The Star Thief (Star Thief Chronicles 1)

Finn studied the monitor in front of him. “Tell me something I don’t already know.”

“Okay. How about each of the attacks hit MYTH bases in specific cities?”

Finn’s hands paused on the keyboard, and he slowly turned to face Viktis.

Renna felt her jaw slip open. “How did you find that out? Aren’t MYTH bases top secret?”

“They’re supposed to be. But there’s an interesting mechanical signature some of their machinery uses. The same signature of the Athena here.”

“You had Gheewala track the signatures.” It wasn’t a question. Dammit. Why hadn’t she thought of that? They might have learned about this days ago. The blame she’d felt toward Aldani faded, replaced by the sting of self-hatred. “But what does this mean?” she asked.

Viktis smiled slowly and crossed his arms. The damn Ileth was enjoying himself way too much. “I had her go back several years and search for each of the MYTH signatures in this quadrant of the galaxy. The first attack was on Banos Prime three years ago, the one that killed the kid’s parents. It destroyed the MYTH research station there, but not before, I assume, the drug formula was intercepted. There was a gap in the attacks, but they started up again earlier this year. Each attack struck at one of the secret MYTH bases: Nath, Baeno, Hesperia, Lenue.” He paused, letting his gaze shift between Renna and Finn.

Her whole body ached from her race through Lenue. Maybe her brain still wasn’t working quite right, but what Viktis said didn’t make any sense. “I don’t understand. Then how is Myka involved? Why go to such trouble to kidnap him? And then destroy the worlds he was being held on?”

“Whoever is behind this is killing two birds with one stone. Isn’t that the human expression?” Viktis asked. “I think they’re eliminating MYTH strongholds and searching for Myka at the same time. Which begs the question. Where’s the leak?”

Finn growled and turned away, his shoulders tense and hard as stone beneath his uniform. “There is no leak. Somehow the kid is leading them to MYTH. So we need to find out what’s so special about Myka before we can stop these people.”

“And there’s only one person who can do that,” Renna said.

After a long moment, Finn nodded. “Keva, patch us through to Aldani.”

The lieutenant turned to her console, but after a moment of typing, she frowned. “I’m sorry, sir. It looks like enemy fire hit our long-range communicator.”

“Dammit.” Finn slammed his hand down on the railing.

“There’s still another option.” Renna let her eyes drift shut for a moment. “We have to go to Vall. Aldani said that’s where his ex-partner and his business are located. If what Aldani says is true, Draven Navang has been behind all of this from the start.”

Viktis growled. “I knew I should never have taken a job from a corporate type. Industrial espionage, my ass.”

Renna thought back to the business card she’d found in Viktis’s things when she’d drugged him. If only she’d done more research. Maybe she could have stopped Navang days ago. Yet another screw-up on an already messy job.

“Too late for principles now, pirate,” Finn snapped. “If you hadn’t started all this…”

“Someone else would have. You know how it works.”

The two men glared at each other. Evidently she was going to have to play peacekeeper between them a little longer. “Hey! Save your pissing contest for a day when we don’t actually have to save the universe. Until then, pack it away. We have work to do.” When neither man relented, she ground out, “Right, Finn?”

He stared at her for a moment before finally letting out a huff of air. “Keva, set course for Vall. It’s time to pay our esteemed doctor a visit.” He spun on his heels. “I’ll be in my quarters. I have some research of my own to do.” And without another word, he stalked away.

“Moody, isn’t he?” Viktis asked. “Where should I put my stuff? Am I bunking with you, Renna, love?”

“Hell no. Keva will find you a place to stay.”

TWENTY-SEVEN

Keva’s voice came through the intercom, and Renna sat up in her bed. “Thirty minutes out from Vall. Prep for landing.” In two hours, maybe they’d have answers. Maybe they’d have Myka.

And then what?

Take the kid back to his uncle and start her new life? Stick around and see what happened with Finn? Disappear completely? She sighed and buried her hands in her hair. Why was everything so complicated? A month ago, she’d been all ready to retire. And then that one-last-job speech from Boyd had dragged her back into this life.

Renna pushed away from her bed where she’d been trying to sleep and paced the room. Her whole body thrummed with tension. Not long ago, she would have gone to find Viktis in his bunk for a much-needed distraction. Now, her thoughts strayed to Finn. To the feel of his hands on her skin, to his scent wrapping around her.

Stop it, Renna.

Being with Finn had been nice. More than nice, if she was being completely honest with herself. But down that road lay heartbreak and bitterness. They were completely different people, and Finn wasn’t exactly a no-commitments kind of guy. She doubted he’d ever even heard the word “fling.”

The only other option to work off her stress was the weight room. Not nearly as fun, but it would have to do.

When she arrived at the shuttle bay weight room, she paused in the doorway. Finn had a thin T-shirt on, his shoulder and back muscles rippling as he used the pull-up bar in the corner. She stared for a moment, mesmerized by the movement.

Gods, he was beautiful.

But the lust that surged through her left her with no doubt. She had to get away. The last thing she needed was another confrontation with the man. She had no doubt he’d win.

She turned to leave, and Finn’s voice came from the corner. “Renna. Don’t go.” He didn’t even turn around to talk to her.

“How did you know I was here?” she asked.

“I always know when you’re close.” He sighed and dropped from the bar, landing lightly on his feet. He wiped his hands on a towel from the stand beside him before turning to face her. “We need to talk.”

Wasn’t she the one who usually delivered the it’s-not-you-it’s-me speech? “About what?” she asked, sinking down onto one of the benches.

He swung a leg over, straddling the seat to face her. “I don’t even know where to begin.”