Lidia Cervos meets her twin sons, Brann and Actaeon, on the Depth Charger with their mer foster parents, Davit and Renki, and Director Kagani. Lidia makes clear she will not take the boys away, though she asks to see them again if she ever returns. Brann is openly curious and recognizes her as the Hind from broadcasts, while Actaeon is hostile, condemning her Asteri-linked violence and mocking her ties to Pollux.

After the tense meeting ends, Renki follows Lidia into the hall to apologize and reassure her that he and Davit did not turn the boys against her. He explains they didn’t know her true identity either, only that the boys’ mother was deep undercover for Ophion. Renki describes the twins’ lives on the ship—extended family, schooling, and Actaeon’s inventive brilliance—then gives Lidia his contact information and urges her to give Actaeon time.

A messenger summons Lidia to the Ocean Queen. The Ocean Queen reprimands Lidia for bringing fugitives onto the city-ship and risking Asteri attention, warning that mystics will find them soon. Though Bryce’s group will leave for Avallen tomorrow, the Ocean Queen orders Lidia to depart as well and resume her duties, cutting off Lidia’s hope of staying near her sons.

Later, Ruhn is furious about Bryce’s ordeal with their father and tries to channel his anger into training. In the corridor he runs into Lidia, now cold and withdrawn after seeing her sons. Ruhn asks about the meeting and presses for what happened, but their conversation turns into a bitter argument about judgment and motives; Lidia accuses him of only wanting to listen now that she has a “sad” backstory, and she ends the exchange by saying Ruhn doesn’t deserve to hear it before shutting her door.