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method of ensuring the safety of the pilot.
    You’re leaving again , whispered Nandi.
    Not for long.
    He felt breath in his lungs, and saw the all too familiar dot of white light between his feet bringing him back to reality. In darkness, Ezra reached up and found the Egg’s hatch, which he slid open. The movement-tracking technology inside the Minotaur’s Apse kept the Egg stable, even if the Creux itself moved about, so it was easy to step out of the monster’s flesh and into the green, open world.
    Ezra found Garros and Jena kneeling next to Erin. She was awake, but far from peaceful. She was shaking.
    He looked at Garros, and could almost feel the fire burning in his eyes. “How is she?” he asked.
    “I’m fine,” she said, and looked up at him. “Something like this happened before, when I was first testing manned synchronization. I got hit once, during the test, and it’s like the Egg stopped sending signals to Atlas. I could see and hear you, but I couldn’t move. I know how to fix it, but I’d like to rest a little first.”
    “At least you were safe,” said Jena.
    “No, she wasn’t. We aren’t. The Creux isn’t as safe as you seem to think—it can . . . we can get hurt ,” said Garros, stammering. Ezra had never heard anger and fear so clearly in his voice. “ She could’ve been hurt!”
    “I’m fine,” protested Erin.
    “ This time, Erin,” he said.
    “Man, Garros, she’s okay !” Ezra said, and immediately knew it had been a mistake.
    “And you, come here. Listen to me,” said the enormous man, who suddenly looked twice as large as he stared him down with reddened eyes. “If I tell you to do something. If I tell you not to do something, you will. Those were tunnels , Blanchard. Either one of us could’ve brought the whole goddamn thing down, and then what ?”
    “But we didn’t!” Ezra argued, and all the resentment and anger he had held inside began to boil in his chest. “You wanted us to stay behind and do nothing while those things could’ve killed Erin!”
    “That is not what I said, stupid. I said we had to be careful .”
    “Careful could’ve gotten Erin killed ! Look, you didn’t see what I saw in Zenith! At least I don’t want to see someone else die!”
    “You better watch your mouth.”
    Suddenly it was like he was out of his body, not unlike piloting Nandi. Ezra tried to shove Garros away, but couldn’t. He heard Jena cry out, telling them to stop their fight, but something so asymmetrical could not be called a fight. Garros had gotten hold of Ezra’s wrists, and controlling someone so much weaker was far too easy.
    The desperation and anger grew when he saw how powerless he was against Garros. Ignoring pain in his shoulders, Ezra whipped his arms down and freed his right hand from the man’s grip.
    He balled it to a fist and took a swing. His knuckles hurt when they connected with Garros’ jaw, nudging his head to the side.
    Ezra froze, suddenly all too aware of his mistake.
    Garros looked at him and shook his head.
    He didn’t even see Garros’ arm move, only heard a crack on the left side of his face, and then everything was dark.

     

Chapter 3
    A Subtle Infection
    Ezra woke up to the sound of thunder and rain. There was crispness to the air, something cold and comfortable that for one moment allowed him to forget almost everything else.
    But not the intense headache, or the pain on his cheekbone. That was still there.
    He sat up from the wet grass. The fight—if it could even be called that—had taken place next to Phoenix Atlas’ head, but now he found himself sitting next to Nandi’s leg. An insulation blanket covered him from his chest to his feet; he had been moved and covered while still unconscious.
    It was a slight relief to see that at least the others had a little respect left for him. The sensations of guilt and anxiety were not unlike the few times he had drank too much, only to regret some of his actions the day following. Last