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The flickering image hovered before Savvine: a sweeping shot of theVenantia Eterna’svast internal dome, where families huddled in communal spaces under emergency lanterns.

Her mother and sister were visible among them, seated on rolled bedding mats, tired but safe. A few crew members passed by in the background, thinner but on their feet.

‘They appear-’ she breathed, swallowing. ‘They seem okay.’

‘They’re alive,’ Miral confirmed. ‘A little lean, dehydrated maybe, but the dry stores still have about two weeks of ration packs and purification tablets.’

‘What about Eugene?’ Savvine asked, her voice turning to iron.

‘Gone,’ Miral said. ‘At least, in a synth bot physical sense. There’s a faint coded signature of his left on his pleasure yacht’s systems, almost like a ghost in the machine, to coin an old Earth phrase. All crat presence outside theEternais negligible. No synths. However, onboard, his droids are still operational, marching along the corridors, reacting as programmed. Decoding and overriding their settings is possible if we can get inside.’

‘We conducted a security loop-back test,’ Kaal added. ‘We noted power surges dip lowest during the ship’s twilight cycle on theEterna’sartificial day clock. Tomorrow evening gives us a four-minute window.’

Savvine’s shoulders tensed. ‘I want in.’

Santi and Kaal exchanged glances.

‘You sure?’ Kaal asked.

‘Naam.’

‘If the boss saysnada-,’ Santi began.

‘I’m his boss,’ Savvine said, lips twitching.

Santi groaned. ‘Don’t we know it?’

‘You own the man,’ Kaal muttered.

Savvine raised a brow. ‘Do I now? I suppose I do. It appears you, Signet men, want to be claimed and owned. When are you two you going to let a pair of strong, smart women to hand your asses to you?’

‘Fokkoff,’ Santi cursed, with a lilt to his voice.

She lifted a middle finger at the trio, walking back into Xander’s room as they all laughed, united in camaraderie, the kind forged in fire and war.

29

Daughter Of Wolves

XANDER

Xander woke to the muted hush of the medbay, where soft shadows cast across the walls.

The hum of machines faded into the background as awareness slipped back into him like a tide.

First his breath, then the ache, then her.

He turned to Savvine, his heart convulsing.

Fokk, he adored her.

Her limbs wrapped around him in the hover bed, one leg slung over his hip, one arm tucked over his chest like she’d always belonged there.

Her breath warmed the base of his throat, her dark lashes brushing his skin with every rise and fall, and just like that, it hit him.

Love.

The moment never announced itself.