Lettie tilted her face toward the second burst of light, her mouth stretched in a wide smile. “It’s perfect. Now, let’s hope Hal doesn’t overdo it. The last thing we need is for him to get caught.”
As the explosion fell from the sky in a shower of fading red, a whistle sounded near the gate.
“That’s our cue,” Lettie said, then turned to me and Skye. “Or, I should say, that’s your cue.”
“You’re not coming with us to the gate?” Skye asked.
Athena shook her head. “This is the part of the mission where we would be more hindrance than help.” She took Skye’s hands in hers. “We’ve brought you as far as we can.”
I put a hand on Skye’s shoulder but locked my gaze on the dark-haired actress. “We’ve got it from here.”
Her smile was warm. “I know you do.”
“My brother will meet you over there.” Lettie pointed to movement near the metal gate. “Say my name, and he’ll know it’s you.”
“How can we ever repay you?” Skye’s words were choked as she looked at the two actresses and the others remaining with them.
Lettie pulled Skye into a hug that almost engulfed her entirely. “Just don’t forget us.” She released the human and winked at me. “We won’t forget you.”
“Thank you,” I rasped as Lettie gave me a shove toward the shipyard.
“Go on with you,” she said, sniffling. “And give the Empire hell from us, hot stuff.”
I swallowed hard as I took Skye’s hand and tugged her with me, hurrying toward the gate that would not be hidden in the shadows of the fading dawn for much longer.
I could feel Skye looking back, but I did not. I forced myself to look ahead, my gaze sweeping the surrounding area. The east gate might be less heavily patrolled, but that did not mean it was safe. That did not mean there could not be a rogue guard waiting for us.
When we reached the steel gate that hung unevenly on its hinges, I spotted the figure waiting for us. It was impossible to see all of him or even more than a vague silhouette, but he was there.
“Lettie sent us,” I said in a low voice that I hoped only he could hear.
There was a long pause, then the figure emerged from the shadows. He looked little like Lettie. Not that I expected her brother, who worked for the Empire in their shipyard, to have blue hair, but where she was all curves, he was tall and lean.
He stepped closer, revealing that he was wearing a Zagrath uniform, and not a shipyard crew uniform. A dark, perfectly pressed guard uniform.
My gut clenched, and I reached for one of the blasters I’d tucked into my belt. Had we just walked straight into a trap? I gripped Skye’s hand tighter as she stiffened beside me.
The guard’s brow creased as he eyed us both shrewdly, his head tilting to one side. “Lettie?”
Chapter
Thirty-Eight
Skye
Fear danced cool across my skin as the guard stared at us. Then his face split into a grin. “She isn’t with you?”
It took me a moment to realize that he meant Lettie.
“Are you her brother?” Kolt asked, every word sharp.
“Course I am. The name’s Vern.” The man glanced around, then rocked back on his heels. “Why else do you think I got myself this fancy uniform to meet you at the back gate? What now? Lettie didn’t come?”
I gave a wooden shake of my head. “She didn’t think she and the rest of the troupe should come with us to the gate.” I jerked a thumb over my shoulder. “They’re over by the buildings.”
Lettie’s brother shrugged one shoulder and glanced past me. “Fair enough. Lettie was always the clever one.” Then he squared his shoulders and grinned again. “Not that she thought of me getting a uniform. That was all my idea.”
“It was very convincing,” Kolt said, and I wondered if he’d also lost a year off his life thinking that we’d walked right up to an Imperial guard. “Can you let us inside?”
