Book 5: Chapter 38 — Noah vs…
Noah's heart sank. "You're another Ascendant."
"I am.” Sev uncrossed his legs and rose to his feet, dusting himself off. He wore a simple grey formal outfit, as though about to go to a ball or legal negotiation rather than a battle. “The White Bloom sends their regards. They were quite upset about their Chair, but they're even more interested in what you're becoming."
Tony recommends stalling, the symbiote agreed. Tony is analyzing the entity for weaknesses. Tony has found none so far, but Tony is still looking.
Sev tilted his head. "A Dragonspawn carrying fragments of a dead god. I don't think that's ever existed before. You're something new, Noah."
"I've been called worse.”
"I think," Sev said, his smile widening into something that finally matched the predator lurking behind his forgettable facade, "we’ll have quite a lot to discuss. So if you could just surrender now, that’ll save you a lot of pain.”
“What do you want?” Noah asked, buying time, thinking furiously. He couldn’t match this being in power. Couldn’t outfight him. Couldn’t outrun him. His only chance was to outthink him.
“Your Shards.” Sev began walking toward him, unhurried, confident. “The pieces of the dead god you’ve been collecting. My master has questions about them. About you. About what happens when a mortal tries to contain what was never meant to be contained.”
“And if I refuse to answer?”