Tameka gathered around the forge with Rayne and Kyle. The weasel promised to build custom weapons for the Progeny over the next two days, except for Sagan. Korac’s battle axe never left her side. The girl even slept with it. Meaning Tameka shared mattress space with a razor sharp instrument every night made weirder now that she knew its significance.

Stifling a shudder, she returned to her design. “Yea, can we make this out of gold?”

Kyle shook his head and explained with a wizened authority that impressed her, “Gold is a weak metal. We’ll make almost everything from steel and either gold plate or add gold accents. Sound good?”

For the first time in a while, Tameka spared a voluntary smile in his direction. “It sounds great.”

He returned the expression with a little surprise in his eyes before pointing to the schematics. “Okay so for the barbs, I was thinking—”

“Peaches, can I borrow you for a few minutes?” Tumu sounded concerned.

“Is everything all right?” Rayne asked with suspicion in her voice.

The Tritan nodded. “Yes, fine. We’re planning the victory party.”

Realizing he meant for a secret meeting, Tameka hid her shock. Victory party, her ass. She followed him away from the group outside and into the cafeteria. Alone with the smell of grilled chicken, she asked nervously, “What is it?” She worried it was about the—

“Have you thought about what you’ll do once the baby is born? Or during pregnancy?” Tumu shifted uncomfortably, and all the lines of his face drew tight.

“Uhm. No. Honestly, I’m kind of focused on two days from now. It’s hard to plan for a future with something like this ahead of you.”

He nodded and relaxed. “We won’t let anything happen to you. No matter the outcome of the battle, we’ll keep you safe.”

At first, warmth flooded Tameka’s heart. Her and her baby. Xelan’s baby. Safe. Then the unusual singularity of his terms settled like a brick in her gut. “Even if all my friends die—”

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He flinched.

“—You’ll make sure I survive.”

He nodded, slowly.

Oh, hell no. “What do you want with my child?”

He held out his hands to placate her. “Hear me out.”

Tameka already rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. This was fucking ridiculous.

“I want you to come back with me to Enki—”

“Fuck off—”

“The child of a Progeny and an Icarus is unprecedented. Especially such a gifted Icarus.”

She snapped, “There’s no way in Hell I’ll let you steal my son from me!”

He shushed her, and she pulled back to knock him a good one. But something on his face froze her to the spot, sure as if ice filled her veins. His voice contained no hint of threat, but a massive force weighed behind it, “Believe me. You don’t want to do that.”

Tameka lowered her fist and shook with fury. “Tumu, what is going on?”

He sighed. “I’m trying to protect you. Others will come for you. For your son. If you go with me to Enki, I can protect you. And the Tribunal will consider you a non-issue within arm’s reach. Here on Earth or on Cinder, they will find more excuses to invade your life until they eventually take you, anyway. Peaches, please.”

She glowered at him. Tumu’s words made sense, and she considered herself a smart, aware person. Aside from her elation at carrying Xelan’s child, she understood the gravity of this conception. She mostly made up her mind, but one factor might sway her. “Tumu, what if I say no?”

The Tritan inhaled slowly, and an eerie calm consumed him. His voice came so deep it hurt her head, “Enki will retract all troops from General Callahan’s resistance and consider Earth unclaimed territory.”

Nox would take Earth unchallenged and enslave humanity. Tameka meant for her laugh to come out incredulous, but it bordered on hysteria. “Well… I guess I need to have the Post Office forward my mail.”

“I’m sorry, Peaches.”

More incredulous, almost hysterical laughter at her once beloved nickname. Always quick. Always thinking. A thought struck her. “I want to bring someone with me.”

He nodded. “Any of the Progeny are welcome—”

“It’s an Icarus. And he’s coming with me.”

As he guessed which Icarus, Tumu recoiled, and shock wavered his voice, “I understand the loneliness is hard, but a rebound so soon?”

Tameka looked away as pain lanced her chest. She swallowed twice and still her voice sounded thick with emotion, “I don’t care how long I live, I will not—I can’t—” Even imagining someone else squeezed her heart dry. She shook her head and locked gazes with him. “I have my family. And that’s enough.”

Tumu gripped her shoulder, respect naked in his eyes. “That’s what I expected from you.”

She stared at his hand on her. “Tumu.” His name came out cold, and he dropped the comforting gesture. Tameka let the fury show in her eyes. He took a step back. “Keep me and my son safe. Do not betray me. Don’t betray Xelan. When the time comes, choose the right side, or I’ll bury Enki in the vacuum of space.”

Tumu gazed down at her a little longer. Shorter than him by several feet, younger than him by—god—millions of years, and a pregnant female to boot. Tameka meant every word of her promise. And as he fell to one knee and pounded a fist to his chest, Tumu let her know that he believed her.