Chapter 14 · You gave me your cursed heart

"You gave me your cursed heart."

"A piece of it."

"And now you can feel everything I feel."

"So can you."

"You lied about the price."

"You didn't ask. You were busy stabbing me."

"You deserved it."

"Probably."

That answer knocked the next insult out of her mouth.

Elias stepped closer, lowering his voice. "Listen to me. The grid is trying to make you choose between Finn and the data. It knows you won't leave your brother. It also knows the data is the only thing that can kill the central engine."

Nora looked at the lock. Beneath the red light, tiny symbols flickered in rows. Not words. Memory fragments.

A boy's hand smeared with blue ink.

Finn at twelve, grinning over a stolen council tablet.

Finn shouting at her from behind a locked door.

The image broke apart before she could grab it.

"The data is inside the door," she said.

"Yes."

"If I open it, the council gets the location."

"They already have the location."

"Then why haven't they come?"

Elias's gaze shifted to the tunnel behind her.

A distant metal click answered him.

Nora tightened her grip on the blade. "How long?"

"Minutes. Maybe less.