Experimentally, she let go of the sheets.

There was no floating sensation.

She gasped, opening her eyes to stare at Houston. He winked at her, squeezing her hand, which was frozen like the rest of her.

“How did you know that would work?” she asked.

“I didn’t,” Houston answered.

Thrym interrupted. “Why did it work?”

“I’ve tried it before, with poor results. But for whatever reason—that I will most assuredly be getting to the bottom of—it worked on the little skyling.” The excitement in his voice was clear. Houston glanced sideways at her. “I would expect you wouldn’t remember much outside of this cave?”

“I. . . .” Romy frowned. “I remember from the time Atlas found me, uh. . . .” Her face heated.

“Gloriously naked under the waterfall?”

She turned away, blushing. “I remember how much it hurt. The thoughts I had.” She covered her eyes. “I had some terrible thoughts about you all. . . . You have no idea how grateful I am that you made that go away, Houston.” Romy dropped her hands. “Thank you.”

“Do you remember why you were in pain, little skyling?”

She picked up the short strands of her hair. They were still pink. “I . . . hurt someone.” Her eyes met Atlas’s. She tried to reach back, but there was nothing there. “I think.”

“And what do you remember about each of us?” he asked. “What do you remember about Atlas, for instance?”

A beautiful ocean was drawn from somewhere in her mind. “A sunset at the ocean,” she said, puzzled. “His office. The . . . the locked room. And your bungalow.” Her eyes met his once more. “I know you’re commander of Orbito Four.”

Concern etched Atlas’s handsome face. A face she trusted. “How do you feel?” he croaked.

She flexed her fingers, swinging her legs down as the last of the electrodes were removed. Romy stood, wobbling ever so slightly. Her body was exhausted, severely fatigued. They said she’d been functioning and taking care of herself, but she hadn’t really.

She was filthy for a start, filthier than any of the others. Her mouth was completely dry; she hadn’t been drinking water.

And she was ravenously hungry. Her stomach rumbled, echoing through the cavern.

“Did you just fart?” Phobos asked.

Her face flamed anew. “That was my stomach!”

“Sure.”

“Shut up, Phobos.” Elara rolled her eyes. Romy threw her a grateful look.

Her legs trembled from holding her weight.

“Ro, honey,” Deimos said gently.

She started. The twins came round from the other bed. She looked to her other side where Elara and Thrym had neared.

The knot enclosed her in their arms.

And she held tightly to them, tears falling silently to the floor as she said, “I’m okay. I’m okay.”

Deimos shifted to hold her closer, and she met Atlas’s eyes through a small gap.

He stood with Houston, who was wiping his eyes beneath his glasses.