II
Extinguish
ELEVEN
Inferno
The forest was so pretty this way, a strobing rush of silver glowing trees.
Rayne wasn’t sure how fast she was careening backwards from Nox’s last blow. Square in her chest, he’d delivered the most beautiful turning side kick she’d ever seen. It didn’t help she was mid-charge when he’d landed it. Nox’s strength plus Rayne’s momentum.
Bone broke. The air whooshed out of her lungs. And she went flying.
Rayne had already recovered. Obviously. Within the first thirty seconds, her sternum and ribs re-knitted, and her respiratory system sucked in Thailea’s atmosphere, which her nacre converted into oxygen. But she let herself keep going backward as Rayne considered her latest Elden dream.
“Go back, Elden. You cannot know the mistake you are making.” Condescension permeated the Primary’s voice.
The man with him, the one he called Three Two Four, looked serene in his unusual dress. There was a sharpness to his double-crescent eyes which spoke of strategy.
They had expected Elden, but perhaps not along with Silence’s armies. Several million Icari lingered on the threshold he’d created, waiting for orders.
How had it come to this?
“I want only my Silence. Where is she?” Elden shifted into Atramentous, keeping his eyes closed to spare them from Li.
For now.
They were in a glass space, occupied by blue faces and one green. They shared the same race as the Primary. Giants, few in number, but surrounded in opulence. The sight forced Elden to shut his eyes. He couldn’t control his rage any longer.
Silence.
Elden’s well of sorrow was bottomless, and he drank deep of whatever they offered. Gasps and cries erupted as people collapsed and bowed. Or begged. They filled him, and he passed this essence onto the Icari.
When Elden next opened his eyes, even the nameless Primary and his pet were on their knees. While they were incapacitated, he sought their lives and their minds.
Neither were a good man.
Three Two Four let his suffering carve a pit into his heart.
Once we dispose of Elden, I’ll speak to the Primary of a little known advantage. Inanis could turn the tides in Tritan favor and spare me from my father’s constant condemnation.
Remorse, the Primary, couldn’t accept the world outside of his control.
If this rotten Icarus ever learned I know of Silence’s location, he’ll never stop interfering with the war against the Aegis. How did he gain these abilities? And how can I take them for myself?
Silence.
Li boiled behind Elden’s eyes. There was no stopping this. He couldn’t contain his fury.
Elden shifted his eyes, and his heart broke with the screams. Silence was all he wanted. Not this suffering.
When another brilliant white light competed against the sun in Elden’s eyes, the Icari at his back retreated into Cinder. This additional source was cold, and a wind howled from it, sucking into a vacuum.
It tried to consume Elden. Should he let it take him? To see where it led?
Somewhere, Silence was out there, and he would not fail her.
Elden opened a conduit and stepped out of the strange, sterile place. The smell of fresh thyme let him know he’d fallen into one of Cinder’s violet fields. Silence’s soldiers surrounded him, waiting for orders.
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But there were none to give.
Not yet.
Elden would try again. And again. Until he found her, or some disaster took him first, Elden would not stop looking for Silence.
Sixty seconds now.
Rayne front flipped and let her wings stabilize her. The forest was alive around her with birdsong and hopping critters. It smelled of fresh growth and dry leaves all at once. Taking this second to soak in some nature helped clear her head and lifted her spirits.
That’s when Nox came in from below like a missile.
One swift sweep to the right, and he missed her. But boy, he corrected fast. With fierce determination on his face, Nox gut punched Rayne and took a grip on her arm to swing her onto the nearest branch.
No matter how strong Rayne became, a perfect punch to the gut still left her heaving. One from someone as strong as Nox left her spitting blood. Internal bleeding, anyone?
He didn’t hold back either. Prepared to deliver an excellent curb stomp, Nox brought his combat boot down on Rayne’s face.
Luckily, she caught it and put him off balance enough to shove him backward.
With a run-up, Rayne pulled out an old move, wrapping her legs around his waist and flipping him over her until she landed on top.
Nox grinned at her with a little salute. “Hello to old times.”
Rayne leaned closer to his face, teasing a kiss as she said, “You’ve had three years to think of a way to counter this. Show me what you’ve got, Nox.”
In less than three seconds, Nox hooked his legs and arms under hers and suplexed them up and over.
The bough switched places with the leaf canopy in a dizzying whirl of glowing silver and twinkling chrome.
Rayne was on bottom now, and Nox pinned her to the branch by her wrists over her head. They stared at each other from inches away, both of them breathing hard against her hair. Not that Rayne was checking herself out, but she’d intentionally worn a distractingly revealing sports bra.
Nox was ready, and it wasn’t only his spicy scent which had tipped her off.
Wait.
Something was wrong.
Nox’s expression went from hungry to bothered. He released her and stood, offering a hand.
Rayne took it, asking, “Did I hurt you or something?” She went to look him over, but Nox gently stayed her hand.
“No. I mean no more than usual.” He patted his ribs and tried for a reassuring smile. “It’s nothing to worry about.”
This felt wrong. Ignoring this couldn’t be right. When Nox looked away from her scrutiny, Rayne reached out and cupped his jaw, turned him back to her, and said, “Please tell me. What I like most about how we get along is how forthcoming we are with each other. I’ll understand if you really want to keep something to yourself, but if you think I should know, even a little, please share.”
Nox pressed her hand to his face and nuzzled into it. Everything about his expression looked haunted as he said, “I wanted you while you were pinned and helpless—” He raised his free hand to stop her from interrupting. “I know you’re never really helpless, but it was the instinct. One I hoped to be rid of after everything…”
Oh.
Truth be told, Rayne had wanted him, too. For the same reason. It was a fierce passion which craved raw and painful intimacy. And it was an old desire. One which had inspired her writings from years ago, which Nox later used to ruin them. Rayne had wanted him for so long, and he did everything she’d asked in her writings, but…
Xelan.
Sometimes Rayne swore if their worst moment had taken place only between her and Nox—If Xelan had never been involved—Rayne and Nox could’ve been a couple sooner.
Was that wrong? It felt twisted, but it also felt right.
Shit, Rayne had gone too long without saying something, and Nox mistook it for rejection. He gently took her hand down from his face and stepped away—
“No!”
As Nox peered at Rayne with his heart open in his eyes—Elden, how could she salvage this?
Fearing her words, her thoughts, herself, Rayne said, “Nox, you can make a nightmare feel good.”
His brows shot up, and he vigorously searched her eyes for honesty. For truth.
Rayne let it show and reached on tiptoe to rake her fingers through his hair. With more emotion than she could contain, she asked, “Do you understand?”
The onyx of Nox’s eyes shone with respect at her honesty. He bowed with his head in answer.
The moment stretched. Rayne played with the little braids in his hair. Nox stared down at her in reverence, soaking in the affection—
Wallop.
They both burst into snickers, while Rayne stated the obvious. “There he goes again—”
Wait.
A lighter, brighter wallop followed.
Nox peered up at the canopy, saying, “I think he found her.” Idly, he pulled Rayne against his side while they listened to the early morning conversation.
“Would you like to walk me back to the treeloft? Luckily, you didn’t hurl me too far away.” Rayne smirked when Nox met her eyes.
He squeezed her and kissed the top of her head. “Let’s.”
They flew down to the forest floor and held hands for the walk. The walloping chatter continued as they strolled home. Funny how Rayne had come to think of the treeloft that way. Or… Was Nox ‘home?’
He interrupted her thoughts. “They should have children before too long. Little wallops.”
Rayne grinned at the notion of a little family nearby—
“Have you… Has it occurred…” Stammering.
Nox rarely stammered over his words. He stopped trying and collected himself before asking, “What of pregnancy?”
Rayne’s blood drained to her feet, and she nearly fainted. The walk came to a sudden halt as she stared up at him, wide-eyed. “I-Uh-Uhm… That’s never—I don’t think that would work with everything…”
“Breathe, Rayne.”
Oh, yeah. She’d definitely stopped breathing. Deep inhale. Shaky exhale.
Nox continued, “I wasn’t referring to us… reproducing. I was meaning to ask about your nacre. Female Icari say it’s a nudge or an inkling which tells them to prepare to either keep or…” He couldn’t bring himself to finish the last. Not after what Celindria had done to him.
Rayne squeezed his hand and assured, “I haven’t noticed anything.”
In awkward silence, they returned to the walk, more about the destination now than the journey.
As if he were thinking aloud, Nox said, “I suspect with everything about your nacre and how it affected your body… Perhaps…”
Maybe Rayne couldn’t have children.
That would make such diabolical sense for them to prevent her from breeding. She was only a Weapon to destroy Enki. And why not take everything from her while Imminent were at it—
Sobs broke from Rayne.
If she were honest, she’d never considered children. How could Rayne when her life was one battle after another? But Nox…
He deserved a second chance to be a father. Like Xelan was—Like Rayne knew Korac must be—Nox would make a wonderful father.
It was in the way Nox put his arms around her and held her close, a quiet comfort. He let her cry without telling her to stop, because if this wasn’t worth crying over, what was?