Fee’s hands were joined at the wrists behind her back, and her hands were resting on the crystals that were sewn into the back of her jacket. She felt a sudden tingle against her skin, as if something was vibrating as it warmed up.
She just managed to swallow her gasp of surprise.
“They threatened to damage the way station?” Eazi’s voice was a whisper in her ear. “They think they have me in a cylinder? And what object is in there?”
His outrage almost made her smile.
“Is the Garmman battleship going to stay hidden behind its moon, or will they finally show themselves, now the comms are back up?” Fee asked.
Vira gazed at her, narrow-eyed. “Checking to see if they were ever really there? If my threat was real?”
“A Garmman battleship was the threat?” Eazi sounded thoughtful.
“Was it?” Fee kept her tone neutral. “You won. I was honest with you. What does it matter if I know the truth now?”
“Keep questioning them. I want them to regurgitate the whole plot for me,” Eazi murmured.
“The battleship is where I said it is, but it won’t make itself known while theIlliumis still in orbit around Larga Ways.” Vira looked out of the main front view port, and Fee saw Hal’s massive ship was still sitting close to the way station. “That could start a war.”
“They don’t want to start a war?” Fee made herself sound amused. “You don’t think taking the way station will be considered as serious as an attack on a battleship?”
“Not if the way station is taken back by the Balcoans,” Vira said. “That’s not the same as the Garmman taking it.”
“Even if the Garmman are behind the whole thing, paying you all to do their dirty work for them?” Fee asked lightly.
“We’re not puppets.” Vira’s brows came down. “The Garmman are helping to fund this, but we’ll be in charge when it’s over.”
“If you say so.” Fee laughed at her. “Sure. The Garmman are just being helpful. They don’t want anything out of it. It’s out of the goodness of their hearts that they’re breaking every treaty they signed when they joined the United Council. No reason not to trust a group that’s happy to rip up treaties that have been adhered to for hundreds of years. They’ll definitely stick to what they’ve promised you. Even though they’re not sticking to what they promised all the much more powerful groups in the United Council. You’re special.”
Henric and Caran turned around and looked at her with wide eyes as she spoke, and then at Vira.
Vira’s mouth worked a few times before she shook her head sharply and turned away.
“That’s what I thought,” Fee said.
“Fuck you, Fiona. This is not your place. It’s not even your fucking galaxy.” Vira’s shoulders lifted, and she glared over at Fee.
“No. But it’s hardly on me that I’m here, is it? Or do you think the Tecran politely invited me to be abducted?”
“She’s got more than one good point,” Caran said. “Actually, I’m pretty sure she’s dead right.”
“You know it, too.” Bart spoke for the first time, nodding at Vira. “Look at how you’re acting.”
Vira turned toward her flunkies. “Don’t look at me like that. You took the money, just the same as I did.” She bared her teeth at Fee. “I might suspect that we’re being played, but how is it different to our deal with the Grih?”
“The Grih have honored their alliance with you,” Fee said. “And you’ve always benefited. Can you be sure that’s going to continue if the Garmman take control?”
“We’ll see.” Vira’s lips formed a tight line.
“So we will.” Fee leaned back. “So we will.”
CHAPTER 31
Hal hadno time for Jaden Tris’ games.
He stood firmly in the doorway, blocking Fiona’s administrator from leaving, with every intention of extracting Fee’s whereabouts from the little asshole by any means necessary, when there was a buzz from his earpiece.
“Looking for Fiona?” Eazi whispered.
