It felt strange to be leaving Catania and the remaining catgirls of Jazz’s army. Though our adventure had initially begun as a way to show Tristan the hard truths of his island, I was proud of the work we’d accomplished in our journey.

As thrilled as I was to be leaving, a part of me was also concerned about what they would do from here. A crestfallen Erina would need to find the courage and the strength to lead the others, and the expats from Sorentina were still discovering their places amongst the Catania crew. By no means did I think them incapable—the Catania girls had proven they could deal with the Defiled, and Jazz’s warriors were nothing short of spectacular. But after having my hands in their lives for so long, I felt like I was saying goodbye to family.

We’d been through a lot together; so many ups and downs. It seemed like I was abandoning them, even if that couldn’t be further from the truth.

They’ll be okay. There are a lot of experienced catgirls here. One day, Catania will stand again.

I had a feeling that Keke, Cannoli, Ravyn, and Ceres felt similarly. They each did their part to oversee how hunts were going, what meals were cooked, how the [Mage]’s practices and wards were maintained. Ceres was an absolute boon in the areas our group had previously lacked. She looked over their armaments, gave critical advice on approaches to battle, and even debated tactics with some of the more experienced catgirls.

To sum it up, it was a job well done. I would do it all over again if I had to.

Ceres and a few deft hands at tailoring spent the better part of the night piecing back together what remained of my chest armor. To my surprise, it still felt just as strong as before. I could see tiny, meticulous stitching where the Defiled had shredded it. Still, while I was no expert on the crafting and management of armor, it looked almost new again.

By Keke’s suggestion, we arose when it was barely dawn. The sun hadn’t appeared over the horizon yet, but there was enough light to get by. I couldn’t imagine it was any later than five in the morning. Like leaving the site of a camp, we double-checked, triple-checked, and even quadruple-checked to make sure we had everything we needed for the way back.

There weren’t very many girls up by the time we left, save for a few of the guards on the graveyard shift. We’d spent most of the previous night saying our farewells, but it was still nice to wave goodbye to a few of the girls on our way out.

“I hope they’ll be okay,” Cannoli said as we reached the hill’s peak, turning to look back at the distant Catania.

“They’ll be fine,” Keke said with a smile.

“They better fucking be. I am not coming back here,” I heard Ravyn grumble behind me.

I turned to see deep, dark bags hanging under her eyes.

“Better not, better not! Squaawwwwk!” Ball Gag screeched from his perch on Ravyn’s shoulder.

“Kuso. Too fucking early, shh.” Ravyn clamped a pair of fingers over the bird’s mouth, her lips twisted in absolute disgust.

“We have done everything within our power. To remain longer would only weaken them,” Ceres said next. “They must learn how to deal with this threat. We can only hope that Shi Island will recover.”

“I think Shi Island will,” I said as I rolled my shoulders. “They have a lot going for them now. Something bigger than Celestia’s rule.”

“I’m going to miss them,” said Tristan. He stopped to look back at the distant city, a warm smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

“They’re strong,” Ara said in a barely audible tone. “This occasion will mark a hard-earned lesson for them.”

“What about you?” asked Tristan. “Feel any different?”

Ara paused, clenching her fists. “I don’t know.” She bowed her head. “I am… unsure what it is I will do from here.” She sighed. “I worry for my sister.”

Tristan let go of Desiree, and the nimble feline familiar leapt down with a purr. Tristan came to Ara’s side, reaching down and taking her hand. “We’ll come back for her. I promise. I’m not going to let this island fall to shambles again.” His gaze veered. He seemed to be having trouble finding the words, and as endearing as this was to watch, I couldn’t help but feel like I was intruding on something intimate.

Cannoli clasped her hands together, eyes sparkling. Her attention was glued to them like a kid affixed to the TV on a Saturday morning.

Ara’s mouth hung open, her cheeks a furious red. “Y-y-young Master, that is quite k-kind of you to say.” She drew a deep breath and slowly exhaled. “I am in your debt. If you would continue to have me, then I will be your blade.”

A soft laugh escaped Tristan’s lips. “As if you have to ask. We’ll rescue Lynn. You’ll see.”

Ara’s eyes widened. After a moment, they settled, and she returned his smile. “Yes, Young Master.”

The journey back was uneventful, to my relief. Ceres’ assumptions were correct. The coast was bare, save for the occasional bold Encroacher. The air was salty, and the wind gentle. It was the perfect day to travel.

Leche, like the surrounding cities before it, was a mess. There wasn’t much to be had. Splintered wooden planks from quaint stalls were strewn about in what was previously a small market square. Lines of sturdier brick buildings were barely standing, surrounded by the broken rubble that had sheltered their roofs. Occasionally we would see a stray bone or skull lying around, but the village was quiet save for the coastal winds seeping through the alleyways.

“What was Leche like?” asked Cannoli.

“It was—”

“Leche is—”

Ara and Ceres spoke, interrupting one another.

“My apologies, please,” said Ceres, waving her hand.

Ara paused. “Leche was a small village. Poor, difficult to manage, and often ignored.”

“Oh,” said a sullen Cannoli.

Ara’s breath caught. “Th-that is to say, they struggled. When observing each island and its respective villages and cities, Leche is not only the smallest but is unfortunate enough to be the furthest away from suitable trade.”

As we trekked through the hills, Ara opened her mouth, then closed it again. There was something she wasn’t telling us, and it seemed to be bothering her.

Ara continued. “As I’ve mentioned before, San Island possesses a monopoly on trade. Leche has a poor reputation for harboring thieves and delinquents. It was rare that its citizens were accepted into Venicia’s School of Etiquette. To house someone from Leche was simply unheard of, and to put it lightly, the expectations Madame Celestia placed on those from Leche are… unreasonable.”

“Well, if we’ve learned anything from that school, we know it’s a total shit show,” said Ravyn.

I looked back to see Ara and Ravyn passing glares.

“It was a humble town,” Ceres added. “I had the opportunity to visit twice before the attacks began.”

“Leche will rise again,” Tristan said, his brow furrowed. “I will see to it.”

Ara’s stare lingered on Tristan. “Of that, I have no doubt.

By the time we made it to the outskirts of Anyona, the sun was setting. I don’t think I’d ever walked that much in a single day before. Nyarlea was the culprit for a lot of my firsts.

Keke stood by my side the entire time, and I attempted to steal a glance at her any chance I could. I was eager to share a bed with her again. A good bed. Maybe I could help her cook dinner, and she could walk around in a t-shirt for the entire evening.

What would we name our daughter?

The thought warmed my face.

“Are you feeling alright, Matt?” Keke asked. We’d fallen behind some. Ceres continued to lead as we came to a stop. I guess the red in my cheeks was pretty noticeable.

“Y-yeah, I’m fine. Just eager to get back.”

“I know what you mean. I miss the people on Ni Island. The sounds, the smells. All of it.”

“Me too.”

When the outline of Portia’s sloop came into view, I breathed a sigh of relief. To be honest, I had no idea if she would keep waiting. It felt like we were putting far too many expectations on her. I figured it had been almost two weeks since we last saw her.

Portia was reeling something in by the time we were approaching. Gotta say, she wore that black bikini spectacularly. It accentuated her curves and demanded my immediate attention. Her muscles glistened with fresh droplets from the sea glittering on her tattoo. The tan had grown darker since we last left, and the thought of what her tan lines looked like underneath her suit crossed my mind.

“Hey! Thought you guys were dead!” Portia took a hand off the fishing rod to wave to us, then quickly returned to reeling her catch in when the force nearly pulled her into the water. “Sucker’s gotta be huge!”

“Portia!” Cannoli squealed. “I missed you!”

“Missed you too! Now hang on!” Portia pulled in her massive fish, knocking it out cold and tying it off to the side of the ship. She quickly maneuvered to raise the anchor and turn the sloop toward land.

Ceres squinted her eyes, her face pinching with the movement. “We are to board this vessel?”

I nodded, suddenly aware that we’d never discussed just how small the ride would be. “Ah, right. Um, yeah. I know it’s a tight fit, but—”

“It’s beautiful!” Ceres breathed. I moved to wave my hand in front of her. She blinked, but her stare remained on Portia. Something about the boat had bewitched her. “I had no idea we were boarding a sloop!”

“Is that special or something?”

She looked at me so quickly that I worried she’d get whiplash. “If you will pardon my word choice, my Lord—but do you not understand the beauty and majesty of such a ship?”

Erm. It’s just a boat? “I guess not. It gets us from point A to point B.”

Ceres shook her head. “You simply must allow me to educate you on the subject. Please!”

Well, I guess it would be something to talk about on the way.

“Sure. Let’s eat first, though. Sound good?”

Ceres put one hand over another at her hips and bowed deep at the waist. “Yes. Of course, my Lord. You must be famished.”

“Hey! I see how you’re lookin’ at her! This baby’s mine!” Portia cried as Ravyn navigated the shoddy dock toward the boat.

“Who’s looking?” Ravyn replied.

“Your new recruit there. Wait, three new recruits?” Portia peered over our group, then roared with laughter. “Goddess above, Matt! Are you trying to fit the whole damn island on my sloop?”

“Just a few pieces of it,” I chuckled, carefully stepping over the missing planks to the edge of the dock.

As we all boarded the sloop, my shoulders began to slump and I couldn’t help but relax. At last, we’d made it back to the edge of San Island. Our time had been arduous, painful, and a true test of our mettle. While I harbored some regrets, I felt like we’d made an impact. We’d taken what little we had to offer, and we did something with it.

Catania’s morale was improving, Celestia’s influence waning, and we’d even managed to break a prisoner out of jail in the process.

When we were all situated, I sat down and leaned against the hull, or what I thought was the hull. I was sure Ceres would correct me soon. As the banter between the girls continued, I closed my eyes and listened in. Their casual conversation was the best thing I’d heard in weeks.