“You’re my captain. And you’re my sister. And I am so mad at you.” When she looked up, her eyes brimmed with tears. “You’re my sister, but you left me. You chose revenge over me, and you forced me into a role I never wanted.” She paused, fists clenched between them. “I’m sure you rationalized that choice. I’m sure you thought I could handle it, but that’s not the point. You didn’t ask. So I don’t know what ‘sister’ really means to you. Until you figure it out, and until I can figure out how to forgive you . . . stay away from me.”

Pisces turned and left the room, taking all the air with her.

Chapter Twenty-eight

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

“The damage, all things considered, is minimal. Nothing we can’t handle on the move.” Harwell trotted along at her side to give his report, and while it was good news, Caledonia couldn’t agree that the damage was minimal.

“Thank you, Harwell. Keep your teams on it. I want this ship fit before anyone rests for the night.”

This was a terrible order. Everyone needed rest after the long night, but right now they needed to remain alert and get themselves ready to run again when the sun rose.

“Yes, Captain.” Harwell hurried away with less enthusiasm than she’d grown used to seeing in his stride. He was tired. And it would only get worse for everyone.

She continued on her rounds, taking every opportunity to steer clear of the mess hall. She wanted to see her girls again, but with every step, she heard Pisces’s voice. Stay away from me. Those words were like bullets, crashing again and again into her heart, punching holes in her lungs, ripping through her veins, and scorching her skin.

She’d expected the conversation to be difficult. She’d expected to have to defend her actions, to allow Pisces to be angry with her. She’d expected Pisces to be reluctant to give up command. After all, Caledonia had given her everything, and it wasn’t fair of her to come back and make demands. She had expected a negotiation.

She hadn’t expected this.

This was so much worse. She was a stone falling through water, and as she tumbled faster and faster into the black unknown, she lost her sense of direction. There was no up, no down, nothing except this endless falling. She didn’t know how to apologize. She didn’t even know if she should.

Had she found Pisces only to discover they would never be close again? Could she be a captain without her sister at her side?

Every question seemed to lead to one more devastating than the last. None of them had answers. At least, none had answers Caledonia wanted to entertain.