“Sit down,” Thurfian said, putting all the coldness of Csilla’s surface into his voice. “You don’t wish to talk about Thrawn? Very well. Let’s talk about your family.”

“Don’t you mean our family?”

“I mean your original family,” Thurfian said. “The family who bore you, and who held your allegiance before you were taken away from them to become a sky-walker.”

Thalias paused, standing halfway between her chair and the door, a whole play of emotions skittering across her face. She had no memory of those years, Thurfian knew, which made this the ideal additional lever to use against her. “What about them?” she asked at last.

Thurfian hid a smile. She was trying to sound calm and uninterested, but the tight muscles in her throat and cheeks gave away her sudden interest and uncertainty. “I thought you might like to hear about their current situation,” he said. “And how you could perhaps help them.” He paused, waiting for her to respond.

But she remained silent. A cool character, for sure, who wouldn’t be easily swayed. But Thurfian had had plenty of experience manipulating such people.

“They’re not in great shape, you see,” he went on. “The family has always been poor, but the recent shift in the prices of certain minerals has pressed particularly hard on them. The Mitth family has many resources, some of which could be turned in their direction.”

“I don’t even remember them.”

“Of course not,” Thurfian said. “You were far too young when you were taken. But does that really matter? They’re your people. Your blood.”

“The Mitth are my people now.”

“Perhaps.” Thurfian gave a little shrug. “Perhaps not.”

Thalias’s eyes narrowed. “What’s that supposed to mean? I’m a full member of the Mitth.”

“Hardly,” Thurfian said. “You’re a merit adoptive, and a relatively new one at that. You have a long path ahead of you before your position is anything other than precarious.”

Thalias looked down at the questis. “Are you suggesting that my position with the Mitth depends on my betrayal of Thrawn?”

“Betrayal? Of course not,” Thurfian said, putting some righteous indignation into his voice. “Thrawn is a member of our family”—at least for the moment, he reminded himself silently—“and talking about him hardly qualifies as betrayal. On the contrary, not reporting any questionable activities is where betrayal would lie.”

“Then let’s make this simple,” Thalias said. “I’ve never seen him do anything questionable, illegal, or unethical. I’ve certainly never seen him do anything against the Mitth. Good enough?”

Thurfian gave a theatrical sigh. “You disappoint me, Thalias. I’d hoped you had a future with the Mitth. But if we can’t even trust you to help us keep watch on a potential danger to the family, I can’t see how we can keep you with us. But that’s your decision. I can keep watch on Thrawn myself.”