MY CRUEL PROTECTOR
It was the sound of a lung collapsing, of a heart being pushed past the point of no return.
"Nevan," I choked out.
I dived into the link, ignoring the servers, ignoring the Heir’s protests. I searched for the Shield, for my anchor, and what I found was a vision of absolute horror.
Nevan wasn't fighting anymore. He was pinned against a white-tiled wall in the corridor three levels above. He was surrounded by the "Next Gen"—four Shields who looked like him but lacked the scars, the age, and the soul. They weren't using blades. They were using specialized neural-shackles, heavy collars of glowing blue energy that were feeding a massive, localized EMP directly into his brain.