{Enki | New Cinder}

Ross hated cowering like this with full grown and terrified adults in the room. Some of them were thousands and even millions of years old. All of them hid from Celindria.

If Ross held Jack’s hand any tighter, she might break his bones. He kept her beside him, not behind or in front, mirroring Bones and Para. Devis and Andrius exchanged nervous glances over T.a.o.’s pretend asleep body and Karter’s actually sleeping one.

Then there was Tameka. Something about what happened to Chris gave Fury a signal not to needle Celindria as originally planned. Instead, she delved carefully into the First Progeny’s motives. It was like watching someone tight rope between two buildings, but one building kept experiencing an earthquake.

No matter how much Ross tried, she couldn’t grip onto Celindria’s memories. Sometimes she’d catch static or a glimpse, but they all slipped through her fingers. Like downloading half a program and trying to run it. Ross exhausted herself trying. So she pressed herself closer to Jack and took comfort in the inhales of his scent. Clean, like a mahogany teakwood candle.

Elden, Ross could sniff him for days—

Suddenly realizing her bizarre behavior, she sat back and stopped smelling him.

Bones caught her gaze then. He gave a small smile that said he caught her being weird, but totally understood it with a gentle nod in Para’s direction.

How embarrassing and comforting and just so not what Ross needed with the rest of this moment.

Celindria stood and stretched.

The people in the cell held their breaths, including Ross. She was so scared that she accidentally slipped into Atramentous.

Shit.

Jack looked down at her and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze, but Ross couldn’t make it stop. In and out of Atramentous. That was one sure way to draw attention—

“After your brother invaded my memories in quite an excellent maneuver, caution forbids me from allowing your proximity.” Celindria walked over to the cage with guns drawn and stared at Ross. “Struggling with your self-control?”

Everyone in the cell glared at her, but Jack’s body increased the most in temperature to the point of forcing Ross to drop his hand. It burned. She didn’t enjoy having Celindria’s focus on her either, but there were more dignified ways of handling this. So with her chin high, Ross said, “I’m sure you can appreciate how fear affects the Icarean instincts in our DNA.”

Stolen story; please report.

Celindria wasn’t paying attention to her now. She was staring at Jack.

No.

“You’re very much like your sister.”

Jack opened his mouth to say something, but Tameka squeezed his shoulder until he clapped it shut. A tear spilled from his eye and evaporated into steam on his skin.

Celindria’s eyes flashed. “What vexes you so? Was I threatening your mate?”

Jack poised to lunge at her—

No! Ross couldn’t watch this, so she blurted out the first thing on her mind. “You’re a real bitch for leaving me with Razor and killing Wiw.”

The smile fell from Celindria’s lips as she snapped to Ross, who wanted desperately to wince from her sudden focus, but bravery and all that. The First Progeny stared at Ross for so long, the younger woman saw something move behind her eyes.

Fuck bravery. Ross flinched from her.

Chris stood, fully recovered, and made his way over to the cage. Celindria never blinked and never took her eyes off Ross. Jack peered with a hopeful expression at his former guard. Their friendship was one of mutual support and guy jokes. Chris practically raised Jack into adulthood. Maybe that was enough to reach him.

As if reading Ross’ thoughts, Jack called to Chris, “We’ll get you out. I won’t leave you here.”

Meanwhile, Celindria finally blinked and backed over to her workstation. She pressed the mechanism which unlocked the cage and watched expectantly as Chris held out a hand to Ross.

He was under Celindria’s volition, so it was really her holding out a hand. Still, Ross trusted him. She took it.

Para cried, “No! Don’t!”

But not before Chris jerked Ross out of the cell and slammed her back against the bars in Jack’s face. The mechanism locked with an audible gasp and many cries from the others.

Ross couldn’t pay any attention to that right now. Breathe and remain calm. Those were her priorities as Chris picked her up by the backs of her thighs and spread her legs around him.

Jack shouted, “Stop, Celindria! He doesn’t want to do this. Leave her alone!”

Tameka cursed. “I swear, if you’d just get to the point and fight me, woman, this would all be over by now! Let her go!”

Again, Ross ignored them, her heart beat like a frightened rabbit. Shallow breaths heaved out of Ross and threatened to hyperventilate her if not for her nacre. Chris gripped the nape of Ross’ neck and gently tilted her mouth up to his.

Tears fell from her eyes. “I know this isn’t you. It’s okay, Chris. There’s nothing to forgive, okay?”

Everything stopped there, and the Shadow’s shouts died in the emptiness.

Chris wasn’t as warm as Jack, but he was warm against places on Ross that were still unexplored. It wasn’t his fault. She knew that, but she desperately wanted him to set her back down. He pinned her legs around him in a crushing grip. They were both dressed, so this was still salvageable. If only Celindria would let him put her down.

With a swift sweep of her skirts, the First Progeny left the lab through the tunnel without a glance in their direction. Left them locked up with someone strong enough to bust the bars, and left her and Chris pinned to them. Through his deep brown eyes, Ross knew she stared at Celindria in there, watching them. Who needed a gun for a threat when this display was enough?

“Ross, talk to me.” Cautious concern filled Tameka’s voice.

Jack echoed her, “Are you okay?”

Stuck in this awkward and emotionally stressful position, Ross swallowed and answered, “I’m okay.” Her voice sounded thin and far away.

Para promised, “He would never do this to you.”

“I know.” Ross meant it.

Devis muttered close to Tameka, “T.a.o. can save us.”

Andrius seconded the idea. “I’d like that very much.”

Tameka reminded them, “Not yet.”

They couldn’t abort the plan. Not when they were this close.

Bones was near Ross when he said, “You’re doing good. Hang in there.”

That was the idea.