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“That’s impossible,” I said. “Because you’re going to be my super-secret spy assistant. You’re going to help me learn all about Titans and their culture. And because you’re such a good boy, my boss will have no choice but to be friends with Titans. Now, being a secret agent isn’t easy. There’s lots of training and you’ll have to pass all the tests if you want to qualify. Are you up to it?”
He nodded energetically.
A knock came at the door, causing Cleb to jump. He snatched up a toy pistol and brought it around to the door.
Waev raised his hands in surrender and spoke to me.
“Traes wishes to speak with you,” he said. “When you’re not busy plotting to take over the world.”
Traes was sat behind his desk when I entered. At least this time he wasn’t hiding in his restroom, spying on me. I had no idea he was there until I came back for my forgotten bag.
There was nowhere else he could have been. I would have been angry that he’d spied on me if he wasn’t so embarrassed about having been caught out. It was cute to see his cheeks burn as red as they did.
Now, he was behind his desk, a master of his world. And I was a stranger here.
“Please take a seat,” he said. “We need to discuss the details of your position.”
“What makes you think I still want it?” I said, removing my shawl and taking a seat.
“You don’t?” he said.
“No, I do. I just didn’t want you to think I’m desperate. I have many other opportunities.”
He pursed his lips. I didn’t know if he believed me or not but I wanted to play hardball.
“I can understand a professional of your quality would be in high demand,” he said.
He meant it, I thought. He wasn’t just humoring me.
Good.
“How much do you think is reasonable commensurate with the position?” he said.
Now that was a difficult question to ask.
First, how much did I need?
I performed a quick calculation in my head. The worker in the spaceport said the cost for the journey from planet Rang to Earth in pod class was two thousand credits. She helped me scrape enough together to get halfway, which meant it would have cost about a thousand to get here. Assuming the rest of the journey would cost the same, that meant I needed to save a thousand credits.
I made a mental note to check the actual price later once I had time. I didn’t want to have to quit if I was still short or earned extra credits I didn’t need.
The job advertisement said this was a live-in position, and that meant I wouldn’t have to spend anything for travel or food or drink.
But a thousand credits was the general target.
Next, I needed to know what was a reasonable amount for a governess.
“How much did the previous governesses get?” I said.
“Fifty credits a week,” Traes said. “Plus room and board.”
Fifty. That meant it would take me twenty weeks to earn the amount I needed. It was a long time. And the longer I was here, the more likely it was Asshole might find me. I needed to reduce that amount of time. Could I get it down to ten weeks?
“Is it satisfactory?” Traes said. “I can assure you, it is very competitive.”
“I’m sure it is,” I said. “But I was thinking more like a hundred.”
He blinked in surprise.
