I waded through the crowded pool, water lapping against my chest as I moved. My eyes stayed on May’s smile, the way the late afternoon sun caught on her skin and made her blonde hair glow.

"Hey there, handsome." A girl with bright pink braids suddenly hooked her arms behind my neck, pressing her slick, warm body flush against mine. She danced to the pounding beat, hips rolling without a care for where I was trying to go. Her breath was sweet and boozy against my skin.

"Sorry," I started, May and I still locked on each other.

May tapped Harmione’s shoulder, laughing as she pointed me out, clearly amused by the girl now clinging to me like a second skin.

"How you feeling?" the pink-braided girl purred, pressing even closer, her wet curves sliding against my torso. "I want to feel you against me."

Please. Please.

She spun slowly, grinding back into me. I slipped sideways with a smooth twist, sliding between two other girls and leaving her to an eager guy already moving in from the side.

Finally free, I reached the pool’s edge. May sat there glistening under the sunlight, a delicate pink wrap tied low around her thighs. Her blue bra was barely-there, covering just the tips of her breasts—she clearly hadn’t been in the water yet. Beside her, Harmione shivered lightly, her white bikini clinging to her damp skin, red hair plastered to her shoulders and dripping.

"Hey," May said, dimples flashing as she crouched down gracefully, bringing her face level with mine. The golden light caught in her eyes.

"Hey." I stayed in the water, the cool surface rippling around my waist, reflecting shards of sunlight across her face.

"What took you so long?" She reached out, fingertips brushing my bare shoulder, sending a spark across my skin.

"An invitation," I replied.

She laughed softly, warm and melodic, then placed her palm flat against my chest. "And how do you think you got here?"

I didn’t answer with words. Just a grin.

"Seems like you two need a minute," Harmione said from above, brushing wet strands from her face with a knowing smile.

"Hey." I looked up.

"Hey, Bram."

"Nice legs," I said. "And the rest."

"You’re welcome to look," Harmione joked, striking a quick pose. "I’ll give you two some room." She turned to go, hips swaying with the music.

"Wait." She looked back, a fraction. "I need a quick word with you."

"Now?"

"Not now. But today."

"I’m around," she said, and walked off into the party, moving with the beat.

"Bram." May was staring straight into my face, fingers tracing small circles on my chest.

"Yeah. Looks like you haven’t been in the water yet," I said, watching her touch glide over my muscles.

"I haven’t."

I grabbed her hand and pulled her in.

"Hey." She came up laughing and sputtering, water streaming down her face and over her curves in shining rivulets. "Why’d you do that?"

"Wanted you wet."

"There are easier ways to make me wet," she shot back, grinning as she pulled herself up onto the edge. I helped her settle, her legs dangling in the water, and joined her.

"Did you miss me?" she asked, that bright smile lighting up her whole face.

That’s when the notification hit.

[Monica Veyron has a daughter, but her identity is sealed. The only other person who knew was Riya Belmonte, and I can’t pull it from her now. She’s dead.]

[Clue: the daughter is her biological child, and she was among the women who returned with you from the Fallen City. One of them is a Veyron.]

Does the girl know who her mother is?

[Processing.]

"Bram," May said, tilting her head.

"Of course I missed you," I answered automatically. "You?"

[The daughter is aware.]

"Tell me," May pressed, her fingers tracing slow circles on my thigh, eyes searching mine with that familiar intensity.

I held her gaze. "I don’t see any trace of missing in you," I joked, and she laughed, head tilting back slightly, the sound light and warm as water droplets slid down her neck.

"Who misses someone that makes them feel this good? Nobody."

"You could move to the capital," I said.

"I’d like that." She smiled, but it faded just a little as she looked down at the water rippling around her legs.

"But?"

"But I’ve still got a few things to sort out on this side."

"Like throwing parties."

She giggled, splashing water lightly against my chest with her foot. "That’s not it." The tone dropped a little, her fingers pausing on my thigh.

"Then what?"

"It’s you, Bram."

"What about me?" I covered her fingers on my thigh with my hand, feeling the cool water between our skin.

"I think I’m obsessed with you, Bram. I need to first figure out how to love you without this deep obsession."

"I don’t think you’re as obsessed as I am," I said, trying to steer it lighter, squeezing her hand gently.

"You don’t get it, Bram." She looked at me, water droplets clinging to her lashes, her expression softening. "You know what I want to do right now?"

"I’m not telepathic."

"I want to fuck you. Right now," she said, voice dropping, a small smile tugging at her lips. "I want you to fuck me every single minute of my life. Every dream I have is you on top of me, or me on top of you. I had to organize this whole thing because it was the only chance I’d to see you. That’s how obsessed I am, Bram."

I held her shoulder, thumb brushing her wet skin. "It’s okay, May."

Do you know why women make it so easy for you? Eleanor’s voice again, in my head.

"Can I ask you something?" I said.

"Yeah." She lifted her head from my shoulder, eyes meeting mine again. "As long as it isn’t about what I just said."

"It isn’t." I held her eyes. "Do you know Monica Veyron?"

I watched her face for the name, the way her brow furrowed slightly, water dripping from her hair onto her shoulder.

"Monica Veyron?" She repeated it, tilting her head. "Who the fuck is Monica Veyron?"

She’s green.

"I don’t know her either," I said.

"Is this a CGI mission?"

I nodded.

The whole party had gone wild around us, people dancing and shouting over the music, water splashing and laughter echoing across the pool.

"It’s so loud," I said, standing, water streaming down my body. "Let’s go inside."

"Yeah." She took my hand and I helped her up, the wet fabric of her wrap clinging to her thighs.

I held her waist and we moved through the crowd, bodies pressing close as we navigated the packed yard.

[Update: this is bigger than we mapped. The Veyron girl is a key piece of the awakening, and there’s no information available on her.]

Are you certain she was on the Fallen City mission?

[Per Riya’s projection in the lab. There was no lie in it.]

Certain?

[Not entirely. Fifty-fifty. But it’s a starting point. Work through the four women first, then we consider other options.]

Damn, I thought as we reached the house, May close beside me.

May, cleared. Mercury, cleared. But I hadn’t come here for a mission. The main objective was still to live this one day all the way to the end.