{Cinder}

A heartbreaking howl wrenched Andrew from Lucas’ embrace. He pivoted around to a sight that stole his breath away. Xelan—alive and crying—knelt in the dirt with the most agonized expression drawn on his face. Tameka, piggy-backing Pax, reached for him as the rest of the Gait team spilled quietly into the crowded pit.

Discretely, Andrew flipped the coin. It landed on its side. He half-expected the damned thing to melt with how unpredictable this shit was today.

Cypher, Colton, Lynn, Pablo, and Smith shared similar looks of elated surprise and gut-wrenching sorrow.

Twenty-One and Bones kept calm, observant, with hope flickering in their eyes.

Matt and Lucy pressed to the back of the crowd, holding hands. Iuo and some Mon3 drone followed them out of awkward solidarity.

Pehton and a herd of Lyriks swept to the side.

Jack and Devis openly gaped.

Legir and X shared a knowing smile, as if they never doubted.

Lucas’ golden eyes shone with happy tears.

Lamassau made his way to Tumu with a few darting glances for the Icarus.

Caedes paled and swallowed hard, looking between Tameka and Xelan. John gripped his shoulder in consolation.

No one dared make a sound.

Before Tameka could comfort him, the lost Prince spread his wings and flew to the island. He stalked around the Martyr Complex, looking intimidating in that kilt with Sagan’s axes. He checked the plumbing equipment. The locking mechanisms. The gold filigree. Finally, he commanded, “Rayne Echo Callahan. You can leave this box. You’re scared. I know it. But I helped you out of it once before. I’ll do it again. Wake up. That’s an order.” Paternal. Kind. Sad.

Andrew held his breath and gripped his chain. Surely this was it. An event important enough to wake Rayne. Everyone she loved waited together.

But nothing happened.

The redheaded Progeny caught Andrew’s eye on the way to the skid with Pax. Conscience widened them to show his surprise. She smiled to show her gratitude for the miracle.

Lucas took his hand and squeezed it. Right. Andrew wanted to try. “Xelan?”

The Icarus hung his head with his back to them, but gently, as was his way, responded. “Andrew.”

He wet his lips before continuing carefully. “The last time I needed to talk to her, she came to me in a dream that night. She said it was too much. That she needed to talk in person that way.”

The Icarus’ back heaved with a deep, shuddering breath. “She told me she was fine.” Lost, he sounded lost. As one recently returned from the dead after two years would sound.

Sagan, alive and well, approached the lake’s edge with her usual guileless confidence. “I know this is hard to believe, but she’s happy. Happier than we’ve seen her in years. Please, give her time to reach out to you. She will. I promise.”

Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

Pax squeed as the skid skirted across the water. The boy’s happiness resounded throughout the pit. Everyone melted at it. The whole trip across the lake, he trailed his fingers in the water much to his delight.

It was the first time Andrew saw Xelan’s eyes in two years. Puffy from tears, he watched his son disembark on the island. The kiddo grinned for his dad as he toddled over to the Martyr Complex.

“Auntie Rayne. I brought daddy. He sad.” Pax cutely twisted a finger into one of his red coils and huffed as if in deep thought. When he turned, he beamed at his father. “She takin’ a nap. Try ’gain later.” He reached to play with his dad’s pinions. “Hee! I wanna fly. Teach. Teach!”

The two parents shared an adoring look that warmed the hearts of each onlooker. It pulled couples together and broke the tension in the pit. Suddenly, hustle and bustle gripped them once more as the groups briefed one another on the events of the last twelve hours.

Iuo, holding an unconscious red-feathered Lyrik after relieving Oleen of the burden, approached Andrew and Lucas. “Do you have anywhere I can make her comfortable?”

Over by the ramp, Andrew overheard some of Korac, Sagan, and Pehton’s conversation. The Icarus suggested, “The dungeons. They’re dry and mostly comfortable. I rather like the irony of locking the wardens in a cell together. Let’s see if anyone has the keys.”

Ross led a girl with badly bleached hair to the palettes. Jack went to her side and asked with cautious hope, “Bethany?” At her nod, they smiled and hugged before sitting down with the lost girl.

John and Caedes sat at the table with Lamassau and Tumu. All of them silent as if afraid to speak.

“Let me be the first to introduce you to cheesecake, Twenty-One.” Bones. Oh, shit. “Hey! Who the fuck ate my cake?! Dammit, Lam! I was saving that!”

Twenty-One chuckled, shaking that massive body of his.

Andrew grimaced and turned his back before Bones glimpsed the guilt on his face. Colton raised a brow at him. The talented pastry chef himself. This was really his fault. Andrew shrugged. He was only a man. Resisting that level of temptation belonged to the gods.

The rest of the crew spread out.

“I miss Pisces, bubble baths, and my closet.” Lucas wrapped his arms around Andrew from behind.

And boy, did it feel good leaning back into that. He closed his eyes and soaked in all this warmth. His family with them. But home sounded nice, too.

“Let’s talk about your legendary closet, Lucas.”

Korac sounded unhappy. And water was wet.

Andrew rolled his eyes at the interruption, but Lucas volunteered rather cordially. “Former General, you’re more than welcome to shop, but I believe you’ll find the slacks ill-fitting.”

The fair Icarus smirked handsome enough to make Sagan blush. His elegant cadence delivered barbs like a pro. “If the sleeves could make it over my biceps, no doubt the shoulders would strangle me.” She nudged him, and he smiled gently for her. By the time he looked back up to them, he slipped back into the smirking mask. It almost belied the exhaustion in his eyes. “I wanted to thank you for the wardrobe.”

Lucas bowed his head. “I found it a most fascinating exercise to dress an ego as vast as yours.”

Good-humored and genuine, Korac barked out a laugh. “Hah! Well, feel free to shop for me anytime. But you know, I found one thing mysterious.” His voice thickened with suspicion. “It was so entertaining how often I threw an ensemble together identical to clothes I wore two years ago. Even the kilt from the Volcano Day battle.” He gestured with a nod at Xelan’s gear.

Andrew frowned and glanced over at Sagan. She nodded, with her lips in a tight line. Odd.

Lucas didn’t miss a beat. “I’m glad my games provided some amusement for you. One only imagines how a prisoner finds entertainment on Gait.”

“They don’t have to worry about that anymore.”

Sagan.

On Korac’s arm, she stood as tall as his elbow, but after today, she was the scariest person in this room. Save one sleeping King.

Ignoring Korac, Lucas hugged her tightly. At the bruised coloring under her skin, his brows drew in concern. “Please make time to see Dr. Suarez.”

“I will.” She smiled sweetly at him before she and Korac swept away.

Andrew stared, bewildered. “What a power couple—”

The awful whirring started.

Every fucking hour!

Jack and Ross watched Pax play on the palettes around Bethany and Triss. So when the blood mining mechanism started inside the Martyr Complex, Tameka winced at Xelan’s outburst, “What the fuck is that?” He never cussed unless shit was deep.

The coin landed once more on its side.

Right. Explaining the exsanguination mechanism might suck.