Her eyes bulged. Face turning purple. Hands clawing uselessly at my wrist.
"V-Valerius..."
The name hit me like ice water.
Julian's family. Of course. Who else would have access to experimental anti-Aspect technology? Who else would be desperate enough to make a move like this during an active Gate operation?
I dropped her. She hit the rooftop gasping, hands going to her bruised throat.
Behind me, Reyna was trying to sit up. Her movements were sluggish. Uncoordinated. Whatever that device had done to her, it had hit hard.
"Satori..." Her voice was barely a whisper. "What... what happened..."
"Stay down." I moved to her side, keeping one eye on the fallen operatives. "You got hit with some kind of Aspect suppressor. Just breathe."
"Can't..." She shook her head. Sweat beaded on her forehead. "Can't feel my lightning. It's like... like there's glass between me and..."
Her eyes went wide with terror.
