Page 229

And another.

Enough years passed, and the transformation became easier to accept.

Veyr died.

Ghost remained.

Simple.

Except it had never been simple.

My mother believed she had lost a son. My sister believed she had lost a brother. The warriors under my command had died.

And I had lived long enough to decide that continuing to live required justification.

That was the debt.

Not the Veil.

Not Zuna.

Mine.

I closed the mission packet.

The screen went dark.

For a while, I listened to the building settle around me. Distant transport engines. Someone moving through the corridor outside. The quiet hum of the climate system.

No sound from the adjoining room.

I considered checking.

Stopped myself.

Again.

This was going to require practice.

I disliked that.

Then the door opened.

Talia stepped into the common room.

She had not changed clothes. Had not packed her bag. She had simply been somewhere I was not.

That distinction mattered more than I wanted it to.

Her face was calmer now.

Not softer.

Calmer.

That was worse.

Anger could be answered.