Chapter 7: The Inspection

Alden Vexley walked down the cutter ramp with a camera drone on each shoulder and a white funeral wreath in his arms.

Vesper followed in her pale blue gown, holding a tablet to her chest.

Three more drones circled above them, red lights blinking.

They were live, and Maxine could tell by the way Alden held his chin.

"Citizens," he said, in his gala voice, "we have come to Ghostfall to honor a brave girl who gave her life to the Union..."

He stopped.

The smell of roasting vine and garlic stew rolled across the yard and hit him in the face.

Maxine stood in the galley door, drying her hands on an apron.

Behind her, seven men sat around a long table, eating.

Rhys at the head, Bram refilling bowls, Isak with an actual smile, Lucan with his boots on the bench.

Dax sprawled in a chair, Silvan reading a menu card out loud, and Jory with his mouth full of bread.

The drones swiveled toward them and every red light blinked once.

"Max," Alden said weakly. "You're alive."

"Hello, Alden. You came all this way to say a eulogy?"

"I thought, I mean, we were told..."

"By who?"

His eyes flicked to Vesper.

Vesper was staring at the table, at the men, and then at Maxine's left hand.

A small gold flame had just lit in her palm to warm the stew.

"No," Vesper whispered. "That's not... That's impossible, I checked..."

She clapped a hand over her mouth.

The drones swung toward her face.

Maxine let the flame burn.

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