“Alone?” Drom asks. “They’re taking him alone? I thought we’d go with him.”

Scorpia’s face shatters, but she quickly composes herself again.

“We can’t,” she says. “I’m sorry. We’ll pick him up as soon as we can.”

Drom stares at her. For a split second, it looks like she’s going to burst into tears. Then she whirls around and stomps up the stairs to the middle deck without another word.

Scorpia takes a deep breath and looks at the Gaians.

“Go on,” she says, addressing a tall woman at the head of the group. “You look after my brother, Commander Zinne.”

“Of course, Captain Kaiser,” the woman says, her expression tightening in clear displeasure.

Momma’s title attached to my sister gives me a jolt, but Scorpia only smiles. I turn to watch the Gaians roll the chamber containing our little brother down the ramp and resist the urge to stop them. Scorpia and I disagree on many things, but I know his best chance is with the Gaians. If Scorpia’s made a deal for him, I have to trust that they’ll do what they can. But I can’t celebrate the news.

“What kind of job did you take?” I ask, turning back to Scorpia. “We’re working for the president again?”

“I know, it’s a miracle, you’re very welcome for saving our brother,” Scorpia deadpans. “So glad you know what’s important here.”

Damn her and her question dodging. As she pulls away from me, I reach forward and grab her arm. I search her face, but she won’t look me in the eye. Something about this feels wrong. What has she done?

“Of course I’m grateful about Pol,” I say in a low voice. “I just want to make sure we didn’t sell our souls to save his.”

Scorpia snorts out a laugh and yanks free from my grip.

“You and your dramatics.”

“Scorpia.” I wait until she grudgingly meets my eyes. “If this job involves waging a war on Leonis’s behalf, I want no part in it.” I steel myself. I won’t be made into a weapon again. If that means being alone, so be it. “Leave me here, if that’s the case.”

Scorpia is silent for a moment. She looks past me at Lyre, and nods her head toward the ship.

“Lyre, get on board and leave us alone for a sec,” she says. Lyre does as she says, shooting a nervous glance at us as she passes.

Once we’re alone, part of me is suddenly, devastatingly certain she’s going to say, To hell with it, then, stay here on Deva—but after a moment, she sighs and throws up her hands.