{Pil}

Ross regained consciousness, looking into Miy’s beautiful hard eyes which matched her black and orange feathers. Beyond her, the red sky told Ross they were still on Pil, helping with the rescue effort. But something went wrong. What was that again—

Para.

Controlled by Remorse, Para confronted them here, and Jack convinced the crowd to subdue her. To rescue her from Imminent’s clutches. Then Ross overloaded her memory abilities and—

“You’re missing one amazing fight,” Miy admonished.

Ross turned her head, following the Lyrik’s line of sight. There, Jack faced off with an ancient Tritan wielding a Valkyrie’s body like a weapon. And when did he get wings?

In midair, Jack evaded a left hook and a right jab, speared headfirst into her middle, and knocked them both back to the ground. A cloud of dust and debris surrounded them, but Ross heard their grunts from here. While the Valkyrie was smaller and more agile, Jack was beyond strong—bordering on his sister’s capabilities. He used it to his advantage, but somehow restrained himself to prevent harming Para.

When Jack punched her face into the dirt, her neck didn’t break, for instance. Para reached up and tried shoving her thumbs in his eyes. He easily brushed aside her arms and waylaid her again without crushing her face.

“I can’t affect Remorse’s memories from within her.” Devis’ voice came from Ross’ left as he explained, “It’s one of the more savage elements of volition and how Celindria stayed in control of T.a.o. despite my efforts.”

That explained a lot.

Amid the scuffle, Para escaped and burst into the sky, throwing Jack back.

“Allow me.” That was Twenty-One’s voice.

Ross looked up in time to see him aim a rifle at Para and fire. Direct hit.

Hell. Yes.

The Valkyrie plummeted from the sky, caught mere feet from death by Jack and his really pretty black wings. Ross wanted to touch them—

“For the Shadow!” Miy cheered.

The crowd of Pil Dwarves—merchants and restaurant owners—repeated the chant, giving Jack room to pass with Para.

Devis held out a dark-complected hand in Ross’ face. “Can you stand?”

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

She took it. “I’m willing to try.” The sound of her own voice grated. “Water. Can I have some—”

Miy handed her a canteen, and Ross drank from it without taking her eyes off Jack as he drew closer, looking for all the worlds like an avenging angel. When he was close enough to see—really see—him, Ross noticed for the first time that his hazel eyes were lighter than her own. That his hair looked soft and touchable as opposed to simply practically cut and fitting to his face. A handsome face, one he grew into more every day.

Ross set the canteen down and met Jack, seeing for the first time the admiration he held for her in his eyes.

“Are you all right?” he asked Ross, while carrying an unconscious woman. Looking quite heroic, in fact.

“Everything’s making more sense now,” Ross answered without thinking. She shook herself. “I mean, do you need help with her?”

He laughed. “Nah, she weighs nothing, but I think we should check her for injuries while we wait for Sagan.”

Miy patted the pallet Ross was just using. “Right here. We’ll get to work.” Jack laid her down as Miy further instructed, “Devis, do you think you could scrounge up where she’s been and what we need to expect when she wakes up?”

“On it.”

Twenty-One set the rifle down beside Devis and helped with the triage. The massive Icarus said, “I’m not a bad shot for a man who never fought a war with guns.”

“You were amazing,” Ross said with a smile for him. A smile she turned on Jack and felt her face grow warmer before saying, “So were you.”

Jack beamed at her and a faint blush crept on his cheeks. Lowering his eyes, he shook off her compliment. “Nah. I’m only doing my job.”

Ross took a chance and dared to touch his hand. His eyes met hers again as she muttered only loud enough for him to hear, “I know all about your concern with restraint. You were amazing.”

“Ahh!” Devis returned from the memory-walk with a shudder, a grimace, and a groan. “Elden, what… What’s wrong with her? Why is she acting out?”

Miy exchanged a glance with Twenty-One before peering questioningly between Ross and Jack. Everyone stared and waited for Devis to clarify.

Devis swallowed and licked his lips before elaborating, “Celindria. She’s… she’s out of control. The things she and Remorse subjected Para and the others to—I’ve never known her to act so hateful.”

Ross ignored the sympathy on Celindria’s behalf and asked, “Anything health related? Anything to explain why Para’s still unconscious?”

Devis shook the ghost out of his head. “No. I’m unsure. Much wasn’t said in the presence of the captives.”

That made sense, but unfortunately set them back.

Jack placed the back of his hand to Para’s cheeks and forehead, gently check her vitals, and sat back with a sigh. “We’ll simply have to wait. On her and on Sagan.”

Twenty-One arranged Para’s wings around her like a cocoon without saying a word. A battlefield gesture for the fallen, perhaps? He took his eyes off Para to meet Ross’ gaze and offered a nod, as if she asked her assumption aloud.

Miy stared out at the waiting crowd. “They need direction. Have we established a temporary hospital yet?”

“Yes,” Jack said, sitting in the dirt across from Ross. “We also connected them with The Brethren supply line. Tempest and Dolor can afford to help more now that Cinder is fully evacuated.”

As they discussed diplomacy, Ross admired the way Jack leaned into his experience from his regency of Earth. Admired how proud his sister would be if she could see him right now. And also admired the certainty in the authority of his voice.

There was much to admire about Jack Callahan.

Why had it taken Ross so long to see it? And the next question was, when would there be a right time to tell him?