MY CRUEL PROTECTOR
Nevan replied.
He led me toward the high-security wing, his hand never leaving my arm. Through the neural bridge, I felt the terrifying duality of his mind. Part of him was screaming with rage at the sight of the white walls and the sterile smell of his childhood torture. But the other part—the Ghost—was mapping the base. He was counting heads, identifying structural weaknesses, and marking the server nodes.
Stay quiet, Ruby, his thought brushed against mine, a dark, heavy pressure. Don't let the Sovereign touch their systems yet. Let them think they’re in control.