Chapter 39 · The Third Command

"I am not choosing him. I am not choosing the city. So give me another damn command."

The control ring burned under my palm.

Two lines of black light split across the core console.

SACRIFICE THE GUARDIAN.

SACRIFICE ESTERPORT.

The words crawled over the glass like they were alive. Like the oath knew exactly where to press.

"Lia, get your hand off it!" Calian shouted.

I looked over my shoulder. He was on one knee beside the broken control pillar, one hand clamped over the wound beneath his ribs. Blood ran between his fingers and dripped onto the metal floor.

Still, he was trying to stand.

Of course he was.

"Stay down," I snapped.

"You don't get to order me around."

"I just did."

His mouth tightened. "You heard the command. Move. Now."

"And let the oath kill you?"

"Let it kill me before it takes the city."

The black tide slammed into the chamber wall. The whole platform shook. Far below us, Esterport's life circuit flashed through the glass floor—