{Ishkur | Palatial Grounds}

The dancing went on forever. Tameka thought it was especially cute when T.a.o. took a turn with Korac, Seamswalking them all over the place. Pax danced with Sagan, finally getting over his shyness around her.

Tameka wanted more kids. A little girl with Xelan’s hair. Then maybe he’d let Rayne rest.

Fury was sure Xelan wasn’t aware she knew of his plans to find the fallen girl, and Tameka would never break Xelan’s heart by trying to convince him she was dead. Just… no.

But how was this false hope any less cruel?

Half of the women in the galactic crowd were templated after Rayne, a monument to the fallen. They’d erected statues of her. She was required reading in all the schools. Iuo approached them about legitimate franchise rights.

“I would like to take the responsibility of providing an accurate and sensitive account, because if I don’t, someone else less responsible will create Elden knows what.”

Tameka was concerned, but Xelan, always seeing the logic first before his emotions, granted Iuo approval.

Movies and a series about them—What a weird world they lived in.

No weirder than Matt and Lucy joining the fun on the dance floor after Korac had to pry them apart only minutes earlier. Tameka was nosy, so she’d asked the Iona General, “What did you say to them?”

Sagan had laughed before she stopped herself with a hand to her mouth, as if Korac had already told her.

That piqued Tameka’s interest more, and she raised a brow at the stoic warrior.

Korac caved with an indulgent look. “I told them no fucking on my wedding day unless they wanted me to join them.”

Xelan, obviously eavesdropping, burst out into laughter, causing Sagan to lose control once again.

Tameka couldn’t laugh because her mouth was gaping open. Wow. Well, that explained the look on Lucy’s face. Tameka glanced at them in the crowd. They were moving their way toward Jack and Ross. Nosy, and not apologetic about it, Tameka took Xelan’s hand and pulled him toward the action.

There, Tameka overheard Lucy finish an explanation. “…And so we’re heading out to Pil. We were wondering if Bethany could come?”

Behind her, Yito was giving two thumbs up. Puk was pointing at the Tritan.

Bethany, who was still partying with Pax, stopped to give her older sister the same face Tameka had given her parents when she wanted to sleepover at Sagan or Rayne’s. Big eyes and a slightly pouty lip.

Kyle overheard and gave Silence a violent spin in their direction, which she executed perfectly on her heels. Bethany’s brother asked, “Can you repeat that?”

A little back and forth took place before Matt finished with, “I think it would be educational for her to come along.”

Korac, Tameka knew, was every bit as nosy as her, squeezed his way through the group to give his two cents. “I think Bethany would be happy on the field trip. Would you like to go?” He looked down at the teenage girl, who absolutely beamed at him with pure adoration.

“Yes! Can I go, please?!”

Anytime Bethany spoke, her family stopped breathing, and Tameka swore their hearts stopped beating.

But while the others stared at Bethany in shock, Korac stepped into Matt’s personal space and muttered barely loud enough for Tameka to hear, “If anything happens to her while she’s with you, I will remove your ability to reproduce. And I know I don’t need to tell you to keep your paws off each other around her, right?”

“Yes, sir.” Matt didn’t sound scared at all, and his eyes… At Korac’s threat, whatever warmed the redhead’s blood stopped and left him cold. “We’d do nothing to traumatize her further, and I appreciate you vouching for the trip.”

“Damn right you do.”

So… In the past, Tameka had appreciated why Sagan and Xelan were attracted to Korac’s looks and confidence, but that display—

“Are you all right? You’re flushed.” Xelan sounded so concerned, and Tameka only turned redder—

Korac caught her stare, and the bastard winked.

Xelan sniffed and looked between Tameka and Korac. Rather than get upset, Xelan rolled his eyes and muttered, “Now he’s claimed another victim.”

Amid Tameka’s personal crisis, Ross said, “I think it’s okay if she goes. What do you think, Kyle?”

Kyle looked into his baby sister’s beaming face and sighed. “All right.”

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The young girl jumped up into his arms and swung. “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.”

Tameka wondered if it hurt Kyle more that his sister hardly spoke at all or that when she did, it was to thank him for letting her go.

“Okay everyone,” Sagan called.

Korac finished, “Gather around. We want to immortalize the moment.”

Xelan took Tameka’s hand, then Pax’s, and lead them to the center of the Shadow. Kyle and Silence stood on her right. Andrew and Lucas stood on Xelan’s left. Pablo and Lynn branched from there to Pehton and Caedes. Tumu and Lamassau completed the first row. Matt and Lucy were behind Silence with Bethany, Jack, and Ross. Chris, Karter, Para, and Bones collected behind Pehton, completing that row. Iuo, Twenty-One, Miy, Devis, T.a.o. on Andrius’ shoulders, Smith, Colton, and Cypher completed the third row.

Shadow, new and old.

Shadow through and through.

They held still while Sagan and Korac sat at two easels; him sketching and her painting.

Twenty-One, grinning, muttered through his teeth without turning to anyone, “How long must we pose like this?”

Miy shrugged. “I don’t know. I didn’t bother smiling.”

Pablo laughed—

“Be still just a few more minutes,” Sagan called.

Kyle said, “She was talking to you, Pablo, in case you didn’t know.”

The tallest in the bunch on her brother’s shoulders, T.a.o. said, “Without this we vanish. It’s always best to obey Korac.”

Everyone turned their heads and looked at her. Tameka nearly burst out into laughter when she saw Korac peek over the canvas with wide eyes.

Xelan chuckled.

Into the awkward scene, Sagan announced, “All done.”

Korac echoed her. “You can relax now.”

Tameka put a hand on her hip. “Well, do we get to see it?”

“Mommy!” Pax sounded so exasperated that it made Tameka smiled.

“Here we all are.”

They turned their canvases simultaneously.

The Shadow.

Sagan and Korac had included themselves in the images at the very front.

Andrew called first, “I want a print!”

Silence said, “As do I!”

They all shouted requests including, Tameka and Xelan. Eventually, everyone sat back at the table, chatting about the day.

Beside Korac, Pehton blurted in her conversation with Tumu, “Ohhh… The Twelve Worlds. The Tritans counted Ishkur all that time.”

Kyle and Silence passed Tameka’s chair to interrupt Sagan’s and Korac’s kissing. A dangerous move to anyone with concern for self-preservation. Luckily, Kyle didn’t have any, which made this all the more humorous.

“Ahem.”

They stopped kissing to glare up at Kyle, who held out a fairly large box. It was wrapped funny, with holes in it.

No.

Not a box.

That was a kennel.

Tameka turned all the way in her seat to watch, and Xelan spared her an amused and curious grin.

“What’s this?” Korac asked.

Kyle answered, “Your wedding gift.”

Sagan laughed, incredulous. “Opening the gifts at the wedding isn’t a thing, Kyle—”

The kennel barked, and Korac went completely devoid of color. His eyes widened to saucers.

Sagan recoiled at his reaction, and she growled at Kyle. “What the fuck is in the box?”

Kyle grinned as he handed it to Sagan, because Korac refused to touch it.

Tameka scooted to the edge of her seat, waiting. What kind of dog would do that to a grown Icarus—

Peeling back the paper revealed a black Chihuahua with a purple ribbon for a collar. The poor thing shivered, demonic and ugly as it was.

Tameka became acutely aware of the people pressing around the moment, suspended, watching with bated breath. Oh, Kyle had planned this for a while now. He looked so proud of himself. Sagan glanced between the dog and Korac, who looked ready to claw his way to freedom.

When the Chihuahua’s lips peeled back from it’s teeth with a snarl, Korac grabbed the nearest steak knife and—

Xelan grabbed him. “Whoa, whoa, animal rights’ activist.”

Lamassau said, “Pay. Up.”

Bones groaned.

Iuo asked, “What about a stay at my villa? I don’t have a thousand credits on me.”

Twenty-One said, “Well, I think my bet stands since he technically tried to kill it.”

Sagan held off her man and glared at Kyle, but it was half-hearted. Tameka could tell it was more of a sister’s irritation with a brother. The bride groaned, “When, exactly, did you invade his memory for this information?”

Xelan took the knife from the General and walked him a few paces away to cool off.

Kyle looked less smug and a little apologetic. “I thought it would be more fun than this. I didn’t think he was actually phobic.”

“Well, he is. Apologize to my husband, then give the poor puppy to a family who will love it.”

Tameka shook her head. She loved Kyle, but sometimes it seemed like his decision-making skills had never properly matured. He went over to Korac, who was regaining some color. When the groom didn’t immediately kill the Progeny, Tameka supposed the apology went over well. She admitted to Sagan, “If I were Kyle, I’d fear retaliation.”

“Oh, Korac won’t have to retaliate. I will.”

Behind them, Karter laughed, walking up with Chris and Echo. “I thought my son could use some angel time.”

At the baby’s whistle, Korac manifested like the man could Seamswalk, himself. “How is she doing, mother?”

Xelan came back to sit beside Tameka with a cheeky touch on her thigh while Karter recited everything Echo had eaten and tried to say during the day.

Sagan was playing with Echo’s toes as Karter held the infant in her arms, when someone brought up naming the next Iona sector.

Tameka turned to Xelan, who was smiling and talking to Pax. “What will we name the next one?”

As everyone looked at him, Xelan said, “There are plenty of fallen to choose from.”

Sagan tucked a loose tendril behind her ear. A gesture Tameka knew was her way of easing into something uncomfortable. The Seamswalker asked, “Have you thought about ‘Nox?’”

Korac stopped mid-bite to stare at his bride with the truest love in his eyes.

Tameka raised her brows initially, but the more she thought about it…

Nox fought the good fight wrong and became lost in the violence—a mistake any of them could make—especially under pressure from Remorse’s machinations. Maybe it wasn’t such a bad idea.

When she turned to say as much to Xelan, she found him looking off into the distance. There was so much conflict there. Meeting no one’s eyes, he said, “I understand him better now than when we were children, teens—brothers. His motivations… I see them and agree with them until he invaded Earth the second time. Everything after that is unforgivable. He was cruel and arrogant in his madness, and billions of people suffered for it. Humans, Icari, and…” Xelan swallowed, unable to say Rayne’s name. “No. We honor him enough by distributing his Verse, and only because she wants it so.”

There Xelan went again, talking about Rayne as if she might appear at any moment. Tameka wanted to acclimate to it, but this coping mechanism hurt so badly.

Abruptly, Xelan stood and addressed the Shadow. “I apologize. This isn’t a toast. This is an invitation.” He turned to Sagan. “Perhaps it isn’t the best time with it being your wedding night, but I want to steal you away.” He met everyone else’s eyes. “All of you. I’m ready to tell you everything. Join us at the stronghold, and I will continue this journey the way it began.

“Together.”