There was no chance of anyone wanting to take a break now, but I wanted nothing more. The weight of this scrutiny had left me flattened to the spot, with no chance of fidgeting or scratching without them questioning why. This was the first unexplored dominion of all the Verses. And judging by the naked interest on their faces, everyone in the Shadow wanted to know more about these historic moments with Celindria.

For me, they were personal. Secluded. I'd created an entire cognizant being, and she deserved her privacy.

You're sitting there with your pencil poised over your notebook, eyes down on the page, yet I recognize the storm in them.

Tell me, Rayne. What are you thinking?

You lick your lips as if nervous for what you're about to say before telling me, "Ever since Celindria first visited me in my dreams and showed me flashbacks into her life, I've wondered... What was she like?"

Naturally, you would want to know. She was your ancestor.

"It's more than that. So much of our histories intersect over Celindria—They lead to her. But I want to know what kind of person she was. I haven't been able to pin her down."

From the start, Celindria didn't want privacy or seclusion. She wanted mayhem.

"How was I made?" This was Celindria's first question.

I pointed to the machine. "This—I call it the progenitor. With some supplies and my blood, I generated your cells."

Celindria gripped the side of the machine and peered in, searching for something. After a few moments, she set those intelligent eyes back on me and asked a surprising question. "And what else? I am different."

Even before I created her, I'd removed any trace of the former experiments. Yet her insight impressed rather than alarmed me. I nodded along with her deduction, saying, "Yes, you are." I held upon the chain. "It was a gift from my brother, and it belonged to our grandfather. It was a shard of his nacre—"

"Nacre." Celindria formed the word with significance. Then she asked, "Is there more?"

I recoiled, taken aback. "No."

Celindria peered back inside the progenitor. With concrete certainty, she said, "To make more like me, we need more nacres and special blood."

Andrew raised his hand, and I wearily called on him. He asked, "What did you make of her behavior at the time?"

Korac made a sound between agreement and appreciation.

I awkwardly rubbed the back of my neck, trying to recover the head space I was in. "I want to explain it." Moving among the pallets, I reached for their understanding. "A new species! A step toward saving the Icari and Cinder! It was the pinnacle of my intellectual achievements, and it was successful. Celindria was graceful, eloquent, and brilliant. I was so proud of her. Proud to be a part of her making.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

"And finally, I had someone to converse with about subjects I'd toiled so long after. Brainstorming and reflection. Revising formulas and estimating new projections for unexpected outcomes."

At some point, Korac winced, and I shot him an apologetic look. "You, more than anyone, knew how lonely I was in this."

"Do you still feel that way?"

From behind me, the uncertainty in Tameka's voice broke my heart. I faced her. "No. Not at all. But these friendships—" I encompassed the room with a gesture before continuing, "They didn't exist yet. I only knew a people reduced to basic intelligence. I was the only person I knew who was like me."

Tumu suggested, "I believe a few of us in this room can appreciate that feeling."

I wanted to hug the old Primary—

Screw it.

I threw my arms around the big alien from behind the couch and muttered against his hearing receptor, "Thank you."

Iuo agreed, "It's difficult being asexual in the porn business."

Miy laughed loud enough to echo in the room.

Twenty-One apologized on her behalf. "It is ironic to hear you admit it out loud for the first time."

Beside him, Iuo narrowed his black and blue eyes at the massive Icarus. He asked, "Are you saying you knew all along?"

Bones interjected, "He's saying for three years you've been surrounded by peak Icarean male, and you haven't tried to take a bite out of either of us—"

"Don't forget me!" Lamassau called from across the room.

"—Not to mention our lovely assortment of Lyriks, from broody to bright."

Miy nodded when Bones said broody, proud of her representation. Twenty-One glimpsed the appreciation and tucked her closer against him.

Iuo shifted on the couch beside them, propping on his tail as he said, "But if everyone here knew, then..."

At the front of the room, Tameka finished for him, "There's no point in keeping it secret. Not with us, anyway. We love you. We love each other." The next she said while looking straight at me. "There's nothing that can't be said here, but we won't force anyone into any dramatic confessions. Not unless you want your own Verse." Her cheeky smile at the last was infectious—

"Unfinished."

T.a.o.'s single word arrested me.

Stilted, I turned to face her. The rest of the room glanced back and forth between the pair of us in silence, as I couldn't bring myself to ask her if she meant 'unfinished' or 'unfinished' without giving away a secret. A secret which didn't belong to me.

Andrius searched my eyes before wetting his lips to say, "Our sister is right. There were signs before our conception, yes?"

I closed my eyes to hide from this.

"You closed your eyes to me, too." Your voice is soft, but still, it urges me to open my eyes. When I do, and I always will for you, you're standing across the room from where I sit with the little version of you, asleep in my chair. You give me a small smile of reassurance. "It's okay to be scared. You're baring your soul to us, but you're doing it voluntarily. That's so brave, Superman."

Thank you, Rayne.

You take your notebook and curl up in the corner of the couch nearest me. "I have a goal," you say, while writing the next line. "By the time you leave this Divine Booth, you'll realize everyone else thinks the same as I do."

Even Tameka... And Korac?

"You are the bravest of us, Xelan. Close your eyes if you need to. We'll still be here when you open them."