Mia had read stories about people’s hearts breaking. She’d never really believed it.

Until now.

She felt such a terrible, wrenching pain in her chest, and she was sure her heart was tearing in two. There was so much blood, and Vek’s legs were so badly damaged.

She looked up at Galen. “Save him.”

Raiden was pressing wadded fabric against Vek’s legs and wrapping them in his cloak. “The gut wound isn’t as bad as it looks, but the bleeding from his legs won’t stop. I’ve poured in all our med gel, but the wounds are too severe.”

“Likely a toxin in the plant’s secretion is designed to increase the bleeding,” Thorin said.

“I fucking hate this place.” Mia looked around wildly. Harper’s face was filled with sadness, and Ryan had a hand pressed to her mouth, her eyes wide.

“He needs a regen tank,” Galen said.

Mia tasted bile in her throat. She knew it was a long, arduous journey back to Kor Magna. He’d never make it. She swallowed, staring up at the dome, fighting back tears. On the inside, a scream wailed through her head.

Then she blinked. Wait. They were in the wreckage of a starship.

“Neve?” She glanced over at the woman. Neve was standing nearby, her staff held firmly in her hands, ready for an attack. “Have you seen any smaller ships in here? Shuttles? Escape pods?”

The woman frowned. “There’s an area behind the dome where the Srinar do all their maintenance. It’s full of engineering equipment. And that’s where they breed new plants or heal any that have been damaged.” She lifted a shoulder. “I’ve only been in there once, but I got caught quickly.”

“We need to get back there,” Mia said.

“The door is secure,” Neve added. “I was able to slip in behind some Nerium guards the last time.”

“I should be able to hack the door controls,” Ryan said.

Galen lifted his chin. “Take us there. Thorin?” The big gladiator leaned down and lifted Vek.

They headed off, Neve leading the way.

“Why haven’t you escaped?” Corsair asked Neve. “You seem to know the inside of this craft well, and the places where you can get out.”

“None of your business.” She pushed through a wall of green.

They had just cleared some thick vegetation, when two red-skinned fighters rushed at them. Raiden and Harper leaped forward, moving in perfect unison. Raiden swung his sword, and Harper leaped high, twin swords in her hands. They brought the attackers down with a few hard, swift blows.

But as they moved again, several large, scale-covered animals skittered out from the trees, creeping closer on six legs. The gladiators and Corsair moved in. Neve leaped over the top of one creature, her deadly staff swinging in a blur. After a few tense moments, they had dispatched the beasts. A mere second later, the bushes ahead started shifting and moving, preparing to attack.

Mia’s jaw clenched in frustration. The attacks were slowing them down so much, they were barely making any progress. She looked at Vek’s still, drawn face. He didn’t have much more time.

“The Srinar are watching all our moves,” Galen said with a scowl.

“I can shut down the cameras.” Ryan pushed her dark hair off her face. “Hell, maybe I can shut down the whole damn streaming system. But I have to plug in to do it.”

“I’ll show you where you can access it,” Neve said. “But it’s in the opposite direction of the maintenance bay.”

“We’ll split up,” Galen ordered. He shot a look at Corsair.

The caravan master nodded. “I’ll go with them.”

Neve stiffened. “We don’t need protection.”

“I was hoping you’d protect me,” Corsair said with a wink.

Neve’s lips stayed flat, her face unamused.

“Go,” Galen ordered. “We’ll continue to the maintenance bay.” He glanced at Ryan. “If we can’t open the door, we’ll be waiting for you to do it.”

Ryan’s nose wrinkled. “No pressure.” Her gaze flicked to Vek. “I’ll get you through.”

Mia watched the small group disappear into the bushes and prayed they’d be okay.

“Stay close.” Galen lifted his sword and took the lead.

They fought off two more sets of attackers, before they hacked through some thick bushes and found a small, open patch of grass. Mia’s pulse leaped. On the other side of the patch stood a set of metal doors.

Galen stepped cautiously out into the clearing. Mia watched him assess their surroundings with a practiced eye, his posture indicating he was prepared for anything.

A buzzing sound filled the air, echoing off the trees.

“What now?” Raiden turned in a slow circle, scanning the vegetation.

Several large insects rose up out of some nearby bushes. Mia’s chest hitched. They looked like enormous bees, with black-and-gray striped bodies, and large stingers behind them. Great. Mia liked bees, but she had a feeling these alien ones were going to ruin her appreciation.

Thorin growled, hitching Vek’s body closer.

The bees’ buzzing ramped up a notch, and then, without warning, the swarm attacked.

As the insects arrowed toward them, Galen, Raiden, and Harper charged forward, swinging their swords.

Thorin crouched, and Mia did the same, throwing herself over Vek’s body. She heard Raiden let out a steady stream of curses, and she risked a glance. Bees were stinging the gladiators indiscriminately. The gladiators fought back, but the insects were quick, dodging the swords.

Mia felt an electric sting on her back and winced. Thorin waved a hand, knocking several bees away.

Anger charged through Mia. She felt another sting on her back, and the sticky wetness of Vek’s blood soaking her front. Somewhere, on a distant planet, assholes were sitting in their comfy chairs, watching people die for fucking entertainment. She looked down into Vek’s still face. Vek was suffering and dying, all for their sick pleasure.

Screw this. She jumped to her feet, snatched up a stick, and started batting the insects away.

But it was no good. They kept coming. She glanced around the open space. Raiden, Harper, and Galen’s arms were covered in red welts from where they’d been stung.

Vek made a sound and Mia looked down. A bee was on his chest. She wrenched it off and threw it. Vek shifted sluggishly.

She stroked his face. “It’s okay, babe. I’m here.” Without thinking, she started to sing. It was a song she’d been working on since she’d arrived at the House of Galen. The lyrics flowed out of her. She closed her eyes and let her feelings flow into her voice.

It was a song about love, hope, and belonging. It was about trust and finding a person who’d never let you down. Who stood with you, without question.

About a man who saw deep inside her and made her feel whole. Made her feel special.

Vek settled and turned his face into her palm. Mia stroked his beloved blue skin.

When the song ended and the last note died away, Mia heard silence. No buzzing, nothing. She turned and her eyes widened.

The bees were hovering, all focused on her.

As the silence grew, she heard some of them start buzzing again, their movements jerky and angry.

“Mia, keep singing,” Galen said.

Mia swallowed and broke into Amazing Grace.

The alien bees quieted again, hovering as a group. As Mia kept singing, they started to sway.

She moved into Hallelujah.

Galen tore off his black cloak and tossed it over the bees. Mia kept singing, as the imperator carefully pinned the bees to the ground. Raiden and Harper brought some rocks over and secured the cloak on the grass.

“Well done,” Harper said to Mia.

“I just sang.”

“Well, it just saved our asses.”

“And Vek seems calmer and more stable,” Thorin added. Mia moved back to him, pressing her hand to his arm.

“Let’s get through that door, and see if we can find medical supplies or a ship,” Galen said.

They reached the classic, metal spaceship doors. Mia touched the control panel, but the lights just blinked merrily back at her. She tried several combinations, before she slammed her palm against it.

“Fuck.” She felt like she was choking. They needed to get through.

“We’ll have to hope that Ryan can get it open.” Galen turned, sword lifted, and watched the greenery around them.

“Come on, Ryan,” Harper murmured.

Somewhere nearby, a creature’s wild screech sounded.

Mia looked at Vek. His breathing was more labored, now. She stared at the wall of green.

Come on, Ryan. Please.

* * *

Ryan tapped on the small screen, her fingers flying. She was flat on her belly in the grass, under some small trees. The control panel that Neve knew of was set into the ground, and had been hidden under a rock.

“Everything’s turned around.” Ryan muttered a curse, trying to work out this strange system. It was like nothing she’d seen before.

“Keep trying,” Corsair said. He and Neve were standing above her, both of them continuously scanning their surroundings for any unwelcome guests. “Your friends’ lives depend on it.”

Ryan snorted. “Wow, thanks for the pep talk.”

The man’s brow creased. “Pep?”

Neve shook her head. “She means that you’re an idiot.”

Corsair stiffened. “I’ve punished people for far less than that insult.”

Neve lifted her chin, her hands tightening on her staff. “Try it, pirate.”

“I am not a pirate. I’m a caravan master.” Another wide, white smile. “You can call me master.”

“In your dreams.”

“Can you guys knock it off?” Ryan grumbled. She hit on something and the screen filled with symbols. “Yes! I got through the system to the Srinar part of it. They’re piggybacking on the existing system in this old ship. The Srinar system, I’m familiar with.” She tapped some more, and images appeared on the small screen.

Neve leaned over her shoulder. “Oh, good, you’ve got the camera feed up. We can see the others.” Then her voice changed. “Uh, oh, they’ve got company.”

Ryan’s stomach did a slow turn. The others were being attacked by bees. Giant freaking bees.

“Get the Srinar cameras shut down, and that door open,” Corsair said.

“I’m trying.” Ryan’s fingers flew over the screen. She shut out the sounds of the angry bees and the shouts of the gladiators.

Suddenly the sound of beautiful singing came through the screen. What the hell?

“Wow,” Neve said. “Mia has a hell of a voice.”

The trio watched on the screen as the bees calmed down, and Galen took care of them. Amazing. Corsair tapped Ryan’s shoulder impatiently, and she got back to work. Door controls. Camera controls. Fucking Srinar and their stupid games. She was going to really mess things up for them.

Ryan fell completely into her zone. This was when everything inside her went still, when she was tapped in deep to a computer system, working her magic.

“Galen and the others are approaching the door,” Corsair said.

“Almost there.” Ryan kept tapping, moving through the system. There! “Got it! Doors are open. And—” she tapped one last time “—the cameras are off. The Srinar are blind.”

“Nice work.” Corsair’s grin was blinding. The man had a rugged, handsome face that begged a woman to take a look—or ten. Ryan idly noted that Neve was studying him rather intently, as well.

“You still in their system?” he asked.

Ryan nodded.

“How about we mess up the Srinar’s little operation a bit before we meet up with the others?”

Ryan nodded, determination filling her. “Excellent idea.” She started deleting information. Anything and everything.

Some things were protected with really tough encryption, but she kept working, her fingers flying.

Then she stopped, scanning the data. Fighter records were flashing across the screen. What if there was information on Dayna in there, somewhere? Or other humans abducted by the Thraxians?

God, what she’d give for a portable data drive right now.

“Speed it up, Ryan.” Corsair pulled a crossbow off his back, aiming it at the bushes ahead of them. “We have company.”

Ryan didn’t see anything, but she didn’t doubt him. “I need a few more minutes.”

Neve lifted her staff. “We can buy you some more time.” She flashed Corsair a glance. “Or, at least, I know I can.”

Corsair smiled again. This time, it was laced with challenge. “Try and keep up, Earth woman.”

Ryan got back to work, conscious of Corsair and Neve moving away from her. Without a sound or a rustle, Nerium guards rushed out of the vegetation.

Yeah, the Srinar were probably going to throw everything they could at them to try and stop Ryan. Delete. Delete. Delete. She smiled grimly.

She saw Corsair explode into action, crossbow bolts firing in quick succession. He dived, rolled and kept firing. Neve was right beside him, jumping high and moving that wicked staff with deadly moves.

Holy hell, the two of them could fight. Ryan had always wanted to be badass, but she knew it required a whole lot of exercise, discipline, and probably early-morning training. Ryan did not do early mornings. She preferred to be a badass with her fingers and a computer screen.

The computer beneath her beeped, and suddenly information flooded the screen. So much data. They could use all of it to crush the Srinar and their operations. She needed to take this with her. Or maybe upload it, somewhere.

She quickly tapped in more commands, trying to make an outside connection. Maybe she could hack some random computer in Kor Magna, and hide the data there. She could recover it later.

“Pirate, throw me,” Neve called out.

Ryan looked up again and saw Corsair grip Neve’s waist. With a powerful flex of his muscled arms, he tossed her up into the air. As she flew, she spun, her staff taking down several guards. She landed in the center of several Nerium, in a crouch. Then she grinned and exploded upward, taking down more guards.

Suddenly, Ryan’s screen blinked and changed. A sharp, masculine face appeared.

“There you are,” the man drawled.

She tensed. If it wasn’t the arrogant boy genius.

“Where have you been?” he asked.

Like she’d been sashaying around on a beachside vacation. “I don’t have time for you, info-boy. This is life or death.”

He frowned. “Can I help?”

She nodded. “I’ve hacked the Srinar system. I’ve accessed their data. All their data. I want everything here, to help shut them down and find others they’ve enslaved.”

“All their data.” A hungry look filled the man’s fascinating, nebula-blue eyes. He cracked his knuckles and Ryan was caught for a second on how long and well-shaped his fingers were. “Let’s do it, Ryan.”

She got to work, and on the screen, she saw his face set with concentration as he buckled down on his end. She could see what he was doing, and dammit, it was ingenious. The man might be arrogant, but he was smart, as well.

Zhim’s link connected, and Ryan quickly started uploading across it. “It’s done. I have to go.”

He stared directly at her. “I look forward to meeting you in person, Ryan Amaya Nagano of Earth. Don’t get hurt coming home.”

A strange feeling swirled in Ryan’s belly. She gave the man a nod, and shut off the screen. She pushed to her feet, and saw that the ground was littered with green-skinned aliens.

Corsair and Neve were standing in the middle of it, back to back. The caravan master turned, sliding his crossbow onto his back with a smile. “I believe I took down one more than you.”

Neve straightened. “You did not.” She spun her staff up behind her back, glaring at him.

“I did,” he insisted.

“You don’t get credit for that last one. I’d already hit him twice. He was a soft target.”

“A draw, then. We took down the same number.”

“I hate cocky men.” In a lightning-fast move, Neve dropped into a crouch and swept her leg out in a half circle. Her boot hit Corsair’s legs, and knocked the man into a sprawl. His colorful curse filled the air.

Neve stood, pushing her dark curls back off her face. “Now, I officially took down one more than you.”

Ryan tried to hide her smile as a disgruntled Corsair rose to his feet.

“Ah, sorry to interrupt the one-upmanship,” Ryan said. “But I’m finished, and we need to get back to the others before they leave us here.”