Eshe shrugged. “I got tired of Ras Tieg. I like our work better. Come on, Nyx. I can help. I have a lot more experience now.” She had told him about the job the night before, but it wasn’t until now that he realized she hadn’t invited him to join her.

“Experience with what?”

“Just… everything. You’ll need a shifter on your team, won’t you? Somebody good with a knife? You know that’s me.”

She stared into her bowl. Something twisted in her face, something like resolve.

“Yeah, I’ve gotta have somebody I can trust.”

“You can trust me.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of.”

“I don’t get it.”

“Fatima’s sending some people with me. A magician and a bel dame. Best intel she’s got says Raine is being taken north, into Khairi. The magician’s supposed to act as a guide through Khairi. But I can’t trust her magician. Or her bel dame. I need my own team.”

“Call Suha then. Aren’t there other people you’ve worked with, too?”

Nyx shook her head. “It’s bad enough taking you.”

“So you’re taking me? I mean, hiring me?”

“You negotiating now?”

“Are you paying?”

“We’ll see. Listen, lots of boys think the bel dames took Raine. If that’s so, he’s probably dead. I heard the monarchy’s on the way out, but what comes after that?” Nyx said. “Electing some man to the low council? The high council? That’s as close as they’re getting.”

Eshe shook his head. “From what I heard, the Mhorians have had some influence. Might be nice for something fresh, though, you think?”

Nyx snorted. “There’s no new thing. Just the same old shit in different clothes.”

He had forgotten just how grim Nyx could be. Inaya was lively and optimistic by comparison.

“Well, it’s not like things can go on the way they are,” Eshe said. “The Queen’s got no heirs, and her successor isn’t around anymore.”

“That was an accident,” Nyx said.

“Yeah, well, tell Nasheen that,” Eshe said.

“You pissed at me?” She peered at him.

Eshe started. “No. I just… It’s just strange to be back.” She hadn’t asked him yet about Ras Tieg, or Inaya, or anything that had happened to him since they parted. He knew she didn’t like to ask questions outright. She said it was rude to ask personal information from trusted people because it implied you didn’t trust them. But he wanted to tell her about Inaya and the Fourré, and the priests he had killed and how crazy the Ras Tiegan bordels were compared to Nasheenian brothels and how much he had missed the wild swagger and careless confidence of Nasheenian women.