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Nodding, Bria located them and pulled them into place. The night suddenly resolved itself into ghostly black and greenish-white images. She could see Vykk’s face now, half-hidden as it was by the goggles.

His arm came around her again as they started down the jungle path together. “You took the glitterstim,” he said quietly.

“Yes,” she said, feeling as numb as if she’d been beaten into unconsciousness. “You were right. Forgive me for doubting you …”

“Hey,” he said, trying to sound cheerful and failing utterly, “I’d have wanted to check out my story, too, in your place. Was it … was it rough?”

She nodded, and suddenly feeling rushed back, in a black tide, leaving her shaking and gasping. “Oh, Vykk!” she babbled. “I was in his mind, Teroenza’s mind, and it was terrible! No Divine Gift, just a bored, selfish sentient who wants to get richer so he can add to his collection!”

“Take it easy,” he said, holding her shoulders to steady her. “You’ve had an awful shock.”

“I feel … I feel … so … betrayed,” Bria got out, between chattering teeth. “It was … terrible …”

“Hey, there, sweetheart …” His arms went around her, and the expression of sympathy was her undoing. Bria began to sob, huge, gulping, wracking sobs that hurt. Vykk helped her take her goggles off, then he just held her, stroking her hair, patting her back, murmuring soothing reassurances and endearments.

She held on to the front of his coverall with both hands, twisting and wringing the fabric, and weeping so hard she scared herself. Bria had never cried like this before. The sense of desolation was terrible.

“I … don’t … have anything left,” she choked out between spasms of crying. “Nothing … nothing …”

“Of course you do,” Vykk murmured, kissing her cheek gently. “You’ve got us, right?”

“Uh … us?” she whispered.

“Sure. We’re gonna be together, sweetheart. We’re gonna get off this hellish planet, and we’re gonna be happy.”

She raised her head, staring blindly into the darkness; her night-sight could barely make out the lighter blur of his face. “But they never let pilgrims go,” Bria mumbled. “I read that in Teroenza’s mind.”

“We won’t ask ’em, honey. We’ll just up and go.”

“Escape?” she whispered.

“You got it,” he said. “As soon as I can figure out a way to do it, we’re gonna get out of here. I’ve already begun thinkin’ about it.” He gave her a quick kiss on her cheek. “Trust me. I’ve had experience at this kind of thing. I’ll figure it out.”

“But … but your money,” she said. “You’re under contract, and you can’t break it. If you run away, you’ll lose your money. You told me you needed those credits they’re paying you to try and get into the Academy. How can you give that up?”

He shrugged. “One credit is as good as another. I’ll just have to get it outta Teroenza another way.”

Bria’s mind was fogged with exhaustion and the grief of betrayal. It took her a full minute to realize what Vykk was talking about. “The collection …” she whispered. “You’re planning to steal Teroenza’s collection and escape.”

“Pretty good,” he said approvingly. “You sure you’re not still having some of those glitterstim insights?”

“I don’t think so,” Bria said wearily. “I just know that you’ve asked me about it a lot of times, asked me what items are the most valuable. You really think you can break the security locks and steal the collection?”

“Not the whole thing,” he said. “It’d take a bigger cargo ship than any on Ylesia to haul it all away. I’m just gonna take the small stuff—the really valuable small stuff.” He looked at her intently. “And you’re gonna help me, right?”

She hesitated. Stealing antiquities was contrary to everything she’d ever believed in. But Teroenza’s antiquities weren’t in a museum, where the public could see them. They were being hoarded by a greedy private collector. If Vykk stole them, they’d be put back into circulation, and there was a good chance that at least some of them would wind up on public display in some store or gallery.

“Okay,” Bria said. She drew a long, shaky breath. “I’ll help you, Vykk.”

“Good. You and