{300CE}

Celindria’s capture of T.a.o. was different in every Probability. As always, Razor, pathetically unable to contain his grief, informed Imminent of T.a.o.’s departure. And as always, this meant someone had forced themselves on the ancient Seamswalker and conceived the Progeny line. For whatever reason, T.a.o. never consented to continuing her lineage.

But never had Razor confessed, “I thought this time if I introduced her to Cascading Light that she would see the conception was inevitable and spare herself the trauma.”

Remorse recoiled and barely concealed the ire in his voice as he asked, “You initiated a Progeny without consulting us?”

Celindria hid her smirk and quit listening.

None of their nonsense mattered.

Soon they’ll be done, and we will be all that is Imminent.

T.a.o. always ran to Korac with her pregnancy, and she always delivered inside the Seam. Afterward, she’d give the baby to Lucas, their spy in The Brethren, for adoption.

Then it was time.

Months after the call, the pieces fell into place.

Celindria shadow-walked into Lucas’ Roman estate. Colorful mosaics decorated the walls and floor, but they garnered little notice as she hummed with anticipation.

The Seamswalker.

Her ability is so much more versatile than ours.

Convenient, too.

But not as rare. No one is as singular as us.

“Welcome to my home.”

Celindria rolled her eyes as she faced Lucas, leaning in his archway, bemused. After billions of Probabilities, the men in Imminent grew so tiresome. Already a goddess of the Source, Celindria offered no platitudes. Instead, she asked, “When do you expect her to arrive?”

“I’ve arrived many times and always on my own,” T.a.o. said as she stepped out from behind Lucas, who was smirking.

This was new.

Celindria narrowed her eyes. She took a step toward them, asking, “Are you not happy to see me alive? Surely father told you I perished on Thailea.”

Lucas looked down at T.a.o., who returned the knowing expression.

An alliance?

T.a.o. spoke as she crossed the room to Celindria. “My brothers… Their cries rattle the Seam.” She tilted her head to the side, saying, “As do yours.”

She knows we cry.

Kill her.

“Will you save them with your mercy?” Celindria asked, prepared to disable T.a.o.’s nacre and carry her back to Enki.

T.a.o.’s nod was unexpected.

Celindria looked beyond her to Lucas, suspicious of the Seamswalker’s cooperation. In a voice filled with skepticism, she asked, “Truly?”

Lucas gave a modest shrug. “What can I say? My negotiating skills are impeccable.”

Celindria warned, “T.a.o., if you disappear on our journey, I will subject Andrius and Devis to your punishment.”

“To home, sister. Let us stop your tears.”

With her eyes narrowed once again, Celindria asked, “What is it you think you see?”

Warm and unpredictable, T.a.o. reached a dainty hand to touch Celindria’s face. The smaller woman’s voice was in three pitches. “His decision to choose you comes from within your heart, sister, not his. Perhaps you should try to find it before destiny chooses for him.”

{Now}

Celindria laughed.

And laughed.

From the moment she saw Nox kiss Rayne, Celindria couldn’t stop laughing. She’d backed into the nearest wall, slid down it, hugged her knees, and laughed.

But it wasn’t funny.

Celindria laughed because she knew her heart was broken, but she couldn’t feel it. The shards of it dug into her ribs until she couldn’t breathe—But there was no emotion there whatsoever.

But, Rayne…

Stolen novel; please report.

The young woman’s expressions were radiant and full of life—Rayne was in love with Nox, whether she knew it or not. It was in the light of her eyes and the curve of her smile.

Even as Celindria looked at them now, from Cinderken’s eyes, they kept peering at each other with the sickening innocence of blossoming love.

We should kill them both.

No, we should save Nox from Rayne.

But don’t kill Rayne. We can utilize her.

So Celindria laughed.

This farce must go on.

Caedes, Nox, and Rayne had flown into the Overseer, flushed with the thrill of competition and young romance.

Celindria nearly incinerated them along with Cinderken and the game leader, who said, “Lord of Odds, we bring you the victor and your fallen champion.” He bowed with his mechsuit.

Out of Cinderken’s mouth, Celindria said, “You’ve cost me a great deal of credits tonight.”

Caedes didn’t even flinch, surely irritated Nox and Rayne had interrupted his investigation into Cinderken’s Imminent connections. They also ruined Celindria’s advantage for Cinderken to reach Korac.

When a window would open in Celindria’s emotional capacity to feel, this moment would hurt the most. The moment she turned and looked at Nox without a trace of recognition from him. Those shining black eyes, like onyx, stared at Cinderken without response.

Tell him the truth.

Tell him now.

No, don’t. Nox would never forgive us like this.

“Has anyone ever told you, you bear a striking resemblance to the former King of Cinder?” There, Celindria managed that much at least.

Nox’s deep baritone washed over her. “It has been said.”

Forgetting the other two, Celindria asked Nox, “What is it you want?”

Did he just glance at Rayne?!

Did she just blush?!

Celindria took an involuntary step forward before the game leader caught her attention with his musings. “They’re so dedicated to their roles. Do you know who hired them, Lord Cinderken?”

Performance.

Nox is playing a part to access Father through Rayne.

He could still be ours in this reality.

Maintain composure until it’s time to confront him.

“All three of you seek me regarding a certain auction on Pil, yes?” Celindria tried to keep Cinderken’s voice smooth and confident. Once she captured their attention, she said, “I warned Amaryna, the auctioneer, not to traffic children. Too polarizing and impossible to forgive.”

“You make it sound as if politics are more important than scarring those kids.” The indignation in Rayne’s voice grated more on Celindria than the self-righteous storm in her eyes.

When Nox looked at Rayne with love and gratitude—the way he used to look at Celindria—

Don’t shift into Atramentous here!

We must remain calm!

“Caedes?” Celindria-as-Cinderken asked.

The gruff Icarus humphed.

Celindria glanced down at the announcer before asking, “Did you collect enough evidence to indict me on charges against Iona Pax?”

In the avian way of all Icari, Caedes tilted his head. “I have evidence you incited protests against the volition vaccines. As for this auction, I believe Amaryna had accomplices, and you know who they were.”

“I’ll turn myself into your custody in exchange for two things.”

The actual Cinderken, prone and exhausted inside his mindscape, groaned in protest. It was quite the realm he’d built here with multiple tiers of loan sharking and brutal collections—Some organ harvesting for delicacies to the cannibal underground. But none of this interested Celindria. She needed a convenient lamb for the Shadow slaughter to get closer to Korac.

What’s better than a world with Nox?

A world with two.

Caedes peered between Rayne and Nox before asking, “What are your conditions?”

“An audience with your masters and… The ribbon.” Celindria grinned within Cinderken’s mind, but left his face neutral.

Nox’s single chuckle was filled with incredulity.

Rayne sounded more concerned. “Why?”

Caedes looked equally suspicious, glaring as Celindria said, “It brought our victor so much courage, and I could use the good fortune. Not to mention it’ll fetch me an Emperor’s ransom after today’s spectacle. Consider it collateral for my rehabilitation upon my release.”

Faster than Celindria had ever seen Nox move, he gripped Cinderken by the throat and growled, “Where is Celindria?”

He’s looking for us.

We knew it! He’ll always come for us.

We are the Eternal Bind!

Aroused, Celindria smirked. “Is that what you want?” She almost added, ‘lover,’ but that was a dead giveaway. “The last I’d heard, Celindria resided in Paradise.”

“Does that mean she’s in Ishkur?” Rayne’s constant intrusion rankled Celindria. Especially since her question made Nox let Celindria go.

She rolled her eyes at the virtuous martyr act. “Sure. She’s in Ishkur, herding sheep.”

The actual Cinderken whimpered as those were his exact words from his campaign against the vaccines.

The dwarf chuckled beside Celindria, who grew tired of these games. With a sigh, she held out Cinderken’s hand. “With the game leader as witness and the ribbon as guarantee to the plea bargain, you agree to grant me an audience in exchange for my testimony. I’ll expose Amaryna’s accomplices as well as testify to Celindria’s last known location. Although if you ask me, that’s just looking for trouble.”

Caedes grumped, “No one’s asking you.”

Nox was still glaring at Celindria, tantalizing her, when Rayne touched his arm. Everything about the Icarus softened, turning Celindria’s erotic fantasies of fighting sex into pure nausea.

Rayne’s smile for Nox was gentle and full of affection as she offered, “I can make more ribbons.”

Yuck!

Kill her!

No, don’t. Convert Nox and make him kill her while Xelan watches.

Yes!

Nox looked down at the tattered blue thing in his hand like the piece of trash was precious. Celindria was prepared to rip it off herself when he handed it over. There was a touch of grief in his voice as he asked, “You’ll give up your partners and tell us the last place you knew Celindria to be?”

“I’ll give up everything I know for this ribbon, yes.”

The game leader gasped beside him. But who cared? Inside his mind, Cinderken even managed to beg, “P-p-please. No…”

When the ribbon fell into Celindria’s hand, she said, “There’s a second Obsidian Palace in Ishkur. It’s underground, beneath a public club called Night Rayne’s Tomb. There, you’ll find most of the parties responsible for the human trafficking ring. The last place I saw Celindria was…” Where would be a good place to lead them? “Umbra’s Spire in the infamous tower. I meant what I said about Paradise. Celindria told me that’s where she resides and waits. For Nox.”

Nox’s eyes flashed, but Rayne showed more of a reaction. It was an odd one.

Sadness?

Pity?

We wish we had her compassion and capacity to love.

Then maybe father could accept us.

And we would be worthy of Nox’s love.

The loneliness returned.

Celindria held up Cinderkin’s wrists. “Caedes, can you take me into custody now?” Anything to get away from the sight of Nox and Rayne sharing affectionate glances while she could do nothing about it.

The nacre cuffs went on, and Caedes gripped Celindria’s arm tight, saying, “Lord of Odds, you are in the custody of an officer of the Concerted Empire of Iona Pax…”

Celindria stopped listening as she stared at Nox and Rayne leaving together, hand-in-hand.

“…Until you meet with General Sagan, General Korac, Co-Emperor Tameka, and Co-Emperor Xelan.”

A contentious family reunion.

Celindria looked forward to it.