But now, as the day approaches, part of me dreads it. It’s been three years since I’ve seen or spoken to anyone in my family. Three years. I don’t know who any of them are anymore, and they won’t know me. They’ll be expecting the brother they knew before, and he’s a person I barely remember. I wonder, will the realization come slowly? A gradual, sinking disappointment? Or will they realize it the moment they look at me, see every sin laid bare on my skin, as visible as the scar on my face? I’m not sure which is worse.

When I shut my eyes, for the first time in a long while, my thoughts return to the last time I saw my family. While the others were off drinking and gambling, as they always did in Drev Dravaask, Momma told me she needed a favor. I didn’t even think to question what it was; I was just eager to do whatever she asked of me and return to my siblings before they got themselves into too much trouble.

She led me to the steps of the recruitment center. Still, I didn’t understand.

“Corvus,” she said. It was hard to tell in the dim lighting, but her eyes looked almost wet. That was the moment I realized something was horribly wrong. My heartbeat grew so loud in my ears that I barely heard her next words—about mandatory service, the warrant for my arrest, her clients getting wary of working with her. How my formal education and leadership experience would put me on the fast-track to be an officer. That one of the generals was a contact of hers, and he would look after me.

“It’s only three years,” she said, “and I’ll make sure you’re not just another grunt for the meat grinder.”

“You’re leaving me here?” I asked, once I forced air into my lungs. It felt surreal, like this couldn’t really be happening. “You want me to fight in the war?”

“Not want. I would never want this for you.” She grabbed my chin, forced me to look at her. “I need you to do it. Things are getting bad in the system, and one day they’re gonna hit a breaking point. When that happens, we’ll need connections on Titan. We’ll need connections anywhere we can get them, but especially Titan. Do you understand?”