I could do it. I could make sure Sunny lives on through me if he—if he—. The need started to rise within her, telling her it was possible. If women in the past had done it, why couldn't she? It looked like it was destiny; out of all the purses she could have picked, this had been the one she grabbed. It was perfectly aligned: they were alone in a somewhat private place, with something similar to a bed, and she even had three perfectly preserved condoms where his seed could be preserved for later.
Nephis bit her nails, an expression of anguish and deep concentration on her face. It's possible. The need was there. She was willing and able; there was no doubt about that. After all, she was an Awakened, which meant there would be no concerns in the health department.
And when it came to financial stability, there was also no concern in that department, since the clan was stable with the financial help of the government and the Memories she had been selling. She also would not be alone; Cassie, Kai, and Effie would be by her side—and that's not counting the more than one hundred Firekeepers. The children would be safe.
Nephis ran her hand along Sunny's face, tenderly moving away a strand that had fallen over his eye.
But you're not here.
Placing a hand on his cheek, Nephis looked at Sunny. She stayed like that, looking at him in silence for a long time, memorizing every feature of his face. A small, lopsided smile tugged at her lips, followed by a soft, self-mocking laugh.
"How could I have ever thought of sleeping with you if I can't even steal a kiss?" Nephis closed her eyes and shook her head at her own foolishness. Sorry, Grandma, I can't do it. I can't do that to him. She let her weight go, sinking until her forehead pressed against his. It was a heavy, grounding contact, as if she was trying to pour her own heartbeat into Sunny's silent frame. Her hair fell like a curtain around them both, creating a small, private world. His skin felt cool and soft, like the surface of a quiet lake at night.
This close, his scent filled her whole world, so she embraced it. Closing her eyes, she breathed in softly. Why do you always smell so good? The scent didn't just drift; it colonized her lungs. With every breath, the sharp edges of her thoughts began to fray, melting into a warm, syrupy haze. Intoxicating. It was a thick, roasted darkness—a scent of crushed beans and bitter comfort that tasted like a slow morning and safety.
Her eyelids felt like heavy, leaden shutters that she could no longer hold against the tide. She tried to force them open—to anchor herself to the room—but the muscles only twitched, useless and weak. The world was a fractured blur, a sliver of light that thinned and vanished as the coffee-dark fragrance worked its way through her. With every breath, the room grew more distant, until her lashes finally gave up their struggle, knitting shut and leaving her with nothing but the rhythm of her own breathing and that intoxicating, roasted heat.
"Yo, Princess, you got the PTV key—"
Effie slid through the door, her usual swagger dying on the threshold. Nephis whirled, her heart jumping into her throat. Her face was already turning a deep, dangerous crimson, her tousled hair a testament to the intimate, low-to-the-ground position Effie had caught her in.
Effie froze. Her huntress eyes didn't just scan; they locked on. They traced the curve of Nephis's body leaning over Sunny's motionless form, then dropped to Nephis's hands, which were clenched at her sides, vibrating with heat. Finally, they came to rest on the crinkled, dark strip:
[Elite Condom: Ultra Thin]
The silence in the room wasn't just quiet; it was deafening. Nephis felt a heat so intense she thought her Innate Ability might have actually triggered by mistake. She tried to close her fist, but her coordination was gone; the foil just crinkled loudly in the stillness, drawing even more attention to itself.
For a second, the mask of the playful mercenary dropped, revealing a genuine, terrified flash of uncertainty. Her pupils went razor-thin, and her muscles tensed as if she were milliseconds away from drawing her own weapon.
A strained, artificial grin plastered itself onto Effie's face—a hollow performance that didn't reach her wide, terrified eyes. She forced a hollow, echoing chuckle that rattled in the small room.
"Wow, Princess," Effie rasped, her voice a thin, shaky ghost of its usual booming confidence. "I knew you were... intense. But I didn't think we were doing medical trials today. Just... uh... making sure his heart rate's okay, right?"
She didn't wait for an answer. She pushed her wheelchair back slowly.
"I'll... uh... just be outside. Let me know if you... uh... need any... supplies," she added, the joke dying on her lips as she awkwardly closed the door.
Nephis didn't just want the floor to swallow her; she wanted the Forgotten Shore to rise up and take her back. She hadn't just been caught being vulnerable; she had been caught looking like a monster to her own friend.