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He kissed her cheek and went to his work table where the marble with golden streaks awaited. His fingernails peeled off the outer stone, and when he had her form outlined, he used tools to bring in the finer details.
Keres kept her head tilted upward, looking at the sun she could see in her hand. She felt a tear trickling down her cheek. She had reached up to hold the sun on the day they had broken free. This was another sculpture of her as her, not just an Elite female.
She stood for two hours before she said, “My arms need a break.”
“That’s fine. I am down to your hips. Don’t move your feet.”
She carefully removed her hand from the sling and flexed her fingers. Dante came around and offered her a drink through a straw.
Keres stood for another two hours until she said, “That’s it. I have to pee.”
Achilles was silent and finished with a flourish. “Done. Go.”
Keres looked to Dante and reached her arms out. “Legs are numb. Help, or there’s gonna be a mess.”
He nodded and lifted her carefully. She was carried to the bedroom, and the massive en suite had been renovated since she was here last. Dante set her down and held her arms as she did what she had to do. When she had finished, flushed, and washed her hands, she yawned. “How long do you think he will be fussing with it?”
“Normally, I would say all night, but tonight, you are here. If you want to get some rest, we will be near.”
“Okay. That doesn’t sound like a bad idea.” She walked out of the bathroom and smiled at the huge, wide bed.
Dante wrapped his arms around her. “Look up.”
She looked up, and the ceiling was arched glass held up by white granite vines.
“When you lie down, fresh air will blow across the bed. We are trying.” He kissed her neck.
“Thanks. I am cautiously optimistic tonight.”
“Why?”
“I have my sister again, and her mates didn’t even notice that her barcode was gone.” She sighed. “You two notice when I scratch an itch too hard.”
“No marks on your skin that we didn’t create.”
“Ah. Right.” She turned in his arms. “It’s been an exhausting day, so I am going to get some sleep.”
She dropped her arms, and the gown she was wearing slithered to her feet. Dante’s eyes went wide until he closed them and breathed deeply. “That was uncalled for.”
“I think it was very called for. You know I don’t sleep with anything on.” She patted his cheek. “Off you go to do lawyerly things. Have I ever told you how happy I was when you were able to challenge that exam?”
He smiled. “You sound like a proud parent.” He caressed her spine with his fingertips.
“Well, proud anyway.” She smiled. “I think all of us went further than we thought we could.”
Dante nodded. “Achilles has another show next week. It’s why he needed that last piece. He’s done some amazing work. The museum has some of his more dramatic pieces and some collectible and gaming shops.”
“Nice. Is he happy about it?”
The rough, rasping voice said, “He is absurdly delighted. To see collectors go crazy for statues of our triad is amusing, and it is spreading anchor points across the continent.”
She glanced at him. Achilles had washed his torso and was towelling off. “You are still doing that?”
“Well, now that I have created the Sun Catcher, it matches with the Moon Catcher, and they will be copied, cast, and sold as a set.” He grinned.
“Moon Catcher?” She sighed as Dante kept stroking her back.
“The statue of you seated with both palms cupped to the sky,” he rumbled as he entered the room.
