When Nor passed by, mothers held up their infants, desperate for the queen to press a kiss to their foreheads. Children called his sister’s name, some of them singing songs of adoration. A man in the crowd had fat tears rolling down his cheeks at the very sight of Nor passing by.

It was everything she’d ever wanted—and it was all happening because of Valen.

The Solis name was now adored instead of cursed. And today, his sister would give these people a great gift, by not showing any fear of Arachnid’s threats. She would also give them a purpose; a mission they would surely be able to help her complete.

Stay safe, Nor told Valen through their mental link. Stay right at my side, Valen. Promise?

I promise, Mother, Valen said, his voice carrying a hint of laughter through the link.

Zahn shouted out an order, and the soldiers escorted Nor onto a makeshift stage. Valen stepped up beside her, watching the people swarm around the stage, as closely as the soldiers would allow. Behind them stood the Arcardian Academy, a pyramid-shaped structure made entirely of glass. This very place was where Androma had first met Kalee and Valen. Where her strange connection to Valen’s father had originated, though none of them could have possibly imagined then that she’d someday be given his title when he passed on.

This was where the Arcardian military students trained. Where they had once learned to call the Olen System their enemy.

Now they praised the very queen their mothers and fathers had tried to kill, long ago. Everything had come full circle. Valen looked to the sky, imagining he could see the Nexus satellite, and the Void far beyond. Soon, this crowd would have a new group of people to join them in their praise of Nor Solis.

“Show them you will not bow to fear,” Zahn said as he joined them on the stage, taking his place between Nor and Valen. Camera droids buzzed about, bobbing up and down, ready to record Nor’s message and send it out across the galaxy as Zahn’s intelligence team worked to combat Arachnid’s constant looped messages.

They’d take back the feeds. Then they’d root him out once and for all—and crush him like the bug he was.

Show them their queen, Valen thought to Nor.

Together, they looked out upon the crowd. A million faces looked back. Faces of every shape and size and color, all of them looking at Nor as if she were their one true ruler. The woman their mother, Klaren, had tried and failed to be.