{200 CE}

While I lived up to my five-fight obligation, I investigated the nature of T.a.o. and Razor’s “friendship.” That meant spending ample time with my old friend. With me at the top of the Vast Collective’s most unwelcomed list, T.a.o. resorted to sneaking us around black market dives for information regarding her brothers and sources for Icarean supplies. She kindly returned me to the Castle often enough that Nox almost neglected to notice my absence.

So, I fought. Gained materials and leads. And spied on the warm interactions between a close friend and a man I mistrusted for no apparent reason.

[SS]: I’ve been wiggling in my seat since he first mentioned Razor.

Go ahead, babe.

[SS]: He always makes that word sound so silly when he says it. I stop wiggling enough to ask the question I was sitting on, “Did you ever recognize him?”

No. I never saw his face as a child, and Triss was careful not to say his name. Besides, I suppressed my entire childhood. Reduced those memories to less than nightmares until Pehton asked me to help with Inanis. The resurfacing of my past has left me…

[SS]: He doesn’t need to finish the sentence. I’ve held him after the terrors in the middle of the night. I’ll probably redact that and maybe confide it to you in person one day, Rayne. When we can finally catch up face-to-face. For now, I’ll give him some comfort.

[SS]: We went for a break. Showered and changed clothes. Until this point, I was wearing lingerie, but I wanted a hug from Pax, so jeans and a white tee did the trick. The neckline is exceptionally low cut, exposing the top of my black bra. You know? So Korac can catch glimpses while he paces behind me.

What we do for those we love.

I so appreciate your consideration, amos. I shall take egregious advantage, but let’s return to my concern for T.a.o.

From my exposure to their arrangement, it seemed she kept him company and worked for him while he sought leads and allies around in search of her brothers. With his help, T.a.o. learned Celindria peddled technology similar to Devis’ gift—

Sound familiar?

[SS]: “Was Razor not running the booths by this point?”

The Emporium offered experiences at a similar capacity in the technology’s infancy. When I asked about this, she assured me Razor never suspected it was Progeny-based or gained by nefarious means. And swore if Celindria were alive, he would stop dealings with her once he discovered this sinister secret.

Amos? You’re drifting from me.

[SS]: I have to clear my throat to speak. “Sorry. I… Razor was so twisted.” It took Matt, Lucy, Puk, Pehton, Korac, and I sitting around like a support group discussing our encounters with him before I puzzled together exactly how badly he manipulated me. Never mind the actual support group the Lyriks established to cope with their very serious trauma.

Rayne, I’m sorry I wasn’t more like you. I should have killed him the first time he smiled at me.

No. We are not doing this. Break time.

[SS]: We took a day off. I’m still in my cute outfit, but better prepared to parade around in it for my man. Now, it’s my turn to be the distracting one.

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

Sprite, what’s your opinion on cage matches? I’m curious how a warrior like you, backed by righteousness with a talent for slaughter, manages that conscience of yours. And I suppose that endearing attribute, among others, reached Nox in the end.

Xelan wouldn’t approve.

I killed three men over the course of two months while watching the backs of my two closest friends. T.a.o. insisted on searching for my people, as well as transporting me to Earth to meet with members of CoN. In this way, I relieved Nox’s thirst for news of Progeny descendants.

I didn’t enjoy associating T.a.o. with our second invasion efforts. I abhorred sullying her with our vengeance. No matter how blameless, but eventually, I found a task in which I was willing to ask for her help.

“Ementa?” T.a.o. cocked her head to the side.

I smiled and nodded assuringly. “A friend. She would welcome a Progeny. I would have to fly you there from the Castle. Would you care to join me?”

She had this beam… An eighty/twenty mixture of raw enthusiasm and a little mischief—

I hate Celindria for taking her. Truly. Hate.

As we journeyed to the continent, T.a.o. discussed the universe and our place in it and all the sights she’d seen in her short life. Despite the endearing direction of our conversation, I stopped short of the continent’s deepest valley where they kept the city camouflaged. I absorbed the horrifying sight as I alighted us on a nearby summit.

Slaves.

And they were human. Terribly mistreated. They scraped along in nacre-glass chains from a corral to a factory made entirely of nacre glass.

“T.a.o., can you please take us down there? I want in that massive hall right there. Yes. That one at the top, please. Then come back here. I will escape on my own.”

She took me at my word, flitting me down and disappearing without argument. Columns lined the open veranda atop the highest point of the facility.

A man and a woman argued there. They stopped at my abrupt disruption.

The Caprent man snarled, “How the fuck did you enter our facility?”

As a snake-form Lamia, the woman towered above me with a body made entirely of muscle ready to crush the air out of me. “Korac.”

“Where is Ementa?”

They both blinked aggressively at me. Eventually, one came to their stunned senses. “She is gone.”

Gone.

No.

I reeled, reaching for my whip. “Deceased? How? What of her daughter? Why are you breeding human slaves?!”

Switching his voice to something that passed as fatherly, the man tried to calm me. “Soothe, boy. You have been away for some time. Things change. Ementa died during the evacuation to Cinder. Her daughter, too.”

Gut punched.

I barely unclenched my jaw to demand, “Tell. Me. How.”

The Lamia rolled her black and purple eyes, slithered her tongue, and whipped her body into a tight coil poised to strike me. “She disagreed with the initiative. Killing her daughter was a mercy, and your death will herald another victory for our people against those who jail us on this ashen prison.”

She struck. I flipped away and narrowly avoided her next snap. It was close enough I heard the cartilage unhinge in her jaw.

Opening my wings, I flew out of the columns. Also out of her reach. She hissed and growled at me.

The Caprent man tried to offer some reason. “You cannot imagine our futility. We are superior to your species in every way, but what counts. Your bad luck on Earth cost us further progress. The humans make us nacre ore. We use this to advance. It could be useful for your people as well.”

Bitter and dangerous, I smirked. “Trust me. I know of a use for you.”

I flew to the mountain peak where T.a.o. waited. At my expression, she frowned. She always knew what was under the mask.

“Retribution? Yours is clear. Clear as glass.” With that, she reached for me.

That’s right.

Glass.

T.a.o. returned us to the Castle where she informed me, “Razor calls through the Seam. I must go.”

I grit my teeth, but hugged her before she left. Then I went in search of Nox to find him attending court in the throne room.

His mouth curved slightly upward at my appearance. That passed for a smile during those times. “General, you seem in a fever.”

I stormed in and swept to his throne despite the others gathered around it. “Sire, I discovered a source of nacre glass. Enough to construct the Cruor Villam.”

Now, Nox grinned. I won’t lie. When murder was on his mind, my King’s features twisted into depravity. His voice got silkier, as if pleased in ways I didn’t think too hard about. In that baritone, he declared, “That is worth a feast. What shall you require of me?”

“Three legions, twelve scientists, and two days.”

“Done, General. I leave it to you.”

I never bowed, and I appreciate Nox knew why in his Verse. Of course, I respected him, but I bowed to no one.

With my small army, we invaded the continent. Tore it apart, but we left everyone alive. They were made useful. Using their own nacre distillery, we mined them of their amber pearls. From the treacherous minds of the continent, the scientists and their men extricated considerable troves of exciting machinery, communication, and industry. Including crawlers and more Vittle supplements.

I ate Lamia meat that night for dinner.

For Ementa, and for her daughter whose name I never learned.

T.a.o. returned the next night, inexplicably crippled by tears, and I was once again struck with the lust for killing.