"But here's the thing." Mika said, and his voice brightened with sudden, fierce energy.
"I don't like being manipulated. I don't like being forced into corners. And I really don't like being told what to do."
His burnt face twisted into a grin.
"So I decided: fine. I'll walk into the trap. I'll save Charlotte. I'll suffer whatever comes. But before I go...I'm going to make my own preparations."
He looked at Marcus, and his grin widened.
"That's why, right before I entered your domain—I flicked a middle finger at whatever entity was watching me. And then I grabbed my own skull."
Charlotte's blood ran cold.
"I shoved my fingers deep inside my head." Mika said, his voice almost cheerful now. "And I tore my skull apart until my brain was exposed!"
Marcus's face went white. "What the hell are you doing—are you crazy?!"
Mika ignored him, his gaze locked on Charlotte's horrified face.
