Chapter 31 · He's injured

He was not comforting me.

He was reminding me that if I moved, he would cut the contract seal and leave me without the anchor dose.

Power moved both ways between us.

I squeezed his fingers.

His jaw tightened.

"He's injured," the dealer said. "The seal will fail if you force it."

"Then he can fail somewhere else."

The scanner passed over my cheek.

A blue line flickered.

The warden frowned.

"Your face is not matching the badge."

"I warned you," the dealer said. "Burn scars."

"Burn scars don't change bone structure."

"Abyss burns do."

The scanner flickered again.

The mask pulled my mouth into a smile.

Too wide.

The warden stepped closer.

"What are you?"

The question landed softly.

The dealer's fingers dug into mine.

The warden's blade came free by an inch.

I could feel the core pressing against my coat. I could feel the elevator behind me, the open corridor ahead, and the thin line between passing as a damaged courier and becoming a public execution.

The mask smiled wider.

I let it.

"I'm late," I said. "You're in my way."

The warden grabbed my chin.

Her glove was cold against the mask.

"Answer me.