{Enki | New Cinder}
Ross stared unblinking at Tameka’s straight back and Celindria’s stony facade. T.a.o. laid on her side, facing the wall with her eyes wide open, listening. Jack gripped Ross’ hand hard enough to hurt. Bones put a fist to his chest and closed his eyes, likely praying to Elden. Para looked ready to pounce. Devis and Andrius shrank into the corner. All of them held their breath. Except Karter, because she was still asleep.
A heartbeat passed.
Then another.
Until eventually, Tameka’s shoulders relaxed, and Celindria’s eyes narrowed a fraction.
Nothing happened, and the Shadow exhaled. Ross felt relief wash over her until the elation made her dizzy, and she leaned her forehead against Jack’s sturdy frame. He brushed through her hair and murmured reassurances against it.
Icy, the First Progeny asked, “How?”
With her back to them, Tameka’s grin was in her voice. “We’re the Shadow. We’re resourceful—”
The slap cracked across the room, and blood sprayed from Tameka’s mouth.
But that didn’t stop Fury. “You know, I used to look up to you. The First Progeny. The woman who threw the Icari back into Cinder—”
Another slap in the other direction. More blood.
Ross cried out.
Jack gripped the bars, ready to break them again.
Devis and Andrius turned to stone.
Para watched with calculation, waiting for her moment.
Bones went over and whispered in T.a.o.’s ear, preparing for an exit strategy.
Tameka, however, kept on, even with her head lolling on her shoulders. “You defied Nox and eventually parented my best friend—”
“How?!” Celindria wasn’t angry or crazed. Simply professional as she slapped Tameka again.
The younger woman spat a nasty clog of blood at her assailant’s bare feet.
Was that a tooth?!
Celindria raised her hand for another strike, and Ross couldn’t watch this anymore. “A vaccine! I’m sorry, Tameka—”
“It’s okay, Ross.” She took labored breaths through the obvious pain. “You heard her, Celindria. We made a vaccine, and it worked.” Tameka choked out a thick, exhausted chuckle which somewhat relieved the Shadow.
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The First Progeny glared at her, but the dots connected on her frighteningly beautiful face. Quick calculations until she guessed aloud, “The shield virus deters suggestion like Rayne’s blood so the Tenements of Volition can’t apply to you.” A strange and foreign smile spread across her mouth. Pride. Celindria was proud of them and impressed. “Not bad.”
Tameka’s strength was unwavering and an inspiration to Ross. “What will you do with me now that I can’t be your puppet?” Again, she spat blood at Celindria’s feet. Even now, Tameka held her head higher.
The ancient statue ignored Tameka, turned, and went back to her work. This time, Celindria reached for the shelf with the blood samples she’d collected from them earlier. Tameka was a dangerous person to leave at her back, and yet she spoke without turning around. “Is my father still listening?”
“Yes.”
How Tameka mustered that much calm after losing a tooth escaped Ross.
Celindria performed some tests on someone’s blood using a dropper and a centrifuge. “Ask him what he thinks I should do with you. Ask him how he disposed of his failed experiments while he bartered with his research in Enki.”
“He’s busy.” Tameka was still unwavering.
It’s true. Xelan was finishing up his rally for the allied troops, but no doubt he’d heard everything and—
“I’m here, Fury.”
The sound of Xelan’s voice alone sent a visible wave of relief through the caged Shadow, but what did Celindria mean by disposing of experiments? Ross and the others, no longer petrified, shared confused glances. Except Bones. He looked certain that nothing his Prince could say would shake his foundation.
That was true for all of them.
Tameka asked, “You heard her questions?”
Xelan said, “I heard. I’m getting somewhere less crowded to answer—All right. Tell her I want her to be better than me. That the mistakes I made were irreversible, and I don’t want her to live with my regrets.”
Ross’ mouth fell open. This sounded dark.
Tameka repeated the words with a hint of concern in her voice.
A scary and pretty grin spread across Celindria’s face. “Tell him I already live with his regrets, and I’ll show them to you, Tameka. I’ll show you how he disposed of the Children of Gait.”
Tameka faltered. Ross gasped. Jack frowned harder and chafed her arm. Para’s eyes fluttered closed. Bones shook his head as if he couldn’t believe it. Andrius growled, “That was unfair, Celindria, and you know it. Father had no idea those were children—”
“He knew they were lives and counted them like data.” Celindria looked her most serene in this moment, exposing the Progeny to the flaws in their leader.
Xelan astonished them further. “She’s telling the truth.”
Ross felt a little faint.
“But Andrius is right. I never knew. These are my sins, and they make me a monster, but you can’t let her divide us now. We’ve almost defeated her. Please. I vow to confess everything. Soon.”
Tameka shook her head. Not out of incredulity or confusion, but like her concussion was making her dizzy. “I can’t think like this. Celindria, I trust him no matter what doubts you seed in your desperate attempt to divide and conquer. The Shadow aren’t like you and Remorse. We actually enjoy each others’ company and believe in one another.”
Ross, along with the rest of the group, pressed against the bars, watching this unfold.
Celindria gave a single mocking laugh. “No wonder he went after someone so young. The naivety of you is astounding—”
Another crack, but this time it came from Tameka backhanding Celindria hard enough to turn her head. The group in the cell gaped, stunned, and for Devis and Andrius, terrified. A gap formed in Celindria’s split lip, but there wasn’t so much as a trickle of blood. It begged the question.
Could Celindria bleed at all?
Equally frightening was how little the woman had moved since the strike. No blinking. No breathing. Celindria simply stared at Tameka.
Ross admired Fury for declaring, “I’m tired of you. I’m sick of you. Fight me and get it over with. Or ‘dispose’ of me. Or whatever you think you can do to me. But there is nothing—nothing—you can do to hurt me—”
“Mommy, why did you hit sissy?”