When the desert growled, Tameka took Sagan’s hand. The other one fell from Rayne’s device as the pale brunette said, “Now it will open to you. Always.”

“What’s going on?” Kyle asked as the sand went over their heads.

Tameka admitted to her own anxieties as they lowered deeper into the Earth.

“Brace yourselves.” Rayne’s broad grin and glittering eyes heightened the anxiety.

Sagan simply grinned back at her.

Andrew asked, “Why are we bracing—” He cried out as they dropped several miles into the Earth.

Before they crashed at the bottom, they hit some kind of ease and rested. Rayne beamed at them. “You guys did great!”

Andrew curled around Sagan’s leg with Tameka clutching the blond’s waist. From the floor, Kyle asked, “How’s my hair?”

Together they looked over at him. Wearing shorts and a Hawaiian shirt, his curly brown hair climbed on top of his head like it wanted to escape.

Tameka answered, “Up.” After twisting her red curls with midnight blue ribbons for the occasion, she glanced over at Sagan for the bestie mirror.

The fishtail braided blond gave a thumbs up. “Looking good, madam Ambassador.” Wearing a bikini top under a cropped denim jacket that matched her faded jeans, Tameka wondered if Sagan contacted Korac’s stylist. Rocking the dual axes on her hips, she looked amazing.

Andrew helped Kyle up. Only in shorts and flip-flops, the two of them looked ready to hit the surf.

Tameka wore a flowing lilac dress. The color significant to her. As she dressed in it, she heard Xelan’s words from their first time together. The words themselves weren’t blush-worthy. It was the feeling behind them. He meant every syllable.

Rayne announced to the group, “I’ve spent a few nights here, but I haven’t really explored it beyond maybe two rooms. You’ll see in a minute how little that is. But I know Xelan wanted us here. He left so much to help us transition into a world without him in it.”

It was hard to imagine a person could glow while bereaved, but Rayne managed. Dark hair bounced with waves, blue teary eyes lined with black, and a violet sun dress displayed Elden’s verse. Happy, but sadly so.

Tameka stiffened and fought the familiar urge to cry. Rayne spared her a look filled with love and sympathy before placing her hand on the disk. “I’m glad I could finally share it with you. I’m sorry it took me so long.”

Sagan smiled at her. “We understand, but I’m dying to—”

“Race you to the kitchen!” Kyle burst through the open threshold first.

Andrew rolled his eyes as he walked in, “Dude’s got no tact.”

“I don’t know where he gets it from cause his sister is lovely—Wow…” Sagan trailed off as she followed Andrew inside.

Rayne uncoiled a purple leather strap from her wrist. Binding her hand, she held out the other end to Tameka. It was the brunette’s new way of holding hands, and it broke the redhead’s heart. “Do you want to go together?”

Tameka took a shaky breath. “Absolutely.” After clasping the strap, they stepped across the threshold. Her face hurt from how wide she smiled. “It’s like an underground spa mixed with a little Iona.”

“Did the koi fish give away the spa vibe?” Rayne snickered.

“Never mind the plants and the waterfalls.” Tameka held out her arms and spun. “Look at this place. It’s beautiful. Why the hell was he living on bases with us? I can see why you snuck off here so often.”

Andrew called from around the corner, “Hey, Rayne! How do we get across this ravine?”

“On my way,” Rayne answered and took off.

Tameka followed, curious. Ravine, indeed. A huge square chute, like an elevator shaft, separated them from another corridor on the same level. Many other entrances scattered above and below on all sides.

Rayne grinned at them. “Tameka, take a step into the air.”

The redhead looked over at her friend. She trusted the other woman, but her crazy ideas also got them into a lot of trouble over many years. But what the hell? Tameka never backed down. She stepped right into the chasm, and a glass tile formed underfoot. She grinned, astonished, but not exactly surprised. “Enki tech?”

Rayne nodded. “Yup. All over the place.”

They climbed and wandered as Rayne displayed a few of the pieces in Xelan’s glass-pressed museum. Meanwhile, Tameka caught faint traces of leather and honey around the place like a ghost. Warm, inviting, and haunting. She imagined his smile as he guided their tour around the artifacts. By the time they reached his immense study, she needed to sit down. The white chair welcomed her like his arms.

Leather-bound volumes, Rayne explained were his journals, lined the hexagonal walls three stories high. Black flames burned in the fireplace. The simple but expansive desk lining the eastern wall gathered dust. The black couch, however, looked wallowed in. She found Rayne’s nest.

Sagan asked, “So, you’ve only been here, really?”

Rayne pointed to the couch and shrugged. “Yea. We get to explore this place fresh, together.”

The blond gave a mischievous smile. “I’m really curious about Korac’s message. Floor three. Room five. Can we start there?”

Andrew hopped onto his feet. “Sounds like a good idea, but I’m only saying that because I’m overwhelmed and afraid I’ll get lost if I go anywhere alone. This place is…”

“Impossible,” Tameka finished for him. “Like everything else about Xelan.”

Kyle stayed quiet, smartly.

The climb up to floor three was clumsy with them mis-stepping for the glass tiles. But it was silly, blundering fun. The kind with warm giggles and maybe a snort. Maybe she was the one to snort.

Kyle muttered at one point, “Man, I should not have smoked that bowl before leaving the fortress.”

They paraded through the only corridor on level three. Room one appeared in an organic bend. They stared at it. Eventually Andrew asked, “Should we open it? I mean… is it okay to just go into places?”

Rayne answered by opening the door and walking inside. “Oh, my god,” she gasped.

They followed and likewise froze in the entrance in awe and… appreciation. A bed, nightstand, desk, bookshelves, and dresser furnished the spacious room. Designed in Xelan’s usual color palette, but flared with personality. Andrew’s personality, specifically.

Black lights, anime posters, and weapons resembled memorabilia he collected back home. Game systems waited beside an unused television. Beside that waited a case filled with DVDs and games.

Pictures of the Progeny at random outings and gatherings surrounded them. Mostly the skating rink and the movie theater. But one picture captured a rare moment at a mini-golf course. Another of them trying out horseback riding at a local ranch. Two pictures of them climbing Pinnacle mountain.

Andrew swallowed before joking, “Do you think there're boxers in those drawers, too?”

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

Kyle slapped him on the back. “You joke, but remember how thoroughly he packed the Ionas?”

Rayne giggled.

“Hey, I’ve got one, too! I’m number three.” Sagan beamed from the doorway. “It’s perfect. He went to one of my track meets, apparently. Hey! He’s got a pic of us learning to make funnel cakes.”

Tameka rolled her eyes. “Oh, please tell me it’s before the flour exploded.”

Never dropping her open smile, Sagan answered, “No. It’s after the baking powder hit the ceiling fan.”

Kyle barked out a laugh. “Why was there a ceiling fan in your kitchen, Rayne?”

“For that exact reason, duh.”

The curly-haired man stared at a door. “You think he made me number two?”

Sagan and Rayne snickered while Tameka checked out number four. Behind her, Kyle yelled, “Yup!”

The room Tameka opened up melted her heart. A perfect night sky shone from the ceiling. Little fiber optics twinkled like stars and planets. The linens on the bed reflected the cosmos above it. Pictures of her friends sat atop the same furniture from Andrew’s room, but also portraits of her. Tameka never saw so much of her smiling face. Mid-laughter, mid-conversation, mid-bite—every one of her smiles.

She picked up a pillow and hugged it to her chest. So thoughtful. So wonderful. So very missed. And that made her think about—

Tameka rushed out of the room to catch Rayne staring at door five. Curiosity shone in her eyes, but her body went stiff. Ready, but afraid.

Tameka whispered, “Do you want to go together?”

“Please.”

The redhead opened the door, and they walked inside. The walls in Rayne’s room composed a mural of a storm with heavy clouds and lightning striking a violent ocean. The ceiling was the turbulent dark sky. The carpet was white sea foam. It took Tameka’s breath away. Rayne’s hand covered her mouth, her eyes a little shinier than before.

Like the other rooms, pictures consumed the furniture and some wall space. Rayne walked over and picked one up from her nightstand. Tameka looked over her shoulder. The brunette sat alone on a boardwalk staring out at a beach as the sunset. She looked so young and pretty. The woman beside Tameka resembled the girl in looks alone. Rayne grew up into a responsible, beautiful young woman. The girl in the picture wasn’t ready for that responsibility yet.

“I have no idea how he took this,” Rayne marveled.

Tameka’s brows popped up. “Yea. Some of these… I mean wow…”

“This was Labor Day weekend freshman year. You guys went to the all-night skate. Momma said I was too young to be out all night without her. Do you remember when we used to think fourteen was all grown up?”

Tameka grinned at her friend’s affectionate smile.

“I spent the entire weekend moping, but while we were watching The Lost Boys, I said I always wanted to visit a boardwalk like that. Momma said she always wanted to see a Florida beach. Daddy said let’s go. And we piled Jack into the car. We made the nine-hour trip in seven hours to Fort Walton. There weren’t rides or anything but there was a mini-golf course, ice cream, snow cones, beach play, swimming…

“At one point, I wandered off. Left mom and dad with Jack on the beach to watch the sunset…” Rayne stared at the picture like she thought Xelan might appear in it.

This was the first time in a long time Rayne opened up. Tameka spurred her on, “What happened after?”

“We watched the fireworks and momma drove home so daddy could rest. Jack had so much ice cream and cotton candy he got carsick on the way.” She grinned a bit.

Tameka recalled, “I remember you came to school sunburned that Tuesday.”

Rayne swallowed, and her face fell. “Mom was so exhausted that night she asked me to close the bookstore with her.” She finally looked up with tears on her cheeks.

Tameka’s eyes widened. “You mean…”

“Yea.”

Xelan put off confronting Rayne at least in this picture and maybe dozens of other times before turning their worlds upside-down. He didn’t want to interfere with this moment. Didn’t want to take them away any sooner than he had to. That wonderful Icarus.

Tameka wanted to reach Rayne in this loneliness. Now seemed liked a good time to tell her. “Rayne, I’m—”

“You guys don’t think it’s slightly creepy he took all these pictures of us?” Kyle popped into the doorway.

No way was Tameka about to finish that sentence with him in the room. “No creepier than you sneaking around having private rendezvouses with Sagan’s bad boy toy.”

From down the hall came a faint, “Hey!”

Kyle’s gaze fell. “Fair enough.”

Sagan appeared behind him. “Anybody hungry?”

Rayne grabbed a pillow and tossed it at Sagan’s head.

Kyle pointed and laughed at the crazy mess it made of her braided hair. He also suffered a pillow blow to the head powered by super Rayne.

They almost started a pillow fight when Tameka noticed a book on the bed with a note. It was under the pillows. When she read the front, Tameka gawked at the mattress. “Rayne.”

She turned and stared down at it. Her eyes looked bluer in the stormy room.

Sagan pointed. “Hey, it’s Korac’s cryptic gift.”

Rayne muttered breathlessly, “That’s not from Korac.” Cautiously, she picked up the bound tome. It looked heavy, like a dictionary. She opened the note, and Tameka was grateful she let them stay. Even as her complexion drained of color.

“What is it, Rayne?” Sagan asked what they all desperately wanted to know. Even Andrew tried to squeeze in the doorway.

Rayne swallowed and looked up at them. Her lips straightened into a flat line as she answered, “It’s Nox’s Verse.”

Tameka recoiled, disgusted. “Why the fuck would he think you’d want to read—”

“Now, wait a minute, Tameka.” Andrew tried for reassuring. “He was old and not a friend of the Tritans. It’s possible we could learn something from it.”

Kyle chuffed and walked off.

Sagan stared hard at Rayne, but she kept whatever she thought to herself.

“How did he even get in here?” Tameka panicked. “What if he left traps or a fucking bomb or something?!”

Rayne stared down at the tome. “I don’t think he’d write his entire life out and blow me up before I got to read it. I think we’re fine, and Korac left it…”

“Do we trust him, now?” Andrew asked.

Sagan glared. “Yea.”

Kyle called from the antechamber, “Andrew was asking Rayne. You’re a little biased.”

Rayne set the book down on her bed. “I think we should eat. We can talk while we cook. Does that sound good?”

Something changed in Rayne since she found that book. If Tameka didn’t know any better, she’d say the girl’s body gave up one enormous sigh of relief. Her shoulders relaxed, her posture more inviting rather than concerned, and she kept glancing at it like she couldn’t wait to read it. Communication in this group needed to open up some.

And that’s when Kyle burst out with, “Anyone gonna tell Matt and Lucy we can smell when they’re fucking?”

Without hesitation, Sagan cut her hand at her throat. “Nope.”

Rayne’s eyes went wide and her lips pursed. “Uh-uh.”

“Not it.” Tameka did not want that conversation.

Andrew held his hands aloft. “I don’t wanna touch that. Also, I’m grateful you didn’t make us screen them. I don’t wanna know what’s in their heads.”

“Dark things. Sexy, dark things,” Sagan offered.

They ate, and Rayne was right. A lot of the tension left them as they climbed up to the study with full bellies and tired eyes.

Rayne climbed a ladder nearby to the very first volume on the shelf. “Now, this might suck, but… Xelan left us some notes. And I’ve waited all this time to read them with you.”

Tameka and Sagan shared the couch and leaned on each other. At Rayne’s announcement, Sagan began rubbing circles on the redhead’s back. Grateful, Tameka kissed the blond’s temple.

Kyle and Andrew both sat up to the edges of their seats with respectful expectation.

“This is in the first volume.”

—

“June 12, 2006

“If you’re reading this, I died during the fight. Well, at least I hope I made it to the finale, anyway. I hope I got to see each of you soar and shine so high and so bright you matched the sun, my brilliant Progeny.”

Tameka choked back tears before the second line.

“It was only recently, in Corpus Christi, when the buildings fell around us that I considered I wouldn’t make it. That I must prepare something for you in case I didn’t. So please find my journal enclosed, the record of my very long life. These are moments and research captured for significance. Please handle them with care. No torn pages. No folded corners. And no tears.”

—

Andrew stared hard at his hands clasped between his knees.

Kyle looked at the study’s door as if he expected the Icarus to show up and brag at how good he pranked them.

Sagan sniffled as Rayne returned that volume and made her way to the last. “So, he assumed somehow we’d read all this before making it to this point. But I’ll just skip to the end.”

—

“June 12, 2006

“Tameka,”

That was it. Tameka gasped out a sob, Sagan cradled her as she broke down. Rayne carried on:

“The regret for the brevity of our relationship grows more unfathomable each day I spend with you. Why I put off accepting your kindness and your strength in my life for so long? I will never know. But in the time we’ve spent together, I’ve known a peace denied to me for a good bit of my existence. Thank you for the gift that is your sassy, direct, fiery way of being. I love you more with each day. And I will continue to love you long after I’m gone.”

As Tameka cried, she heard Rayne swallow before the next line.

“Rayne,

“I failed you. Please don’t cry. It’s true. You reading this makes it true. I hope I died in some fearless act to protect you—”

Rayne lost it and cried in her hands.

Andrew handed her a tissue, unable to comfort her any other way, and picked the book up from there.

“—rather than some witless attempt at revenge.

“I kept our shared lineage a secret from you for the same reason I kept my relation to Nox a secret, I couldn’t bear your rejection. I suffered so much loss over these long years. I refused to lose you, the closest I ever had to a daughter.”

Rayne went to her knees, and Sagan took Tameka with her to the floor. Touch wasn’t allowed, but proximity might do. Kyle sat at Rayne’s side. Andrew knelt and continued:

“And that’s how I think of you. Not as a Weapon. Not as a leader. I’m so proud of you, Rayne. You are everything I ever hoped you could be and more. I know you’ll do the right thing, no matter how hard. I love you.

“My Shadow,

“There’s more work to be done. I know each of you will make things right. Except Kyle. I never told you to your face, but you really suck, dude.

“Tameka, don’t read this over again. Please.”

—

The four non-Kyle Progeny chuckled between sobs. Then giggled. And finally broke into full-on laughter at Xelan’s foresight and Kyle’s predictability. But it struck Tameka, that while possibly expecting this, Xelan also knew they would remain a family.

“Fucking figures,” Kyle groaned.