Her hand was warm and unexpectedly ordinary, nails clipped short like I remembered. I swallowed. Just a memory, just a dream, but it felt so real. Around us, the candles burned steadily.

“I must go soon,” she said, withdrawing her hand. “But I am glad we had this chance to speak.”

“When you leave, can I … can I stay here?”

She shook her head, smiling sadly.

I suppose I had already known, but strangely, I still didn’t feel afraid. I was only a little drowsy—I wanted to lie down and sleep, bathed in the warm light of the candles and the smell of flowers.

“I guess that’s okay too.” I returned her smile. “Thank you for the dream.”

The Star opened her arms, and I was grateful, so grateful to have this at the end. I embraced her and the world faded.

She smelled like home.

AFTER

The wall of the house had split. The crack that ran through the stonework was a foot wide, and a potted plant was wedged into the gap.

Similar damage was prevalent everywhere—when Aytrium struck Ventris, the impact had sent shockwaves rippling across the island for days. The Sisterhood had burned through all the lace they possessed to slow the fall, but it had not been quite enough. Ceyrun now sloped at a new angle, and a huge section of the city’s outer wall had collapsed.

Still, many things continued as usual.

Rhyanon sat on the garden bench with her ankles crossed, eating a pastry and watching her daughter dig small holes in the soil along the side of the house. Jaylen’s hands were covered in dirt, and a tuft of wispy brown hair stuck up from her forehead. Beside her, a line of daffodil bulbs waited to be planted.

“Congratulations?” said Rhyanon. “Although I’m not sure that’s an appropriate response under the circumstances.”

From the other side of the bench, I tipped my glass toward her. “I’ll take it.”

“It was a foregone conclusion, though. A relief to get the weight off your shoulders, I suppose.”

The trial had finally ended this morning, three months after the fall of Aytrium. Judicial Affairs had been overwhelmed, not only because of the staggering number of new cases—mostly the merchant guilds trying to extract compensation from the Order—but because the High Court building itself had been badly damaged during the impact. While my case had taken precedence, the proceedings had still dragged out much longer than originally anticipated.

“Amnesty, huh?” I said. “Doesn’t that set rather a dangerous precedent?”

“I think it would be difficult for anyone to replicate your exact crimes or circumstances. But I’m not a Judicial Affairs officer, what do I know?”

I leaned back on the bench. The sun filtering through the trees warmed my legs.

“I was expecting at least a slap on the wrist,” I said.

“Saskia would never have stood for that. And Deselle Somme advocated pretty fiercely on your behalf too.”

“Even so.”