But there’s a line.
This room, what happens here, crosses every line.
“Are you going to answer me?” Again, I stay silent. “Fine then. You there, guard, bring me a feeder.”
Saliva collects between my cheeks as I wrestle with myself. My soul. My power. They continue to fight for dominance.
They’ve always fought for the same thing. Just very different approaches.
One fights for clarity so I can keep myself safe and sane.
One fights to block the reality so I can keep myself safe and sane.
I favor the one that keeps me from having nightmares while I’m awake.
“You summoned me, Mother?”
I refuse to look at the feeder girl as she steps beside Sabelline.
“Yes, dear. Tell me your name.”
“Tansie.”
“Ah, Tansie. How beautiful.”
The girl shrieks as Sabelline snatches her by her hair and shoves her to her knees before me. She cries but doesn’t beg for her life or ask why this is happening, what’s happening. Nothing.
She sobs silently.
She knew the moment she walked onto this platform with the two of us, she was already dead.
Her hot blood splatters across my chest, and I pick my eyes up to watch the life leave hers.
They shatter into a million pieces as she gurgles and attempts to hold her throat together. They beg me to save her, but I can’t do that.
I was never able to do that.
No matter what I thought, I’m not saving any of them.
I shove my Harmony toward her.
The least I can do is distract her from her pain since her life is ending because of me.
When her body falls still and consciousness leaves her, Sabelline lets her tumble to the side. Her prone body makes my puddle of sweat splash everywhere.
“Very good, Riven. Now you leave your Harmony at the helm, or I will leave bodies of feeders at your knees. Sound good?”
I grunt and snatch my jaw out of her grasp.
“I’ll take that as a yes.”
She smiles in victory, dragging her fucking nails across my shoulder as she strolls around to my back.
My glare bounces around the Chamber, locking onto those who are fearful and growing more aware.
Their fight drains out as my power once again penetrates them.
Bile rushes up and out of my throat faster than I can stop it.
