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Or his heart.
But right then, I could see his pain etched on his face, deep grooves that might have been carved by a master sculptor.
“For removing mistakes?” I said.
The pill was jet black, the same as its purpose. I had only ever seen something like this once, and it was a very, very long time ago.
I wandered down the steps to the apartments that housed the other personal guard members. A far cry from the cell I had been reduced to for the past three months.
I wasn’t really bothered about the cell size. It wasn’t a pressing concern. It was just a way for me to distract myself from what I was really thinking about.
Harper.
My dear Harper.
She was trapped in that cell and didn’t know what was happening. The pill in my pocket seemed so heavy I thought it would stretch the fabric of my jacket and tear a hole in it.
I glanced at the other doors in the hallway and wondered which one belonged to Annas. If she was inside, I could confront her. Face to face, I at least had a chance.
But I could no more hurt her than I could Tus.
Despite what she was, despite what she had done to me, and despite the streak of evil inside her, I couldn’t hurt my sister, even if she wasn’t sister by blood.
I left that hallowed hall and drifted past the guards standing outside it. I descended down a set of spiral stairs and walked down another long corridor until I reached a room made of glass. I pressed a button, a light buzzed, and I was allowed inside.
As a member of Krial’s personal guard, I had permission to go everywhere the others were allowed. I only had to be careful about being seen. The other prisoners couldn’t see me wandering around where I shouldn’t be.
I entered the science lab from the opposite corner to the one I usually used. Funny how a simple thing like entering through a different door could change your perspective on things.
The scientists paid me little mind as I crossed the science lab in the direction of the hidden cell I knew to be concealed behind the wall.
Through it, I could see Harper curled up around the chair that would have been a lot more comfortable than the floor. But lying in it risked the scientists doing something to her while she was asleep.
I glanced at the scientists on the other side of the room. They looked too engrossed in their activities to bother much with me and what I was up to, but I knew how misleading appearances could be.
I couldn’t open the cell door. I had the authority to do a lot of things in this prison but letting out prisoners was not one of them.
“Psst,” I said. “Hey. Harper.”
When she didn’t stir from her position on the floor, I tapped a hand to the invisible forcefield wall. It didn’t make a knock sound as I’d expected but a low zap that shot bolts of electricity up my arms and into my chest. It didn’t hurt but it felt uncomfortable.
“Harper?” I said. “Can you hear me?”
She grunted, coming awake. She groaned as she sat up and leaned with her head against the padded wall as a pillow. As she did, her lumpy clothing fell away, revealing the bump in her belly. It was big and I couldn’t believe my eyes.
A smile lit my face and I couldn’t look away from it.
I did that. No, we did that.
A beautiful baby was tucked up inside her. The Miragians had very short reproduction cycles. Our cells could duplicate much faster than most species, owing to our innate ability to replicate ourselves at will.
I took the black pill from my pocket and held it in my hand. It felt heavier now more than ever. Could I really give it to her, knowing what it would do to that tiny bundle tucked inside her? Had I so lost hope that this was the only way to restore it? Was this really the only way out?
“Trayem?” Harper said.
Her voice was agonizingly weak and she struggled to get to her feet. She stumbled over to the wall. She was glowing and gorgeous. I couldn’t keep myself from smiling.
I tucked my hand containing the pill behind my back.
