“Ordinarily, I’d agree with you,” Rylan said, “but we have no idea what condition these victims are in. If they’ve been injected with deadly diseases, do we really want them getting out?”

“Dammit.” I dug my fingers into my hair, trying to think. It was true that we didn’t want people leaving the compound only to start some deadly epidemic in the Federation. But how could I leave what sounded like a child behind in good conscience, knowing that they were being tortured?

“Sunaya?” Iannis’s hand settled onto my shoulder, a comforting weight. “What is it?”

I sighed, turning my head toward his voice. His arm wrapped around me, drawing me against his chest, and I took comfort in the embrace even though I couldn’t see him.

“There are people—possibly children—down there, being experimented on,” I muttered into his chest. “I want to get them out, but Rylan says they might be infected with diseases.”

Iannis was silent for a long moment. “If we can take over the compound, I will see to them personally, and heal them if possible. I can only hope that we manage to do so before Lord Logar arrives. He will be here soon, and when he arrives—”

“We’re going to destroy the compound,” I snapped. “Yes, yes, I know.”

“When you locate Noria, you can have Rylan ask her about the test subjects,” Elnos suggested. “You might be able to free some of them.”

“What do you think?” I asked Rylan after I relayed that information. “Do you think it’s possible?”

“The subjects will definitely be separated according to what they’re being used for,” Rylan said. “Judging by the different symbols stitched onto the breasts of the lab coats of these scientists, there are a variety of experiments going on. They won’t want to jeopardize their results by mixing up their different test groups. It’s possible we might be able to save some.”

“Can we get a move on and find Noria, then?” I demanded. “What if Annia is one of the prisoners being experimented on? She could be dying right now!”

“I don’t know that they would use her,” Rylan said, though he sounded troubled. “She’s human, so likely would not fit the criteria for whatever their experiments are. It’s more likely they’re just questioning her.”

“You mean torturing her,” I said flatly.

“I was trying to be optimistic.”

I sighed, saying nothing more as Rylan finished his rounds with unhurried steps. Annia could already be dead for all I knew. But I couldn’t operate as if she were. I had to have faith that, at the very least, Noria would have done something to ensure Annia wasn’t executed. They might not have been on the best of terms when they last parted, but they were still sisters. Family. Blood.

Like Rylan is your blood.