COLD STEEL, BLEEDING HEARTS
the Architect sneered, pointing up.
The clouds glowed red, and giant words rolled across the sky, as if a huge invisible hand was typing:
> “JULIAN AND MAYA ESCAPED. BUT THE COST IS HIGH. THE AUTHOR IS GONE. THE BOARD HAS NO LEADER. THE VILLAINS FROM OTHER BOOKS ARE NOW FREE.”
Maya stared up, terrified. “Other books? What does that mean?”
“It means,” the Architect said, smiling cruelly, “I’m not the only one hunting you. The Board kept a hundred books on their computer. Scary stories, war stories, stories of monsters that eat stars. Now, the walls between the books are gone.”