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It was a paradox that Savvine couldn’t help but admire.

The ship was brutal in silhouette, nonetheless smooth in soul.

A beast, yes, but one with every modern comfort, refined luxury, and the unmistakable fingerprint of the mysterious man who commanded it.

The leader she had yet to meet.

The levels they passed revealed more: an apothecary stocked with vials and herbs, a hydro-garden with glowing fruit, pharmacies, reading rooms, and a string of open-air cafés beside a vertical moss wall.

The elevator they entered was spacious enough to house a whole squadron but held only the two of them. The transparent synth plex walls offered a complete panorama.

Savvine’s breath kept catching in her throat. ‘It’s beautiful.’

Santi inclined his head, the corner of his mouth tilting. ‘We sweated blood for every square inch,jefa.’

The lift doors opened, and Savvine stopped breathing.

Before her stretched an entire deck the size of a small suburb, carpeted in rolling, vibrant green grass, and tall trees swayed under an artificial breeze.

Plus, feathered, singing birds darted between forest glades.

Sunlight filtered down from a vaulted plasma sky, warm and golden.

A reservoir sat at the center, sparkling like a dream from another lifetime.

Savinne gaped at the sprawling lagoon with clear blue water and sandy, smooth banks, along which children laughed as they fed docile swan-like creatures drifting in the shallows.

She turned in place, stunned. ‘You have a freakin’ lake on a warship.’

Santi stepped forward and gestured to a sleek, floating buggy gliding toward them. ‘Claro. Alexandr insists on balance. War readiness upstairs, peace and loving downstairs.’

She glanced at him, speechless.

He slid into the driver’s seat of the hovercraft and patted the spot beside him. ‘Come. Alexandr awaits you by the water by his private beach.’

Savvine shook her head, still dazed, and climbed next to him.

As they skimmed across the grass and tree-lined path, she blinked, still unable to believe the beauty of the space.

Santi brought the craft to a gentle stop at the edge of a glade.

It sloped into the water, which shimmered with golden light, dappled by the rustle of nearby trees, where more birds cooed in the branches.

Santi nodded at the shoreline. ‘He’s waiting for you.’

Savvine squinted at the back of a man in the distance, standing waist deep in the shallows. ‘He’s fishing.’

‘You don’t say.’

The tease in Santi’s smirk was undeniable.

He leaned back with one arm slung across the top of the buggy’s seat, enjoying himself. ‘Get in the water for a chat. You’ll find he’s full of surprises.’

She mumbled a curse under her breath, grabbed her bag, and climbed down from the hover flyer, brushing the hem of her coat.

‘Santefor the ride.’

She received a two-finger salute from the rakish man before he took off.