Father's plan included a combination of Xelan's genius, Korac's cunning, and my strength. With all that and his resources within the Vast Collective, we could save Cinder and the Icari without Tritan intervention.

For two Earth-years, we held many a clandestine council with shady arms dealers, unethical scientists, and rogue pirates. The Collective was rife with unscrupulous characters willing to work outside of Tritan policing. However, we still operated under extreme risk and threat by the Tribunal.

"But you have no idea what Gait is like, and I do. I would rather not return," one such unsavory character whined from our dinner table. Round was a kind word for him with long thin limbs.

Umbra chewed with his mouth open before speaking with it full, "We understand your hesitation. We only need a little more--What was that chemical, Xelan?"

My brother bristled. He didn't necessarily care for these operations. "The hive gas from Monarch 3. It creates a chemical reaction for cellular regeneration."

"Right," Umbra nodded. "He needs more of that."

"This is to revive your crop, yes?" At their nods, the stranger continued, "Have you considered a new planet?"

I frowned. "Why would we leave Cinder?"

Umbra cut a glance at me to shut my mouth. "Go on."

I rolled my eyes.

Korac smirked into his plate, silent around the stranger.

"New planets turn up all the time in the Collective. None of us really know how many the Tritans fertilized, but we could find one for you. Fresh on the market."

Umbra balked. "An entire planet--"

"No."

We all turned to look at mother. Regal in her plain robes and her unadorned hair. She took time to cut her food elegantly with hands that shook hard enough to clatter the plate.

"Mother..." Xelan whispered.

"We will not abandon our home." Savis gazed at the stranger who stared back, infatuated. "My sons." She indicated me, Xelan, and Korac. "They will save Cinder. It will take some time, but through them, we will find salvation."

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Umbra's brows popped high. He turned back to the pirate. "Well. I guess you and I will talk another time before--"

Horns alerted them to the commotion outside. Xelan stayed with Mother as we checked the balconies and windows. An alliance of Lyriks and Valkyrie heralded through the sky like a swarm. Led by Gale, Karter, and Para.

Umbra excitedly hauled himself out the window and flew into battle.

Korac cursed.

"What is it?" Xelan called.

I ran back to the table. "We need to get mother upstairs." Not that I believed the Valkyrie would hurt her for one second, but I didn't want to risk it.

The stranger barked, "Oh, worry not for me!" He glared at us. "Is this normal Icarean hospitality?!"

I rolled my eyes and caught Korac staring at the man as if he suddenly developed an appetite for pirate. Xelan cleared his throat, and we both turned to him.

"I have them both. Please find out what got into Karter and Para."

Korac kissed mother on the cheek and I nodded to her. We both made to leap out the window when Xelan called, "Leave them unharmed, Nox. They are our friends."

The events my brother witnessed on Monarch 3 rattled his faith in me. He no longer believed my story about how we liberated Lacceirus-Capra. I was wrong to lie to him. I was wrong about so many things.

"We will convince them to turn back if we can," I promised. Without waiting for his response, I leapt out the window with Korac.

The Lyriks assailed our troops, unprepared for their kind of fighting. The sirens grappled with the soldiers and sang into their nacre. The nacre resonated until it shattered from within. No defense.

Projectiles worked best as an offense. We threw every kind of blade and shot every kind of arrow. At higher speeds, the projectiles disappeared rather than sank into their targets. Their nacre upgrades far surpassed ours.

After a few volleys on the ground, I growled. "This is useless."

"I have to agree with his majesty's observations." Korac snarled as he ripped out one Lyrik's throat. A traitorous Valkyrie approached him from behind.

"Get down!"

He hit the ground, and I latched onto the winged warrior with my whip. The barbs ate into her pinions and ripped them apart when I snatched it back. She shrieked as she plummeted to her demise.

Nothing more distasteful than killing my own kind. My lip curled. "I despise this."

A guard cried, "They breached the castle!"

Korac and I locked gazes. "Mother."

I grabbed him and flew harder than ever. I repeatedly recited to myself that the Valkyrie would never hurt Savis, but... they could do worse. We alighted outside on the viewing platform. Father landed behind us.

Cautiously, we walked into the central column of the Spire. The bodies of our fallen garrison littered the floors. The usual ashen smell combined with the slaughterhouse gore. It thickened on my tongue.

Umbra bellowed into the basalt wings and halls, "What do you want, witches?"

Darkness descended on Umbra's Spire. The female warriors blighted the windows with the volume of their numbers. A familiar Lyriki voice recited our charges. "You damaged your relationship with our makers. Now we take you back to Gait."

I called out, "What happens to Cinder?"

"Taken. It belongs to us now." Karter glided into the Spire.

Para followed. "We will take good care of it."

They sounded sincere. But--

My stomach somersaulted in agony, and I collapsed to my knees.

The Primary.

Umbra fell beside me, unconscious. Korac held his hands up in arrest. Before I let the darkness take me, I glimpsed Xelan in the highest tower with mother by his side. They were safe so long as Xelan stayed hidden. If only...