Sagan stared between Korac and T.A.O. Out of her periphery, she noticed Tameka did the same. Then her man surprised her by taking the fallen woman’s dark hand and holding it against his pale chest.

Softly, he said, “Please. I understand if you never forgive me, but can you wait for your retribution? We need to save Cinder and Earth first. Please?”

Wow. Korac pleading was not something Sagan expected to ever see. Tameka shot her wide eyes as they shared the sentiment.

T.A.O. sat up slowly, stilted. She retrieved her hand without a word. A waif of a woman, she stared at them through Atramentous eyes. Xelan once told Sagan they were locked in that form since her creation. Her ancestor. Alive. “Hi, T.A.O. I’m Sagan. I’m well…” Sagan shifted to Atramentous and smiled.

The older woman stared into the younger one’s matching eyes. Still hoarse, she said, “I’ve seen you in the fire.” Hearing the commotion within the chamber, she peered in Nox and Rayne’s destructive direction. “They will burn brighter than the sun before this is over.”

Tameka asked, “Are you able to help us?”

“She does not want your help.”

The three exchanged a glance. Was that true?

T.A.O. suddenly clutched Sagan by the arm in a grip so strong she worried it might break. “Protect the others.” The hold loosened into a more affectionate gesture as the woman’s voice filled with warmth. “Grandchild, I will see you in the Seam. I shall be glad of your company there.”

Abruptly releasing Sagan, T.A.O. vanished.

Korac elaborated, “The First Wave Progeny aren’t safe alone.”

Sagan looked off at the fighting pair, “We can’t leave her alone, either.” Even if Rayne thought she didn’t need their help, it meant she needed them more than ever.

Tameka punched her own hand with the enthusiasm of a fantastic epiphany. “I got it!” She took Sagan’s hands. “Take me to the battle. I can help Rayne.”

Sagan glanced at Korac staring between them. He nodded with her favorite smirk. “I think I’ll stay and help the good General. You go.”

“Okay. Be careful.” She pecked him on the cheek and reveled in the sweet way he took into his soul.

With Tameka still rolling her eyes, they walked into the sky above the battlefield. Decompressed Tumu stomped around. Jack and the giant crawler battled with the Cruor Villam, and millions upon millions of soldiers skirmished closer to the caldera. They gained some ground, but it was early yet.

“Okay. So. What I’m about to do will pretty much fuck me up, so get me back to Rayne fast. Got it?” She turned desperate eyes to Sagan.

“You doing some stupid hero shit?”

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

The redhead grinned until her smile reached her freckles. “Hell yea.” Then she dove straight for the Villam.

Sagan fought to keep up, a little scared for her friend. All day she worried they’d lose someone. The thought killed her. Even Kyle. Rayne was right. They were better together. As a family.

And her sister hovered over the most deadly machine the Icari concocted. Without touching it, she closed her eyes, and Sagan understood. The flames shooting at Tumu, ceased. The men inside scurried frantically to troubleshoot the jam. The color of the glass pulsed from amber to black. Once. Twice. The treads stopped rolling.

Tameka opened her eyes. Another color swallowed the gorgeous green Atramentous. Midnight blue. The feathers of her black wings tipped in the color. Blood tears streamed from her eyes. One trail crimson and one trail cerulean. A serene white static gathered around her, the reverse of Xelan’s final discharge.

The Villam blinded into darkness, and the Collective army cheered. They cried her name in praise, and Sagan’s chest swelled with pride until she reassessed her best friend. The woman hovered in the sky, frozen. Unable to move. Sagan Seamswalked to her and clutched her close.

Against her ear, Tameka whispered, “Rayne…”

Without hesitation, she took her back to the nacre chamber. There Korac flew over their heads, thrown by Nox into the glass. No time to check on him, she Seamswalked Tameka into the middle. The redhead laid hands on the brunette who fell to her knees.

Like before, the white light emanated from Rayne’s eyes and mouth. But unfortunately, Nox was here this time. He caught on quick, too. He backhanded Sagan across the room and gripped both girls by their necks.

Korac startled Sagan from behind, but her body immediately relaxed with his proximity. “Are you hurt?”

She stood and straightened her skirt. “No, but… is he hurting them?”

The answer came in the form of a white light emanating from Nox, as well.

Korac muttered, “Oh, fuck.”

“That’s bad, right?”

The shock wave sent them all into the glass. Sagan landed against Korac, and him against the wall. Tameka sprawled on the floor nearby. Rayne landed in the northernmost point of the sphere, her body on the ceiling. Supercharged-Nox’s hair blew in the wind of his own power. More terrifying than it sounded.

Sagan Seamswalked with Korac to the floor. She made to grab Tameka when Nox suddenly clutched the blond girl by the throat.

And Sagan knew this was the end. His handsome face, so similar to Xelan’s, was a cruel last sight with her lover only steps away. Closing her eyes with tears flooding through her lashes, she prayed to Elden that Korac didn’t regain consciousness in time to see this.

The evil man’s silken whisper was not the last thing she wanted to hear. “It is not my wish to resign you to this fate. You’ve made Korac happier than I’ve seen him in ten millennia. But you see, I need her alone. I’m sure you understand.”

Tameka awoke behind him, her eyes wide and terrified. She glanced up to Rayne, who stuck to the ceiling, unconscious. Sagan’s heart skipped a few beats as Korac stirred behind her.

She mouthed to her sister, “I. Love. You.”

Ignoring her last moments, Nox commanded quietly, “Now open your hand and hold on tight. This will hurt immensely.”

Behind her, Korac cried out, “NO!”

The fist through her chest didn’t hurt so much. Neither did the hand shoving around her insides to grip her nacre. The removal of the precious pearl also proved less than a discomfort.

The sound of Korac screaming her name until his voice broke was the most excruciating experience of Sagan’s brief life.

Nox swallowed her nacre and bumped her hand away before disappearing across the room. The chamber shifted down. The floor fell up.

Very distant, Rayne shrieked, “What did you do?!”

Very close, Korac whispered, “Deep breath. Breathe. Breathe with me. Please—”

She wanted to try for him, but the air wouldn’t come. Not as willing as the blood. Her chest wouldn’t allow for it.

Wait a second. She knew something they didn’t. Something so important and so big.

“Korac… Ray… ne…”

He brushed blood coated fingers through her hair. Her blood. “Stay with me,” he begged.

Tell. Him. “My… ha…”

When Korac’s tears fell to her lips, Sagan knew she would never finish telling him that one important thing.