Even though she’d been there recently, it still felt strange for Eris to breathe in the air of a planet she had once considered home. It was impossible to describe, yet it was so familiar, she’d recognize it anywhere. It was fresher, greener than the stifling-hot air of Nova. Sometimes, she missed the gentle scent: the trees swaying in the wind, the cool air coming off the distant sea. Nova demanded too much. It wasn’t for the weak. And sometimes, in her quiet moments working with the resistance, she pretended she was right back here: in the palace square, breathing in the scent of sea salt.

That grand palace rising above them, made up of the bones of creatures her forefathers had slaughtered, was a symbol of everything this Empire stood for. Everything they worshiped. Letum, Bel, Rem, Salutem, Phobos, Algea, and Soter. Death, War, Honor, Survival, Fear, Agony, and Salvation. The glory of the Empire and sacrificing to their gods were all that mattered. She couldn’t let herself forget.

“Negotiare?” The guard’s voice made Eris jump. She hadn’t realized she’d stopped.

Ariadne’s voice sounded through the Pathos: <Is something wrong?>

<No.> Eris straightened her shoulders as she followed the guard once more. <I’m just distracted.>

<Better get undistracted,> Nyx muttered. <I worked my ass off not to die here.>

Eris was surprised when the guard led her to the private wing of the palace. The compound had changed so little since she had left. The same shining floors with no speck of dirt. The walls carved with scenes of their many conquests, offerings to the Gods of Death and War. The views from the portholes and the particular tinge of purple entered the overhead lights this time of day, to better complement the coming twilight. How could she still miss a place so horrible, that had caused so much pain?

She risked a short prayer to Letum herself, for despite everything, Death was her patron. Her fingers automatically went to her throat but found only the delicate gold chain of something Zoe would wear, rather than her scythes.

The gods would not help her there.

The guards posted outside Damocles’s room snapped to attention as she approached. “General Damocles is expecting her,” Eris’s escort said.

The one to her left spoke in a rough, firm voice. “Just her, then.” He gestured to Nyx and Ariadne. “These two can wait in the Star Rise Room.”

Eris had expected this. With the tightened security, no unnecessary detail came in or out of these rooms.

“Of course,” Eris said pleasantly. She took the case with the schematics from Nyx. “Don’t annoy the nice guards, ladies.”

<Be careful,> Ariadne said.

As Ariadne and Nyx were escorted away, the doors slid open.