“Now.” I try to channel the firm voice Momma uses when someone’s not listening to her. Lyre’s frown lines deepen, but she turns and heads for the door. Once it’s shut, I turn back to Thudana and lean across the counter, propping my chin up with a hand. “Okay, how much will it take for you to do business with us?”

Judging by the way she sizes me up, I wasn’t wrong in the assumption this was a matter of funds. This woman doesn’t care about the legality of doing business with us. She just wants to be compensated for the potential risk.

“I want a cut.”

“My mom is already giving you one,” I say, since it seems like a reasonable guess.

“A bigger cut,” Thudana says.

“How much?”

“Ten percent.”

I let out a low whistle and lean back.

“Not a chance.” I pause, trying to estimate how much Momma is already giving her. If only she wasn’t so damn secretive about details like this. I bet she told Corvus all this shit, but she never lets me in on anything. And the moment I say the wrong amount, Thudana will know I’m bullshitting and kick me out. “How does six percent sound?”

Thudana grimaces, scratches her nose.

“Eight percent and a deposit of five hundred,” she says. I open my mouth, and she adds, “Refundable once it’s all handled.”

“Hm.” I drum my fingers on the counter, pretend to consider the offer while I attempt to remember if I have that many credits available. This wouldn’t be a problem if Momma gave me access to the business account, but she’s made it very clear she doesn’t trust me with the family funds. Like the rest of my siblings, I merely get a small cut of the earnings in my own personal account. We made a nice profit on Deva, but my last few nights there are a bit of a blur. Devan clubs are way, way too much fun. If I check my balance in front of Thudana, though, it’ll make me look weak. She’s already staring too closely at me. I need to make a call. “Deal.”

I pull my square comm out of my pocket and hold it out. She pulls out her own, slim and chrome and updated like Commander Zinne’s was. We hold the two devices with the screens facing each other until each one gives a beep of connection.

“Transfer five hundred creds,” I say for voice recognition.