For Darkness Shows the Stars

that if her father had treated his servants better, he might have enjoyed the same opulent lifestyle without renting out his estate was not lost on Elliot.
    She wondered if it would ever become clear to the baron. For Tatiana, she had somewhat higher hope.
    Even her new projects for the Posts had become self-sustaining once they’d begun. The schoolroom she’d decided to set up for Post children was being handily managed by an adult daughter of Gill and Mags who had been making her living as a governess in a Luddite household down in the enclaves. Felicia had helped her find a trained healer from among her friends in Channel City who was now helping to bring the nurses on the estate up to speed. And Admiral Innovation had already alerted her to friends of his who’d be interested in renting the shipyard for the summer season. Elliot was happy to delegate these projects to people who had more experience than she did in these matters. She was glad she’d turned her lands into a place the Posts found safer than the enclaves, and where they had more autonomy and opportunity than most estates, but she was practically drowning in leisure.
    It was dangerous. Somehow she’d weaned herself from rereading Kai’s old letters, but now she found herself poring over her grandfather’s old books—tales of daring explorers, of brilliant scientists, and, worst of all, lifelong loves. It was silly. It was pointless. But there it was.
    She and Kai were friendly enough now. He spoke to her from time to time about her plans for the estate, about Dee’s progress, and occasionally she saw him in the garden with Ro. But though Ro always waved her over, Elliot made sure to keep a polite distance. It was safer for her to wish him well, but stay away. Soon enough, he’d be gone from the estate. That would make it easier. She hoped.
    They would be friends. That was good. It could even be world changing. She was the owner of a shipyard, and he built ships. That was enough friendship to survive on, and she had the added satisfaction of knowing that, in some small way, they were fulfilling the dreams they’d once spoken of in their letters. Kai would leave. He’d see the stars. And Elliot would remain, and work the farm, and silence any voice in her heart that screamed for more.
    The lawn of the Boatwright house had been scarred into ruts by the tracks of the sun-carts, and Elliot maneuvered their ride over the bumps. Perhaps she’d get a sun-cart of her own, and maybe she’d pave a bit of this lawn to make a driveway for the machine. Once the Cloud Fleet left, she planned to move back into the Boatwright house, but for now she avoided it along with the shipyard and Kai.
    “There you are!” Andromeda shouted, appearing at the door. She stomped down the porch steps, her face pink with anger. Elliot didn’t think she’d ever seen a Fleet Post stomp. She didn’t realize it was possible, given the enhancements. Kai appeared behind her, eyes wide. He waved his hands in warning at the two occupants in the cart.
    “I know what you’re doing, Malakai,” Andromeda growled. She glared at Felicia. “You have to come inside right this minute and talk some sense into my brother.”
    “Why?” Felicia asked. She climbed out of the cart and shook out her skirts.
    “Because he claims he’s not coming with us. He says he wants to stay here. On the estate .” Andromeda’s voice dripped with derision. “I have not fought for us all these years for him to abandon us for some stupid Luddite.” She turned to Elliot. “Hello, Chancellor. Just so you know, you aren’t the stupid Luddite this time.”
    “Ann!” Felicia cried.
    Andromeda rolled her eyes. “Please, can we just stop pretending now? Can we just drop all this scraping and pretense and all of it? Can we just get on the boat and leave? Donovan will change his mind once we’re out to sea, I know it. Can’t we just tie him up and throw him on board and not let him loose till we’re out of sight of this godforsaken island once and for all?”
    “Yes,” said Elliot, nodding her head. “You can. You should. It’s what I would do, if I were you.”
    All three Posts turned to her and blinked in astonishment.
    She pointed at Kai. “It’s what I told him to do four years ago. Run away. Get out. You can. You have no one who depends upon you for survival, and indeed, all our survival may depend upon you. So your God-given duty is actually to go.”
    And then Andromeda cracked the