After ever-widening circles of searching the perimeter of the Javelin, Rush knew she was gone.

He’d tried to think like her, to determine where she would have chosen to go, and why. But he had a huge problem. Until he knew the why, he’d never be able to figure out the where.

He had only one inkling, one glimmer of an idea of where to search. Since Katrina had only been about Asmute with him, he knew the only thing she’d be familiar with and able to travel to would be the Asmute square.

Except she had no funds, did she? So that meant she’d have been walking. Unless…

No, he refused to believe she’d taken any of his monies. He reached into his pockets.

Nothing missing.

That meant she’d have walked unless she’d bartered.

The missing knives.

Maybe she used those to pay for a maccoran carriage. That meant she’d have a head start.

He flagged a carriage down and jumped in. “The square, please. Fast.”

Hopefully, she was walking and he’d intercept her. Otherwise, he’d have a heck of a time trying to figure out which of the buildings or alleys she’d be in if she were in the square.

* * *

Rush didn’t come across her. And he cursed his luck, as well as every other entity in the universe by the time he’d reached the square. He paid the driver, leapt from the open-air carriage without opening the door, and begun a fast walk in the area not far from the restaurant they’d dined at thirty-six hours ago.

“Rush!”

He whirled around. A woman’s voice had called his name.

His mind immediately went to Katrina, and he scanned the crowded square in the brilliant three suns’ light.

A small figure in a dress caught his eye. Next to her stood a giant man with a nose piercing.

He was crestfallen.

“Emily.” He mustered a smile as best as he could. “Boron,” he greeted the giant next to her.

Boron was Caayn’s friend, but not one who Rush was too familiar with.

Rush resisted his first impulse—to tell them Katrina was missing. He didn’t want to create a fuss and look as incompetent as he felt. What an ass he was for not keeping up with Katrina, for not being more involved. He shoved the thoughts aside so his expression wouldn’t give away his concern.

Boron’s bear paw-sized hand shook Rush’s. “Where have you been?”

Panic set into Rush. Why was he asking? Did he know something about Katrina?

“At the ship, mostly. And you two?”

They were beaming. Emily’s cheeks were a red color; Boron’s grin went ear to ear.

“We’re handfasted. As of yesterday!” Emily squealed.

“Congratulations!” Rush forced his smile wider. “I thought it wasn’t to happen yet.”

Boron frowned. “Is no one on the Javelin? We’ve been trying to reach you and Katrina. The governor was beside himself. Especially with Katrina’s… Well, you know. Maz’n… No sign of him yet.”

Rush nodded, trying to appear like he was commiserating with Katrina’s plight, though he felt the real plight was much worse.

Emily scowled. “I’m disappointed. I understand why Caayn and Smyrna weren’t there. The governor didn’t want to disrupt their Nights O’ Sweetness.”

Rush noticed how she seemed to take to their lingo fairly adeptly.

Emily continued, “But we thought for sure you and Katrina would have been there.”

Boron winked at Rush. “That’s not why the governor didn’t want them there. He didn’t want either of the planets to see the bruises on their faces.”

“What bruises?” Emily shrieked. “Why didn’t I know about this?”

“I just found out this morning. One of my contacts works in the suite next to the one they stayed in. He saw them.”

Rush shook his head. What the hell was going on here? Bruises on Caayn and Smyrna. Katrina missing. This was out of control.

Emily clasped her hands to her chest in dismay. “We need to see them. To make sure they’re okay.” She looked around. “Where’s Katrina?”

Rush felt like the entire desert on the other side of Janus had settled into this throat. “Ah.” He tried to swallow that desert. “Well, she stayed on the ship. I ran over here to get a part.”

Boron gave him a look that said what part?

Rush nodded furiously. “Something that Caayn wanted me to collect.”

Boron winked again, this time as though sharing a secret with Rush.

“We shouldn’t keep you, then. We’ll be over later to visit with Caayn and Smyrna.”

“They’re not back yet. They’re due…” Rush shrugged. “I’m not sure when they’re due back. Not exactly.”

“Give us a second, Emily?” Boron kissed his new bride on the cheek. “Please?” His voice was a deep baritone in direct contradiction to the manner in which this giant of a man was asking his wife’s permission. If life hadn’t sucked for Rush right at that moment, he’d have smiled at the humor in it.

She frowned at him. “I’ll go shopping.”

Boron dug into his pocket, pulled out currency, and handed it to her, with a kiss on the cheek. “Have fun.”

She smiled at him, leaned into his chest. “Behave.” And with that, she took off.

“She’s got your number.” Rush laughed. “What does she know about your past?”

Boron grinned. “Everything. I keep no secrets from her. Easier that way; don’t have to remember any lies.”

Rush nodded. He wished he had no secrets of his own. “What’s up? Why did you want to get rid of her?”

“It’s not so much I wanted to get rid of her…”

“Uh huh.”

“Well, I didn’t want her to hear this. She might get upset and want to act. Seeing as how it’s another Earthian. Is that what they call themselves?”

“I don’t think they refer to themselves by the planet they’re from. More like the country. Or province, depending.”

Boron nodded. “So, there’s a rumor Marcomal is expecting a delivery.”

Rush’s interest was piqued. “Delivery of…?”

“An Earth woman. She’s en route.”

Rush experienced a sensation not much different from having a vise clamped on his chest while, at the same time, he felt like he was sinking into a cold void. It couldn’t be. Just couldn’t.

“Where’s this woman from?”

“I said Earth.”

“No, I mean…” How could he ask if she’d been taken from Janus rather than from Earth without raising any alarms? He cursed inwardly. It couldn’t be Katrina. It just couldn’t.

But he hadn’t found her thus far, so who else could it be?

Was it possible she’d been abducted and was already on the way to Marcomal? It didn’t seem like things could happen that fast.

Unless…

Unless she’d left earlier than he thought.

Like the morning after their date.

Or even the very night of their date.

No. No. No. No!

Boron stared at him. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah. Why?”

“I don’t know. You stopped responding. Which means you don’t seem all that okay to me.”

“I’m fine. But I’ve got to get some errands taken care of. Congratulations again. We’ll have to do some sort of celebration when Caayn and Smyrna return.”

Boron looked at him strangely. “Sounds good.”

Rush left him in a hurry, ready to keep searching.