The Chrysalis Key by E.P. Bali

Author:E.P. Bali
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780645293920
Publisher: Blue Moon Rising

26

Henry

Late into the night, sleeping in his bed at the Asimov’s house, Henry dreamed of the Architect.

The older man emerged out of a shadowy red haze, gliding smoothly towards him in his motorised wheelchair. It clicked to a stop just in front of Henry, who turned left and right but saw nothing but red smoke on either side of him. He hugged his arms against the sudden cold. If this was a dream, it was an odd one.

When the Architect spoke, his mouth did not move.

What did you do to my Master?

Henry felt the words around him and found anger bubbling up in him. “Where are we?” he asked angrily.

What did you do to my Master? The Architect repeated.

Henry gaped at him. “What do you mean?” he snapped. “I should be asking you what you did to me!”

The Architect blinked at him. Once, twice.

Henry gestured wildly towards him. “You can’t just go around doing that to people. It’s wrong! I never asked for this Power.” He spat the word.

The Architect’s eyes were cold.

There are many things wrong in the world, boy, the least of which is an awakening of Power.

“There’s more to it, and you know it!” Henry cried angrily, pointing at him. “What did you see when you looked inside me?”

I only redirected the curse that is within you. Your DNA was primed to push your Power towards the Malhaven family and deplete your own. I simply manoeuvred it towards the Red General so he would receive your Power instead. Except instead of invigorating him, it depletes him. You must undo this.

Henry gaped at him as Caleb’s lifeless body swam into his vision. Amos had been right about what this guy had done to his cousin.

“Malhaven family,” said Henry quickly. “Who is the Malhaven family, how—”

I don’t have time to explain the intricacies of the complex architecture of a family curse. The man’s voice was angry. You must undo it, or he will come after you.

“Undo the curse?” Henry exclaimed. “Why can’t you undo it? Or whatever it is you did?”

I have tampered too much — already it is unstable. You are the root of my manipulation; you are the only stable point. And I can’t undo this curse. I am not of your family.

“Well, how do I undo it then? I don’t know anything about this.”

Go to the source. The curse starts with your grandfather. Fix this, Henry Jolt. Or there is only one solution for the General.

“And what’s that?”

To kill every last member of your family. That will dissolve the curse once and for all.

The dream faded from smoky-red to black, but the Architect’s voice echoed all around him.

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