"Kyle and Silence are up next," Sagan announced before letting them in.

I already knew I'd need a moment alone with my foremother. There were... too many questions.

Silence entered wearing a slitted pencil skirt and a bikini top with a blazer over it. I'd heard about her unusual dress habits from the younger Shadow, but seeing it in person explained my fashion sense. Kyle followed her with a certain air he had around me ever since the two had taken up their relationship again.

Ugh. How else could I call it but 'I'm doing your grandma' face?

You die laughing.

In fact, I wonder if that was the entire reason Kyle asked for a private session. With one arm possessively around my foremother's waist, Kyle grinned, and I was inclined to believe my assumption.

"Hello, you two. I'm glad you've joined me for this brief meeting because I wanted the chance to tell you how fantastic a job you're doing in your roles. Thanks to you, Iona Pax is safer with every given day."

Silence possessed this way of speaking without words. Her eyes and mouth were so expressive. The movie star beam she gave me lit up those steel irises with joy and gratitude. Silence needn't say anything. This second chance here was more than she'd ever thought she'd get.

Kyle was less gracious as he said, "Well, yeah. We kind of have to or everything falls apart without us." His grin was shit-eating, and he knew it.

I clapped my hands together with a little chafe, asking, "So, do you have questions for me? Requests?"

"Naw. I'm glad Rayne made you train me all those years ago, and I'm damned happy I ignored your B.S. about not telling my sisters. But yeah, overall, this roller coaster turned out all right. Thanks, Wingmaster." Kyle presented his fist.

I bumped it with my own. Very imperial. With a glance at Silence, I made to dismiss my most errant Progeny. "Kyle, do you mind giving me a moment alone with my foremother?"

He glanced at her, then back at me with a shrug. "Sure. I guess." He paused at the door to ask, "Hey, when are we doing Bethany's memory transfer? ASAP, I imagine?"

I licked my lips, barely able to think of anything beyond telling them my secret, but still, Razor's memory was a priority. "If you don't mind, yes. Tomorrow, I should think."

"Roger that, Wingmaster. Don't keep Silence too long, we have..." He licked his lips to say, "Extracurricular activities scheduled while you've finish with everyone."

Preventing my eyes from rolling proved impossible, and my voice was flat. "Get out of my study."

We could hear Kyle's laughter until Sagan closed the door for us.

Silence was shaking her head, laughing. No shame in her. And how could there be? She was truly ancient. Gentle, too. Silence brushed my hair over my shoulder and straightened my clothes, making me presentable.

The softness in her made me smile, but it also hurt my heart. I wondered if my mother would've been a softer woman if Silence had been there to raise her.

It must've shown in my eyes, because Silence's smile faltered. She confessed, "I wished I was there for Savis. For you and for Nox."

"For Cinder?" I asked.

Silence nodded, and it was truly solemn. "Yes. I loved Elden. I still do. So much regret lives in me for how you've suffered. For how all of you have suffered."

I couldn't look at her. This conversation was long overdue, and now, with all three Verses done, Silence knew every truth. Still...

"I don't want you to shoulder any blame for how events unfolded. My mother... Yes, her life was hard, but that doesn't excuse all of her decisions. Nox, too."

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A shadow flickered in Silence's eyes. A knowledge she was keeping from me. Her blood must run with the unknown. She said, "Ask me."

I licked my lips and did as I was told. "Did you create the shield?"

"No."

I knew it.

You take both my hands and give them a shake. "Be careful with Silence. She's gentle, like you said."

With a sigh, I press a hand to my head, thinking. How to proceed? What do I do with this information? I suppose the first thing I should ask is, "Do you know where it came from?"

"Yes."

Silence's one-word answers were pulling doubt from my faith in her.

I dropped my hand and met her eyes. I knew the answer before I asked, "Can you tell me where?"

"No."

Frustrated, I sat down and steepled my fingers to my lips.

Circumventing my anxiety, Silence added, "Not yet."

There were only so many options. When they'd escaped through the conduit from Enki into Ishkur, Tameka was unconscious. It was only Silence, Smith, and Lucas.

Lucas.

I'd ask him next.

The couch dipped when Silence sat beside me. She reached over and placed a warm hand on my back. Gently, like so much about her, she said, "It will all make sense soon. The Probability Matrix is a difficult labyrinth to navigate. Please trust me. You are safe and loved. Keep protecting Iona Pax, and the path will make itself known to you. Do not repeat my mistakes by acting against it."

I offered Silence a weak smile, saying, "Yes, foremother. I will honor your wishes and keep my faith in you a little while longer."

As expected, recognition warmed the steel in Silence's eyes. To which she bowed with her head before getting up to leave.

When she reached the door, I asked, "Silence?" She paused to look at me. "Will you provide an account of Elden's physical appearance to Iuo? There isn't one on record."

There.

That same shadow flickered in Silence's eyes. She smiled, nodded, and left.

Twelve-year-old you tilts your head to the side and blinks. "No one knows what Elden looks like?"

No. And I suspect my foremother will lie about that, too.

"Xelan, I think I've seen him."

Tell me, Rayne. What did you see?

You swallow before getting the words out. "When I was dying—"

I wince.

"—yeah, there's no pretty way to say that. But... I saw this figure with charcoal skin and gold tattoos. His hair was as long as mine, except it wasn't just black. Every strand was half black and half white. He was tall and built like Nox. Imposing really, but I still sensed so much kindness in him. Like Silence, he seemed gentle."

This is momentous. Any details about his face and eyes? We know his eyes were like yours, but... I've never heard of a firsthand account.

You shake your head and admit, "I couldn't get him to turn around before I was resuscitated."

Resuscitated—By who?!

"Well, Razor was around—"

Bewildered, both of my brows go up.

Razor took on physical form to perform CPR on you?

With a little wince, you wave your hands. "No. That's not—It's complicated. And not important. I died within an hour, anyway, but I know it must've been Elden."

I have to be honest, at least fifty more questions come to mind. Like was this a visitation or a hallucination?

"Visitation. I know. He came to see me." You nod with certainty.

Is he still alive somehow?

Brushing more hair behind your ear—a nervous gesture—you confess, "It's not the first time I've talked to him. It's just the first time I've seen him. I think he's still alive inside his nacre."

My god. We should resurrect him—

"No!"

I blink at you, waiting for a reason.

You frown as you try to explain, "Sorry, but... I think he wants to stay sleeping for now. Please don't go to him."

I have absolute faith if anyone could develop a relationship with a deity, it would be you, Rayne. I'll wait until you say otherwise.

"Thank you."