{Enki | Pantheon}

Once again, Andrew scanned Primary Rem and Bol’s intentions, and once again, Primary Rem glared at him with dispassionate voids. It was weird how the Tritans could sense if Andrew and Kyle used their abilities on them, and also weird that they couldn’t affect Lyriks at all. Humbling was the word.

The second the villainous Primaries’ intentions shifted from staying the current course, Andrew would sound the alarm. Imminent’s own people fled, evacuating for fear of their leadership. As for the Vast Collective troops, Razor opened some conduits to Ishkur within Cinder’s Shrine, which was still available through Sagan’s conduits. It boggled Andrew’s mind to imagine there was a second Dyson’s Sphere. Across the way, Sagan and Korac conferred with F8, Legir, and X to supervise the Vast Collective’s mass exodus for the new world.

One hour.

That’s how long Xelan said Rayne gave them to leave.

And Andrew was a reprobate because he wasn’t concentrating on any of it. Every fiber of his being vibrated this close to Lucas and his golden eyes shyly averted like Andrew’s. Yet both men pretended they were holding their positions in this fight. With every peripheral glance from Lucas and ever amused smirk by Smith, Andrew knew the truth.

Beside them, Silence and Kyle communicated similarly. They were happy to see each other, if their grins were any indication. It was an awkward but anticipated reunion.

“Keep your faith in me a little while longer.”

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A long talk. That’s what they needed.

Everything was so tense that Lamassau nearly startled Andrew as the Tritan came over his private frequency. “Hey. This is where I get to say ‘I told you so.’”

Andrew didn’t need a refresher on what the good Tritan referred to.

Pax.

Lam was right about him.

Elden, how many days ago was that? It felt like a lifetime.

The toddler was playing in the Villa’s tree, and he made a few references to things he shouldn’t know. Lam came in and accused him of being an evil genius.

Andrew responded discretely, “It’s looking like you exaggerated a bit.”

The fire-breathing Tritan ignored the semantics to say, “I also won the engagement pool. You, Bones, Kyle, Twenty-One, and Iuo owe me twelve thousand credits. I knew he’d propose in battle.”

In the background of Lamassau’s mic, Andrew overheard Iuo say, “I’ll swing you and Tumu a free film instead. Unless he plans on being decompressed, then the production costs go up.”

Bad images. Bad, bad images.

When Andrew stopped rubbing the obscenity from his eyes, he glanced to find Lucas staring at him, bemused. The golden-eyed Icarus asked, “Was it Lamassau or Bones?”

Blinking, Andrew said, “Lamassau. How did you know?”

The other man smiled, and it sent an electric current to Andrew’s toes. He barely heard Lucas answer, “You only do the eye rub when you’re talking to one of them, and they suggest something salacious.”

Andrew gave himself permission to chuckle. Just a little. “Yeah. One of Iuo’s ‘films’ for Lam and Tumu, decompressed.”

Lucas’ eyes widened.

Smith recoiled with a puckered face.

Kyle gagged behind Andrew.

Silence said, “I’d pay for that.” All the men gave a slow turn to stare at her in disbelief. She shrugged, utterly unashamed, and confessed, “It would be a sight these ancient eyes have never seen.”

Bewildered, Andrew shook his head, blinking. It made some sense, but wow.

Another voice came over his earpiece. It was Razor.

“Shadow, this is your only warning. Vacate the Pantheon post haste. Seamswalker, make the sweep. Pehton and Miy standby. I’ll need my birdies to sing the Primaries one last song.

“Their requiem.”

Down came the first drop of rain.