Lyre gasps. Pol’s mouth drops open. Drom’s face is stony, but she reaches out to place a hand on her twin’s leg. I stare at my mother, holding my breath. A lump of feelings wells up inside me—dread, fear, anticipation. Because I know what comes next. If Momma’s leaving, that means someone has to be left in charge.

And I may have screwed up on Gaia, but it has to be me. It has to be. Especially after I proved myself during our run-in with the Red Baron. Why else wait until now to make the announcement? That nod of approval Momma gave me had to mean something. And who else would she give the ship to? Corvus? Even if Momma is letting him back on board, it’s ridiculous to hand Fortuna to him the moment he returns to the family. He’s been gone for years. We don’t know who he is now. Despite all her complaints, there’s no way Momma would leave us in the hands of someone who might as well be a stranger. She must have been hard on me because she knew this was coming. All those reminders about me being the oldest now were preparing me for this.

“It’s been a long run,” Momma says, “and a good one. But I’m getting old now, and you’re experienced enough to handle yourselves without me. I think I’ve earned myself a few years of rest.” She pauses, flashing her teeth in that startlingly unfamiliar smile again. Somehow, it makes her face look older, softer, more tired. “And so, I have one more announcement to make.”

This is it. This is the moment I’ve been anticipating my whole life. The moment Corvus and I whispered about when we were younger, though we always imagined it would be him rather than me taking the helm. It’s the moment when the thing I love most in the world finally becomes mine. My ship, my home, my life. Fortuna. And with the ship, I’ll slip into the role my mother played for so long: the head of the family. It’s a staggering amount of responsibility, but I’m ready. I have to be. I bite my lip, fighting back a smile. No more worrying about Momma’s disapproval, and no more dealing with people like Leonis. Things are going to change with me in charge.

“As you know already, Corvus’s enlistment on Titan is over, and we’ll be picking him up while we’re there.” She takes a deep breath and meets my eyes. The beginning of a smile melts off my face as my heart stutters with sudden fear. “Corvus will be returning to us. And once we’re reunited, he will inherit the ship and take his rightful place as the new head of the family.”