THE DEAN'S ASSASSIN
The slight sway in his stance caught, locked into place by a sudden, freezing shock.
"You were never an accident, Elias," the old man purred, setting his scotch glass down on the edge of a sleek steel terminal. "Arthur needed a tether for Aria. Someone with an unbreakable moral compass, someone broken enough to be fiercely loyal, yet noble enough to keep her human until the day Blackbriar Phase Two required activation. You aren't her partner by chance. You are her kill-switch."
"Shut up!" I screamed, the sound tearing out of my throat. My crosshairs slammed back into his chest. "You're playing games because you know you've lost! The Board is gone!"