Zeerid knew that Vrath already could have told someone else about Arra, but he thought it unlikely. No one gave away leverage. It was like giving away credits. No, Vrath had kept it to himself. Maybe to sell to The Exchange, maybe to use later. But he hadn’t used it yet. He’d had to get to Coruscant from Vulta too fast. He must have left immediately after the ambush.

“Why didn’t he use Arra against you back on Vulta?” Aryn asked. “Could’ve forced you to turn over the cargo.”

Zeerid didn’t know. “Maybe he would have. Maybe that was him in the stairwell of the apartment complex yesterday. Maybe we frightened him off. Or maybe he didn’t have time. He had to follow me to ensure he could locate the spice. If he’d have grabbed Arra, he might have lost me, or I might have flown off with the spice without ever knowing he had her.”

Aryn said nothing as Zeerid let his thoughts meander into the briar patch of the criminal underworld.

“Maybe he just wouldn’t hurt a child,” Aryn said.

“Maybe,” Zeerid said, but did not believe it. He hadn’t met many criminals who operated with any kind of ethical code.

“Listen,” Aryn said. “I’ll help you get off the planet or find him here. But first I need to get to the Temple.”

“You came here to kill someone, Aryn. I cannot spare that kind of time.”

Her face flushed, and he saw some inner battle going on behind her eyes. “I can just identify him.” She said it as if trying to convince herself. “I can find him another time. But I must have his name. This may be my only chance.” She blew out a deep breath. “I would welcome your help.”

“Been real useful so far,” he said.

“You got me here.”

“I got us blown out of space.”

“And yet here we are.”

“And here we are.”

“Let me get a name and then I’ll help you get offplanet. Agreed?”

He made up his mind, nodded. “All right, I’m with you, but we have to do this fast.”

MALGUS WAITED FOR ELEENA TO AWAKEN, his mind moving through possibilities, still trying to square a circle. He was beginning to think it could not be done.

Eleena emerged from the bedroom of his quarters, barely covered in a light shirt and her undergarments. As always, her beauty struck him, the grace of her movement. She smiled.

“How long did I sleep?”

“Not long,” he said.

She poured tea for both of them and sat on the floor near his feet.

“I have something I need you to do,” he said.

“Name it.”

“You will take several shuttles to Coruscant. Ten members of my security team, Imperial soldiers, will accompany you.”