Pisces stopped, squeezing her eyes shut and drawing in a deep breath. “All right. You’re right. We’ll keep them distracted while you set the charges. Amina, get on the comm and tell the Hands to be ready. She’ll need cover until she’s through. And tell Nettle to bring us around; we need to get her as close to the megaship as we can.”

“Understood.” Amina turned on her heel and sprinted for the bridge.

“Hime, ready the mag bombs.” The girl nodded once and disappeared. “Ready a boat!” Pisces shouted. “The captain’s going in the water!”

Right before her eyes, Pisces was transforming, from the supportive second-in-command she’d always been into a leader. They hurried down the ladder and across the deck, ducking below the aft port rail as bullets rained against the hull.

“Pi,” Caledonia said, reaching for her hand.

“I know why you have to do this,” Pisces said as though reading Caledonia’s mind. “You can end it.”

Two missiles exploded in the sky above. Ash drifted down around them, dusting their heads and shoulders in pale gray. The world around them was on fire, yet they were alone. It was just Caledonia and Pisces deciding what came next. And they were making the decision together.

With a sudden surge of love, Caledonia pulled her sister against her, hugging her tightly. “Thank you,” she whispered before pulling away again.

Amina raced across the deck as the Luminous Wake hurtled back toward the megaship and half of Lir’s fleet. “The Hands are ready,” she announced. “And Sledge says the Blade will cover you as well.”

“Boat’s in the water!” Folly’s voice rang out clear as a bell.

Hime arrived then with a backpack clutched in her hands and a helmet tucked beneath one arm. Her face was streaked with gun oil and sweat, her jaw clenched tight as she handed the items over. Caledonia accepted the pack with a nod of thanks and quickly slipped the straps over her shoulders. The helmet was made of matte black metal with a visor of self-repairing glass. Caledonia pulled it on at once, tightening the strap beneath her chin.

“There’s a flare in here as well,” Oran said, securing a strap on the side of the bag. “Give us a sign if you need help.”

“If I need help, it’ll be too late,” Caledonia said, voice grim.

Oran didn’t answer. They both knew it was true. Once Caledonia hit the water, she was on her own.

“Incoming!”

The ship rumbled. Fire sprayed across the deck and the girls scrambled to put it out. Then the moment they’d all been waiting for: the Mors Navis turned her sleek bow toward them and moved to engage. Caledonia jumped to her feet. Lir was on that ship. Maybe Donnally, too, and every instinct urged her to stay with her crew and fight, but Hime stood in her way.

End this.