Chapter 13 · Undercity Broker - Chapter 13: The Price of Being Born

The gate stood half open. Just a crack. Wide enough to see black on the other side, and nothing else.

Lin's own voice came through again. Same pitch. Same flat tone he used when he was too tired to lie.

"Next deal? Pay with the truth of your birth."

He should've walked away. Should've turned around, gone back to the container, locked himself in until the voice got bored. But his legs didn't move. His hand was already on the gate, fingers cold against the metal.

"What does that mean?" Lin said.

The voice didn't answer right away. The tattoo on his arm started to burn. Not the usual warmth. This was different. Deeper. Like something was peeling back layers inside him he didn't know were there.

"You want to know why you exist," the voice said. "Why she gave you up. Why your father never came. Why you were left at the hospital with nothing but a name tag and a bloodstained blanket."

Lin's jaw tightened. He didn't talk about that. Not with anyone. Not even himself.

"I didn't ask for that," he said.

"You did. Every time you looked at other families.