Sumi felt for the poor girl and the fate of her mother that had almost been Sumi’s. No one should have such a tragedy in their life, and definitely not when they were so young. “I’m sorry, Thia. I lost my mother when I was young, too. I know how hard it is to grow up without one.”

“Then I’m sorry for you as well. How did your mother die?”

Sumi looked down at the fruit as her own tears choked her. “She didn’t. She ran off with a boyfriend and left us behind with my father.”

“Us?”

“Me and my sister.”

Thia glanced away as she digested that. “Is that what made you become an assassin?”

Was every member of their family so astute? It was actually unnerving. “No one said I was an assassin.”

“Then why were you in the middle of a desert, alone, with a sniper rifle?”

Damn. Was it training or genetics that made the whole family so paranoid? “Sabbatical?”

She gave her an unamused glare. “Is that really your answer?”

Sumi sighed as she picked through the fruit. “No. You’re right. I am a trained assassin. But I’m not here to kill your uncle.” Which was actually the truth. She was here to get evidence for Kyr to do it, instead.

Thia jerked her chin toward the bandage on Sumi’s stomach. “How did you get hurt?”

“Target fixation.” She met Thia’s bloodthirsty gaze levelly. “I was so worried about the fire I saw from your camp, I missed the tourah that came up on me and tried to make me its lunch.” Again, that was the truth. She’d been trying to get bearings on Hauk before she made her presence known.

“So what are your intentions now?” Thia still eyed her suspiciously.

“Trying not to die.”

That did not placate the young woman at all. “You know what I mean.”

“Yeah, I do. And I promise, I’m just passing through.” Which was also the truth. She had no intention of staying here, with these beings, a moment longer than she had to.

Thia drew her blaster and angled it at Sumi. “I want the truth and I want it now. I mean it.”

Faster than Sumi could blink, Hauk entered the tent and grabbed Thia’s hand.

He wrenched the weapon free. “What are you doing?”

Thia threw herself against him then started sobbing uncontrollably.

Holding her to his chest, he glanced helplessly at Sumi. “What did you say to her?”

Before she could answer, Thia pulled back and cupped his face in her hands. “Don’t you leave me, Uncle Hauk. Don’t you dare!”

“I’m not leaving you, baby,” he said gently as he rocked her against him. “Your father would kill me in a most painful way.”

“No. I mean don’t die on me. You can’t! You hear me?”