Epilogue II

Minutes turn to years in the blink of an eye.

I’m living each to the fullest, however. And I was right. Our triplets are a raucous, adorable, stupendous handful.

Emm is the quieter and more obedient one. She takes after Yossul. The firstborn is usually the more balanced one, or so they say here on Sunna. Ket is chatty and brilliant, way too smart for her own good, even though she’s only five years old like her sisters. She loves to talk back, particularly when Fadai has something to tell her. And Essa, by the stars, is my cosmic twin. Just as feisty, just as stubborn, and just as prone to testing the laws of physics every chance she gets as I am.

It”s been hard splitting myself between the Ministry of Defense and my family, but Yossul and Fadai have kept their word as men and as husbands. I consider myself fortunate. They’ve got the girls for a whole week, though I know they’ll be collaborating closely with the Hadana twins for this operation. Not that they can’t hack it; it’s just easier with extra pairs of hands on deck.

“Are they going to be okay, though?” Cynthia asks me as we get out of the buggy just outside the royal palace of Opal City. It’s the first time you’ll be away from the girls for longer than a couple of days.”

“They’ll be fine as long as there’s always a pair of eyes on Essa,” I chuckle dryly. “Frankly, I’m a tad relieved to have this time away and all to myself.”

“We’ve earned it,” Alicia says.

It’s been a while since we’ve visited Opal City, but I’m pleased to see it evolving so beautifully. There are no traces of the civil war. The buildings have been fixed and renovated, their facades repainted, and the streets paved with new slabs of black limestone. It’s as beautiful as ever, its opal turrets glistening in the twin sunlight.

The queens come down the palace steps to greet us, and Amber is the first to bow before them. “Thank you for the invitation,” she says. “Though we’re not sure why you wanted the four of us here. You usually send for our husbands.”

“It is a pleasure to have you here,” Sarin replies.

The years have been good to Solomon’s widows. They look prettier than ever, clad in their finest black silks and donning layer upon layer of golden jewelry. Marriage suits them, especially when the three of them have taken Commander Garza for a husband.

That lucky sod hit the jackpot when he was crazy enough to propose, and they accepted. I still remember the wedding. What a lavish affair that was. It lasted three days, and half of those were kind of hazy on account of too much spiced wine.

“Forgive the last-minute invitation,” Neya says, a warm smile stretching across her lips. “We couldn’t wait a second longer, though, not once we saw the completed prototype.”

“The completed prototype of what?” I ask.

The queens escort us across the street where a military research center has been built in the past year, complete with a massive hangar for their personal shuttles and transport vehicles. It’s heavily guarded and generously funded—I’ve had the pleasure of working with their engineers on a number of the projects. Needless to say, Sunna’s defense systems are evolving to a fascinating new level, and I’m proud to be a part of the whole process.

“Oh, wait, you’ve got a new fighter jet you wanted to show us,” I add.

“No, our aeronautical engineers are still working on the designs you provided,” Sarin says. “It’s something else.”

We follow them into the building and through a series of corridors in the constant company of armed royal guards while the queens entertain us in conversation—catching up on our personal lives mostly since everything else has been official business over the years. But when we reach the hangar, my friends and I are speechless as we recognize the vessel before us.

“Holy shit,” Cynthia manages, her eyes as wide as saucers.

“It can’t be,” Amber mumbles. Her lips quiver with emotion.

Alicia is just as stunned. “How can this be?” she wonders aloud while I focus my attention entirely on the starship.

It’s a smaller version of the one that Umok used to abduct us and of the ones we blew up over the years, but it is definitely a starship, and I don’t know what to think of it. I don’t know how to feel about it. Relief is mixed with angst somewhere deep inside me, and my words have yet to return to the surface.

“We know you said goodbye to Earth the moment you decided to destroy the Sky Tribe’s starships,” Sarin says. Your sacrifice did not go unnoticed, ladies. And while you have made a home and wonderful families here on Sunna, my sisters and I haven’t stopped asking ourselves what you would do if you were given the chance to go back home again, even just to visit.”

“You’re serious?” I ask, tears pricking my eyes.

Neya nods once. “Our soldiers retrieved as much of the fallen starships as they could find over the past five years. Our engineers have been poring over the city’s archives for plans and designs, for technical manuals… anything we could use to build something.”

“We didn’t think they could pull it off,” Leela says. “We hoped for the best, of course, but we prepared for much less.”

Sarin turns to face us. I feel Cynthia’s hand clutching mine. She’s holding Amber’s. And Amber is holding Alicia’s. So many memories of our first few days on Sunna return with a swift rush, toying with my emotions and causing a knot to tighten in the back of my throat.

“I know you have no intention of leaving us,” Sarin says. “Nor are we encouraging you to do so. But you all fought so hard to make sure every woman on Sunna has the freedom to choose what they wish for themselves, to have options. It seemed fair that you would have an option, too.”

“And now, you have it,” Leela adds. You can use this starship to go back to Earth—unseen, unheard, undetected, might I add. Our engineers made sure of it. You could go see your parents, your human families.”

“You could even bring them back here with you if they want to come,” Neya says. “The possibilities are endless.”

Alicia exhales sharply. “Someday, we could even engage Earth as ambassadors of Sunna. Make first official contact.”

“Also a possibility,” Sarin smiles. “We’ve always been open to the idea, and so have the Mal brothers.”

Amber gasps. “Wait, Izzo and Binzen know about this?”

“They diverted government funds to assist with the development,” Neya replies.

“Which means our men knew about it, as well,” I tell Cynthia and Alicia.

“They let us walk right into it,” Cynthia mutters, a huge grin slitting her face from ear to ear. “I need to make sure I thank them when we get back home.”

I shake my head slowly, a subtle dizziness coming over me. It’s exhilaration, awe, the purest form of astonishment. “I can’t believe it.”

“Believe it,” Sarin says. “You were good to us. Jewel, Amber. Cynthia, Alicia. Each of you has given us so much with no regard for your most primal needs. You sacrificed your lives on Earth to keep us alive, to keep us safe. You deserve this and more.”

The girls and I exchange curious glances.

And I can’t help but wonder what we will do now that we have a starship. Will we go to Earth, if only for a while, to catch up on that world? What will we find there? We’re enough light-years away to still see our parents alive, along with our earthly friends and earthly lives. Or did we truly say goodbye when we agreed to stay here and fight for the Fire Tribe?

I don’t know. I don’t think the girls know, either.

But I do know one thing.

We’ve stuck together since day one.

Whatever we decide, we’ll do it together.

The four of us.

Ride or die until the end.

The End

Read the love stories for Jewel’s friends in this bestselling sci-fi romance series, HERE. I’ve included a sneak peek on the next page!