“Frankly, yes. You were an excellent smuggler, and now you’d be even better. You’d be an enormous asset to us – not just because of your abilities. Now you’re in the Emperor’s employ, one of her highest-ranking officials.”

Endless Sea, did the Ioph Carn want me to spy for them too? I exchanged glances with the merchant, who only shrugged. I’d get no help from her. “What could I possibly want from the Ioph Carn in return? As you said yourself, I’m one of the Empire’s highest-ranking officials. Why would I want to involve myself with a criminal organization?”

“The Ioph Carn have a lot to offer,” Philine continued. If she’d noticed my exasperation, it didn’t deter her. “We have an extensive smuggling network and are able to obtain goods that others cannot. Not even the Empire.”

“I’m not in the market for black market goods,” I said dryly. “Besides, if I’m such a great smuggler, why wouldn’t I just obtain them myself?”

She shrugged, brushing dirt from her leathers. “You seem a bit busy at the moment. And you aren’t looking for black market goods right now. Not to say you won’t be in the future.”

What was I supposed to say: I’ve left that sort of life behind? Things are different now? I’m not the same person you once knew? All grand sentiments I’d feel foolish for voicing. The thrumming left my bones and I leaned on my staff. “I’m tired,” I said instead.

Philine raised an eyebrow.

“I’m tired of being followed by you, of being chased, of fighting you and your lackeys. I’ve been involved in the Ioph Carn long enough to know how to take it apart. If Kaphra doesn’t want me to relay all that information to the Emperor, then he’ll leave me alone.”

“A threat?”

I nodded to the merchant. “A threat in exchange for a threat against my friend here.”

“You must really like steamed bread.”

“I really like keeping peace on the streets of Imperial City,” I countered. “And honestly, what’s wrong with you? I don’t want to see people die for no reason. Is that so hard to understand? Now get out of my sight.” Mephi stepped to my side, his teeth bared as if reminding her that he had them and yes, they were quite a bit larger than the last time she’d felt his bite.

“Fine,” Philine said, backing out of the stall. “But, Jovis, if you ever change your mind, you know how to contact us.”

She disappeared into the streets of Imperial like mist burned off by the sun.

“You have a lot of strange friends,” the merchant said to me, her voice a bit tremulous. She turned back to her pots, replacing the lids I’d displaced.