Caledonia was left alone with the night. For some time, the only sounds were the distant chugging of the water pumps and the laughter of ocean waves as they splashed against the hull. Then a whisper of sound announced Hime’s arrival. She treaded quietly through the bridge hatchway followed closely by Amina.

We knew you’d be awake, Hime said, still signing with one hand. You shouldn’t be.

“You should be resting,” Amina added.

Caledonia smiled, chest warming at the sight of her sisters coming to keep her company. “I am resting,” she countered.

Amina laughed ruefully. “I believe you think so.”

Hime came forward, producing a fourth of a seed brick from a sack.

Caledonia looked up, startled. “Hime, no. I appreciate the gesture, but you need that just as much as any of us.”

Hime didn’t move. Like the rest of the girls, her cheeks revealed how little she’d had to eat in recent weeks, but she regarded Caledonia like a hawk regarded its prey.

With a sigh, Caledonia took the portion from Hime’s hand. “We’ll split it.”

Hime rolled her eyes and to Amina said, Didn’t I tell you?

Amina laughed again, drawing Hime to her and kissing the back of her hand lightly. “You know our captain well, Princelet.”

Amina took a seat on the floor, and Hime settled between her legs as the three of them slowly chewed on their food. It was dry and unappealing but they took their time, tricking their stomachs into thinking it was a full meal.

It was hard to believe she was sitting here with them again. For so long, she’d imagined them sailing past the Net, free and finding new ways to thrive. Then, when she knew they’d been captured, she imagined them suffering. In all that time, she hadn’t imagined this kind of quiet communion, and she found she didn’t know what to say. She had too many questions to choose from.

“Pisces was a good captain,” Amina offered. “Though she will probably tell you otherwise.”

“I have no doubt,” Caledonia answered quickly. “Just as I’m sure you were an incredible second.”

Amina shrugged the compliment away with grace. “It will take her too long to tell you herself because she feels so badly about getting caught, but it wasn’t her fault.”

It was a trap, Hime added. They were waiting for us.

Caledonia’s chest tightened as they unraveled the tale.

“When we left you, we were caught up in the Perpetual Storm again. We couldn’t stay in the western seas, so we cut east, hoping to skim down the coast of the Rock Isles. One morning, there was a ship in our path. Seemingly in distress.”