Chapter 22
It’s beautiful.
The absurdity of the thought frightened Maggie more than the thing itself.
They stood before a wall of gold so thin, the light pulsing behind it cut through the metal in a dazzling pattern. Like a sunrise bursting across a sky, or the dancing northern lights turned gold, or…
The magic of thousands of magicians sucked up into a machine.
Sour shot into Maggie’s mouth.
“Doctor.”
Maggie snapped her eyes shut as a man spoke.
“Have you brought some new food for the pacel?”
Alden stopped shaking. His arms clamped around Maggie like a vice.
“Well, I-I wouldn’t say”―the doctor coughed―“I have a new pattern of tags I’m very eager to try.”
“Good thing for you we’ve just had some slots open up,” the man said. “Seems like a bad batch we’ve had lately. Rumors are go
