If we’d thought that would make Priya drop her guard, though, we were mistaken. She hustled us down the stairs, keeping us at exactly the right distance, her weapon drawn and ready. Cage and I exchanged helpless glances. With our wrists cuffed, our powers disabled, and our friends captured, we had no weapons left . . .

Except words.

“Is this really what you want?” I demanded as Priya herded us into the docking ring. “You saw what the creatures did to your teammate.”

“Turn left.”

I spun on her instead. “Are you that cold? That foolish? You’ll let Omnistellar get away with summoning those things that murdered your friend just so they can get their hands on some alien tech?”

All at once, Priya’s steely demeanor disappeared, and she jerked herself ramrod straight, a flash of fire igniting her eyes. She lurched forward with such violence I thought she’d swing the butt of her gun right into my face, and I recoiled.

Cage and Rune tucked me behind them. They closed ranks in front of me, shoulder to shoulder. In spite of the situation, a shiver of warmth ran through me. My parents had never stepped between me and danger. No one had. It wasn’t the Omnistellar way.

Priya stopped a few feet away, her shoulders locked in a hard line. “I am a professional,” she said coldly. “So was Bian. We knew the risks. And don’t you dare lecture me, little girl, because I’ve lost more friends than you can ever imagine.”

I pictured everyone on Sanctuary and thought about arguing but dismissed the idea. The steel and resolve in her face rendered any discussion useless.

“Wait,” said Rune as we walked. “This isn’t the way to your ship.”

“No kidding, genius.” Priya gestured us against a wall and scanned her thumb at a different berth than the one she’d docked at before. I frowned. Had Legion moved their ship? That seemed unlikely considering they hadn’t obtained permission to leave Obsidian earlier. Why would anyone let them hop to another location? And why would they want to?

I got my answer thirty seconds later as we entered the airlock. This wasn’t Priya’s ship. It wasn’t any ship I recognized—and, at the same time, it was. Even though I’d never been on this particular vessel before, the clean lines, sleek white design, and soft lighting were unmistakable.

I stopped short. “This is an Omnistellar ship.”

“What clued you in?” Priya nodded at the giant Omnistellar Concepts logo on the far wall. At the same time, two men advanced along the hall: Matt and the bald man, Finn.

“Where’s Bian?” Matt demanded.

Priya shook her head. Matt froze, his eyes meeting mine and asking questions he dared not voice, but Finn showed no visible reaction. He grabbed Cage and hauled him away from me, and I had to physically resist the urge to leap after them.