James had discarded his shirt. His body was full of silver needles. Some of them had blue droplets on them.

“James, what’s going on?”

James removed the needles on his chest and arms, smiling at Thea. “D-don’t worry. I’m fine.”

Thea’s expression was stony. “Do you take me for a fool? Who were those people? What did they give you?”

“I have no idea.”

James looked serious.

He did not know who they were.

He did not know what they had given him either.

He had spit most of it out and used the n