Pain. Sharp, sudden, impossible to ignore. The fragment inside me pulsed violently, burning, twisting, alive. Every nerve screamed. My chest tightened. Fear and fury collided, sparking an edge of jealousy I couldn’t name. It’s inside me. Controlling, mocking. I can’t fail them, not Vorde, not Viole, not me.
Vorde’s hand found mine, trembling, but steadying. His blue eyes cut into mine, raw and piercing. “Veronica, don’t let it.” His voice faltered, laced with fear, pride, trust, and something softer, unspoken. Desire. I felt it, aching against the chaos. I can’t lose him. Not now.
I clenched my fists, forcing calm I didn’t feel. “I won’t,” I hissed, voice sharp, brittle with adrenaline. Jealousy flared, bitter, at how easily he relied on me, at the thought that he trusted me while chaos
