seconds, n

atforms of solid light suspended over the glowing core of Earth - held its breath. The

Imperial prince's coat that was too big for her, her arms gl

that held their mother, her brother h

een his sister since

n Colony ships, in the cockpits of raiders, in the quiet moments between ba

ral prince, wearing that prince's clothe

said softly, stepping forward, his old hand

rk brown eyes as Lyra, but where hers were stubborn, his were burning. "She wanted to hide while our people were butchered in the colo

t, beautiful city hanging above them. "We bu

own hand resting on his sidearm but not drawing it. His pale violet eyes were locked on Dar

"Leader of the Free Human Fleet. Responsible for the destruction of Imperial convoy AX-9, the liberation

f mine when you erased us

when that decision wa

re happy to

found her v

hen she shouted, the entire city flared with her. Every

en fli

the light-platform. She stood in the too-large black Imperial under-tunic, b

n. "You are my brother. You

, his gun lowering a fract

you're an orphan? Thinking you're a glitch? That no one wanted you? I thought I was b

. "I searched for you

ould have lo

kill me! Two hours ago you were going to put a b

" Kael sai

arship told you not t

with the fascinated horror of someone watching a shuttl

nd you! Princess! You t

tly re-evaluating my worldview, thank yo

f was broke

hiss. A

tasis

wenty-two years, keeping her alive, keeping

-rhythm - Lyra's return, the Heart, i

stal sh

everyone back except Lyra. Lyra stood in it, bath

ght herself on

stared at each other. Same face, separa

is. Her crown of living light was dim, flickering.

s glowing cheek. Her hand was warm. R

cried when the galaxy blacked out, who had not cried when he

d into her m

t to his own chest, where the bio-bond pulsed, and he fel

ly, his own eyes wet now. He kn

," he w

face, which had been pure love

said. "My son.

't," Darian said, his

ut firmly. She looked up at Kael and Seraphine, standing awkwar

t them here," s

a mumbled into her

on to save me," Kae

s, and something passed b

elene said. "You

tely still. "You

be your father's conscience. He killed her

de a sharp,

lping her. She looked frail, but when she stood st

s of the Vei

showing Earth wrapped in cracking light. The cracks were bigger now. Th

s using it as a road. It's... it's already in the upper atmosphere. The De

art chose you because you are the only one whose Aureli sequen

inside?" L

ith the black coin and pl

w Gate under the Pacific - it is not a gate to somewhere. It is the lock on The Silence's priso

ide?" Kael asked, his voice dangero

ked at him

inside. Forev

ll over th

hide for 183 years to sacrifice my sister the day she ret

"The Silence doesn't shoot. It makes you forget why you were

coin in her palm, which n

e door, and stay ther

t we ever existe

of family. He had been silent, watch

" he

e looke

ooking directly at L

ae

ave thrown fruit at a princess, yelled at a warlord, made my warship disobey me, and made my

k her hand with the Heart, his matching circ

o in. If you stay, I stay. That is the oath m

ight connecting their

spite herself. "It's... it's a soulmate bond.

anding abruptly, his ears turnin

rms still glowing. "You'd go into a prison with a cosm

r. "I would go into hell itself if it meant you

m, the gro

, as if something had just stepped onto

- at the ceiling of rock that was

n here. And through the largest crack, directly

sn't

things. It had no form, but Lyra's brain tr

nce had

eaching stra