Low voices finally broke through the ringing several hours later, waking Kanden from a fitful sleep. Once he'd been certain Zephyr lived, he'd returned to his bed, fatigued from overexertion and more injuries than he could count.

Everything hurt, including his face, but his vision didn't blur as much when he peered through a swollen eye. Zephyr's arm dangled over the bed as he snored. Even with everything going on and what had to be a painful back injury, he managed to sleep like nothing happened.

Father's deep voice registered first, lower in pitch than the woman's, which Kanden struggled to identify above the mild tinnitus. They spoke in hushed, serious tones, making listening in impossible with only a handful of words discernible.

Eavesdropping out of the question, Kanden slowly pushed himself up, testing his balance. Though his headache remained, he didn't feel as nauseous as he had the first time he'd awoken, and most of the dizziness had subsided. Someone had removed his boots while he slept, and he shivered when his feet touched the cold, metal floor.

He frowned, unaccustomed to the surface. Nearly every room within the caverns consisted of stone surfaces — the exception being Marina's lab, the infirmary, and the conservatory. Here, an unknown white texture covered the walls, and attached to the ceilings were lights he'd never seen. They flickered like everything else underground, but instead of unsightly rods jutting out, the panels were part of the surface itself, shining light from within. The room was noticeably colder than other areas, with air blowing through a vent as a chill swept through the enclosed space. Whoever designed this must have wanted people to freeze.

Standing, he swayed and caught the bed frame as vertigo washed over him. A groan escaped, and the conversation nearby stopped. Father immediately appeared and reached for him, but Kanden waved him away. That man was the last person he wanted nearby, even if he was responsible for a rare act of kindness. Father had a long way to go to make up for a lifetime of secrets and misery.

"I'm fine," Kanden grumbled, forcing himself to remain upright. "I just need a minute." More like a week of sleep and to wake up from the nightmare he'd found himself in.

Marina came into his line of sight next, biting her lip and hugging herself. Superficial scrapes and dirt marred her creamy complexion, and loose strands of singed hair clung to her skin. Otherwise, she appeared mostly unharmed.

Her hands twitched as if she wanted to open her arms to him, but she seemed to decide against it with Father so close. Gently tugging on her ear, she lowered her pitch and spoke slowly. "How are you feeling, pequeño?"

At least, he hoped that was what she said. He picked up pequeño, how, and feeling, but the slight ringing continued to drown any words in a higher timbre.

Resting his shoulder on the frame, Kanden shrugged. "Ears are still ringing. Head hurts." Along with every part of his body. But at least he had some of his hearing back. It was better than nothing and indicated the condition might not be permanent.

Marina grimaced and offered him an apologetic smile. "I'm afraid that's my fault. I had to think quickly once the mob started, and I grabbed any chemicals I could to create a distraction. They were going after any elite family they could find; I got lucky to run into you, and I tried to toss the explosives toward the back of the crowd."

Well, that explained a lot. It could have killed him and Zephyr both, but it hadn't, and Kanden was immensely grateful for Marina's intervention. Not that he hadn't taken damage with the beating, but he would eventually recover. Now, he needed to come up with a plan for everything else he'd learned while processing the events.

He returned her smile, wincing as a sharp pain stabbed the lower section of his ribs. "You don't need to apologize. I understand why you did it." Glancing at Zephyr, still asleep, Kanden asked, "Will he be okay? What's happening outside? How many people are dead?"

Marina's gaze lowered as her nose twitched. "It's bad, pequeño. Dozens are dead, and people are still fighting. And Zeph—" She paused to stare at their friend a moment before facing Kanden again. "I've done what I can for him. My knowledge is limited to what your mother taught me, and Ryker is too weak to move around much."

Kanden's throat tightened at the underlying implication. "What are you saying?" The potential answer terrified him, but after everything he'd witnessed in that air vent, he needed to know. When she didn't answer, he raised his voice and pressed her. "Marina, what aren't you telling me?"

Tears pooled in her eyes, sending fat droplets onto her cheeks. "He'll live," she squeaked, rubbing the back of her hand across her nose, "but a piece of shrapnel was lodged near the spine. He's lucky to be alive, but depending on the nerve damage, he may not walk again."

No... Zephyr was a hero — fearless and invincible. He couldn't be injured like that. Surely, he'd bounce back and recover. Marina had admitted her knowledge was limited. Maybe she was wrong.

Kanden wanted to shout, but his knees buckled the moment he sucked in a deep breath to protest, and his rib pinched something in his side. He hissed, biting back a curse.

Father, who'd remained silent until now, spoke in a slow, solemn tone. "We can't do more except allow him to rest. With the fighting still going, we have to remain here until order can be restored. Then, we can make a plan of action."

"Oh, because you're so good at that," Kanden spat, recalling the Council's effort to cull the population and keep everyone in the dark about their doomed status. "How did that work out?"

Kanden almost hurled Mother's death at him, but stopped himself. For all his faults, her death wasn't on Father's hands. He'd been every bit in the dark as his wife, and unlike his peers, Father owned his transgressions without hesitation or weak excuses. He'd even lied for Kanden when he could have washed his hands of everything and tried again for a better child. Someone who wasn't deficient.

Not only that, but Father had genuinely been gutted by Mother's murder. Heartbreak lingered behind his dark irises, exposing emotions like a raw nerve. To callously throw her death would have been a disservice not only to Father, but Mother's memory as well. She wouldn't have wanted Kanden to react with anger.

Still, the barb hit its mark, and Father's lips tightened as his Adam's apple bobbed. His eyes briefly widened before they narrowed, and his features hardened into an impenetrable mask. But instead of lashing out, he turned on his heel and stalked into the cramped kitchen space, keeping his back to the present company.

Marina observed the exchange in silence, shifting awkwardly from one foot to the other while she fidgeted with the hem of her shirt and averted her gaze. After a moment, she looked up and cleared her throat. "Um, I need to go back out there," she began, twisting a loose string around her finger, wrapping and unwrapping it, "but I need to examine you first."

Did he hear her properly? Perhaps the tinnitus was to blame and he'd misunderstood. "You want to go back into the mob?"

She shrugged, mumbling so low, Kanden had to angle his head to better hear. "Innocent people are dying, and not all of us can hide in a secret room. Once the fighting stops, they will need every experienced medic to treat the wounded."

How did they come to this point?

Kanden sank onto the bed, whimpering when his side pinched again and stole his breath. Once the tightness eased, he spoke again, careful not to further aggravate his injury. "What even happened?"

Marina glanced at Father, whose shoulders coiled. He didn't acknowledge them or say anything, leaving the explaining to the former. Releasing a sigh, Marina sat beside him and dropped her hands into her lap. "Helix was dragged into the square while Bastion followed, covered in blood. When the bodies were brought in, you could feel the shock ripple through the crowd. Despite being on the Council, Ivarra was well-liked. Sabre, not so much, but it left everyone with a lot of questions. Helix was accused of murder, but others blamed Bastion as well."

Not a surprise. Helix had planned for Mother and Father to take the fall if people discovered the truth, and they both made the perfect scapegoats for the crime.

Marina fell quiet, and Kanden massaged his throbbing temples. All the energy he'd exhausted in separating words from ringing had begun to take its toll, and now his bladder ached.

A couple more questions, he told himself, crossing his legs. Then you can rest again. "What happened next?"

Marina dipped her head. She continued to fidget, this time bouncing her leg, but she didn't babble like she normally did when she was excited. "Emotions boiled over, people rushed the platform, and all hell broke loose. Helix's death wasn't pretty. Your father barely managed to escape as the soldiers intervened. Arlo is alive, but some of the Founding Families didn't make it to their shelters in time. At least one child has been killed. The middle class was a bit of a hit or miss, but the working class has been worked into a frenzy. They don't care who they kill right now; they're angry and want justice."

Of course, they did. Their rage was understandable, but in the end, Kanden couldn't condone their actions any more than he could for the Council. Murder would always be murder — wrong and inexcusable. Elite or working class, no one could control how they came into the world. Maybe Mother was right and humanity didn't deserve to return to the surface.

Kanden shook his head, unable to comprehend the violence. Changing the subject, he asked, "Is there a shower and a toilet? I need to freshen up and sleep again. I don't want to think about this anymore."

Standing, Marina pointed to a metallic white door at the far end of the room. "Can you make it to the washroom on your own? Your father said this place has spare clothes the Founders stocked for emergencies, so I can try to find something in your size. Just don't get dressed right away. I need to look at your side."

Nope. Marina might be a scientist, but there was no way Kanden was willing to allow her to see him in a state of undress. Too weird. It had taken him forever to allow Ryker that privilege, and even now, Kanden often felt exposed and uncomfortable in his own skin. "I'll crawl if I need to, but you don't need to trouble yourself for me."

"I can drag you," Father threatened, whirling around with an irritated gleam in his eyes that dared Kanden to argue.

Unfazed by his tone, Marina arched an eyebrow, muttering something in Spanish before replying in English, "I understand you've had a terrible day, but being an ass isn't helping."

Father's face reddened as he clenched his fists at his sides. A moment passed before he released a sharp huff and jerked his head toward the bathroom. "Fine." At Kanden, he snapped, "Do as you're told for once and don't argue. We're going to be stuck here for at least another day or two, and I don't have your mother's patience."

Ya think? Rather than argue, Kanden forced himself up again, squeezing his eyes shut as the expected pain accompanied his movement. When he took a step toward the bathroom, he stopped, leaning heavily on Marina after his legs threatened to give out. How they hell was he supposed to walk a few meters when every motion felt like someone stabbing him with a hot poker?

Father made an indecipherable noise between a grunt or a strangled sigh — Kanden couldn't tell — and crossed the room. They older man steadied him with an arm around the waist, and Kanden couldn't help flinching. He didn't like his father touching him, even if he was being surprisingly gentle and trying to help.

"I can do this on my own," Kanden ground through his teeth.

"Oh, shut up and accept my help."

As they slowly made their way to the washroom, Marina excused herself to find the supply closet. When they reached the door, Father whispered, "We need to talk once you're done and Marina leaves. I have questions of my own."

Dang it. Father had put the truth together after all, realizing Kanden had witnessed something very private and not meant for the public eye. With nowhere to hide and Mother not present to run interference, Kanden was on his own to face the beast in his lair.

"I don't—"

"Don't argue," Father interjected in a harsh tone. "Like it or not, this discussion needs to happen, and you are going to man up long enough to listen." Releasing Kanden's waist, he pushed the door open and flicked on the light before allowing his son entry. "Shower works the same as the one in our unit. I'm going to see what food we have available while Marina examines you, and then you're going to tell me everything you saw through that vent."

Was it too late to flee back into the mob? Somehow, that seemed a hell of a lot safer than the edge Father's voice had taken. It reminded him of when he was younger, dreading his inevitable punishment after finding himself in trouble. Back when Father wasted his time trying to toughen the son who'd disappointed him.

Kanden mumbled an affirmative before disappearing into the tiny room. He relieved himself and peeled off his blood-stained shirt before turning on the shower, mentally bracing himself for what was sure to be a tense set of days with a man he despised. Almost equally certain was that the feeling was likely mutual.

Whether out of spite or procrastination, Kanden stayed in the water far longer than appropriate, cursing the universe for his sorry lot. Dark thoughts intruded against his will, making him wish Mother had survived instead. Without her, he was lost.