I sighed. I’d been so sure that this place was important. After all, why choose this route for escape? But I’d seen enough coincidences to know that not every clue led to an answer. The easiest answer was often the right one, and this path just happened to be the closest forest access to Torran’s property.

Still, I would have Lexi look into it, just in case. There was no reason not to run down every possible option. And with less than two weeks remaining, we had to work fast and smart.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Torran and I returned to the workshop where we’d started. He didn’t say anything, but I could feel his disappointment. Like me, he’d hoped that I would just waltz into the right answer and find Cien, but real life rarely worked like the entertainment vids.

If it did, my job would be so much easier.

I quietly stripped off my borrowed armor, until I was left in my tank top and leggings. I shivered as I pulled on my outer clothes. By the time I’d strapped on my weapons, Torran had changed back into the tunic and pants he’d been wearing earlier.

“Thank you for coming with me,” he said quietly. “I apologize again for disrupting your sleep.”

“You’re welcome. I’m sorry I wasn’t more useful, but the visual of the path does help cement the timeline in my mind. And now Kee has some idea what to search for on the surveillance videos in the time leading up to the transport leaving.” It was something, but it wasn’t enough. I ran a frustrated hand through my hair.

Torran held out his arms, an unreadable expression on his face in the dim light from the light stick he’d activated when we removed our helmets.

My eyes shot to his face. “What are you doing?”

“I am offering you one hug, freely given, no strings attached.” A tiny smile hovered at the corner of his mouth. “I was led to believe that this is how it is done.”

I stepped into his arms. Hugging him without armor was a completely different experience. His chest was warm and firm, and I could feel the muscles in his back when I wrapped my arms around him. He was solid and alive, and I didn’t realize how much I’d actually needed a hug until his arms were around me.

My frustration melted under the gentle pressure of the embrace. We would find his nephew. We just had to keep looking. I had the best team in the system, so I just had to have a little faith.