straight for the ship. When Ferdinand reached us, I tilted my head for a cheek kiss and he obliged. Ferdinand was the most reserved of all of my siblings—he hadn’t had anyone to protect him from our parents.
“Thank you, Bianca,” he said, his voice computer generated. “Remind me to yell at you later for being so stupid.” His gaze flicked to Ian, ice cold and sharp enough to cut. “I will speak to you, too, Director Bishop.”
“Leave Ian alone. He was trying to protect me, and you know it’s an impossible task. Don’t make me hug you, brother. I’ll do it. You know I always get my way when I hug you—it’s my superpower.” My voice had picked up a wobble that I couldn’t quite hide.
Some of the ice melted from Ferdinand’s eyes and his expression softened. He opened his arms and I didn’t wait for a second invitation. I locked my arms around him while he awkwardly patted my back.
“I was so worried,” I confessed to his chest. “Then when we found you in that pit.” I shook my head. “I should’ve killed Riccardo when I had the chance.”
A shocked silence fell. Ferdinand held me out at arm’s length. “Bianca,” he said slowly, “please don’t tell me you spoke to Riccardo Silva in person.”
“Okay,” I agreed. I stepped back and gave them my most innocent expression, all wide eyes and sweet smile. I must’ve overdone it because Benedict and Ferdinand shared a look and groaned in unison.
“She totally did,” Benedict said. Ferdinand nodded in agreement. Benedict gave Ian a sympathetic look. “Good luck, buddy.”
Ferdinand frowned but didn’t comment.
Benedict pulled me into another hug. “Stay out of trouble. Send me a message when you get home so I won’t worry. We have com drones running twice a day until we can get the gate up.”
“I will. Be careful. Don’t do anything stupid until we get this war stopped. I expect you to return in one piece.”
He nodded and let me go. “Safe travels.”
I prayed this wouldn’t be the last time I saw my brother.
Chapter 29
We jumped to Trancendence’s emergency location safely, without even a rogue asteroid to spice things up. Aoife put us on a course toward the nearby gate and away from the jump point. It was unlikely Benedict would need to immediately follow us, but better safe than sorry.
“Where do you want to go?” she asked Ian.
“APD Zero,” I said. “I want to return Ferdinand to Earth in Aurora. The delay will be minimal, and the impact will be worth it.”
Ian inclined his head in agreement. “Your father is going to be furious that I’ve been out of contact for nearly a week. I left Deputy Director Stevens in charge while I was gone. I am confident she’s kept the ship afloat, but we’ll see if she’s been as successful in fending off Albrecht. I may be the universe’s newest wanted man.”
“You’re too good at your job,” I said. “Father won’t let you go so easily. He’ll rightly blame me.”
“We have six hours until we jump,” Aoife said. “I’m going to get some shut-eye since we have to be up early.” She glanced at Ian. “How are we bunking?”
“Ferdinand and Alex in the crew bunk. You’ll have to bed down in the exercise room.”
She nodded and she and Alex left the flight deck.
“And where will Bianca sleep?” Ferdinand asked. The computer-generated voice might not have much emotional inflection, but Ferdinand’s expression had no such trouble. He radiated hostility.
“I will sleep with Ian,” I said. I met Ferdinand’s glare head-on. I’d dealt with difficult men all my life, but I had an advantage here—Ferdinand wanted to see me happy. “You can support my decision or you can yell, but the outcome will remain the same,” I said quietly, my voice edged in steel.
He looked away first. “I can’t believe you have people convinced you’re the timid one,” he groused. “Everyone is wary of me, but they should be watching out for you.”
That hadn’t always been true, as evidenced by Gregory, but since his death, I’d done my damnedest to relearn how to stand up for myself. I smiled at Ferdinand, glad that he’d noticed. “A hidden dagger is far more effective.”
“Father isn’t going to like it.”
“Father can bite me,” I said. But I knew it was true. “I’m working on it. If I bring him you and the identity of your attackers as a fait accompli, he’ll be more reasonable. I’m hoping Catarina made progress while I’ve been gone.