— Valicera's POV —
I have always considered falling a personal insult.
I am the mistress of gravity. I decide what rises and what falls, what is crushed and what floats.
But in the shaft of that cursed elevator—when the cables snapped and the spacetime stabilizers activated, paralyzing my ability to fold space—I was forced to taste helplessness for a few brief seconds.
The massive red laser blades that burst from the shaft walls split the giant steel elevator cabin into three parts as easily as slicing a fragile cake.
I saw the flash of the blade cutting through the metal beside me—and I saw Kyle pull that crying sniper, "Eva," with him into the section that slid to the right.
As for Damian and Sia—they fell in the left section, swallowed by darkness.
And me?
I remained in the central section, which dropped vertically—carrying Aiden with it, screaming like a pig being led to slaughter.
The air howled around us. Absolute darkness consumed us.
But I was not afraid.
