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Tahiri’s gaze dropped. “Eramuth doesn’t want anyone sitting at the table with us,” she said. “He says it will make me look guilty.”

“So who says they have to sit at the table?” Han replied. “It’s your throat that killtab will be going down. The decision is yours.”

“I know.” Tahiri licked her lips, looking guilty and reluctant. Then Eramuth’s gravelly voice barked something harsh at the judge, and she looked back toward the bench.

“Okay,” Tahiri said, nodding. “Go ahead and ask. What can it hurt?”

“Nothing,” Leia assured her. She watched Eramuth spin away from the judge’s bench, his ears flattened and his fur bristling. “He might even appreciate the help.”

“Yeah, stranger things have happened.” Han winked at Tahiri, then added, “Don’t worry, kid, he’s Bothan. He’ll do whatever it takes to win—even if it means taking help.”

Tahiri’s face brightened, but before she could reply, Eramuth slipped behind the defense table and dropped into his ancient wooden chair with a heavy thump. Tahiri mouthed a silent Thanks to the Solos, then leaned toward her attorney.

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

“Judge Zudan has ordered me to get a medical evaluation, that’s what!” Eramuth flashed his fangs toward the bench, then added, “She claims she wants to make sure I’m still competent!”

THE TRAIL WAS A HUMAN-SIZED TUNNEL THROUGH THE UNDERGROWTH, and it ended about a kilometer into the jungle, where a large bipedal lizard had fallen prey to the poisonous barbs of a drop-bramble. The reptile had a broad, flat back still green with chlorophyll and a thick tail that was still drumming the ground to warn its herd-mates away. It was watching Luke with a single blue eye that seemed more trusting than frightened, but it was already oozing yellow froth from both nostrils and suffering violent muscle spasms, and it was obvious that nothing could be done for the creature but help it to a peaceful end. He touched it in the Force, urging it to sleep, and once the nictitating membrane drew across the eye, he drew the blaster he had found it necessary to carry on this strange world and ended its misery.

The whine of the bolt had barely died away before Luke sensed his companions rushing up behind him, their alarm hot and electric in the Force. He turned to meet them, holstering his blaster and shaking his head.

“Sorry, it’s not her.” He pivoted aside, allowing Sarasu Taalon and Gavar Khai a clear view of the lizard lying dead at the end of the trail they had been following. Behind the two Sith came Ben and Vestara, their lightsabers drawn but not ignited. “Just an unlucky wyvarl who didn’t watch where she was going.”

Taalon tightened his lips and stepped to Luke’s side, then flicked a finger in the wyvarl’s direction. The lizard rose into the air and floated toward them, dragging with it a tangled nest of poisonous drop-brambles. Once the reptile had drawn close enough, the High Lord drew his lightsaber, then ignited it and cleaved the wyvarl down the length of the body. He continued to levitate the two halves while he inspected the interior organs to be certain it really was a lizard, then sent them tumbling into the jungle with a wave of his hand.

“This isn’t working,” he said. “We’re tracking nothing but wyvarls and drendeks.”

“We could always split up,” Luke suggested. “The more ground we cover, the better our chances of catching her before she recovers.”

Taalon tipped his head forward, peering at Luke out the tops of his eyes. “Yes, I am sure you would like to be rid of us.”

“Not really,” Luke replied. Searching alone or in two small groups, they would all be more vulnerable to the planet’s voracious plant life—and to the treachery of their supposed allies. But after two days of following false trails, it was beginning to look like they needed to take the risk. “We need to change tactics, though. We’re not going to find Abeloth this way.”

“No doubt because you have hidden her true body so well,” Gavar Khai said, coming up behind Luke and Taalon. “You are fooling no one, Master Skywalker—only wasting our time.”

Luke sighed. After discovering