“Ship’s on autopilot. C’mon, let’s get you a proper seat, doll.”

“I want to stand,” Mitzi said stubbornly, but she allowed Nic to push her into one of the plush seats that lined the room. He opened a cupboard beside them and pulled out seven water bottles, tossing five of them to the crew and handing the last to Mitzi as he sat next to her.

“I’m not going to lie—I’m pretty damned relieved to see you again.”

“Same to you,” Mitzi said, drinking deeply as she reclined in the chair. The pain in her ribs had subsided to a dull ache, and she let her eyes rove around the occupants of the room, watching them, assessing them. Adam had collapsed into one of the seat, legs splayed, grinning like an idiot despite the blood that was drying on his face. He’d probably come out of the experience better than all of them. She wished him luck in getting his friends to believe his story, though.

Skye had seated herself in a chair in the corner and was watching her unopened bottle. She seemed okay, if a little unsteady on her feet.

Mitzi wasn’t surprised to see Eoin had his book open again. He seemed thoroughly engrossed in it. Ellen, after hovering about the room for a moment, had settled next to him, and rested her head on his shoulder. He didn’t seem to mind, and Ellen, whose face looked horribly pinched and pale, was at least calm with him.

Mir sat down on the other side of Mitzi and offered her a shaky smile. “That was kind of a wild ride, huh?”

“Yeah,” Mitzi said, feeling an unexpected fondness for the girl. She had to reassess all of them, she realised. As she gazed about the room, the old tags she’d given them disappeared.

Adam was no longer an idiot; he was brave, resourceful, and at least a little bit selfless. Ellen had proven that she wasn’t so weak that she would collapse at the first sign of stress. Mitzi knew she would still be better suited for a calmer, safer occupation, but she’d shown that she could fight if pushed to it. Mir, the sulky teenager, had followed every command Mitzi had given, and more than that, she seemed to have incredible insight. She’d saved Mitzi’s life in the maintenance room, and she’d kept her wits about her long enough to ensure Mitzi was still human.

Skye, as Mitzi had suspected, had incredible potential. Her pretty face hid a rock-solid, loyal interior. And Eoin had proven himself capable of handling the horrors of the Cymic world, and his knowledge had gotten them out of a locked room.

Franc, the only lost member of their team, had shaken off his fussy accountant appearance and made the ultimate sacrifice to save the mission. Mitzi squeezed her eyes shut against bitter tears. Losing a part of her team always stung, and Franc had been a part that she would have very much wanted to work with again. She hoped, wherever he’d gone after death, he knew just how much good his sacrifice had brought. He might have just ensured a future for his grandchildren, after all.