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“Tara?” he peered at her, unseeing “Get the picture up,” he barked at the guards Yes, definitely her father She’d remember that calm authority anywhere

She laughed,down her cheeks “Papa, it’s ot free, and we need to dock”

The head guard reached for a control on his panel, but her father held a finger up

“Your mother’s name?”

E with the present in an explosion “Becka,” she whispered “Is she—”

He gave a short shake of his head, and her hopes were dashed “No I’uard, who hit a button, and the gates to the dock opened like wings

“Your ship is cleared for docking,” the guard clipped

Her pulse raced as their ship landed on the dock She tugged the Stornigian’s tunic doishing it covered more

“There are pants in the closet in the bunk room,” he said

She narrowed her eyes, trying to decide if he planned any tricks But he wouldn’t have brought her all the way here if he wanted to ambush her now “Thank you”

She darted into the room he’d pointed to and threw open a cupboard As he’d proed theht stockings, but it was better than going out half-naked

Someone pounded on the ship’s door

“You’d better get it,” the Stornigian said drily

She un “Thank you for bringing me here”

He shrugged “It’s not every planet rotation I get taken hostage by a naked Zandian princess”