The allotted twenty minutes were nearly up—not that I was planning to leave until I was forced to—when Torran’s voice whispered across my mind. “I’m on my way. Wait for me if you can.”

The connection disappeared before I could respond. “Torran is on his way,” I said over the comm. “He seemed to think we might not be able to wait for him, so I want everyone on alert.”

“The spaceport is quiet,” Kee said, “and I’m ready to launch on your command.”

Eli crouched on the other side of the door and together we waited, staring into the starlit night. The sun would creep over the horizon soon, and I hoped to be off-planet before it did. Not that darkness would hide us from Valovia’s sensors, but maybe the empress would be less likely to blow us up if we left before we were seen.

Or maybe not.

The seconds trickled past, each an eternity. Finally, Kee said, “We have incoming. Small vehicle, no registration, no insignia.”

I waved Chira and Cien to the side of the cargo bay so someone outside couldn’t see them. And they would be out of the line of fire, if it came to that. Varro moved with them, shielding them further.

Anja joined Eli and me at the door. “Is it Torran?”

“I hope so,” I said.

“Uhhh, three more transports just came into range,” Kee said. “They’re all broadcasting imperial registrations. They are approximately ninety seconds behind the first.”

“Spin up the engines.”

“That will—”

“I know, do it anyway. As soon as he’s aboard, get us off the ground. Override ground control if you have to.”

“On it,” she confirmed.

I opened the cargo door a little wider. The faster we could get Torran inside, the faster we could launch. I hadn’t expected him to bring his nephew and the rest of his team along for the ride, but with Cien’s parents still away and the empress under suspicion, Torran didn’t have many other options.

Hopefully he had a plan that would prevent the empress from pinning the entire kidnapping on me.

A sleek black vehicle slid into view, moving faster than was safe or prudent. It raced across the spaceport and jerked to a stop at the base of Starlight’s cargo ramp. I lifted my rifle as the side door opened.

“It’s me,” Torran whispered, his mental voice weary.

I lowered my rifle and waved the others to do the same.

Torran pushed a levcart out of the vehicle, and I rushed to help him guide it up the ramp. He still wore his armor, but he moved like he was in pain. Once we were inside, I snapped commands over the comm, and my team rushed to get us in the air.