{Earth}
Kyle trusted Cypher with Silence. Since returning to the fortress, the group formed a quiet rapport. They spent the day exploring the observatory, reading books on Cinder’s history to learn exactly when she fell out of it. The exotic Icarus devoured the volumes with rapt fervor in silence. Pun intended.
She spoke three words since surrendering at the festival. “Yes,” “No,” and, “Stop.” The last she said when Cypher started singing “Constant Sorrow” from O’ Brother Where Art Thou. Guess she wasn’t a fan of the man’s Clooney impersonation.
Sagan Seamswalked right into the observatory while Kyle watched the amnesiac finish her three hundredth tome. The book crashed to the floor when Silence bolted out of the chair. Not frightened. More excited.
For Elden’s sake! Didn’t the Seamswalker learn to knock after that one time with Pablo and Lynn? Sure, the observatory was more public, but sometimes Kyle locked the doors and went shorts-free.
“Oh, please don’t tell me this is all you have for her to wear?” Sagan scoffed, taking a gander at the refugee’s ensemble.
Silence repaid in kind while dressed in one of Kyle’s oversized Hawaiian shirts, and Cypher’s tactical pants fit her like capris. The Seamswalker ditched her trademark coat for a fluffy double-knit cowl neck sweater and jeans. The cream color of the top brought out the amethyst in her eyes. The skin-tight jeans brought out one of her better assets.
In an awkward turn of events, Silence’s gaze snapped to Kyle right as he was assessing the particular asset in question. On a reflex, of course. But something in the Icarus’ gunmetal gaze told him that excuse wouldn’t fly.
Kyle cleared his throat and stood from the desk he leaned against. “Okay. So, you two.” He waved his joint between Cypher and Silence. “Play nice while I’m gone. Sagan and I will be back for you both once the meeting is over. I want you in one piece. Got it?” He glanced at Cypher, who gave him a salute.
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
Silence was scanning Sagan with intensity, ignoring Kyle. Instead, her eyes glittered, and her chest heaved when she inhaled deeply. The flare in her gaze implied she liked what she smelled.
Sagan broke into a mischievous grin, which Silence returned with that movie star smile of hers. Oh, Kyle was not sleeping tonight. The idea of those two together would keep him up for a month.
Cypher ruined the moment by speaking, “Don’t keep Fury waiting. The last time that happened, I had to carry your ass around for a week while you recovered.”
Sagan broke the spell with a little shake of her head. She finally drew her gaze away from Silence and nodded to Kyle. “Right. Let’s go.”
He fought not to pout as the Seamswalker took them to the nacre chamber. Grumbling the entire way about murdering Cypher for ruining his fantasies, Kyle took his first step into a phenomenon. The nacre chamber capped the entire north pole of Elden’s Sphere on Cinder. Encased in the amber glass, it enshrined the nacres of its makers. The Coalition and Elden. They sacrificed themselves to encase the planet in the unbreakable material when Li imploded into a red giant. But…
Silence could break it. She shattered those cuffs.
A hand on his shoulder startled Kyle. He pivoted to find Andrew smiling at him. As far as smiles go, Conscience’s warm beam reminded Story Taker of family. Of home. Forget the hand clasp and shoulder tap. They stretched and grappled each other into a bear hug.
Muffled against the other Progeny’s shoulder, Andrew asked, “How long has it been?”
Although they kept to a revolving King duty schedule, they rarely bumped into each other anymore. “Nine months, I think. Where’s Lucas?”
Andrew separated first with a heavy sigh. “Finishing up with The Brethren. I’ll be honest, some of their findings were less than reassuring.”
Kyle raised his brow in question.
The other Progeny shook his head. “I’ll explain to everyone when they get here.”
Sagan Seamswalked back into the chamber by the central pedestal with Tameka and Pablo. Pablo looked like he just went through wringer. And judging by the look on Tameka’s face, she helped put him through it. Fury was her name for a reason.
Andrew hugged the fuming woman, anyway. “What’s wrong? Where’s Lynn?”
She spared a fervent glance in Pablo’s direction before saying, “You won’t believe what’s happening.” After spearing her fingers into her curly hair, she stressed, “It’s Lynn. The Brethren insisted on the transfer. And it’s going down.”
“When?”
“Right now.”