It was morning already, and Pax would wake soon. After Tameka and I checked on him, we left some fruit on the counter for his breakfast. Once he'd finished eating, he'd brush his little teeth and come play with us in the study.

Until then, we joined the migration of Shadow into the hexagonal space. This break had lasted an hour. Tameka had snoozed on my chest, while I stared at the ceiling and relived events I wished I could forget.

"Every one of them?"

Little Rayne...

You giggle, and that's when I noticed the preteen version of you had fallen asleep. Draping over the armrest, you look uncomfortable. I leave my chair to straighten you out with a pillow and drape a blanket over you. When I kiss your forehead, the little version of you goes, "Hee. Love my Superman."

I fold myself down onto the floor with you and smile at you under the pillows in your fort.

You're right. I don't wish to forget every memory. Only the ones which hurt.

The Shadow had changed out of their formal wear. All but the bride, groom, and the best man. Pehton enjoyed her silver-coated feathers, and Caedes ran his fingers through them idly. On the pallet beside them, Sagan and Korac cuddled together. The bride was missing all the ribbons on her legs. The way her husband looked at her, the remaining ribbons which kept her decent wouldn't last long.

I was happy for them. Especially as Tameka took my arm and smiled up at me, dressed in short-shorts and a crop top. Enough skin to entice and distract me, as if she knew it would help with what came next.

"Thank you, everyone, for staying with me through this—"

"We got you, Wingmaster!" Bones called, eliciting a few snickers at the use of my catch phrase.

Others cheered and joined in with toasts of orange juice and waffles. I knew it was a long day ahead of us, but my chest expanded with their good spirits.

"Trust them to withstand the worst of it and still love you after."

You're right. I could trust in it.

"Before I move onto my days as a pirate—"

A few chuckles resonated throughout the room.

"—We must first get through some darker nights. Korac, would you read the next entry? Volume one thousand and two. Page twelve."

I caught him midway through whispering something to Sagan. Something stimulating, judging by the blush on her cheeks. Annoyed, Korac pulled himself to his feet as if by strings and glided to the north wall of journals. He muttered, "It'll be unpleasant business, I'm sure." After one glance at the page, he gave me dead eyes. "Truly?"

"Please read."

"'Bin of Yu and his entire colony died of some mysterious plague, but I know Nox murdered him. Not to what end or by what means, but I feel the certainty of it boiling in my blood. The Night King assassinated a fellow galactic leader and friend.'" Korac stopped reading to ask, "Xelan, be honest with me. How do you view this after reading Nox's Verse?"

I didn't know how to answer Korac. I still don't.

Rayne, I know you've memorized it. How did Nox introduce you to this moment?

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Even though it unnerves me, little you recites, "'If there was one sin, I would keep from you, Rayne. This is it. This is my worst. The ultimate wrong. Not a crime of passion. Not a righteous endeavor. A calculated, cold-blooded, pre-meditated assassination.

"'Of my friend.

"'Elden, forgive me.'"

How am I supposed to feel about that? I understand his motivations—He wanted to pursue a physical relationship with Celindria, and Primary Rem wouldn't manipulate the Weapon to allow it until Nox killed Bin. I understand he was desperate, but is that understanding enough?

How do you feel about it?

You're quiet for a while. When you do answer, both versions of you say in tandem, "I wept when I read it." The preteen version of you never opened her eyes as you both continue, "I felt for everyone involved, and I would erase it if I could."

Yes.

To Korac, I said, "I weep for Legir every time I read this moment in the Verses. For Nox, I..." The words don't come to me.

Korac knew how to pry it from me. "You believed what I said in my Verse. Do you believe Nox felt remorse for this?"

This I could answer. "I believe there are no lies in the Verses as there won't be in mine. Does that suffice?"

Korac stared at me for a long moment before nodding his head. "It will do."

Tameka chafed her arms before asking, "What comes next?"

Bones raised his hand. "Can I take this one?"

I gestured for him to go on. "Please do."

He stood and said, "We lived one hundred years with our King and the General in a sour mood while rumors of unrest stirred. Humans tried to plunder Cinder, dying from the unfriendly atmosphere before reaching so much as the Great House. Security detail kept the garrisons busy. Some tried to scale the fortress walls on Earth. Upon capture, all of them swallowed a sachet and died near-instantly."

"I can contribute here as someone with unique insight from the Razor side of things," Miy spoke up, and with my nod, continued. "Around this time, Razor became interested in Icarean politics. He forced the Lyriks to... interview a few merchants still working with Nox and Korac. The unrest seemed to intrigue him. Meanwhile, those Imminent projection calls he took? Celindria began to appear in them around this time. But Lucas, were you involved yet? I don't recall."

The gilded-eyed Icarus didn't seem surprised the spotlight was on him once more, involving clandestine operations. "I was filtered. You couldn't see me, and I never spoke. Remorse tried a few times to convince me to change my allegiance from following the Mother's orders to the letter, while Razor was determined to tempt me to his vice trades. I followed Silence's descendants and awaited her return, per my orders."

A few people glanced at Silence, who smiled at Lucas with all the love of a dear friend.

Miy took the proverbial mic back. "Whatever. So anyway, Razor funded some of the human revolts. I think he provided them with espionage tech."

I saluted her. "Thank you, Miy, Lucas, and Bones."

Sagan raised her hand, and I called on her. She asked, "What was this time like for you?"

Expecting this question, I nodded. "During the one hundred years when Celindria lived with Nox, I was busy researching ways to survive the sun, building my stronghold, and spending time with the Progeny. I kept tabs on Celindria and Nox." I glanced at Korac before admitting, "And deeply missed the people I left behind in my seclusion. But at first, I knew nothing of the uprising. So when the day came that Devis ran into my home with news of Celindria's public whipping, I raced to the fortress as fast as I could."

The crack of the whip reached me before the scent of Celindria's blood hit the air. I shouted, "Stop!" Over the crowd, I soared like a jet until I slammed onto the platform. I had trusted Nox and Korac with her protection, and this was the outcome.

Celindria was a bleeding puddle of split flesh and exposed bone.

I cradled her, muttering, "I should never have left you with these monsters."

In my study, Korac looked away.

"Only you can cut him so."

Yes, and I cut him deeply.

Over Celindria's broken body, I glared at Korac, knowing my eyes had shifted into Atramentous. I meant every syllable of my warning to my once lover. "Never come near us again."

On the flight back to the stronghold, Celindria's agonizing screams filled the night while I contemplated so many things. How could Nox do this? How could Korac? Why wasn't she healing?

Upon arrival, I tended her wounds and noted damage to her nerves. If her nacre didn't heal her, Celindria might never walk again, and all I could do was ask "why."