Bekn stepped forward and shook Cristo’s hand. “Thank you for all of this. Truly.”
Cristo gave a humble nod. “No need to thank me. This is just asmuch a professional partnership as it is a delight. Sponsoring CAPR teams like yours gives me a chance to show off my new-to-market tech. I expect our work to be very, very beneficial for everyone.”
“That’s why you’re sponsoring CAPR teams? To demonstrate new tech to a commercial audience?” Bekn asked.
“Exactly. I have my hands full with council research contracts, but I wanted a new, direct avenue to show off my team’s fun creations.” Cristo toyed with his sleeves. “It doesn’t hurt that CAPR is the most profitable industry in Cendor. If all goes well, I’m open to funding entire races to show off my gifted teams.”
Cristo’s voice fizzed with excitement. “Dira and Bekn, Rahn will show you to your workstations. Coup and Kelyn—why don’t we see what else Savita feels like showing us today?”
Coup’s giddiness electrified the air. He climbed back onto Savita, retightened the buckles around his ankles and, after placing a steady hand on her back, spurred her into flight.
The rider and phoenix soared once more around the long track. Savita was in no mood to listen to Coup’s guidance, gliding when he wanted to turn and pivoting when he wanted to soar. Kel turned to Cristo, worried that he’d judge Savita’s behavior, or that Sav would overheat again. To her surprise, his face was slack with wonder.
She had plenty of questions for the billionaire. Questions that she doubted her new mitigator would approve of. Now might be her only chance to ask them.
Kel swallowed a bubble in her throat and asked, “Why did you recruit us?”
Cristo shifted to face her. “Are you not aware of your own reputation, Ms. Varra? You’ve made your own skill quite clear.”
Kel pressed on. “Dira is just as skilled a winger. Why only ask for me and Coup?”
“If hiring Dira and Bekn is what it took to get you and Warren on board, I was willing to make the arrangements.” He paused, tilting his head. “But that doesn’t answer your question, does it?” Kel continued to stare at him, willing him on. “I wanted to hire you because of the footage I saw. The way you worked with that uncollared phoenix… I’d never seen anything like it. My phoenixes here deserve to work with someone with that level of care.”
Kel’s shoulders loosened. Most people spoke of phoenixes as creatures to behandledandcontrolled. Instead, Cristo had complimented how she workedwiththem.
She ticked a small box in her mental checklist. “So, I’ll be working with other phoenixes here?”
Cristo nodded. “You’ll remain Savita’s primary carer, but I’d like you to help analyze the behavior of our other phoenixes, too. We have over fifty in this facility and just a handful of CAPR teams. Some of our phoenixes need guidance, and others simply need someone they can trust.”
“What kind of guidance?”
One side of Cristo’s mouth twitched up. “Monitoring vitals, managing their socializing, exploring how we can improve conservation efforts. If we can understand their biology, perhaps we can convince phoenixes to trust us. At least, enough to reproduce in aviaries, where it’s safe. I want you to split your time between CAPR training and planning for these kinds of sanctuaries.”
His words exploded through her like fireworks.
“That—I think we can make something work,” she stuttered.
Cristo beamed. “Come with me. I have two tamers on standby to assist Warren. I’d like to show you something.”
Right on cue, three figures—presumably tamers—entered the hall across the room. A faint smell of lilies was left in their wake.
Quickly, Kel grabbed her new tele-comm from her pocket and checked Savita’s vitals. Everything seemed in control. Kel had no excuse not to follow him.
Minutes later, they were near Savita’s new aviary. Then Cristo turned right instead of left, and led Kel to a simple door with a sign that read, THEPRISM.
Kel pushed through the heavy door, expecting another laboratory. Instead, she was met with the most expensive, glorious array of silver light.
Never in her wildest dreams could she have imagined standing inside a room made ofdiamond.
Every facet was studded with glowing gems. A small globe hung from the roof and refracted light across the walls like a broken mirror. Kel hadn’t wanted to be swept away by Cristo’s wealth… but her resolve was melting. Just one chipped diamond could fix her farm a hundred times over.
Cristo stepped into the room behind her. “We haven’t yet usedThe Prism, but we had it built for phoenix rebirths. It’s the perfect containment material.”
Kel wanted to run her fingers along the nearest wall, but she was too afraid to leave a thumbprint on the flawless stone.
“The diamond can withstand the heat,” she whispered.
She’d heard of the different materials used in attempts to contain phoenix rebirths—all of which had ended disastrously. Rebirths were catastrophic for their surroundings; there was no way to avoid the damage.
