The Anadens have a somewhat different perspective on death.”

“On account of not having to deal with it, sure. Personally, I think their little immortality contrivance has destroyed the value of life for them.”

“It brought you back.”

“Thus I reserve the right to be hypocritical on this particular topic.

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.

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.

Nisi flashed his charismatic, mysterious smile. “Now, with this in mind, are you ready to take the next step?”

Despite Caleb’s attempts at caution—at circumspection and even suspicion—the man’s words stirred his blood. They teased the possibilities of the power within his reach, real power extending far beyond parlor tricks and personal protection to a place where the course of life itself could be changed.

“I am.

The ceiling shattered, and the vacuum created yanked her into the air. Her face grazed a shard of the ceiling as it broke off. Then she was in space.

Her left hand unlatched the breather mask and slid it on while her right felt for the helmet trigger.

Her finger slipped past it, fumbled back for it.

Found it.

Pressed it.