“Hey, John. Let’s go meet Michael,” Ellin says, placing her hand on his arm again to pull him away. “I think Arman wants to say bye to his family.”

She walks him over and John introduces himself for the third time. I’m sure everyone in the whole building knows his name now.

Victoria starts to back away. “We’re leaving soon now that everyone’s here, so saying goodbye is probably best.”

I turn and look at Mother. She tightens her mouth, verging on tears. I hug her.

“I’ll watch the Induction Ceremony,” she whispers beside my ear.

“I know.”

“And you can always come home on breaks.”

I squeeze her tighter. “I will.”

She lets go and I crouch in front of the twins. Tears paint bright trails on their squishy cheeks.

“I’ll bring back stories, okay?”

Flavia sniffles and rubs her hands under her eyes. “I mith you,” she says.

I kiss her cheek. “I haven’t even left yet, silly.”

Erinn wraps her little arms around my neck, then backs up and presses her fingers together. Her innocent eyes don’t look at me, but at her hands, and she’s slow to say anything at all.

“Ith…ith Daddy wheely not going to be with you?”

All the color drains from my face. Icy dread swamps over the heat in my cheeks. If ever I didn’t want to leave Undil—if ever I thought I might want to give up—it’s now, right after those words left Erinn’s mouth.

I keep my voice steady. I have to.

“No, he’s not there.”

I hug her as her own set of sniffles takes over. She needs to know I’m not going away forever, that the world won’t keep falling apart.

When I stand up, Mother takes Erinn’s hand. We look at each other one more time, but neither of us can find words. She reaches for Flavia’s hand and walks away. They step inside the elevator, and the doors close.

I join Victoria in front of the ramp to the hovercraft. Ellin, John, and Michael already boarded. We wait for Glacia, who is hugging her brother.

“Have fun out there, kiddo,” he says to her.

Glacia nods into his shoulder and lets go of him. He walks to his fiancé and parents, and Glacia comes to the gate. Victoria leads us up the ramp. We go back outside for a moment, but the hovercraft is nearby so the heat doesn’t torture me.

“Walk down the hall and you’ll find the lounge,” Victoria tells us. She angles toward a different entrance hatch. “I’ll get you when we’re almost to the Embassy.”