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“She thinks you’re up to something,” Arina told her grandmother. “And so do I. In all my life, have you ever told me a single shred of truth?”

“Of course. When I said I loved you, dear, that was true.”

Arina was unimpressed by her rhetoric. “Am I even your granddaughter?”

“Yes.”

“But you’re immortal,” Arina pointed out.

“I was made that way. You can hardly blame me for how I was made.”

“But I can question the truth of your words,” Arina shot back. “You are immortal. I am not immortal. Neither is my father, your son.”

“Magic isn’t always simple, Arina.”

“With you, it’s never simple. I thought you were the one person in my family who truly understood me, but…” Arina’s mouth trembled. “It doesn’t mean anything at all.”

Gertrude reached toward her. “Arina.”

Arina brushed away her hand. “It doesn’t matter anymore. You are the past. Done. Gone. All that matters now is that the Guardians have my children. And you are going to help me save them.”

“Of course I will.”

Arina was unmoved by her words. She marched off to stand under the blue magic shield that covered the hole in the ceiling.

Devlin waved his hand over himself and her, recasting the water-repelling spells. Then he spread his wings and carried her toward the ceiling door.

Theon flashed us a grin. “I love family drama.” Then the soap-opera-loving god cast his anti-water spell and left with Octavian and Arabelle.

Bella and Harker went next, followed by Punch and Patch. Stash waited behind with me and Nyx.

“Pandora, you really know how to attract madness,” the First Angel said, grabbing Gertrude by the arm.

I took hold of Inali, and together with Stash, we left the underwater sitting room.

Back on the shore, Cadence and the others were waiting for us.

“Who are they?” Leila’s eyes flickered from Gertrude to Inali.

“And why do they look identical?” Basanti wondered.

I handed Inali off to Arabelle. “It’s a long story.”

I walked between Bella and Arina as we headed back to the airship. Both looked shaken, like their worlds had been turned upside down.

“How you were made, Bella, that doesn’t make you any less real,” I told my sister.

“Leda, I…” Bella looked ready to protest, but then she caught Arina’s eye and stopped. She obviously didn’t want to offend Arina’s children by calling her children not real. Even though Bella seemed to feel that way about herself.

“You have a mother and a father,” I told Bella. “Unfortunately, none of us get to choose who our parents are. But I still think you got luckier than I did with Faris and Grace.” I winked at her.

Bella laughed. “Thanks, Leda. Thanks for cheering me up.”

I looked at Arina.

“I don’t need a counselor,” she said quickly.

“You won’t get any counseling from me, only snark.”