Page 75 of Amethyst Flame
Dane stared directly into my eyes, not flinching. “That’s why we went to Palm Springs, why I’ve been pushing you so hard at BantaMatrix.” His jaw flexed. “At first it wasn’t clear. It seemed that you had truly synergized with the hive, that you wouldn’t experience any of the destabilizing side effects. Beyond your usual destabilizing side effects, of course.” He paused as if giving me time to snark back.
But I wasn’t feeling it at the moment. “You’re saying I’m going to die. That my moths are going to kill me.”
Dane braced his hands on the arms of the recliner—and that glimpse of weakness in him freaked me out more than anything. “As the technology stands today, your integration with the hive, as with every other known test subject, is incompatible with long-term survival.”
I leaped up from the couch, and my fingers, sparking violet, left gouges in the cheap leather.
“Mo, we still have time to find a solu—” Jacob started from his position hovering in the doorway nearer the donuts.
I swiveled to glare at him. “You knew?”
He slanted a glance at Dane then nodded hesitantly. “Not from him.” He tilted his head toward his super spy buddy. “I figured it out from some of the queries he was running. But it’s not over yet—”
I sucked in a sharp breath. “And when were you all going to tell me? You know, me, the one who’s going to break down in a gelatinous goo as the bugs eat me from the inside.”
Jacob winced. “That’s not exactly how it will happen. Probably…”
“What, so I’ll just get weaker, lose this little power I have? I’ll still end up dead though, right?”
“Great strides are still being made in the field,” Dane said in a rough tone. “I swear we will find a cure for you. BantaMatrix and their dragon configuration, for example, look very promising.”
“Will it save me?” Because that was all that mattered.
He met my gaze. “No, the dragons won’t. My point is, advancesarebeing made.”
Uh-huh.“Do you know how long I have?”
“Imogen—”
“How long, Dane?”
“I don’t know,” he finally returned. “The other subjects, who were not nearly as integrated as you are, declined rapidly after the nanobots were introduced.”
Declined rapidly.Shit. What chance did I ever have?
I lifted my chin. “You said we were a team. I thought I could trust you.” I included Jacob in my accusing stare. “Instead, you used me to weasel closer to a cool hacker-spy job.”
Jacob let out a protesting, “Mo,” but I ignored him as I pivoted again to pin Dane. “And you. You’ve always left me on the outside, except when you needed me—just for a little while—on the inside, doing your nano-sized dirty work.”
He stood up slowly to square off with me. “We are all facing a threat that could end life on Earth as we know it. To control invasive, emerging hives and to cure you, we won’t stop looking for a way—”
“We?” I let out a harsh laugh. “You and what army? Just him?” I hooked a thumb at Jacob, who scowled a little. “Oh, do you just want me around long enough to steal the dragons for you?” I rounded on Jacob. “How about you? Can I help youtweaksome more code you can share with your loser hacker MIT buddies like it’s some fucking game?”
Jacob recoiled when Dane shot a hard glance at him, but I didn’t care about their interpersonal workplace dynamics.
I didn’t care about any of this anymore.
I spun on my heel and headed for the door.
“Imogen, wait,” Dane called.
But it was Jacob who got in my way. I flared my hands in front of me in a [shield] spell. Jacob’s eyes widened—of course he recognized the gesture from our Legendelirium days—and lucky for him, he was already stepping back when the bell of purple sparks shoved him aside. He staggered but didn’t fall. Still, that left the way to the door clear for me.
I was through it in another heartbeat, ignoring Dane’s words from behind me. He wanted me towait? As if I had so much time to waste? No.
I slammed the door closed, and with a twist from my murdering bugs, the electronic lock jammed. It probably wouldn’t last long—like me, apparently—but by the time those liars busted through, I’d be gone.
Dammit, I’d left all the donuts on the wrong side of the door.
