Chapter 26 · Anara

"Anara."

The core said it like it'd been holding the name in its mouth for years.

Nia's knees buckled.

Silver threads tore up her wrist, burrowing under her skin like hot wires. Her fingers locked around the core. She couldn't let go.

"No," she whispered.

Every face trapped inside the light turned toward her.

Kellan's face. A woman she didn't recognize. A little boy missing his front tooth. Tavi at fourteen with a stolen signal box clutched to her chest. Elias as a kid, standing beside a black gate with blood on his collar.

Then they all spoke.

"Anara."

"Get your hand off it," Elias said.

His voice cut through the noise.

He stood between her and Veyra, one hand pressed to the wound in his side. Blood soaked through his shirt and dripped off his fingers. The other hand gripped the broken lockdown key, its metal teeth sparking against his palm.

Veyra didn't look at him.

She stared at Nia's arm.

"No," Veyra said. "That's not possible."

Nia laughed, sharp and ugly. "You know my name, then?"

Veyra's eyes snapped up.

For the first time since Nia met her, the woman looked scared.

Not worried.