We’re intercepted by a blur of a body. Pol throws himself at our older brother without hesitation, flinging his arms around him and squeezing himself tight against his chest. Corvus stiffens in response, both hands balling into fists as if he’s ready to fight. After a second he relaxes, one muscle at a time, like it’s hard to make himself do it. He leans into our brother. One hand rises hesitantly and cups the back of Pol’s head, ruffles his hair in the way he did so many times when we were children.

“Well,” Corvus says, his voice muffled through Pol’s still-tight embrace, “you certainly got big, Apollo.”

With a jolt, I realize how different the twins must look to him. They were barely sixteen when Corvus left, and though they were always big for their age and fast on their way toward being huge, they were rangy and still growing back then. The last time my brothers saw each other, Corvus was taller than Pol by a few inches. Now, our baby brother towers above him.

I fold my arms over my chest in an attempt to crush my rising emotions. As much as I want to be happy and enjoy this moment for what it is… I can’t. I just can’t. There’s too much at stake. So instead, all I feel is a swiftly growing ache for a drink.

My brothers’ moment is soon interrupted by Drom slamming into both of them in a bear hug. Then Drom is laughing, and Pol is crying, and Corvus’s expression is obscured—but I can almost imagine him flashing that broad smile he wore so often in years past. A lump rises in my throat. I turn away, fighting back the overwhelming urge to join my siblings in their group hug and pretend like everything is the same as it’s always been. Maybe if I can swallow my pride and force myself to join them, everything will go back to normal. But I can’t, and it doesn’t. Every moment that passes, every moment of silence without Corvus giving me an apology or an explanation or anything more than that simple hey, only seems to widen the void between us.

Lyre stands back from the commotion as well, eyes narrowed at Corvus like he’s a particularly difficult engine problem in need of fixing.

“So that’s our new captain,” she says under her breath, and I force a bitter smile as anger flares in my stomach.

Still, I can’t help but watch again as Momma steps forward to meet Corvus. The twins disentangle themselves from their older brother as they notice her approaching, falling back to leave nothing but empty space between him and our mother.

CHAPTER TWENTY

A Family Reunion

Corvus