The aide blew out an aggravated breath. “That boy will be the death of me. Yes, he has a pass. Access to all areas.”

It was a long shot, but it was the only lead they had. Stellan turned to Indeera. “May I borrow your apprentice?”

“Of course.”

“You want me to head over to the Innovator?” Bell asked.

“Hopefully between you and Ember, you’ll be able to track them down before anyone notices.”

“I’ll have Snat dispatch a security team,” Ra-oon suggested over the comm, only to be shot down by Quo.

“We need to keep this quiet,” the Koorivar said. “If anyone found out that the chancellor’s son is missing …”

“I think the chancellor may have worked it out for herself,” Stokes said, turning toward Soh, who was pointedly looking at the four of them from across the garden.

Soh’s aide sighed. “I’ll go tell her.”

“And I’ll find them,” Bell said, confidently. “I promise.”

Stellan had no doubt that Bell would be as good as his word, but still couldn’t shake the nagging doubt at the back of his mind.

“Coordinator,” he said before closing the comm. “How is traffic into the sector this morning?”

“Space traffic?” she answered from the administration building. “As busy as you’d expect. But everything is under control. The portmaster certainly hasn’t reported any problems. Would you like me to double-check?”

Stellan looked up into the cloudless skies. “If you wouldn’t mind … It’s probably nothing, Kitrep’s disappearance is making me jumpy.”

“Now you’ve got me worried,” Ra-oon said. “I thought Jedi didn’t get jumpy, only us mere mortals. I’ll report straight back.”

Stellan thanked her, and the connection closed. He looked over to see Quo talking to the chancellor, both trying their hardest to pretend that nothing was wrong with so many reporters in the vicinity. Near them, the Togruta head of state glanced his way, and he returned the look, turning on a smile he wouldn’t quite feel until he received the all-clear from Samera.

“All will be well,” Indeera said quietly. “Bell will find them soon enough.”

Stellan knew Stokes was right. That had to be what was wrong, the exploits of two young teenagers throwing an intricately planned day out of kilter. If Elzar was here, he would tell him he was worrying over nothing. He just wanted everything to be perfect; for the chancellor, for the visitors, for the Republic as a whole. And it would be, Force willing, Stellan was sure of that.

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

Fair park, Valo

The temperature continued to rise, the day even hotter than the meteorologists had predicted.

The chancellor’s party progressed around the gardens, Lina Soh reassured that her son would be found and already composing the scolding she would deliver when they were alone.