“The truly terrible thing, Cala, is that you are probably more prepared to be the one to lead us than ever. Because you know what it feels like to lose like this and it hasn’t broken you yet. Half of war is just enduring hell.”

It felt true. Every time Caledonia thought a moment would send her to her knees, she found a reason to stand up again. She’d been enduring hell since the night she met Lir. Surely, she could endure it a little longer. Besides, if she stepped down now, someone else would stand up in her place. Someone like Pisces or Sledge would have to shoulder this burden.

“No good options,” Caledonia said softly.

“No good options,” Oran repeated, watching her with a mournful expression. “And there will be even fewer tomorrow.”

Caledonia gave a grim nod. It would take them more than a day to reach the rendezvous coordinates, but the point remained: the number of ships that joined them now would determine her next move. Yesterday, she’d been hurtling toward the moment of sailing to the Holster and attacking Lir. Tomorrow, she might have only a handful of ships.

“But bad options have never slowed you down for long.”

Two sharp bangs on the hatch had both of them on their feet before the door swung open. It was Pisces. The news was on her face before she spoke, and Caledonia was reaching for her discarded gun belt when Pisces said a single word: “Bullets.”

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

The ship was a black point near the horizon on a course to intercept the Luminous Wake.

“Ready missiles, Captain?” Pine stood with one foot hoisted on the rail, a hand braced against his knee. He’d been on deck since the escape and though the rasp in his voice was evidence of the long night, his eyes were as sharp as ever.

The repairs to the Luminous Wake had been hurried. They’d sealed two weakened points in the forward hull and patched a long gouge on the starboard side, but every repair left them vulnerable.

Caledonia nodded and Pine shoved off to ready their weapons, leaving her with Pisces and Oran.

“Think it’s a trap?” Pisces asked, eyes narrowing on the approaching vessel.

Caledonia studied the ship. When Bullets sailed alone, it was almost always a trap. A single ship was a lure, meant to draw you close before its friends circled in for the kill. It was how Pisces had been captured in Caledonia’s absence. And how they’d lost the Mors Navis.

“Could be.” The location was not ideal for such a maneuver, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t still the case.

“Could be a scout,” Oran suggested.