"Let's ante up the other Verses before we proceed."

It was the next morning, and everyone had gotten a good night's rest.

Everyone but me. I couldn't see the point in sleep with this secret haunting me. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Celindria in her lab with her bones protruding from bloodless wounds. Her eyes...

The emptiness preyed on my sanity.

An hour after Korac had left me, Tameka came in smelling of a fresh shower, and I couldn't let her fall asleep like that. I wanted her to dream smelling of me—of us. Even after we woke and prepared for the day, I'd asked her to wear one of my t-shirts. The smile she gave me in response was precious to me.

There we stood at the front of my study. Me in black slacks and a white button-down. Tameka in jeans and one of my black tees, with the excess tied at the small of her back.

The Shadow filed in, returning to their pallets and couches. I tried for some eye contact and a warm smile with everyone as they took their places.

Reassurance is my middle name.

Little you teases me from inside your pillow fort. "You don't have a middle name, silly."

"Oh, I don't?"

I hop on the floor and reach into the fort after you.

You squeal and giggle, burying yourself deeper in the cushions from my reach. "No! You don't have a last name either!"

I clutch my hair.

"My heart! You've wounded me."

The faint I feign is dramatic and sweeping. I deserve an award.

The little version of you emerges from the cave, whispering, "Superman?" On hands and knees, you inch closer. "Superman?"

Closer.

Closer.

I can hear the air displace where you've reached out a chubby hand to check me.

Rawr! I got you now!

I jump up and snatch you before you can run away. These squeals belong to my victory as you submit to a tickle fit. Giggles galore.

Preteen you sleeps on the couch through the commotion, resting as if you're burning through some oil which animates the both of you.

I needed this.

Back to the story where I was equating the Verses.

"At this time, Korac—"

He nodded at me from the blanket where he was spread out with Echo and Sagan. The infant was fascinated by her feet and beaming at her dad.

I was—am—happy for them.

"He's just delivered the news to Nox that Celindria died on Thailea and I would face the Tribunal. For their Verses, events sped up significantly as they moved toward Invasion Day. However, my life was much more involved during this time."

Pehton asked, "Who gets to read?"

I glanced across the room at Tumu, and the Tritan's voids met my eyes as if he'd expected the answer.

"I do," he said.

Tameka grinned at him and teased, "You're in trouble now."

"I'm never in trouble with your husband, Peaches. Well, except maybe this one time on a plane... Some of you were there for that one." He winked at Tameka before returning the jibe. "And some of you were asleep."

She pouted.

Kyle groaned. "Here we go again. We'll never hear the end of you missing that plane crash."

Andrew joined in, saying, "It's not like we haven't survived so much since then, but nope. The one plane crash—"

"Hell, I'd be happy to crash a plane for you, Tameka."

Bone's offer was so genuine that Sagan snorted into her tea.

The ribbing continued, but my eyes were on Tumu. As not to disturb the good time, I muttered so only he could hear. "Volume two thousand and twelve."

When Tumu found the page, he turned and faced the room. His deep voice boomed with the words. "'The voice in my head said not to trust the Primaries. My subconscious wasn't weary of the Eminents, even as I faced their Tribunal, but the Primaries' absences resonated badly with me.'"

This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

The Shadow settled into their places as the reading continued. Discussions of staging a plane crash would have to wait for another time.

"Give your testimonial, Xelan, Prince of Cinder."

I liked Eminent Wiw. He emanated kindness in waves of understanding and something akin to justice. Eminent Lance stood at the podium beside him. Justice was on his mind, too, but best served cold. That Tritan was all about business.

There was a third podium. It stood empty. I very much wanted to know why.

Iuo caught my eye beside the podium. As if he'd heard my thoughts, he shook his head.

Now wasn't a good time to ask.

Lucas and Seps took up seats behind me as witnesses.

At my side, Tumu dwarfed me with his compressed height of thirteen feet. It was worse after he gestured for me to kneel with my wrists and ankles encased in nacre chains.

I went to my knees and stared up at the blue men, judging me. With the utmost sincerity, I said, "I have no testimony to give. I tried to save my race, and I failed. When I tried to save my daughter, I failed. While I appreciate the good people I met along the way, I can see no other end for me than execution because I wish not to live to see Nox ravage the Earth in his vengeance. More than that, I fear whatever it is that Enki wants with me."

Tumu shifted beside me, but I couldn't see the look on his face given our height difference while I was staring at the floor.

Behind us, I think Lucas gasped, and Seps cursed.

One other person took up space in the white stone amphitheater.

The Executive Warden of Gait.

Pehton approached the podiums. She glanced back at me with something in her garnet eyes. It wasn't pity, but an emotion in the neighborhood. With her shoulders straight and her chin high, Pehton addressed the Eminents. "There is no place for a good man on Gait, and Prince Xelan has done no real wrong."

Lance narrowed his eyes at her, but Wiw gestured, saying, "Go on, my dear."

"Before Inanis, you helped me free the children of Gait." Pehton paused and glanced back at Tumu. "Then, you were an Eminent. What did you tell me about a Prince named Xelan?"

Tumu stopped reading and met my eyes.

The room went quiet.

Into the stillness, Pehton quoted, "'No one could love their people as Prince Xelan loves the Icari.'"

Twenty-One, Bones, Karter, Para, Caedes, and Korac put a fist to their chest.

The sight moved me, and I wavered. Tameka caught me and shifted so she discretely took some of my weight. A rest. That's all I needed.

With a glance at our connection, Tumu shared, "I know now you care for any people you consider your responsibility in the same measure, and we are grateful to know you."

I couldn't hold it in. Tameka helped me cross the room, and I threw my arms around my seven-foot compressed friend.

With a grin on her pretty face, Pehton said, "I'll continue the story while you two hug it out."

"I believe this to be true, your Eminence," Pehton entreated. "Please consider another form of punishment for the wayward Prince, because he tells the truth. Nox hungers for vengeance, and I fear he will not stop with Earth. We need Xelan to combat his brother."

"Perhaps he should serve the Primaries or face exile on Earth." All the Tribunal attendees looked at Lucas, who shrugged gracefully as he continued. "I am a witness. This is true, but I serve what is best for Earth and Cinder. The Progeny could use supervision from their maker. Do you not agree?"

Wiw and Lance muttered between themselves while I exchanged a look with Tumu.

Serve Enki by spying on my Progeny in preparation for Nox's return. Or serve the whims of the Primaries.

Pehton used this quiet moment to approach my stand and held out a tiny hand. With the cuffs, our handshake proved awkward, but still I marveled out how my hand swallowed hers. She was even teenier than T.a.o.

"Hello. I meant to introduce myself while you were on Gait, but this is about as comfortable for me as the Emporium. My name is Pehton."

I offered, "Xelan. Or Traitor Prince, if you prefer. Everyone else seems to."

Tumu mumbled, "It gives you an air of danger and mystery. Accept it."

Seps leaned over the rail to poke Tumu's ribs.

The ticklish Officer spun around, whispering, "What?!"

"You took us from the Queen's Fare. What will Razor think?" Seps asked a reasonable question for an agent in his position. Drawing attention to Seps like that risked his work for F8.

Tumu mulled it over. He'd opened his mouth to say something when Lucas cut in, saying, "I will provide a fitting excuse for our benefactor."

Iuo flagged us, and we all glanced at him. He made a cutting gesture at his throat and pointed at the tablet he was recording on. He mouthed, "Stop. Talking. About. Razor—"

"We are ready with our decision, Prince of Cinder." The gentleness in Wiw's voice told me they didn't plan to execute me.

If I were them, I would've executed me.

Lance announced, "Service to the Primaries on Enki for one hundred years. After which time, you will serve the rest of your sentence in exile on Earth. No contact with anyone." He met Iuo's, Seps', Lucas', and Tumu's eyes. "We mean absolutely no one."

Alone.

I swallowed. I'd rather be dead. People to care for kept me able. Without them, I fell apart. I'd done my best when I was working with Colita and in a relationship with Korac. I was at my worst when I isolated myself to create the Progeny. This was—I—

I was hanging my head until my hair covered my face when a warm hand on my shoulder brought me back.

Tumu.

His voice came from inside my head, saying, "Keep this a secret. I will be there when you need me."

I wanted so badly to glance at his face, but stopped myself. Instead, I met Pehton's eyes. Strange. The same message was on her face. From the presence of Seps and Lucas at my back, I felt the same impression. And Iuo mouthed, "We. Will. Meet. Again."

Warmth radiated the study from all the smiling people. Pehton was at the wall of journals with me, Tumu, and Tameka. The Lyriki Warden hugged the latest entry to her chest. I leaned back against the volumes to steady myself, disguising the crutch with a cool 'bad boy' pose. Tumu read over Pehton's shoulder and a tear glistened in his black voids.

"I miss when we were young together," he confessed.

"Hey!" Lamassau called from across the room. Emphatically, he said, "Growing old together is nice, too, Tumi."

Sagan changed the subject, asking, "They took you from the Queen's Fare, but what happened directly after Thailea?"

I fired a finger gun at her. "You're so sharp, Planet Breaker. Iuo, would you like to answer?"

The Lamian Prince waved. "Yes. Yes. Once we escaped Thailea, carrying Xelan between us, we fled back to the Queen's Fare. Razor harbored our fugitive asses for a few weeks before Officer Tumu came knocking. I think it was more business than pleasure, but didn't you and Razor disappear during this time, Xelan?"

"I worked with him to create new accounts for the Emporium. Five of them were for me. I used them to develop the nanotech which carved out this stronghold and purchased properties for my safe-houses. Eventually, those accounts funded the installation of the Ionas."

Any mention of Razor helping the Progeny always left the Shadow squirming.

To break the tension and because I desperately needed one, I offered, "Let's take a break."