Getting to Vratis from their previous location would take them only seven hours — most of the day — as there were many direct warp pathways leading right to Vratis across the sector. But taking into consideration the hour-long battle that had preceded the journey, and the fact that the cabinet had been in a meeting before that, everyone had had a very long day.

Evi was the first to go to catch some sleep, heading out as soon as they hit warp. When she came back, a couple of hours later, Hart and Ollis had gone off. They also came back quickly, and Park and Star went to sleep.

They just hovered around, pulling up maps, communicating in hushed tones through their comms, reading some reports.

“Are members of your cabinets always on call?” she mused, surprised.

Kai shook his head. “Hardly. We have a team at the ready, more than willing to take a shift on the bridge. Besides, we’ve entered the coordinates, and we’re traveling at light speed. None of us are truly needed here right now.”

Good point. She just didn’t want to leave the bridge, not while Kai remained.

Besides, she definitely liked the captain’s chair.

“We simply get a little controlling after an attack,” he explained. “You should go get some sleep, though. You must be exhausted.”

Nalini shook her head. “Not tired. Too wound up.”

He smiled. “Was it your first battle?”

She bobbed her head enthusiastically.

“And we put you in charge of the whole damn crew,” he tsked, shaking his head. “Oh well. I guess you didn’t do too bad.”

She rolled her eyes, knowing she’d killed it.

“I think this beast is cozying up to whoever is in the captain’s chair,” Kai said, pointing to the neko, who was still on her lap.

She snorted. “So he’s not only evil, he’s also cunning and power-hungry.”

“And yet, for all his flaws, however much evil you see in his heart, you’re very fond of him. What does it say about you, Nalini Nova?”

She hadn’t expected him to be so…normal. Simple. Teasing her, with that disarming smile.

“It’s not my fault. Evil and cunning males have evil and cunning ways of getting what they want.”

“So, you suppose he could have charmed you. Bespelled you. Good theory.”

“Not ruling it out.”

“Or, perhaps there’s also a dark part of you, little lady.”

A blue light flashed on the command platform, demanding her attention. Regretfully, she pulled herself back to manual.

“We’re close. Time to pull out of light speed.”

Kai nodded, calibrating his comm, and then announcing that they were coming out of hyperspace, always a jarring feeling; preparing the crew for it made sense.

Her stomach dropped as the entire ship violently stopped. She was used to it, and they had the best stabilizers – much more efficient than those of her old Whistle, for sure – but still.

Nalini moved the Dominion towards the coordinates of Vratis.

She’d been in Vratis just over a year ago, when she’d met Krane. Entering the planet’s atmosphere, Nalini didn’t feel one way or another, but as they slowly approached the main city, her stomach dropped again, this time for a very different reason.

She knew that autumn sky. The farisle south of the main island. The torrent. She’d jumped out of the endless waterfall, only to be caught by one of the deadliest beasts on the entire planet. It had been a lifetime ago. Another time. A darker time.

Coming back here should have hurt more. Should have made her panic.

“Vratis Central to the Dominion,” an automated voice called. “Transmit your clearance code.”

“Clearance codes transmitted,” she replied, after getting the ship to input their security clearance.

The translucent energy shield surrounding the city disappeared just long enough for them to pass, and reappeared right away.

“Welcome home,” Kai told her.

And she breathed again.

* * *

Nalini had never been into clothes.

After the way she’d been kept bald from age three to age seventeen, she loved playing with her hair, adding strands of every color in the rainbow to it, sometimes coloring it all. She’d spent time learning complicated braids and knots. The one thing she’d never done was cut it. She’d had enough of that to last a lifetime.

In his effort to strip any individuality from her, Enlil had also ensured she was always dressed very simply, yet clothes, she never “got.” She kept wearing whatever she could get her hands on for cheap, preferring to spend whatever extra cash she had on new propulsors, sensors, or on treats for Kronos.

Kai was going to change that if he kept this up. She might have rolled her eyes if a pretty dress had been waiting for her laid out on her bed, but he’d had a warrior’s attire sent to her. A red chemise so soft to the touch, and various layers of silk, meant to be knotted at her waist. Working out where it was all supposed to go took some time. Her leather breeches were warm and so damn practical, she might have been spared a scar or two had she owned anything of the sort before. A leather and metal bustier was meant to go on top of all these pretty pieces of cloth, covering her heart. She smiled, seeing the tightly knit, thick, yet flowy, red cape she could hook on her left shoulder. The right one, because somehow, he’d known she would want her scar and its ornaments bared on display.

He’d actually left—or had his servants leave, more likely—a few different choices, which were all just as appealing, but her greedy hands went right to that odd ensemble. Observing herself in the mirror, she wondered if she’d ever looked quite so much like the person she was meant to be.

Nalini sat on her bathroom counter and painstakingly painted her face, applying makeup; the neko, who’d consented to keep her company for a time, leisurely played with the tap water, hissing discontentedly each time he splashed it.

“Don’t make me mess this up,” she told him, as though he would care to listen.

There was no doubt in Nalini’s mind that the creature understood her every word; he just reveled in ignoring each and every one of them.

She carefully stepped away from the growing monster. This was a party, and, for once, she wanted to look the part. Copying the makeup she recalled from Tejen, she traced a star on her forehead and observed her handiwork. Rani would have approved.

She was just done when Kronos knocked. She laughed, finding him with a band strapped to his head, like a warrior’s.

“Looks like we had the same idea.” She tilted her head. “You should go back, someday, you know. Finish your training.”

The boy nodded. “I think I will. Someday.”

He didn’t spell it out, but she knew. He’d go when she was safe. When she had a home. When she didn’t need him to anchor her.

“Soon,” she added.

Kronos smiled. “Yes, soon.”