The blade sank deep.
Charles gasped as cold fire tore through his spine, nerve endings shrieking in a chaos of pain and confusion. Blood poured from the wound, staining his black shirt and dripping onto the metallic floor of the Ashden Core chamber. The crimson droplets formed perfect circles on the mirror-polished surface, each one reflecting the pulsing lights above like dying stars.
Behind him, Lila stood trembling, the nano-dagger still in her hand, her eyes swimming with tears that caught the blue glow of the Core's interface. Her breathing was erratic, hyperventilating, as if she couldn't quite believe what she'd done.
"I didn't want this," she whispered. "But you left me no choice."
