I’ll gloss right over the implication in what you said that the Reor are sentient entities—for now. Dare I ask why they gave you a copy of their universal decryption key?”

Alex and Caleb shared a look, and she shrugged. “We can only speculate, but it’s possible they want us to win.”

Miriam dropped her elbows on the table. “Hmm. Okay. In that case, I welcome the minerals to our side of the fight.

The progeny will be lost and adrift. Without the integrals reinforcing their focus and purpose, they will begin to question both.”

“Sator, this is not a bad thing. Humans spend years struggling to figure out what they want to do with their lives, then often revisit the question at multiple points in the course of living it. It’s in our nature.”

“Commandant, I’m sure I need not remind you that we are not Human.”

“No. But perhaps when this is over, you will become a bit more so.

The Idoni Primor’s gaze fell on Eren immediately. Her head tilted in idle curiosity while a fingertip dipped into a crystal bowl beside her. “I know your face, anarch.”

She brought her fingertip to her mouth and sucked it dry of gods only feared what hypnol. “You have been a most troublesome little asi of late. Have you come here to repent, to fall to your knees and beg to be allowed to return to the fold? Fair warning—you’ll be on those knees for a while.

He wasn’t going to be able to deactivate the field, which meant there was only one choice.

He’d realized early on that his arcane, profoundly alien passenger came with a cost, possibly one too high to pay and get out the other side free and clear. He’d pay it nonetheless and without complaint if the diati would only come through for him now.

Caleb closed his eyes.

The system is only as good as its leaders. When they fail—when the system fails—you better damn well hope I’m there to pick up the slack.”

The man’s glower lost some of its fervor. “No one appointed you humanity’s protector.”

“No one had to—and if you don’t understand why that is, then you’re not nearly the man I was told you are. I’m leaving now, and I’m going to assume we’re done. But if you threaten me again, you had better bring help.

An eerie, chilling voice interrupted him to reverberate through the house.

“You believe you are safe, but you will never be safe from me. My reach is limitless, my capabilities legion. Sleep fitfully and avoid the shadows, for know that I am coming for you. When I arrive, you will pay for what you did.