“Furthermore, on board we have someone who thinks there may be a better way to do this. I’d like to introduce you all to someone.”

At my gesture, Corvus goes to bring Shey upstairs. Lyre gasps when she emerges. Drom shoots me a knowing look.

“You smuggled your girlfriend off-planet, huh?”

“Wha—no! That’s not… she’s not…”

“That’s the Gaian president’s daughter, idiot,” Lyre stage-whispers at her.

“Exactly,” I say. “Her name is Shey Leonis. She’s—”

“Way out of Scorpia’s league,” Lyre supplies.

I sputter for a moment before heaving a sigh.

“Just listen to what the lady has to say, all right?”

I step aside and gesture for Shey to speak. If my sisters’ words bothered her, she doesn’t show it. She stands tall, hands clasped behind her back, in the same composed position I’ve seen her mother take before she makes a speech.

The room is silent as Shey explains what she already told me. I squirm in my seat, eyes darting around, wondering what’s going through everyone’s heads as they listen. Will they take a chance on this, or will they do whatever it takes to save our brother? I can’t be sure. I’m not even sure what I want.

By the time Shey is done, Lyre is covering her mouth with one hand, and Drom’s head is lowered, her expression obscured. Corvus keeps glancing at me, waiting for me to speak, but I’m not sure what’s left to say at this point. I let them think.

After a moment, Drom sighs and raises her head, pushing damp hair out of her face. Shey looks at her expectantly, face full of unabashed hope, while everyone else in the room braces themselves.

“Damn,” she says. “Why couldn’t it be Pax? Nobody likes Pax.”

Shey blinks rapidly at her. She opens and closes her mouth, but nothing comes out.

“What she means is that Nibiru has a special significance to us,” I say hurriedly. “The twins were born there. But none of us are Paxian, and we’ve only been there once. Good years.”

“I see,” Shey says.

“I mean, not that it matters. Killing any of the planets would be terrible. Obviously.”

“Except for Pax,” Drom says. “Shitty-ass desert planet and its creepy mutant cows.”

“She’s kidding.”

Drom shrugs.

“Please,” Corvus speaks up, his tone full of barely restrained annoyance. “Let’s focus on the issue at hand. We have an important decision to make.”

Both Drom and I go silent at that.

“What decision is there?” Lyre pipes up from the end of the table. She sits with both hands in her lap, chewing her lower lip. “If we go against Leonis’s wishes, she’ll have Pol killed.”