On board the combat cruiser, all the soldiers were back to their original stations.

Althea could feel the ship moving, heading back through the passage into Meraki. The past few days finally felt like they were catching up with her. Not seeing a seat (these combat cruisers weren't meant for sitting down), she slid down the wall and sat on the ground. When was the last time she'd slept? It would have been before her father sent her away on the mission...

Her father.

A hard lump formed in her throat. She felt her cheeks grow hot, like they did before tears.

"Althea?"

Her brother was looking down at her, his shade hovering by his shoulder. Nathaniel looked more fatigued than she'd seen him in days...but also more content. She was glad that whatever the mages had done to enlist his help in opening the passage, it hadn't involved leaving a scar.

"Hi," she said, relieved. Fog, it was good to see a familiar face.

He extended a hand and brought her back up to standing. She opened her mouth to tell him about their father, but before she could say anything, he wrapped her in a hug.

She was frozen, not knowing quite what to do. They'd never been very good with things like hugs...but if the past few days had taught her anything, it was that change could be sudden and profound, and was often good.

She put her arms around her brother and hugged him back. He felt like home.

When they released each other, he said, "I don't know what you did, or how you did it, but it worked."

She let out something that sounded like a half-laugh, half-scoff of disbelief. "It wasn't me. It was the mages...and a bizarre group of pirates." She paused, considering. "Very poor pirates, actually."

"You've always been too modest for your own good." He grinned. "What matters is that there were survivors, and we saved them."

She shook her head. "I can hardly barely it."

"Me, either."

She knew word about the president would be traveling quickly, and she didn't want Nathaniel to hear it from a random passerby. He deserved more than that.

"Nathaniel..." her voice felt thick. "I need to tell you something."

"And I need to tell you something!" His eyes were sparkling. "Mom is alive. She's in the medical bay. She wants to see you."

He moved forward, looking for her to follow, but Althea was locked to the spot. "What?" she breathed, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I know," Nathaniel said gently. "It's a lot to take in."

It was. The world was spinning. A moment ago, the twins had been alone in the world, their mother had been dead for eight years, and Althea had thought of nothing but mages, pirates, and moraiths.

"Come on..." Nathaniel said, tugging her along, but she gripped his arm.

"Stop. My news can't wait." She swallowed hard. "Father is dead."

Nathaniel blinked. Shock, sadness, anger, resignation passed over his face in a matter of seconds. They'd always been different this way—he had dealt with things as they'd come up, moving through them quickly. She, on the other hand, pushed them away and kept them at a distance until they boiled over.

"Are you okay?" he finally asked.

Nathaniel always put other people first. The shade had decided well, to choose him as its mage.

How could she possibly tell someone so good that it was her fault their father was dead?

"Not yet," she finally said, "but I will be."

They stood in silence for a moment. So much had happened...but they had each other, and that was enough.

Althea pulled at her uniform, straightening it. There wasn't much to be done about all the dust and soot clinging to it.

"You didn't starch this one," Nathaniel observed with a small smile.

She returned his smile. "Because it isn't mine."

"Ah, that explains it."

She gave her collar one last adjustment, then took a deep breath. "I think I'm ready."

Nathaniel smiled—it was broad, and genuine. "Let's go."