“It’s just a place to sleep,” Gyre said.

“Nice of Lynnia to put up a notorious rebel,” Kit said. “What’s she getting out of it? A hot young lover? No need to be shy.”

“Lynnia,” Gyre said, maintaining his calm with an effort, “has been married twice, both times to women. You’re more her type than I am.”

“There’s a thought. Maybe then she’d let me into the interesting shelves.”

“She helps us because she believes in Yora’s cause,” Gyre said. “Freedom for the tunnelborn.”

“And you don’t,” Kit said. “Does that bother you?”

“Freedom for tunnelborn means hurting the Republic and the Order,” Gyre said. “Which means we’re on the same side.”

“Until something better comes along,” Kit said, tapping her chest with a finger.

“Kit—”

“So what did your rebel leader tell you?”

Gyre took a deep breath. “Raskos is moving the Core Analytica.”

Kit leaned forward, suddenly all focus. “Is he really?”

“Yora guessed he’s found a buyer for it.”

“Mmm,” Kit said noncommittally.

“She’s got a plan. We’ll have an opportunity to grab it when they try to get it out of the city.”

“I’m sure she does.”

Gyre narrowed his eye. “Is there something you want to tell me?”

“Here’s the thing,” Kit said, crossing her legs underneath her. “I heard from my own sources this morning. After the Auxies crashed our party, I guessed something was fishy, but now I know for certain. Someone in your group is talking to the dux.”

“Not possible,” Gyre said. “If we had a traitor, we’d all have been caught by now.”

“Yora had to bring in new people, didn’t she? Do you trust them all?”

“I—” Gyre stopped. He didn’t, not like he trusted Sarah and Ibb. “How do you know?”

“It’s a little hard to explain. But you understand that this means your ‘opportunity’ is almost certainly a trap? In fact, I’m reasonably certain they’re not moving the Analytica at all. I doubt the dux would risk it, not with the Order in town.”

Something tightened in Gyre’s chest. “The Order, here?”

“Two centarchs, at least,” Kit said. “They’re staying at the Spike, for now. Best guess is someone is leaning on the dux.”

Gyre shook his head. “Then we have to call everything off. Go to ground until they’re gone.”

“And if they take the Analytica with them when they go?”

“Your client will just have to take that risk,” Gyre said. His scar itched fiercely. “Going up against centarchs is suicide.”

“I thought the legendary Halfmask would be more daring,” Kit said. “Here’s the thing about a trap, though. If you know where it’s going to be, you know where it’s not going to be.”

Gyre paused for a moment. “You think the Analytica will still be at the warehouse.”

“Got it in one. While the dux and his Order friends are waiting for us to take the bait, we can sneak the prize out from behind their backs.”