Page 69 of Tempting Fate

I set my datapad down. This could not be—and yet the evidence was incontrovertible.

I made a strong mug of tea and sat on the hard bedside chair, staring out of the window.

By the time I remembered the drink in my hands, it was cold.

“I should go, let you make your call,” Imani said.

I caught her hand as she stood. She liked to leave after kalidi, but I wished she wouldn’t. “Stay. Your friend is affected too. I’ll make tea?”

She hesitated, her fingers tense in mine, then gave me a soft smile. “Okay.”

I made us drinks and we sat on the bed, watching the lights circuit the holoscreen as my new datapad tried to connect.

Shohari’s face appeared in front of us. “Brother! You found a secure line.”

“I did. Tell me what you know.”

She sank onto her favourite sofa with a huff. “The contract was taken out on Orkri. Mother was behind it, I know she was, but I don’t know how she did it.”

I couldn’t even make a guess. As head of a trading family, Mother could speak to off-world contacts, but only to do with trade. I’d reviewed the complete trading act Orith held with the Galactic Alliance, and bounty hunting was expressly prohibited. “So what can you do?”

“We could pay the guild’s ransom.”

“You could?”

Her lip curled in a snarl. “In a manner of speaking. It would clear me out.”

My mouth dropped open. She’d given me enough to buy half a ship; there was no chance she didn’t have at least the same amount again. “That’s…”

“That’s the cost of asking the Guild to dishonour a contract. They’ll do it—credits are credits—but dishonour demands a high price.”

“It should be Mother paying it. Her dishonour is an affront!”

“Well, if anyone catches us, she will be paying a pretty sum. We are worth an obscene amount of credits.”

Much as I’d love to see her pay a small fortune to someone off-world, I’d rather nobody spent anything. “What are your other options?”

“Paiata is working through his contacts. He might be able to find something. Until then, don’t get caught.”

“I’m not planning to.”

Shohari rumbled a laugh. “I meant me, ulthbrain, not you. I’m the one they’re chasing.”

“You’ll be the ulthbrain if you get caught, sister. What can I do?”

“Get better. And pray none of them go to Vadias. You’re a sitting target there.”

“There’s been no sign,” I said, offering silent thanks to the gods. I checked in every day, and every day I was told things were quiet. Long may it continue. “What else?”

“I’m handling it.”

I knew better than to argue with my sister when her headspines twitched like that. “Keep me updated. Be safe.”

She tilted her head and closed the comm, leaving the murmur of wind in the trees and too many thoughts running through my mind.

Imani laid her hand on my arm and squeezed. “You okay?”

“Not especially. She can’t risk her own security to rescue me. Not again.”