His teeth had just grazed her ear when the doors to her office swung open and Valen swept in. Zahn sighed and pulled away, rising to his feet. Nor followed his gaze to the doorway and was surprised to see that Valen was not alone.

For behind her brother trailed Darai, along with three others—female soldiers Nor only vaguely recognized.

“What is the meaning of this?” she asked, standing and pulling her cloak tight across her stomach to hide her wrinkled gown. She hadn’t changed clothes since they’d heard the news about Cyprian’s successor, too worried to do anything but focus on finding Androma.

“Majesty,” Darai said, bowing quickly before crossing the room toward her. “My deepest apologies for the intrusion, but—”

“You can stop with the ridiculous adviser act, Uncle,” Valen said, cutting the old man off. He looked to Nor, but finished his sentence through their mental link instead. I made a mistake, letting Andi go. I thought I’d killed her—

A mistake you will not soon forget, Nor snapped back, surprising herself with her own sudden surge of anger.

Valen cleared his throat and quickly answered back with a nod. No one could have known, Nor. But these three... I promise you, they will be the answer to our problem. Consider this my apology. I think you will find it perfectly to your liking.

The young women stepped up behind Valen, all three obediently dropping to a knee in unison. Nor looked at the girls more closely, surveying them one by one.

The first, a giantess with brown skin and hardened eyes, was clearly from the planet New Veda. The one at her side, redheaded and petite, hardly looked old enough to don the black soldier’s uniform she wore. The last was a girl from Adhira, judging by her ocean-blue skin and eyes. Her posture was graceful and elegant, and she held her head high even as she bent the knee to her queen.

All of them had a singular trait in common: the silver veins of the Zenith virus spread across their skin, glowing brightly as they waited for her judgment.

“Who are they?” Nor asked, still unable to place them.

“These soldiers used to serve a different master,” Darai said, his features broadening in a rare smile. “They were once criminals who worked alongside the Bloody Baroness. Her...crew.”

Electricity zinged through Nor’s entire body at those words.

“I know Androma,” Valen said, moving closer to Nor, his hands worrying away at each other. “She’s not beneath my control, and she’s going to be nearly impossible to root out. And she’s a survivor—she’ll do whatever it takes to save herself. She’s likely already far away, holed up somewhere none of our soldiers can reach. She may even be with Arachnid himself now, hiding out—”

“Don’t say his name,” Nor said, clenching her teeth.