Rubedo observed the primary monitor projecting the secured medical ward in Gildreath. Julia slept on the stone bed with the newborn resting against her side. The child stared upward with eyes mirroring the orbital void and batted tiny fingers at the empty space above its face.
Violet sparks danced across its knuckles.
Rubedo tapped the obsidian console to open a communication channel.
"Kronos." Rubedo projected his voice through the neural tether. "Enter the chamber. Remove the child and secure it in the adjacent hall. The extraction process begins immediately."
Down in the palace, the reinforced oak doors swung open. Kronos stepped onto the polished tiles and approached the mattress. Julia remained completely still, her breathing shallow from the exhausting ordeal of childbirth.
