{Enki | New Cinder}

“Well, I’m here, son, and you’re coming home with me.”

Tameka glowed. Truly radiated warmth as her chest swelled with pride and love for the father of her child. Even though Xelan was changing the plan, she believed he’d make improvising work. It was a comfort to contrast the icy concern for why Pax was wearing robes, which fit him perfectly. Helped her ignore the dread at the extra foot he’d grown since Celindria had snatched him despite his toddler speech. And maybe protect her from the fear welling in her at the sight of his small midnight blue wings.

Like a cherub.

And this little angel crushed Tameka’s soul when he said, “I don’t want to, daddy,” into the spare earpiece she gave him.

The ache in her jaw from losing a molar couldn’t compare to the ache in her heart. Tameka cradled her son’s freckled face in her hands. “Why not, baby?”

“I am home.”

Tameka knew Celindria gloated behind her, but she still couldn’t fathom what was happening.

Xelan said over the earpiece, “Did uh… Sissy tell you that?”

Pax placed his not as little hands on Tameka’s and shook his head in her gentle hold. “I’m always with Sissy. Every time.”

Without turning from her son, Tameka asked, “Celindria?”

“Yes, child?”

Tameka popped her jaw to keep from cussing the other woman out in her son’s presence. “Do you have anything to say for yourself?”

“I think I know.” Andrew’s voice trembled over the earpiece. “Oh, Elden, Tameka… I…” He took a steadying breath before continuing. “I don’t know how to say this, but I think… Well, remember when I said someone new had touched Cascading Light?”

The rest of what Andrew or anyone else said turned to static in Tameka’s ears as she gazed into her son’s midnight eyes. Perfect replicas of his father’s. Pax’s sweet freckles which matched Tameka’s own on that beautiful brown skin of his. The red coils which foamed from his head, so much longer now than when she last saw him.

Pax smiled, and Tameka’s ears popped.

Permanent teeth had grown into his mouth over a matter of hours.

“—Tameka? Tameka, are you there?!” Xelan sounded near to action, but that wouldn’t be necessary.

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Tameka knew what she had to do. “I’m okay. Everything’s okay, Xelan.” To Pax, she said, “You were a good boy for Sissy, weren’t you? You helped her bring Karter, Chris, and Para here. You told her where our house was so she could find you. And then you helped her bring mommy here, didn’t you?”

All those teeth showed so cute and white in a grin taken straight from his daddy’s playbook. Pax looked beyond Tameka to Celindria. “Hee. She figured it out. She always figures it out.”

Tameka choked, let her hands fall, and hung her head. She didn’t dare spare a look at the others in the cell. This grief was private. Between her and Xelan. His silence was heavy, but she understood. What could he say?

“I love you, mommy.”

A strangled gasp broke into a sob straight from Tameka’s heart. The lights brightened into harsh beacons and blew one by one. Scalding tears squeezed from her eyes. But don’t let him see. Don’t frighten him.

Tameka raised her face to the light of her life, went to her knees, and pulled Pax in for a hug with a kiss on his curls. “I love you, too, baby. Mommy has to go away for a bit, but I promise I’ll come back.”

Pax’s heart beat against her chest as he said, “You always say that, and you never come back.”

No fears. No doubts. “This time, nothing in the galaxy will keep me from you.” Celindria stepped behind Pax, and Tameka let her see the promise in her eyes. “And no one will stop me.”

The other woman reached out and gently tugged on Pax until he let go of Tameka. “Come along, short stuff. You woke too early from your rest.”

Pax rubbed his eyes with his not so chubby fists. “I am sleepy. Can we play with Chris before I go to bed?”

Someone in the cell hissed, and Tameka fought the urge to look away. To erase the thought of Pax mistreating people under Celindria’s guidance, but Tameka clenched her aching jaw and stared. She stared at the back of Celindria’s head and imagined it missing. Stared between her shoulder blades and imagined a hole clear through her.

The ancient creature turned as if she’d sensed Tameka’s thoughts and said, “None of that, girl.”

Deep breath in. Exhale out. Not in front of Pax.

They walked into the room with Celindria saying, “Not right now. I’m entertaining our guests.” She picked Pax up and laid him on the bed. “But later. I promise.” She poked his nose and kissed his forehead. “Rest well, darling.”

“G’night, Sissy.”

Wait.

Wait…

Celindria closed the door behind her, and the second it latched, Tameka launched with an uppercut. With no time to waste, she punched the other woman in the gut. Once. Twice.

In the dim light of the darkened room, Celindria disappeared.

Ross cried out, and Jack yelled, “Behind you!”

Arms locked around Tameka and crushed her with obscene strength. She couldn’t breathe—

With one terrifying crack, Tameka couldn’t feel anything. Not her toes or fingertips. A strange wheezing followed—

It was Tameka, trying to breathe. Breathe dammit!

Against her ear, Celindria rubbed salt in the wound. “He never forgets that you leave him. In every Probability, he knows you fail him absolutely from his first breath. Multi-lives. That’s what it means to be Imminent.”

Tameka was not dying. Her hard tissue repair system already worked its magic on her broken back enough for Tameka to draw air. She rasped between breaths, “You… need me.” She knew this for certain.

Celindria laughed against her. It was horrifying and beautiful all at once. “You are the only way to find Ishkur, not that you ever have. But we’ve all inherited our maker’s infinite capacity for trying. We never stop.”

“Say the word, Tameka.” Xelan’s voice stole a gasp from her at its pure reassurance from all the trauma.

Healed and revitalized with gritted teeth and clenched fists, Tameka vowed, “I’ll never help you.”

“Disposal then. I’ll relay your farewells to Pax. My son.”