too, for having said those words. Surely, she’s heard about our adventures. What if you try being the better Lamia and reach out to her first?”
I thought about it, but, as soon as I saw Phoenix and Ibrahim coming up on the terrace, I pushed the idea away. “It’s a little too late for that,” I said. “We’re about to leave, I think.”
Varga checked Phoenix and Ibrahim’s expressions. “Hmm… Yeah, they look pleased. But still,” he replied, looking down at me. “You could still leave a message for her. I told Mom and Dad and Lenny that I love them. Of course, they told me not to sound so fatalist, but hey… this isn’t going to be a regular exploratory mission. The risks are too high to ignore.”
“We got it!” Phoenix said, beaming at us.
“And we’re ready,” Nethissis replied.
Phoenix brought out a glass tablet, on which he’d reproduced the most convenient itinerary. Without an object from the destination, the interplanetary spell had to be steered from within. The fewer swerves and turns we’d have to make, the better. The straighter our trajectory, the smoother our journey. Of course, landing on Mortis was going to be the biggest challenge, but we had to get there in one piece, first.
Nethissis and Acantha both studied the stellar roadmap that Phoenix had drawn for us, while Ibrahim checked each of us from head to toe. He smiled at me. “You seem nervous.”
“Wouldn’t you be?” I chuckled.
“I’d be soiling my undergarments, sure,” he said. “But you’re well-equipped, Eva. You’ve got one hell of a team here, too. And I’m sure Acantha and Nethissis will stop at nothing to keep you all safe, throughout your journey.”
I knew that, and, despite my animosity toward Nethissis—which seemed petty and personal, if I thought about it—I was thankful that she was up here, with us. Two swamp witches were better than one, especially these ladies, who’d already made a name for themselves among the ranks of GASP. Yeah, we were in good hands, and we absolutely had one fantastic team, I thought, glancing around at the crew.
I also considered Varga’s advice regarding my mother. I had no way of reaching out to her, but I could certainly leave a message. If something awful happened and I found myself leaving this world for good, I didn’t want things to be left angry and bitter between us. Despite her complicated nature and annoying stubbornness, my mother loved me, and it only seemed fair that I let her know I loved her, too, even with all our fights.
“Ibrahim… Could I ask you to do me a favor?” I asked, wearing a hopeful smile.
“Of course! What is it?”
Varga stepped back and helped the crew with the serium batteries—they needed to be placed across the large circular composition of symbols that fueled the interplanetary spell. From there, the light bubble would draw its energy evenly and economically, without prematurely depleting the cylinders.
“Can you tell my mother that I’m not sorry for doing this, but that I love her?” I said, exhaling deeply. It felt good to get it off my chest, in a way, even though I was simply asking him to pass on a message.
Ibrahim nodded and gave me a soft shoulder squeeze. “You focus on your mission, Eva. Your mother will be fine. I think it’s why she hasn’t said anything yet. She’s letting you do your thing, without any distraction. I assume a conciliatory conversation between the two of you would take a while.”
“You think?” I asked.
“I’m certain of it. But I will let her know, I promise. Word for word,” Ibrahim replied, and I hugged him. He kissed me on the top of my head. “You’re not usually this affectionate, Eva. But I must say, it’s a good look on you.”
I laughed lightly as I stepped back. Ibrahim had known me for long enough to spot these differences. Yes, I was quite icy and distant to most people, and I had severe trust issues—it came with the territory of being the only child of a murderous Druid-turned-Destroyer and leader of an empire built on the corpses of innocent creatures. Maybe Varga was finally rubbing off on me. I sure didn’t mind displaying more affection toward those whom I thought deserved it.
Ibrahim was one such person. He’d been one of the few to speak in my favor when I’d first applied to become a GASP agent. He and Corrine had gotten to know me and my mother well enough to understand