The Star Thief (Star Thief Chronicles 1)

“What the hell is going on?” Finn demanded as she fumbled with the lock on the cell.

“I just saved your asses. We need to get the hell out of here now before Viktis’s crew realizes what’s going on.”

“Everyone! Stations, now! Prep for takeoff.” The crew streamed from the room, running to various parts of the ship.

Renna ran behind Finn and Keva to the bridge where the two immediately began shouting commands.

Seconds later, the whir of the engine filled the ship. “Flight status, Lieutenant?” Finn demanded.

Keva’s fingers flew across her display. “Take off in forty-five seconds.”

Around them, the ship rumbled and vibrated as the engines warmed. Renna’s stomach jumped as the ship surged into motion, speeding away from the spaceport before beginning its ascent back into the stars. They were safe.

Captain Finn finished giving his orders, then leaned back against the railing beside her, his arms crossed. “What did you do?” he asked. “What happened to the merc?”

“Don’t worry about it, Finn. I took care of him.”

“You were gone for almost an hour.” He sounded sullen and annoyed.

She blinked at him. “Is there a problem? I thought you’d be happy I was finally earning my payment.” Renna turned to walk away, but Finn grabbed her arm.

“Did you sleep with him?”

Renna gritted her teeth and slung his hand off her. “By the stars, why do you even care? You already think I’m a whore, remember?”

Finn’s lips thinned. “I didn’t think you’d come back.”

Renna arched an eyebrow at him. “I don’t know why you keep making those kinds of assumptions. It’s obvious you don’t know anything about me, Captain. Not anymore.”

He shifted his weight, eyes sliding away from hers. “Well, whatever you did and however you managed it, you have my thanks. We managed to escape with the boy and with no casualties. Where is Myka by the way?”

Her lips parted. The last thing she’d expected was for Finn to thank her, even if he was obviously uncomfortable doing it. “He’s down on the officer’s deck, locked away tight. I’ll go get him.”

“I want to see this,” Keva muttered, getting up from her chair and following them through the ship.

Renna’s stomach tightened as she picked her way through the clothes and bedding that spilled from the rooms out into the hallway. The mercs had been ruthless. Mattresses had been ripped to shreds, and any furniture not bolted down had been toppled. Even locked doors had been sliced through with lasers, leaving only twisted metal.

Exactly how much was this kid worth to them?

She thudded down the stairs to where she’d left Myka and froze in her tracks. Blood roared in her ears as she stared at the metal screen covering his hiding place. The panel was bent and seared, ripped through like a piece of paper. Renna dropped to her knees and touched the navy fabric snagged on one of the jagged pieces of metal. Myka’s new pants.

“You hid him there?” Keva asked.

Renna stared at the hole, ignoring the other woman. Acid burned the back of her throat. How had they found him? Had he been so terrified he’d given himself away?

“He’s gone,” she whispered, yanking the metal screen away and peering inside to make sure. Metal glinted on the floor, and she reached for her nanospanner with a shaking hand.

“What do you mean he’s gone?” Finn’s voice was low and dangerous as Renna rose to her feet.

Her hands trembled, and she clenched them into fists. “Somehow they found him. Took him.” First on Hesperia and now the ship. What was it about Myka that drew these people to him? What did they want with the boy?

Renna’s mind raced. They had to go back. Had to find him. How the hell had the mercs gotten past her with the kid?

A muscle jumped in Finn’s jaw as he glanced at the destruction around them. “So your whoring around did nothing to help us. And now they’ve got the kid.” His voice went flat. “Or was that all part of your plan? Act like you’re playing along with the pirate when really you’ve had this worked out all along? How else would the mercs have known where we were refueling? Or where Myka was hiding?”

Renna’s fingers itched to grab the gun from her belt. So they were back to this again. Gods, this man had more mood swings than a pregnant woman. “You think I betrayed you? That I gave up the boy for a fat paycheck?” She glared at him, her temper slipping farther out of her control. “If that’s the case, why would I have come back to free you? Why not stay on board and escape with Viktis?”

He dismissed her with an angry shrug. “Because it looks better this way. Because we can’t prove you had anything to do with it. But I know the truth. I know you’re only in this for the money. Like always.”

“I’m here because I didn’t have a choice,” Renna growled. “But now that I am, the only thing that matters is getting Myka back. With or without your help.”

TWELVE

Before anyone could stop her, Renna dashed through the ship, heading to the flight deck and Lieutenant Kojima. Finn and Keva shouted at her as they followed, but she blocked them out. Viktis wouldn’t hurt the boy, not if he was the pirate’s ticket to getting paid, but she wasn’t going to let Myka go through that again.

“Flight Lieutenant Kojima! Turn the ship around. We’re going back.”

He spun around in his chair. “What happened?” His gaze flicked to Captain Finn, who pounded up the stairs behind her.

“Hold your course, Kojima,” Finn ordered.

“I am not leaving Myka with that man,” Renna said. She sucked in a jagged breath. Get it under control, Carrizal. She wouldn’t do Myka any good by getting herself killed.

“Then you should have thought about that before you decided to screw Viktis.”

The breath whooshed out of her lungs at the fury in his words. “It’s none of your business who the hell I sleep with.”

“It damn well is if you put our mission in danger. And surprise, surprise, you already did. I warned Dallas that bringing you on board was a mistake.” The words dripped from his lips like acid, and Renna growled.

“Well, if you could do your damn job, I wouldn’t have to take matters into my own hands!” She crossed her arms so no one would see how badly she was shaking. “Turn the ship around, Kojima. We’re going back for the boy.” Renna was not going to fail him. Not now, when he’d already been through so much.