Total pages in book: 146
Estimated words: 144277 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 721(@200wpm)___ 577(@250wpm)___ 481(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 144277 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 721(@200wpm)___ 577(@250wpm)___ 481(@300wpm)
My eyes linger on the weapon as Tyse continues to breathe erratically. Watching it shake a bit with each breath.
“Don’t bother,” Epsilon says.
“Don’t bother what?”
“Coming up with a plan that involves that weapon. It’s not loaded, nor is it charged.”
“I can’t even lift that weapon, let alone wield it.”
“No, I suppose you can’t. It’s coded to him, anyway. No one can use that weapon except Tyse Saarinen.”
Which isn’t true. Because I did actually use that weapon once. But that was before Tyse came back online, so it might as well be true. There is no romantic scenario where I suddenly get the strength to grab it, load it, charge it, and shoot it to save us.
Never gonna happen. That weapon is dying, just like the man underneath it. “What are you doing to him?”
“Oh, I’ve done lots of things to him,” Epsilon chuckles. “Pretty much everything I could think of.”
I don’t take my eyes off Tyse. “Why? I don’t understand. Why are you doing this?”
“Because I can, you simple girl.” He exhales. It’s one of those satisfied exhales. “Is there any greater reward than unraveling the mysteries of the Grand Design? That’s what I do, young lady. I unravel mysteries.”
“No,” I say, gasping a little. “You make monsters.”
This answer elicits a full-on laugh from Epsilon. It comes out, “Ha, ha, ha, haaaaaa.” Something you’d read in a book and not a sound people actually make. “Yes. Monsters. Isn’t it fun?”
“Fun? No. It’s… gross.”
He doesn’t say anything for a few seconds, so I turn my head. He’s mad now, I can tell. He didn’t like that answer. “Do you want to hear what I’m offering?”
“No.”
“Come now, surely you’re curious.”
“You misunderstand,” I say. “It’s not that I don’t want to know, it’s that my answer is no.”
“That’s because we haven’t negotiated yet. Stop posturing. I already know your commitment to him is as great as his commitment to you.”
“And how would you know that?”
“If I have your back, you must have mine.”
His words—Tyse’s words—cut me. Deeply. It feels like an attack on my soul. On my heart. I sneer at him. “Where did you hear those words?”
His reply comes with a grotesque smile. “Where do you think? I plucked them right out of his mind. It’s the promise you made each other. It’s why you let him drain you. Because you know he’s got your back, doesn’t he Clara? If I have your back, you must have mine. And he knows you will keep giving him everything to the very end.” Epsilon shrugs, opening his arms wide. “And if he knows this, so do I.”
“What. The hell. Do you want.” It’s not even a question at this point.
“I want you to fill him back up, obviously.”
“But… it’s not up to me,” I say. “He just… takes it.”
“How romantic,” Epsilon chuckles. “Well, that might’ve been the case before he got caught. But now it appears… he’s refusing.”
“Why would he do that?”
The god shrugs. “Perhaps he feels like you’re not up to it?”
I don’t say anything back. Just remain still and silent, trying to figure out what is going on here. Tyse wouldn’t refuse to take my spark without a reason.
What is the reason?
Please.
This word enters my mind like an echo.
Haryet. Floating in the emptiness. Made entirely of spark threads. The chain of Maidens behind her. Her hand, reaching for mine.
Please.
But this time, it’s not the face of Haryet I see.
It’s Tyse.
I look over at him. His body is shaking now, so badly, the VersiStrike is bouncing on his stomach. His wrists are bound to the table, as well as his legs, his chest, his head. If not for these bindings, the seizure might bounce him onto the floor, that’s how strong it is.
“What’s happening?” I say, feeling panicked. “What’s wrong with him?”
“He wants to fight, dear girl! He needs your spark! Can’t you hear him begging? Please, he’s saying. Please fill me up!”
But that’s not how it works! That’s not what he’s asking! I know this. I feel it. Yes, he does need my spark, that is true. But this is not what he’s trying to tell me. If it was that easy, he would just take it.
This is something else.
Suddenly, his body goes still. A machine nearby sounds an alarm. I look over at a screen where a flat line travels across a black background.
“You better hurry,” the ugly god says. “This is it. That’s his heart, stopping.”
“Take it!” I yell. “Take it!”
“I’ve tried,” the god says, gesturing at the wall across from me. “I’ve hooked you up to the harvester several times. It works, on your end. But his body is not accepting it.”
Why? Why Tyse! I’m not dying! You can see that! We can do this!
I send these mental thoughts to him, knowing perfectly well he’s not a mind reader.
But there is a response.