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Prometheus Inc.

It was the first time she’d encountered the name outside of Apollo.

The only clue Timothy Talbot gave to Project Helix’s whereabouts was that the path started at Prometheus. His journal also mentioned that half of the families involved in Project Helix resided in Hermes.

That couldn’t be a coincidence.

“Where did your dad get this?” Khalani frantically asked.

“I don’t know,” Elise stated. “I’ve never seen him without it.”

“But have you asked him what these words mean?”

“Of course, but he never answers me.”

Khalani brought the ring up to her face, trying to will more words to appear. Anything to give her a clue of what Prometheus meant.

“Why do you have that look? Do you know what it is?” Elise straightened, a faint glimmer of hope stirring behind her eyes.

Khalani hesitated.

The only other person who knew about Timothy’s journal was Winnie, and she promised to keep it a secret.

“I don’t know,” she swallowed, handing it back. “I can’t remember.”

Elise’s shoulders drooped, and she slowly gave the silver ring to her dad. He reverently slid it back onto his finger, whispering, “Key. Ring. Save. Key. Ring. Save.”

Khalani’s eyes sank to the floor, confusion and chaos weaving through her like intricate braids.

Maybe the original owners of the ring knew where Prometheus was. Or Prometheus himself was the man who created the ring, and he held the key to Project Helix’s whereabouts.

Or Prometheus didn’t mean anything, and she was clinging to a false hope that a long-dead entity would save the world from ruin.

Khalani leaned her head against the cold stone, hating that she was still no closer to answers. She felt Takeshi’s eyes slide to her from a distance. As if her frustration was a beacon to him.

She needed space to think.

A shower. That’s what she needed.

Khalani had avoided the communal showers up to that point, but she was covered in grime and sweat, and her nose wrinkled when she discreetly sniffed under her arm.

She glanced over at the grey building, and there didn’t appear to be any line. Perfect.

“I’m going to shower,” she told Elise, rising to her feet.

Elise’s brows furrowed, but Khalani marched forward without another word.

A prickling sensation of being watched crawled over her skin, but Khalani ignored it as she made her way to the showers, convincing herself it was just paranoia.

Stepping into the grey building, she let out a relieved sigh when it was empty. A row of shower heads stood along a white wall, completely open.

She quickly undressed, hesitating only briefly before sliding off her bra, but she kept her white underwear on.

After placing her clothes on the bench, she ran barefoot to one of the shower heads. She turned the knob, and her body went utterly rigid as icy cold water streamed out.

Taking a deep breath, she ducked under the freezing stream, teeth chattering as her hands instinctively crossed over her chest. Spotting a tiny bar of soap on the floor, she snatched it up and quickly scrubbed her skin clean.

All she could hear was the spray of water as she worked to untangle the jumbled knots in her hair, each pull tugging against her scalp.