“Great!” Clo called back. She turned back to Eris. <We need to convince Kyla to get them off this ship and take them with her.>

<Ready for them to go so soon? I saw the way you looked at the courtesan earlier. I think sexy spy is your type.>

Clo’s head reared back and she looked angry enough to hit Eris. <Are you sluiced? Is this all a fluming joke to you? Maybe you’re used to constantly being in mortal danger, but I’m not. If there are videos of us, then there’s probably a bounty on our heads. We don’t know these women. That courtesan is a very pretty liability.>

Eris crossed her arms. <So, you do think she’s cute.>

<Enough,> Clo said sharply. <Between the courtesan’s hearing, the tattooed one’s glaring, and that little girl’s smiles—which are way too friendly, and no one is that friendly—I’m going to snap. We’re done for.>

Before Eris could respond, Nyx snapped, “Okay, what the fuck is going on?”

Eris and Clo startled as Nyx strode across the command center, the other two women at her heels. The soldier had her eyes narrowed. “You two,” she said, gesturing with a finger. “You stare at each other in silence longer than any people I’ve ever seen outside of an interrogation. What the fuck?”

Ariadne gasped in delight. “Oh! Oh oh oh! I know!” she clapped her hands. “You’re using the Pathos, right? Oh my gods, this is so exciting.”

“Uhhh,” Clo said, glancing at Eris in panic. <How does she know about Pathos? It’s Novan tech.>

<I have no idea.>

Ariadne came closer and peered around at the top of Clo’s skull. Clo pulled back with an offended noise.

“Ohhh, your incision is so tiny. I wish I could see the device. It’s my favorite design. Took me ages to get it right. I can’t wait to run more testing on my new beta model.”

<Her what?> Eris tried to hide her shock.

“Your what?” Clo echoed.

The walls shuddered as Kyla’s ship fully anchored to the docking bay. Eris released a soft swear. Great timing. Just great. “Hold that thought,” she said to Ariadne. “My superior from Nova will want answers.”

Ariadne smiled serenely. “Okay.” When Nyx stepped forward, Ariadne put her hand out to stop the soldier. “It’s fine, Nyx. We’ll wait here.”

That kid was starting to freak Eris out.

Clo strode after Eris. Once they were out of earshot of the other women, she hissed, “What the flark?”

Eris shook her head. “I don’t know.”

“Seriously. Who is that kid?”

“I don’t know that, either.”

But she planned to find out.