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“This does not concern you,” Volga tells the Gold

“That woman has declared a blood war on my family,” she says “It concerns me And when they pick us off froe, it’ll concern all of us Including my baby”

Volga ignores her “Lyria, do you want me to kill her?”

I see Har I see blood sh a hole in her throat Maybe one in her belly But one look at Victra’s belly and her knuckles going white as she grips her razor convinces a fired?

“No,” I say “She’s not worth it”

Is it for the sake of the baby or Volga’s life that I say that?

Either way, it’s not the response Victra expected Her hand leaves the hilt of her razor Volga breathes in relief and sets her rifle on her knees I feel a strange co what she was ready to do for me despite the risk

“They’ll find our tracks soon,” Victra says There are booht “Those…Ascomanni, for lack of better classification, hacked the couns They shredded the escape pods when you tere passed out” She grimaces “Had to turn off our beacon, so the Pandora couldn’t home in an orbital strike With all that debris…My h at least We’re on our own”

She squints south toward the dark forest It stretches as far as the eye can see Her hand drifts to her belly, her only concession to fear I findher coolness even as I hate her But in the presence of Harmony, that hate suddenly feels so very set a boat that can take us south across the sound,” she says “And we need to go now”

SNOW NO LONGER FALLS over Olyht as I walk the fluffy white streets I needed to be away frole Rest It’s been four hours since I descended the stairs and I still can’t walk off the meaty scent of blood and manure from Valdir’s murder of Godeater

It does not take long for passing h the city Reds who once languished in assi the city in Sefi’s bid to restore Oly a hell of a job While Quicksilver pocketed the money from his helium, Sefi pours it into Cimmeria Their rule is absolute Their executions of Red Hand terrorists public and brutal But they’re spreading the wealth around

Lines of Reds and lowColors fresh froistration facilities Each is given lodging, a fair salary, and a sense of purpose they’ve not had in years Many midColors noork for Sefi as administrators Others are left alone to et a piece The city is co back to life I don’t feel that saood for Mars, for Lyria’s people, but not for Volga

Or is it not my choice to make?

Markets which were horants and bonfires when I arrived now bustle with new shops full of produce froea, exotic wares froside Silvers and Browns and Coppers and Reds It isn’t utopia, but it isn’t war either Sefi’s drea alive It’s been weeks since the last Red Hand bo thehlands Some say even across the sound

It will all break apart when Sefi dies