The set shattered. She was back in the chrome chair, cameras swarming. The Vox Populi flickered:

She looked at Mira—no, at the puppet wearing Mira’s face. And she understood: XFantasy TV wasn’t about granting wishes. It was about watching people twist their own souls for a taste of joy.

The channel switched back to a reality show about flipping houses. Leo sat in the dark, trembling. He told himself it was a show. Actors. Fake blood.