02-09-2026, 07:57 PM
Once the gates closed and Nox was finally blocked from view, Jay turned away abruptly. His face settled into stone. The tears stopped as if someone had thrown a switch, swapping the globes of his eyes with rocks, and there was simply nothing left in them that could leak. That was how it always happened. The moment passed, and the body followed orders.
But the heat still burned across his cheeks though. He had no interest in running into Allan or Bastian looking like this, so he took the perimeter instead. Officially, it was a walk. It wasn’t for security. The Garden was wrapped in layers of surveillance and countermeasures that put MARSOC to shame. And with the Ascendancy on site, everything ran a degree tighter than usual. Nothing moved without being seen. Nothing slipped.
Jay stepped out of the warmth Nox had left behind and welcomed the cold as it cut into his face. It helped. Gave the pain somewhere to go. He shoved his hands into his pockets and walked, boots crunching softly on the gravel, breath steadying with each step. It took nearly half a mile before the pressure in his chest eased. Before the emotions went back into their box.
By the time he circled back, his expression was neutral and functional again. Or close enough.
That was when he saw the Ascendancy. Jay straightened without thinking, posture aligning the way it always did in the presence of something that demanded obedience.
This was his post. He was the gravity that held him here. Jay watched him for a moment longer than necessary and felt the familiar weight of purpose settle across his shoulders. He wondered, not for the first time, whether it was going to be enough
But the heat still burned across his cheeks though. He had no interest in running into Allan or Bastian looking like this, so he took the perimeter instead. Officially, it was a walk. It wasn’t for security. The Garden was wrapped in layers of surveillance and countermeasures that put MARSOC to shame. And with the Ascendancy on site, everything ran a degree tighter than usual. Nothing moved without being seen. Nothing slipped.
Jay stepped out of the warmth Nox had left behind and welcomed the cold as it cut into his face. It helped. Gave the pain somewhere to go. He shoved his hands into his pockets and walked, boots crunching softly on the gravel, breath steadying with each step. It took nearly half a mile before the pressure in his chest eased. Before the emotions went back into their box.
By the time he circled back, his expression was neutral and functional again. Or close enough.
That was when he saw the Ascendancy. Jay straightened without thinking, posture aligning the way it always did in the presence of something that demanded obedience.
This was his post. He was the gravity that held him here. Jay watched him for a moment longer than necessary and felt the familiar weight of purpose settle across his shoulders. He wondered, not for the first time, whether it was going to be enough
Only darkness shows you the light.