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“Ara,” Rike says. He’s now on his feet, Drake helping to support his weight. “You really do need to come with us⁠—”

“Us?” I swivel to Drake again. “You’ve changed your tune. What happened to finding a ship so we could get away?”

Drake nods at Rike. “I was not aware of what I know now. And I believe we should go with Rike to The Bridge and the other FIs. We can protect them.” He gestures to the deck, where pilots and soldiers are still trying to locate ships. Hatches clank and slam as they open and shut. “All of them. And then we will be taken home.”

Home. Home in Rhavna.

Not Hevalla.

Cosmer’s grip around my waist tightens. “No. Ara is coming with me, on my ship. We’re going to go to our home. Away from all of this.”

Drake’s body hardens, like that’s rattled him. He barely looks at him as he says, “Are you currently even safe to pilot?”

Cosmer tenses up. “I’m fine,” he blurts, going red in the face.

“Shall we ask you how many fingers we’re all holding up?”

“Sure. And then you can tell me how many I am.” He holds up his middle finger at him.

I cut in, putting Cosmer’s hand down with my own. “We don’t have time for this.” I turn to Drake. “If you want to go with Rike and be a pawn in Dezeeves’ game, that’s fine. But I’m going with Cosmer. And that’s the end of it.”

Drake takes the smallest of steps forwards. “Even though it would be completely the wrong thing to do?” Lower, he says, “Even though it would endanger every single person on this ship?”

I glower at him. “You can block my magic, Drake. But you can’t stop my choices.”

The radio, still in my hand, sounds out again.

“Rike,” Dezeeves says, through it. “I must insist⁠—”

Rike yanks his radio from me. “I’ve got Drake. But, Ara…”

“We need them both.”

Rike looks at me pleadingly.

I look at him pleadingly.

Please, I beg him silently. For the friendship we once had.

For love, which you always believed in.

Rike holds the radio closer to his mouth. “Is there no other way we can stop the fleets, Dezeeves? What about the weapon?”

Dezeeves’ words penetrate a hole through any hope I had left.

Of me. Of Cosmer.

Of the future we should have, but can’t.

“Ara and Drake are the weapon. They have always been it.”

CHAPTER 35

The First Fortune

The weapon.

I am the weapon. My magic, and Drake’s, combined and stable.