His cheek was bruised. One eye was swollen. His hoodie was gone, probably cut off to get the silver restraints around his arms.

My little brother tried to smile anyway.

I hated him for making it look brave.

“You okay?” I asked.

“Fantastic. Love the decor. Big fan of chains.