Tubal Last grinned ferociously. “Your need to have the final word has always been one of your greatest weaknesses. Plan and scheme as you like, Nicolette, because I intend to give you a few days to stew and think about it. I won’t tell you when I’ll kill the first. Nor which lion it will be. It could be at any moment.” He turned to the Florian. “Perhaps I’ll let you do it.”

Niko’s head, which had drooped, came up again at those words.

Tubal’s grin grew even larger. “You hadn’t anticipated that, had you? I’ve had decades. Decades to teach your friend and make them something new. A Florian that has killed. A Florian that has gotten a—” He licked his teeth with a surprisingly pink tongue. “—taste for blood.”

Niko’s eyes were full of horror. Petalia’s face was expressionless as ever.

His hand hovered over the green skin again but did not descend to caress this time. “It took a long, long time,” he murmured to Niko. “Perhaps I’ll come describe some of it to you when I have more time.”

He gestured and a flunky stepped forward. Niko recognized the bag he carried. He handed it to Last, who put it in his lap and sorted through it.

“Here’s a holo,” he said. “Who’s this pretty lady? Oh, we know her, Petalia. One of the women Niko was fucking rather than come rescue you. Remember all the time she spent on Tarraquil? Shame that your lover died, Niko. For a while killing her was part of our plans.”

He pulled out the book. “Oh, this is sweet. Do you know I commissioned this, Niko?” At the slight widening of her eyes, he giggled and continued. “I thought it’d be good bait. Mix in plenty of daily pirate life, but not a word of Pet, just every once in a while a mention of someone who could be them. I figured that would drive you mad. Look at how well thumbed this is, and the deluxe edition no less! That does make me smile, seeing how well that worked.”

The Free Trader’s jacket unfolded, buttons shining, as he held it up. “You hold to dreams so stubbornly. As though you could become a Free Trader again. Well, I guess that dream’s gone now.” He grabbed either side of the jacket and ripped the garment in half. The ancient fabric fell away easily.

Niko felt her heart shred further at the sound of ripping fabric, which surprised her. She thought she was as hurt now as she had ever been. The only thing holding her together was the secret joy that had started singing through her the moment she saw Petalia’s face emerge from the shadows.