Ifollowed Reina through the station’s interior corridors, leaving behind the tropical fantasy of our deck for something more utilitarian. The walls here were still the same curved white surfaces, but the lighting was brighter and more focused, designed for work rather than romance.
“Nina is one of our best holo designers,” Reina explained as we approached a door with a clear window panel. “She’s also one of the people who helped save Kann and Britta when they got stuck in that holo-simulation disaster.”
The door slid open to reveal a compact but efficient workspace filled with tall tables, holographic displays and sleek control surfaces. A woman with lots of dark, curly hair looked up from where she was working at a curved console, her face lighting up when she saw us.
“Nina,” Reina said, “I’d like you to meet Sasha Bowman.”
“The rescued pilot!” Nina exclaimed, rising from her chair with obvious enthusiasm. “I’m so relieved to hear they got you out safely. What you must have gone through...” She trailed off, her expression shifting to sympathetic concern.
I felt a familiar stab of guilt at the deception we were perpetrating. Nina seemed genuinely kind, the sort of person who would be horrified to learn she was being manipulated. But I pushed the feeling down. This was necessary, and I couldn’t afford to let sentiment interfere with my mission.
“Thank you,” I said, managing what I hoped was a grateful smile. “I have the Drexians to thank for being rescued.”
“They’re pretty great.” Nina gave me a knowing wink. “In more ways than one, right?”
“Nina’s mate is a Drexian,” Reina explained with a giggle.
“I hear you’re engaged to one.” Nina grinned. “Welcome to the ranks of the tribute brides.”
I bristled at this terminology but tried not to let it show on my face. “Thanks. Everyone here has been incredibly welcoming.”
“Not that we’re tributes anymore,” Nina said with a nervous laugh. “All of us know exactly what we’re getting into.”
“We were wondering if we could use your communications setup,” Reina said, smoothly taking charge of the conversation. “Sasha needs to make a vid call to the Academy on Drex.”
“Of course!” Nina said immediately, gesturing toward the array of equipment that dominated one wall of the office. “It won’t take me a minute to get you connected. Which part of the academy are we calling?”
“The School of Flight,” I said. That was the place where I was most likely to find Ariana.
She settled at the shiny console, her fingers dancing across the control surfaces with practiced efficiency. The familiar beeps and buzz of subspace communications filled the office. Then within moments, the primary display flickered to life, showing the interior of what I recognized as a classroom in the Academy’s School of Flight. Volten appeared on screen, looking surprised but relieved when he saw me.
“Sasha!” he said, his usually composed expression cracking. “Ariana has been freaking out since you and Deklyn disappeared without a word.”
Another stab of guilt twisted in my chest. I should have told my sister I was leaving. I should have spared her the worry and fear that must have consumed her when she realized I was gone.
“Is she there?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.
“Right here,” came a familiar voice, and then Ariana was pushing into frame beside Volten, her face pale with worry and relief and something that might have been anger.
Before she could speak, before she could demand explanations or express the hurt I could see in her eyes, I plunged ahead with the lie I’d rehearsed.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you I was leaving,” I said, the words tumbling out in a rush. “I hadn’t planned to, but it was a spur-of-the-moment thing, and now, well, Deklyn and I are engaged.”
The silence that followed was so complete I could hear the hum of the station’s life support systems. Ariana’s mouth fell open,her expression cycling through disbelief, shock, and something that might have been anger.
“Could you repeat that?” Volten asked, his voice carefully controlled.
I forced myself to smile, to look like a woman who’d just gotten engaged to the love of her life rather than someone who’d just told one of the biggest lies of her existence.
“Deklyn and I are engaged,” I repeated, injecting as much happiness into my voice as I could manage. “We’re getting married!”
Before either of them could respond, Reina poked her head into frame beside me, her timing perfect.
“And we’re already busy planning the wedding of the century!” she added with enthusiasm that sounded completely genuine.
“Sasha,” Ariana said slowly. “Why is this all happening so fast? I mean, you’ve barely been out of that prison for?—”
“When you know, you know,” I interrupted, hating myself for the words even as I said them. “After what we went through together, we realized there was no point in waiting. Why waste time when we could be building a life together?”
