Han made a face and followed her out. Ean followed. Han frowned at him.
“I go where Ean goes,” Radko said. “Get used to him.” She settled in the corridor, left foot up against the wall. “You have to be honest with your father.”
“It’s kind of hard to—”
Here, Ean could help Radko. “He knows you’re not his birth son, if that’s what you’re worried about. He’s being blackmailed by everyone on and off Lancia to keep it a secret. Including Redmond.”
“What?” Han turned to Radko. “You told him?”
“Your father told us,” Ean said. “Talk to him. Tell him to stop letting himself be blackmailed.”
Han walked the rest of the way in silence.
Orsaya’s guards stopped them in the corridor where Renaud’s apartment was. They recognized Ean and Radko and let them through.
Han turned to watch the guards. “Is he a prisoner?”
“The station’s on lockdown,” Ean said.
“For what?”
Mutiny, attempt to steal a fleet of spaceships, crimes against the New Alliance.
“Not in your need to know,” Radko said. She pressed the comms on the door. “Lord Renaud. It’s Dominique Radko. May we come in.”
“Dominique.” Ean tasted the syllables.
“Don’t you ever. Either of you.”
“But you introduced yourself as—”
“He’s a friend of my parents.”
And indeed, he seemed to be, for Renaud, on opening the door, said, “Lady Dominique. It’s a pleasure.” Then he saw Han. His eyes widened. “Yves.”
“Papa.”
Father and adopted son hugged each other, laughing and crying.
Ean and Radko backed away.
“It’s a crying sort of day.” Ean sang the door closed on the Han family, and they made their way back to the control center, and their own people. “How do you feel, Radko? About everything?”
Radko considered it. “Glad to be home,” she said, finally, and slipped her hand into his.
Her fingers were warm, comfortable against his. It felt natural. Ean smiled at her. “I’m glad you’re home, too.”