Hopefully the same would be true for the raiders. If they noticed anything unusual… Well, with any luck, they wouldn’t look up. He switched channels as a message came in. Kylara stared at him from the screen, looking very much like her intense mother in the moment. Which made him frown back. “What is it?” “Omel took the bait. But she took it too soon. She’s in the only operational sub and it has a tracker aboard, but without your ship overhead…” He cursed under his breath. “They’re due in any time now. But interference means I may not be able to confirm their arrival.” Ky raked her hand over her head. “If the raider ship comes for her before yours does, we’re sunk. Luac and Mother are going after her.” Icere stiffened. “When? Where?” Her gaze shifted. “I should say, they’ve already gone after her.” Shock chased along his already raw nerves like plasma flares, filling the cold, horrible emptiness that had crept into his qva’avaq when he threw his key out to sea.
