One. In the head.

Then she aimed to take out the other one, but just as she did, a hand punched through it, grabbing its memory core, and ripped it out. The Messier gave a jerk, its eyes flickering, and slumped to the ground, revealing the Emperor behind it, the gentle pulse of a blue square memory core in his hand.

“I am the only one who is allowed to kill you,” he purred, glaring up at her from beneath his thick eyelashes, and crushed the core. “No one else—gnnh!”

He winced, and his blue eyes flickered red—as hot and bright as a flame—and his face slackened, lips untwisting from their snarl. His body unwound, and he righted himself and stood as still as a statue. His glassy gaze no longer stared at her but through her—

As if she was suddenly not there at all.

“Forgive my little pet,” said a honey-sweet voice that Ana recognized—the same voice that belonged to the girl who had helped her dress for a week, who laughed at her terrible jokes, who told her she would make a great Empress. “Sometimes I fear it would have been better if I had deleted his functioning facilities—but we both know he is more entertaining when he thinks.”

Ana lifted her aim to Mellifare.

The flaxen-haired young woman came into the circular room. She no longer wore a lady-in-waiting uniform, as she had at the palace, but trousers and a pristine white blouse with a ruby broach clasped to the high-neck collar. She was a Metal like Di—and Ana wondered when the Great Dark had assimilated her, and how long she had been stationed in the palace, lying in wait. Mellifare stepped over the ruined Metals and curled her arm around Di. Emotionlessly—like a puppet—he kissed her forehead, and Ana’s stomach twisted.

“Don’t move,” Ana warned, “or I’ll kill you.”

“And I’ll kill him,” She motioned to Di.

Ana forced a laugh. “What’ll you do? Does the Great Dark really want you killing its Emperor?”

Mellifare tilted her head. “Dear me, what do you think is the Great Dark?”

“Some—something that stays hidden, controlling you and Di and the HIVE and—”

Mellifare snapped her fingers.

Ana winced—but nothing happened.

Until Di gave a bloodcurdling scream and fell to his knees. The crown on his head clattered to the ground and rolled to a stop in front of her feet. She stood her ground, fighting the urge both to comfort him and run. He clutched his head, his fingers curling into his hair, pulling at it. “It hurts,” he sobbed. “It hurts.”

Mellifare looked on with a growing smile.

“Stop it!” Ana said. “What are you doing?!”

“Simply tricking his pain receptors to feel like his entire body is on fire. I am sure you know that sort of pain. I gave you that sort of pain once.”

Oh, she had been a fool.

“You’re the Great Dark,” she whispered. “You set the fire. You killed my parents—my brothers.”