{Enki | New Cinder}

Rayne hugs.

Elden, Andrew missed this. The family was coming together. Soon, they’d find Tameka. He’d flip his coin to see what it would take to rescue Pax from Remorse. That was a new, but not insurmountable, obstacle.

Everything was working out.

Andrew hated that Rayne’s fuse was lessening even as they embraced. He couldn’t miss the flinch in her eyes as she let go. All hundred thousand pairs of them.

Before the battle started, Andrew would need to touch base with Kyle. The exposure to Celindria’s throes heightened Andrew’s immersion in the Probability Matrix. He was seeing duplications of everything again. In one of them, Rayne glowed.

And Xelan was missing from several. Since he returned with Rayne, the Icarean Prince kept averting his gaze from Andrew. There was no mistaking it. Just now, Andrew tried to look at him directly, and Xelan ducked his eyes, swept back his fancy coat to reach his pockets, and leaned against a tree while Rayne formally introduced herself to Lamassau and Bones and reacquainted with Pehton.

Regretfully, Andrew scanned Xelan’s intentions.

I must deflect Andrew’s attention for now. He can’t scan me while I’m overwhelmed and exhausted. It’s all too raw, and he’ll see.

What was there to see?

Andrew could pry, or for Elden’s sake, he could trust someone again. If he was willing to keep his faith in Lucas a little while longer, then surely he could spare some confidence in their leader.

Out of kindness, Andrew stepped over to Xelan who straightened from the tree and faced him, flinching. The younger man shook his head. “At ease, man. I’ll leave you alone, so you have one less thing to worry about.”

The tension in Xelan’s shoulders and neck visibly melted as he sighed with relief. “I—”

“No. No explanations. Let’s bask, okay? Tameka will reemerge. I promise. And…” Andrew flipped his coin in the air and let it fall to the ground. “Heads.” He skimmed the borders of the Probabilities, stretching some to see clearer. Shrinking others which only clogged the perception—

There.

Andrew said, “There are twelve Probabilities where Primary Rem steals Pax, and only in three of them do we fail.”

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Xelan looked thoughtful as he confirmed, “Three. That’s a seventy-five percent success rate.”

Now Andrew smirked. “We’ve beaten worse odds, Wingmaster, now let’s get Rayne and get back to the battle.”

“So you breathe fire?” Rayne asked from behind.

Lamassau sounded less than modest. “I’m the only Tritan who can.”

Bones snorted. “That’s because you’re full of hot air.”

Sagan cackled.

Andrew heard the roll of Pehton’s eyes in her tone. “Ignore these two. Watch this.”

A whoosh told Andrew she’d ignited the Siren’s Gale, and Rayne’s enthusiasm was as infectious as it was missed. “Holy cow! Woman, you are literally on fire! High-five—Douse the flames first!”

Laughter all around.

Korac came over the earpieces, “Dr. Suarez is almost finished with Karter and Chris. Then we’ll return to the troops. Over.”

Sagan answered him. “On our way.” To the people on the mountain, she said, “This has been fun, but I need to check on the mother of my kid. Anyone want off this rock?”

Andrew and Xelan joined them as Sagan opened a conduit. The group lined up to file in. Everyone but—

“I can’t go with you.”

Rayne.

Andrew frowned, but he let Xelan take the lead here, as he was doing in every Probability. Xelan asked, “Why not?”

Their strongest warrior looked out over the field of dead copies. Her voice sounded so sad as she said, “There are…” She paused as if receiving her next word from an internal source. “Quadrillions of those Weapons across every continent but one in Enki.”

They all shared the same wide-eyed, terrified expression as Rayne went on.

“Their bones are made of nacre ore. None of you can break nacre glass, but I can. I have an idea, and I’ll need your help.”

They listened. When her skin pulsed blue, Xelan took the time to explain Silence’s warning about Rayne’s nacre expiring. She said, “Well, that’s perfect because…” She went on to elaborate how the second countdown worked for her plan.

Once Rayne finished, Andrew pointed out. “This is all contingent on Tameka’s return.”

Rayne ducked her head, abashed. “I was kinda eavesdropping and overheard you say she was coming back soon.” She entreated Xelan. “And I can feel it. She’s alive and strong. And probably dominating some underground empire, poised to return with reinforcements when we need it most.”

Xelan laughed as if he couldn’t help it. Those two had that effect on each other. “Fine, but what will keep you safe?”

Andrew wondered about that himself. If Rayne positioned herself to destroy Enki using the weapon, then didn’t that mean it would destroy her with it?

Rayne insisted, “Well, that’s the beauty of it.” She paused, as if listening to something, before continuing. “Alone, I don’t think I could survive, but with Tameka’s ability, I can become strong enough to heal it.”

Xelan asked, “How can you be sure?”

Andrew knew the answer. “Because that’s what happened when we would train together, right Rayne?”

She beamed at him. “Exactly. I responded to Tameka’s ability this way. Almost like it was engineered.”

Bones offered, “There’s always the chance Operation Gait will destroy Enki.”

The King of Earth and Cinder frowned. “Operation Gait?”

Pehton explained, “Matt and Lucy are ensuring half of the broken planet collides with Enki’s hull.”

Lamassau held out his fist. “Once again, nice one, Seamswalker.”

Sagan bumped his fist with a proud grin.

This was Andrew’s family in all their continuous potential. He would die to protect them. So he tried his best not to stare at Rayne, and all the swirling Probabilities surrounding her. The light was so bright it blinded him.

Andrew would do anything to keep it from burning out.