“Well, I’ve never been in a crowd before, and now I can definitively say that I do. Not. Like. Them,” Ariadne said.

Her delegate was a woman a decade older than Ariadne, and the kid pitched her voice slightly deeper in an effort to sound older. Her disguise wouldn’t mask her age to anyone who cared to look closely enough.

“Neither do I,” Kyla added.

Sher seemed nonchalant. “Feels a lot safer than a battle.” He leaned closer to Ariadne. “I don’t like crowds either.”

Nyx guessed that being wanted on hundreds of planets for crimes could definitely make a person feel uneasy among too many people. Her priority was Ariadne, the girl who had lived her entire life sequestered in the Temple with only artificial intelligence for company.

<Deep breaths, kid,> Nyx said. <Inhale on a three count, exhale on a three count, and focus on that asshole’s back. The one wearing purple.>

Nyx watched Ariadne as they inched down the walkway. The crowd grew thicker as people cleared different checkpoints. They would have to split up soon, but not before the worst hit.

Ariadne took a deep, deep breath and exhaled, just like Nyx had instructed. <That’s it,> Nyx said. <One, two, three. One, two, three.>

Ariadne’s hand found hers and squeezed. Nyx wasn’t someone who comforted. No one came to her if they wanted to feel less afraid. She was thorny and prickly and not . . . good. Or kind. Not like the others. Not like Rhea.

But godsdamn it, when that kid looked up at her with a grateful smile and said, “Thank you,” Nyx understood why people did shit for each other. For comfort. For that look. For trust.

“Rhea, you make sure to take care of her,” Nyx said.

A pat on her back. A flow of comfort. “With my life. And she’ll take care of me.”

Nyx didn’t respond. She knew that Rhea would do what she could, but Rhea wasn’t a soldier. That mind manipulation might work for an untrained guard, but anyone who had gone through a round of mental resistance techniques might be able to block it.

Nyx shook her head. Focus, soldier.

They were nearing the crowd coming in from the docking bay, which meant they were about to split up.

Clo’s voice sounded through the Pathos. <Almost showtime, bermholes.>

Nyx let out a breath. <Nice rousing speech there.>

<Very encouraging,> Kyla added dryly.

<The troops might need more positivity, Alesca,> Sher said.

<Good luck, don’t fail, don’t die,> Clo said. <There’s your rousing speech. Nyx, you know where to drop the spharias, right?>

<Got the map burned in my retinas,> Nyx said. <Rhea, Ari, once you find out where that weapon is, you haul ass back to the ship, you understand? Same for Clo and Kyla.>

<You don’t want us in the palace?> Rhea asked.