The heat of Solis had begun to fade into the coldness that Cosimia was used to. The small chill made Cosimia miss her mother planet, her priority above all else. Jupitar loomed ahead, much larger than she had expected. Various hues of red and orange swirled together, merging to form a glaring orange. A large spot, a blister on Jupitar's variant surface, eyed them as the Lady Vortex edged closer. Oralie circled, out of orbit, trying to find a weak spot to enter.

The group crowded around the pilot's pit, Cosimia at the front. Jupitar was vast so there was a large chance that when they entered the planet they would land in a heavily populated city. Cosimia wanted to enter from the Badlands of Jupitar, sneaking their way into the main city. Jupitar was an overpopulated planet and that was Cosimia's guise. The large throngs of people would hide them from the prying eyes of the martiales. At least, that was the hope. The confined quarters made Cosimia's stomach churn, a potent mix of nerves and determination. She backed away and leaned against the wall. She could feel her friends' questioning glances but she ignored them. Satisfying everyone's questions and needs were starting to overwhelm her.

Oralie huffed loudly. "If you want to come out of this alive, you better stop crowding around me like a flock of columbea." Her patrol murmured their apologies and retreated to their respective positions in the ship.

"Freda, did you study Jupitar's orbit like I told you to?" Cosimia called, eyes still closed.

"Of course. I am not some incoherent schoolchild. The orbit has been forgotten for centuries now. It will have almost no resistance."

Cosimia opened her eyes, rubbing her brow. "Almost?"

"Yes. Dea Kali, as you should know, gave each planet the same base amount of protection. It depends on the inhabitants of each planet to take care of the rest."

"What does it feel like?" As soon as the words left her mouth, Cosimia felt like someone had dumped thick sludge on her. Moving her fingers, blinking, felt like trying to push through slimy muck. Cosimia opened her mouth but the action made her jaw ache. Craning her neck as far as it would go, Cosimia saw her friends and Grant struggling similarly. They twitched sluggishly and words fought to escape their agape mouths. The Lady Vortex felt like it was folding in on itself, a silver bullet delivering Cosimia to her death. She felt the pressure of the entrance pressing her into the metal wall behind her and tried to push off with her hands. Instead, she sank deeper.

Please be over, please be over, please be over, her mind begged.

Each breath felt too much. But thankfully, the pressure lessened slightly, until it was completely gone. They stood in silence as Oralie navigated to a flat patch of cracked land.

"That," Cosimia panted heavily. "Was the minimal amount of protection?"

Freda only groaned in response.

With an effort that left her heaving, Cosimia flew off the metal wall and collapsed in a heap on the floor. The metal was cool beneath her skin and she lay there until the heaviness left her limbs, little by little.

"At least we made it," Oralie noted cheerfully, fully recovered. Jupitar was worse than Venus. Thick, pungent gas infected the air, and the fragmented land beneath her sore feet seemed like it would crumble to powder with each step she took. The heat was a combination of stagnant and acrid, a combination that left Cosimia choking.

Grant sniffed the air and frowned in disgust. "Sulfur and methane. We can't walk very far through this."

Nova inspected the gravel pebbles. "How do you suppose we get to the city then?"

Grant squinted into the distance, holding his hand low against his brow.

"The gas patch ends over there, by the canyon entrance. If we want to get to the city by tomorrow, this canyon's our best hope."

Isadora followed his gaze, then glanced at him warily.

"You want to go deeper into the Creatura infested land," she started slowly. "Through a narrow canyon with only one way of escape?" Cosimia turned to Grant but he didn't waver under their incredulous eyes.

"Look at me all you want, ladies, but I am sure that my extensive studies on Jupitar's landscape will only assist you. Yes, the Creatura live there but if you want to walk through that," he pointed the other direction, where the gas patch continued. "Then be my guest. Let me tell you, sulfur and methane are not easy on the body." Nova shot him a skeptical look but signaled her agreement with the slightest nod of her head. Cosimia could tell that she didn't quite believe him but what could one man do against seven elite warriors? If he were idiotic enough to try his chances at escaping or some other form of betrayal, Cosimia and her patrol would bat him down in an instant.

The group began to trudge along the plateau, a solemn procession. Nova and Freda flanked Grant, not giving him an inch. Cosimia followed the two of them as the group marched across the dry land.

The gas had started to make Cosimia slightly delirious, and unwarranted thoughts began to pop up in her mind. Grant just forged ahead, the gas not affecting him in the slightest. She inhaled slightly and the intense scent of gases made her retch in response. She could see the canyon in the distance and forced herself to breathe shallowly, ducking her head from the stench.

You are stronger than this, Cosimia. You have been through worse than gas.

Cosimia pushed through her friends, who were trying hard to fight the effects of the planetary gases as well. Oralie, who had been keeping pace with Grant, looked around with the awestruck expression of a child.

"I feel... misunderstood. Like everybody has seen a shell of me. The true Oralie has yet to be revealed, and she is a marvelous thing. Don't you agree?" Oralie chatted wondrously with Grant, who replied with a strained smile.

"I'm not sure you do understand though. You see, a soul is an enigma, an epiphany," she overemphasized her words, flapping her hands around wildly as she talked.

"A beautiful thing made to serve. I think my soul is undiscovered, a thing of glory. What does your soul look like Grant?" She asked eagerly.

He opened his mouth to speak but Oralie started talking before he could answer.

"I think it's a ugly, misformed lump." Grant glowered at her and Cosimia let the laughter spill out of her. Grant looked back, lips twisting in irritation.

For Goddess's sake, stop looking at his lips.

The harsh thought soured Cosimia's smile slightly but she forced herself to sound light and amused.

"That seems about right," Cosimia said, flipping her hair over her shoulder.

Grant sniffed, wounded, but the mirth in his eyes betrayed him.

"That's the methane talking. It makes things seem different from what they really are." He bit out the last words from the sentence, and a giggle tumbled out of Isadora's clasped hands.

"Whatever you need to say to believe yourself," Cosimia taunted lightly before patting his cheek patronizingly. He shied away and Cosimia let her arm drop.

"I can't wait to see what the gases do to you, Sparky."

"Oh, and what about you? Or did you forget? Wait, that seems highly unlikely considering that the cosmos revolves around Grant Alderidge."

"The gases won't affect me," he waved a hand in the thick air. "I was trained to survive days in the Badlands of Jupitar, in even worse gas patches than this. You, on the other hand, might not do so well."

Dominica raised her chin at the veiled challenge. "You must've had it easy if that was the hardest you had to deal with for your training."

Grant slowed, joining the rest of the group. Oralie continued ahead, having a conversation with herself about whether souls were colorful or not.

"It wasn't. But I'm sure it was much harder than yours."

Dominica's eyes flashed. "We'll see about that."

"Hour-long spars?" Grant started.

"Child's play."

"Fighting against older trainees."

"Obviously."

"Runs through the desert."

"Is that the worst you can think of?"

"Timed tower climbs."

"It was our warm down."

"Swimming through shark-infested waters?"

Dominica cocked her head. "We don't have sharks."

"Camp-outs on other planets."

"A camp would be a luxury."

Nova clapped once, drawing their attention to the mission at hand. The canyon entrance was a few paces ahead of them and Cosimia could see the path bathed in darkness. Everyone stiffened, the amusement from the previous conversation gone. Cosimia squared her shoulders and set her jaw. She pleaded a short prayer to the Dea Kali that Grant hadn't been lying, that he wasn't a two-faced bastard who had been lying to Cosimia since they met. For some odd reason she couldn't decipher, she wanted him beside her, fighting for her cause. There was something about the emotion he sent through her, a giddy tremor that rocked her from head to toe. Joy, happiness, excitement, and nervous strung together in some new feeling that Cosimia couldn't place. The feeling had become more prominent every time Grant complimented, smiled, or even was just with her.

We have a mission, Cosimia. You will have time to sort out your emotions later.

Cosimia drew herself up with a strong breath. She couldn't focus on something as trivial as feelings now. The Creatura required her full attention. She would untangle her emotions later on when she had time to herself.

"Stay alert. We need to be vigilant and get across the canyon as quick as we can." Everyone nodded firmly, including Oralie whose temporary madness seemed to be wearing off. Cosimia's gaze flickered to Grant, who was studying her intensely. She felt exposed under his vivid green eyes, like the walls she had built around herself for years was crumpling like paper.

Airlia noticed it as well and snickered. "You can ogle Cosimia later after we've made it out alive."

"Her bright hair is very inconspicuous. All of yours is, actually." He grimaced. "We'll have to move quickly."

"And that's the only reason you were staring?" Cosimia raised a brow. His gaze snagged on hers again, the sparks it spread through her shocking her still.

"No." The heat slammed her head-on and Cosimia felt that peculiar emotion swarm within her again, this time lingering behind as she tried to force it away. Grant held her gaze smoothly, eyes conveying a thousand messages that were too quick for Cosimia to read.

"Alright lovebirds, if you actually want to get out of this damn canyon, we need to leave now. You can stare into each other's eyes later on." Dominica said crisply, wedging a hole in the moment. Grant left first, an unspoken goodbye. Cosimia forced herself into the fighting mode she needed to survive. She leapt off the ground, landing on the ground surely. She heard Grant approach her but stop abruptly.

She tilted her head, seeing Dominica stop Grant in his path. She caught their conversation in snippets.

"You watch our back. I'll take up the front." Dominica said tightly, her edged voice leaving no room for discussion. Grant, seeming to sense the rigidity in Dominica's posture and voice nodded sharply and jogged to the back of the group.

"Let's move." Dominica called out, loud enough for everyone to hear but quiet enough to not draw attention. Cosimia sidled up to her, not looking at Dominica as she spoke.

"I heard what you said to him," she said, jostling Dominica's shoulder lightly as they trekked into the dark canyon.

Dominica made no room to disagree. "I was ensuring that we get through here efficiently."

Cosimia hummed. "That was not your decision to make." Dominica held a fist up for the group to stop, then continued on as the darkness deepened.

"I was doing what I needed to do so we would complete the mission. You must see what he's doing to you."

"He's not doing anything to me," Cosimia stated bluntly, holding back her irritation. While Dominica did something without her approval it was because she cared about their mission. Cosimia couldn't fault her for that."

"For Goddess's sake, Cosimia, he's distracting you!" She whispered to Cosimia with fervor. She inhaled, trying to calm herself down.

"Look, Nica, I appreciate your concern but the mission will always come first. It always has. The senator's son isn't going to change that."

Dominica toyed with the ring on her middle finger, as she always did when she was agitated.

"Airlia thinks you love him." The breath left her in a whoosh. Denial sparked in her mind frantically.

No, no, no, no. That can't be the reason. It won't be the reason. I won't let it.

Love wasn't even on the list of explanations for what the possible feeling was. It was such an unexplored topic, something foreign to Cosimia. To hold affection for someone, that was different. To love them, pledge your life and your actions to them, that was something completely different. People did crazy things in the name of love and Cosimia had been taught early on that the idea of love was unimportant and foolish. But the idea that she loved Grant? That was complete bullshit.

But is it?

Her mind wrenched the denial, leaving hopeful confusion. What if this was love? The pattering in her stomach when he smiled at her, the pure grace to his movements when they sparred, and the touch that inflamed her skin. While Cosimia would never admit it out loud, she enjoyed being in Grant's company. The way that one persistent lock of oaken brown hair always flopped into his eyes, and how those infuriatingly captivating eyes had held her since they met. Dominica saw the shift in her expression.

"So it's true then," she murmured.

"I'm... not sure." Cosimia admitted. "The feeling is odd. I don't know what it is. But it cannot be love." She ended firmly. After walking in uncertain silence, Dominica finally spoke up.

"Denying it won't do you any good, Cosimia."

"But it's true! We've been conditioned to reject love from the start and I will not throw away my core teachings for one man!"

"Cosimia, love isn't a terrible thing." Dominica smiled softly, vulnerability and passion flickering in her eyes. "I love my brother. I can say that with confidence. Sure, it's not the same but I feel it's draw all the same. When you love someone, you'll die for them, do anything for them. Our instructors taught us that love makes us weak. It doesn't. It makes us stronger. With my twin beside me, I feel as if I can take on the world. He makes me feel that way. I've long shunned that belief and I embrace my love for my brother."

Cosimia released her breath through her teeth. "What does all of this have to do with me?"

"I'm saying, don't shy away from love. It isn't a bad thing. The contrary, actually. But do keep in mind what we are doing. Love can also curse you and I don't want that to happen to you."

Cosimia huffed. "That won't happen because I don't love him." Dominica dropped the topic, sensing that Cosimia didn't want to discuss it any farther. She was grateful to her friend for understanding but Cosimia couldn't find the words to say it. The realization that she might possibly love Grant Alderidge had made all words die in her mouth. Dominica was wrong. Love does make you weak. Having affection for someone makes you vulnerable, another way of hurting you. Cosimia didn't care about herself: she didn't want anyone she loved to suffer at her hands. She wouldn't allow it. She would block off her heart, no matter how much pain came because of it. She would protect herself and everyone she cared about. What else did she have if not that?

Cosimia didn't know how many minutes they had been walking. The night seemed darker so she assumed they were almost at midnight. Her head was spinning in useless, mindless circles about other possible explanations. She had practically worried herself mad with thoughts, an inner battle that made her want to scream and curl up into a ball.

One thing was for sure: there was no way in all the cosmos that Grant could ever know about this. What if he didn't reciprocate her feelings? Cosimia didn't want to know what his revelation would do to her and she had no intention of finding out. It was better for everyone if she just let go of the thought completely.

Right?

We are not talking about this anymore. You are not telling him, or anyone, and there is no need to because you do not love him.

Her ever-present inner voice reverberated across her mind. She had to accept it, push it out of her mind. It would only complicate things more. Her patrol and Grant gave her space, letting her stew in her own thoughts. She wished something would happen so she could stop thinking about her possible love for Grant.

No. You do not love him. Her mind chimed in once again.

She got her wish. A banshee-like cry tore through the sky and Cosimia froze, feeling like a caught mouse under the keen gaze of a waiting hawk. The Creatura knew they were there. Craning her head slightly, trying not to flinch, she widened her eyes, trying to convey to them. They only shook their heads, unable to understand.

Screw it.

"Run," she whispered just as the group fled deeper into the pathway carved into the rock. The Creatura screeched in delight, and she could feel them pursuing her from all directions. They were above, behind, to the sides. They were everywhere.

"FASTER!" She bellowed, pumping her legs as fast as they could go. There had to be a way out of here. She would not accept death from a couple of blue-skinned creatures.

"A little farther!" Grant's voice carried through the jagged rock, bouncing off the precipices. Swallowing the urge to fight she pushed, not having the energy mid-sprint to draw on that inner power that had won her the title of Huntress.

"You better be right," Cosimia growled under her breath as they winded through the path. The Creatura communicated in screeches and moans and chitters- the sound made Cosimia want to slap her hands over her ears. The moon seemed like it was smiling down at them, the light illuminating the Creatura's silhouettes. They didn't show any signs of stopping, and Cosimia could feel her muscles aching for a quick break.

Not if you want to come out of this alive.

Cosimia pushed, numb to the pain. She would not succumb to her desire. She refused to believe that this was the end of the line for her, that Dea Kali had no more use for her in the future. The Creatura continued to wail and screech, but the sound was different, Cosimia realized.

They weren't gleeful anymore; they were angry. Dominica, who was a few paces behind her, noticed it too and slowed, turning around. The Creatura pranced and hissed on the top of the cliffs, the brave few who had attempted to venture down now scrambling to get to the top. Cosimia keeled over briefly, resting her hands on her knees. She would have time for more rest later. She studied the aliens, squinting at them. They refused to come near, and any that tried to take a step forward retreated with a pained squeal.

It was only until Cosimia pivoted did she see that the ridges of the canyon were embedded with sparkling gemstones. The light drew her to the crystals like a moth to a flame. They were pure, innocent, and some strange feelings winded through her, warm as honey.

"What is this place?" She breathed.

"Inferna." Grant smiled fondly, glancing back at the enraged Creatura they had left behind. Cosimia followed his gaze.

"Why can't they enter?"

"The forces of darkness and evil are restricted from entering. This is a secret place, created by the Goddess. Only privileged eyes are allowed to gaze upon the actual grove."

"The grove?"

"It is said to be the resting place of the one Dea Kali loved the most." His voice was heavy with sadness. Cosimia couldn't believe such a place existed. Her wonder was soon replaced by fury. The cosmos was filled with so many unimaginable sights that she would've loved to explore. She had wasted years training when she could be out here, drinking in all her world had to offer. Time didn't revive itself. You had to make up for it when you could.

Airlia broke off, studying the crystals up close. She had always been interested in geology, but of course her Minerva training had beat that out of her. The purpose of training was not only to condition yourself, but it was also meant to teach students that the one duty they had was to the Minerva. Nothing else truly mattered. The training was meant to mold students into vessels of steel, with eyes for nothing but what they were doing. Disobedience, attitude, distraction were all intolerable traits in a Minerva Elite. Especially in a 10th year. Seeing the wonder on her friend's face, Cosimia knew in that moment that she could never go back to be a Minerva Elite. Life was not a weapon, not something you could wield. It should be enjoyed, used to the fullest. And Cosimia intended on doing just that.

"Do you know what they are, Airi?" Freda peeked over Airlia's shoulder, her red streaks of hair falling over her shoulder.

Airlia's lips twisted in thought and her purple eyes deepened in contemplation as she sifted through her knowledge of gemstones.

"No. I haven't seen these anywhere before. Definitely not diamond, these are more delicate." She frowned, taking a half-step back. She worried her nail beds. Grant knelt to tie his boot strings, dirt crunching as he did. 

"It's said that the gems are the Dea Kali's tears, reflecting her sadness," he said from the ground. Airlia scoffed in response. 

"That cannot be it. There must be a perfectly logical explanation for what they are."

"Wait, come here. There's something in the stones." Nova waved them over frantically, gesturing to a particularly large stone. It was smooth, completely flat, almost like a screen. Actually, now that she thought about it, most of the stones here looked as if they had been smoothed. They didn't look natural whatsoever. Cosimia leaned forward, observing the scene that played out on the flat stone.

It was a girl and a boy, about 15 years. The girl was impossibly beautiful, with ebony black hair and skin the color of ripened amber. A smattering of dark freckles peppered her smooth skin, giving her a youthful look. Her eyes were a heavenly gold, sparkling with an otherworldly glow. She sprinted through the sparse forest, the boy close on her heels. He looked identical to the girl, with a more defined facial structure. His square jaw was strong, and his smile was the kind that would make a mortal girl drop to her knees. He was slightly taller than her and he almost caught up to her with his long strides. She looked back, hair whipping in her face. She said something which only spurred him on faster. At the edge of a small, azure pool, he dove and tackled her. The two of them rolled down the slight slope and crashed into the water, rippling the still liquid. She threw her head back in a laugh, pure joy evident on her face. The boy stared at her, grinning deviously. In his eyes there was nothing but love and warmth. Cosimia withdrew as the stone shimmered the image away. 

Another one to the left caught her eye, and Cosimia shifted, seeing another scene play out on the stone. It was the same girl and boy but they were obviously older. The man was nothing like the boy she had just seen before. He was different, with a darkness that sent an uneasy shudder through her. Dark mist surrounded his broad form as he raised the sword. The girl had grown taller, looking elegantly dangerous. Her own sword, lithe in comparison to his, was glowing with a light that combated his darkness. The hilt glowed, cutting through the dark. It looked vaguely familiar but Cosima couldn't see the hilt design as she continued to swing it, each blow precise. Her eyes shone with regret, love, grief, and other tangible emotions. His were shrouded in darkness, hiding him from the world. The battle was long, evenly matched. Until with a sob, the girl drove the sword straight through the heart of the man. He staggered, but before he could fall the woman caught him, her silk-like hair brushing over his twitching form. He reached a hand up and brushed her cheek tenderly, eyes flickering softly before extinguishing completely. The darkness evaporated, leaving room only for the light. She screamed, face transforming into a beautiful sadness that narrated her body movements and her words. She leaned over his still body, keening as she folded into herself. She only shifted to rest her forehead against his. The rock faded and Cosimia stumbled back, unable to fathom what she had just seen. Even though she couldn't hear what the woman had said her grief was painstakingly obvious.

"What the hell," she gasped. "Was that?" Even Grant, who had seemed relevantly unaffected from being on Jupitar, looked mildly shocked.

"Who were those people? And why did her sword look like the Deam Gloria?" Cosimia thought back to the fight, noting the familiar hilt the woman had used. Cosimia drew the sword out to take a look but dropped it with a sharp gasp.

The sword was dripping with black blood, thick and puddling on the ground.

The hilt's design confirmed Airlia's question but Cosimia couldn't tear her gaze away from the odd sight. Crouching, she studied the dagger. It wasn't leaking blood, but the substance coated a good part of the blade. She looked in her sheath but it was completely dry. The only person who didn't look slightly disturbed from the sight was Nova, and she reached forward and picked up the dagger. She tried wiping it against the canyon walls but the small pieces of the crystal hidden in the stone hissed when the bloodstained dagger touched it.

The blood came off clean but Cosimia couldn't remove the image out of her mind. Actually, that was the case for many things she had seen today. As they started to walk down the path once more, Grant jogged up to her. This time, no one made any efforts to stop him. The canyon exit was just ahead, the small skyline of the sleeping city in the far-off distance. Grant walked beside her, too far for Cosimia's liking. The feeling rose again but Cosimia tamped it down firmly.

Now is not the time.

"Are we going to pretend what we saw didn't happen?"

Cosimia pursed her lips and Grant sighed.

"Dea Kali gave me this weapon. For her to send such a foreboding sign, I can't just dismiss that so easily. Dea Kali doesn't communicate with this world so boldly- if she did it would be for good reason. It's a warning."

"That may be, but what if it was just sparked by the Inferna? What if the magic reacted or something?" Cosimia leveled him with an unbelieving glare.

"You really think that the sword started to bleed, and not just red blood, black blood, just because the magic reacted? Maybe the gases did get to you."

"It's a possibility. Look, we can't rule out anything." Cosimia walked on silently, refusing to answer. What Grant said was true but she couldn't believe that it was just magic reacting. That didn't make sense. But she didn't let the thought completely leave her mind. Suddenly, Grant shot an arm out in front of her, permitting her from continuing. She raised a brow at him, barely amused.

"There's someone coming this way."

Grabbing his arm, she pushed it away and folded her hands in front of her middle. The warmth of his body had sent butterflies fluttering through her but she pushed them away. She squinted into the dark and indeed, there was a large figure running towards them. Grabbing Stellam from her thigh holster, she flicked her wrist and the smooth steel ball snapped to attention. Grant eyed it appreciatively.

"Will I ever get to try one of your weapons?"

"Sure. How about never?" She commented, crouching into a fighting position. Her friends tensed behind her, drawing their own weapons. The figure stopped a few feet away and removed their hood. The shock of pale blue hair sent girlish excitement and a flood of relief coursing through her.

Her brother grinned back at her, familiar face melting in relief. She leapt into his arms, feeling his laugh reverberate in his chest. His large arms encircled her, his smell sending all her worrying thoughts away briefly. Her brother patted her back a few times before setting her down. Her patrol set their weapons down and crowded around him, voicing their own relief. When Isadora made her way up to Mathias, he gave her a secretive smile and whispered in her ear. But Cosimia was too excited, too joyful to ask about it. Only Grant glared at Mathias, crossing his arms tersely.

Mathias noticed him standing there and his smile dampened slightly.

"Who's this?"

"Grant Alderidge. I'm a representative from Terra," he bit out. Mathias nodded once and Cosimia held her brother's arm.

"Grant, this is my older brother. He's the crown prince back on Saturnus." Grant's eyes softened slightly and he let out a slight breath. Mathias looked at Grant once more, eyes ticking over him before turning back to Cosimia.

"What are you doing here, Mattie?" Her brother winced at the nickname but continued.

"I come here as much as I can to try and send you a message. After the failed hologram I tried to find better signal out here. No luck." He grimaced, the smile leaving his face. "So you didn't get the full message then. I was hoping you would go to a different planet. Maybe I can get you out of here before she notices."

Cosimia cocked her head at him, the confusion written on her face. Isadora's eyes widened in panic and she whipped around towards him.

"You came here with the Commandant, didn't you?" Isadora exhaled sharply. Cosimia's happiness soured as Mathias's expression confirmed it.

"This was the planet you were talking about," Cosimia whispered, berating herself for being such an idiot. Of course Mother would come here- she needed the numbers if she couldn't have the technology. And she had walked right into her careful trap. Mathias nodded once, tousling his hair in agitation.

"Look, you have no chance at getting any favor here. I'm sorry, but it's the truth. The whole damn planet is under Mother's influence. They all believe you're a criminal. It's a lost cause." Cosimia nodded in defeat and wilted. Mother had already begun to make her move and this time, Cosimia had been too late.

But I won't next time. Next time, Mother won't know what hit her.

Inhaling shakily, she nodded determinedly at her brother.

"Let's go."

They had barely walked thirty minutes when a voice boomed over the Badlands, one that sent freezing chills slithering down her spine.

"I told you I would find you, daughter."

No.

She stumbled from her shock and Grant caught her around the waist, setting her upright before urging her to continue. She didn't even have the energy to dwell on the heat his touch sent as Mother continued to laugh, the sound rebounding off the flat landscape.

"Did you really think you would succeed, my darling?" She crowed. "Did you really think you would escape me?" Cosimia didn't know if her mother could hear what she said in reply, but if she did it would probably make her want to slap Cosimia. She had never used so many swear words in one sentence. Grant snorted his laughter down at her response.

"I know my son is probably with you. You two were always close. Never did I think my own flesh and blood would betray me like so. At least Geneva remains loyal." Cosimia smiled at the evident disgust in Mother's voice in the last sentence. Even after her two favorite children left her, she still held no love for Geneva.

"You cannot run, you cannot hide. Your valiant efforts are something to be deserved, I suppose. Maybe I can consider that when I decide your punishment back on Saturnus." She laughed, the sound echoing off the distant rock forms.

"However, I do have a proposition for you." Cosimia and her group slowed slightly, still running at a high sprint.

"If you turn yourselves in by dawn today, then I will considerably lessen your sentence and you may even be allowed to return as 10th years. If I do not see you at dawn, I will assume you have made your decision. The world is a scary place, ibis. It will not be kind to you. And neither will I if I don't see you at dawn." With that, silence settled in the Badlands.

"We need to get on the Lady Vortex, now." Cosimia said through gritted teeth. Oralie fiddled mid-run with her bracelet and it started to whir. Terra had created a summoning system for their ship. At Oralie's command, the Lady Vortex would come to them. One thing Cosimia knew for sure was that she would definitely give Jupitar to her mother instead of Terra. The Lady Vortex yawned open and they boarded the ship like a mob, desperate to get in the air. Everybody milled around the ship, doing something or the other. Cosimia commanded everyone, grateful that nobody objected to her orders. If they did, she feared she might self-combust. Oralie and Airlia got them in the air, Isadora, Mathias, Grant, and Dominica were handling other strategies, and Nova was recounting their supplies with Freda. Cosimia stared into the distance, where night had begun to retreat. Determination seared through her and she strengthened her iron will. She would win against her mother, whatever it took. With a pull of the lever, the Lady Vortex was in the air, and they were speeding off back to their haven of stars.