I watched my son walk away, and leaned on the woman who'd come to our aid. She effortlessly helped me back to my room.

  "The machine spirits here won't record."

  The sister glanced up at me, and nodded.

  "Father requested I stay with you."

  My heart skipped a beat. "Father?"

  She nodded. "Yes. He says you are very special, not just to the Aeldari and Mon-k-" she stopped herself. "Human relations, but to him personally."

  I smiled longingly, glancing down at the daughter who should have been mine. "He is very dear to me as well."

  The woman's helmet didn't betray anything, but I could feel her heart. She had an affinity for me.

  "He told me many stories about you, growing up."

  "Only the embarrassing ones, I hope." I giggled, as did the woman.

  "There were some of those... But it was all with great love in his heart."

  "Your name?"

  "Elisaria," she replied, bowing her head.

  "Evaria Manoash."

  I felt a kindred soul within this Aeldari woman, something I'd yet to feel from any children of humanity that I'd met. Though Gabriel seemed partway there.

  "You will, of course, have to conceal your heritage."

  Elisaria nodded. "Of course, mother."

  The word almost made me stumble from her, but I kept myself composed. She seemed to notice my reaction.

  "Is there a problem?"

  "No, not at all. I just wasn't expecting you to grace me with such a title."

  "Your attendant, the Palatine they call Sarai, has discussed changing the name of her order with the others to the Daughters of Evaria."

  I blinked a few times. "Really?"

  "It wouldn't be the first time an Adepta Sororitas order changed their name to reflect loyalty to a Primarch. There are the daughters of Guilliman, after all."

  I eyed my companion as we entered my chambers. "You know a lot about humans."

  "My father has been observing much from the shadows, as have I, in the hopes of your return."

  I gestured for her to bring me to the fehl marine, whose flesh had begun to normalize. She brought me over, and I knelt and held my nephew as Navah perched on the headboard of my bed, looking on with curiosity.

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  "I assume much has happened since my death."

  Elisaria's voice was soft as she stood behind me. "It has. Humankind has fallen greatly into superstition and hatred. Orks run amok. Chaos creeps in at every corner, with half the galaxy torn asunder... And of course the Tau."

  The word evoked my curiosity. "Tau?"

  "Ah, they would have been after your time..." Elisaria began to comb my hair, a sensation I'd long forgotten, and likely desperately needed.

  "They're quite advanced for... lesser beings."

  "Do not underestimate other races, Elisaria. They will use that hubris against you. For better or worse, look at what humanity has accomplished. Or the Orks."

  My companion began to braid my hair, each movement graceful and with a supernatural precision.

  "You are correct, mother."

  Once more that word stirred longing within my heart as it passed her lips. I then felt the anger of another. Two thunderous knocks struck the doors to my chambers.

  "Enter!"

  The doors opened, Gabriel leading in the Inquisitor.

  "Inquisitor Fahlia Kurchen." I didn't need to look to know I had just interrupted her instinctive demand to know why I had summoned her, yet I could feel her pride at a Chapter Master being used to personally bring her.

  "An attempt was just made on my life by four assassins. Either that or they intended to procure me for leverage."

  "I had nothing to do with that!" Fahlia nearly spat on the deck. "Some of my colleagues may stoop so low, but I am no such traitor."

  I glanced back at the scarred woman, sensing the pride in her words: honesty.

  "Then someone you contacted is a traitor. Tell me, is there a safer route to Terra?"

  Fahlia seemed to relax slightly at the perceived accusations being forgotten. "There are many routes to Terra, but the issue comes in the form of us not knowing who sent the Assassins."

  "It would be the Lords of Terra." Gabriel's voice was practically a snarl.

  "Need I remind you, chapter master, that members of the Inquisition and Mechanicus are High Lords of Terra, and neither would wish to be responsible for the death of a Primarch."

  "So now you believe her to be a Primarch?"

  I allowed them their spat as Elisaria continued to braid my hair.

  "I have for some time!" Fahlia exclaimed. "Since Miqdash. The question was her loyalty to the God Emperor. There are no official records of her. Two Primarchs were expunged from history, meaning they did something so heinous that it put Horus to shame!"

  My ears perked up at the name of my brother, Horus. Father's favorite. He was all of our favorite, in one way or another. What could he have done that the Inquisitor felt comfortable speaking so poorly of him?

  Gabriel's daemonhammer started to shimmer. "Mind your tongue, Inquisitor. My lady did not deserve what happened to her."

  "Then tell me what happened, so I can do my job."

  "The Emperor himself ordained we keep it concealed! Do not deign to believe you have the authority to know even of my lady's name, let alone her history!"

  Fahlia leaned in closer, her hand gripping her sword’s hilt. "I am a decorated Inquisitor, set to become an Inquisitor Lord of the sector! You will show me the respect I have earned!"

  "You're nothing more than a paranoid butcher who cleaves the innocent in two for her own twisted gratification!"

  I snapped my fingers, the sheer force making a booming sound that caused both to cover their ears.

  "Insults accomplish nothing. I asked for safe routes from our current location. I recall the galaxy map, but things have of course changed since I've been gone, and I’m sure routes have shifted due to changing orbits."

  Fahlia glared at Gabriel, then cleared her throat.

  "There are multiple possible routes that would take longer. What I would suggest is-"

  Alarms blared once more, and the Inquisitor's vox-caster erupted with reports. My heart sank as I heard that a fleet of imperium ships had entered the system, bearing the markings of the local High Lord.