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‘It was nothing. She really just needs to sleep it off. She’s been working ‘round the clock with the kids to keep herself busy and her mind from wandering back to Father’s death. She’s just tired, I swear. Please don’t tell Artemis. She’ll kick us off the ship if she finds out.’

‘I’m not going to lie,’ I warned him. ‘Not to Arty, and especially not about you. She doesn’t trust you as it is, and I don’t want her to think I’m colluding with you to kidnap Bal.’

‘We’re not trying to kidnap him, Dorian. I swear. She’s just exhausted and grieving. That’s all it is,’ he pleaded, desperation taking hold.

I sighed, knowing I was about to butt in where I wasn’t welcome but also done with the entire ordeal. And not just with Morgrid. Tormik and Artemis needed to put their past behind them and move on, and someone was going to have to make the first move.

‘You misunderstand me, Tormik. Artemis doesn’t deserve secrets and lies. You’ve done that before and it hasn’t worked out well for you so far. You need to tell her what happened here. It might help rebuild some of that trust,’ I told him.

‘I… what?’

‘You need to talk to her, Tormik. Be honest. Start proving that you’re trustworthy. She won’t be mad about your mother if she knows the truth.Well… nottoomad, at least. She’ll be furious for a bit, but in all the time I’ve known her she’s never been unfair in her judgements.’

He contemplated his words before speaking, opening and closing his mouth multiple times before finally letting them out. ‘Why? Why would you try to help me mend my relationship with her?’

I shrugged. ‘You helped me, the least I can do is help you. I doubt it will fix everything between you, but it will help her see that you mean no harm. I’ll vouch for you and your actions today, but you’re the one that needs to put in the effort.’

His gaze probed mine, searching for any hint of deception but he wouldn’t find any. He scratched my back, I would scratch his, simple as.

‘You’re serious?’

I nodded decisively, eager to just make my point and move on. ‘I can see you’re not a bad person, Tormik. Whatever mistakes you made in the past… It’s hard to watch the two of you in the same room together. It’s painfully awkward, actually, and the least I can do after you stood up to your own mother for Baldr’s sake is give you the opportunity to make things right.’

He released a long breath through his nose, a flicker of hope shining dimly in his eyes. ‘Do you think I have a chance?’

My eyebrows danced between arching and frowning, undecided on if I should focus on my confusion or my surprise at the way he suddenly let down his walls, showing me a glimpse of vulnerability. ‘A chance for what?’

‘To make things right.’

‘I don’t know exactly what you did, Tormik, but there’s always a chance to do the right thing. It’s up to her if she sees it, though.’

‘Thank you.’

I gave him a thin-lipped smile. ‘Don’t mention it.’

As we re-entered the cafeteria I had to wonder if I’d just opened up another bag of shit for Artemis to deal with. It was highly possible, but my gut told me Tormik was a good guy at heart. He just needed the chance to prove it. She needed to pull up her big girl panties and deal with the situation, too. Whatever it was he did that she was struggling to forgive, she needed to look past it to see who he was now.

I had a feeling that was going to be the only way forward without her kicking him and his mother off the ship. I just hoped she wouldn’t get so mad about this incident that she’d do it anyway.

Regardless, if anyone deserved a break from all the shit it was Arty, and I just hoped the stars would shine down on them both and relieve them from this vicious cycle of animosity. I’d done my part, it was up to them now.

CHAPTER 20

Artemis

‘Captain, the enemy ship is encroaching with increased velocity. With the asteroid field approaching, we can no longer outpace them,’ Eloria stated, interrupting our discussion.

I shared a worried look with Bromm and Cadmus. Adara was already focused on the holo-screen while Reece scowled down at his feet.

‘How long, GC?’ I asked her.

‘They will be in firing range within a half a turn, Captain.’

‘Shit,’ Addy swore, the sentiment mirrored by us all.

‘Captain, what are your orders?’ Julius asked, piping up for the first time since the ship was spotted. Though there was sweat already beading on his brow and he had turned a rather alarming shade of green, his spine was straight, his voice steady and he spoke with confidence indicative of someone of his station. He was pushing his fear aside with a professionalism that I admired, and for the first time since I’d met him, he was a true soldier.

‘Ready the weapons. Prepare to fire on my order, but not a moment sooner. Hopefully, if we play this right, we won’t need to.’