Cyber Witch

Chapter 17.2 - The Price of Betrayal

[Avia]

Zach's face paled, and he pleaded for my life, "Damon, don't do this..."

"Oh, I won't," Damon responded with a twisted smile. He turned and sauntered to a gray cabinet, sliding open a drawer and extracting a long, bloodied knife. "This is the knife that Avia used to kill your uncle. And now it will kill Avia. An irony of sorts, don't you think?"

Damon took two steps toward Lael and held out the knife handle. "Take the knife," he commanded. Again, she hesitated. "Take it, dear," he repeated. "This is a test of your obedience."

Lael grasped the knife handle. "Yes, Damon."

Damon led Lael by the arm toward me. Left standing by herself, Nyx's eyes widened as she trembled. Anger rose within me. At least couldn't he spare a little girl from witnessing this?

"Avia betrayed us," Damon said in Lael's ear. "And the price of betrayal is death. Kill her."

When Lael stood motionless and unresponsive, the knife in her hand, Damon repeated in a louder voice. "I said kill Avia! Don't you betray me, too."

"Yes, Damon."

My heart pounded as Lael turned toward me, expression blank, the shiny knife firm in her hand. I jerked against the metal hands restraining me, but the android held firm. I knew well the power of the nano-bots and how they stole away freewill — this was not the real Lael. Facing death with as much dignity as possible, I firmed my expression and stood tall.

I sent a com message directly to Lael's cybernetics. "Lael, remember who you really are."

Zach bucked against the androids holding him, but could not free himself any more than I could. "Stop!" he yelled at Damon. "Spare her. Please..."

Damon ignored Zach, but the outburst caught Lael's attention and she froze, the knife trembling slightly in her hand. Damon narrowed his eyes and came up behind Lael, placing a firm hand on her shoulder. "You belong to me, Lael," he hissed. "Do as you're told!"

Turning back to me, Lael touched the blade tip against my chest, preparing for the thrust. But almost unperceptively, her breath quickened and eyes widened. A hint of emotion appeared on her face.

"Lael, my dear friend, remember!"

A deafening screech blasted across every com-band. Anyone with cybernetics — Damon, Lael, and me — cringed at the mental onslaught. But not Nyx. A single tear traced the little girl's cheek and her lower lip quivered. Had she done this?

But the screech did more than just cause anguish. It also disrupted the nano-bot network.

Lael's eyes widened, and she sucked in a breath. In quick motion, she spun around and plunged the blade into Damon's gut. With a gasp, Lael released the knife handle and staggered backward, eyes wide and fingers to her mouth.

Damon grunted, his jaw dropping in surprise. Blood gurgled from the wound, wetting his shirt in red. "How could you, Lael," he wheezed, face twisting in rage.

With a strained cry, Damon yanked the knife from his gut, splashing crimson on the deck. Baring teeth, he rage-thrust four times at Lael in quick succession, cutting into her torso. Eyes wide and unfocused, she stumbled back, holding her stomach as blood leaked between fingers. An airy breath escaped her lips as, eyes rolling up, she collapsed to the deck, trembling.

"Lael, no..." I burbled as moisture blurred my vision.

Damon took a hesitant step toward me with the dripping knife in hand. "I suppose in the end, you can only rely on yourself," he rationalized. The sharp knife tip pressed against my throat, pricking my skin and drawing out a single drop of blood. "A shame I must do this, Avia, but I am left with no other choice."