Page 76 of The Space Between Stars

“I suppose that’s fair. What will you give me for a name and location?”

Fankalo’s heart ticked faster. Mitek hadn’t said they’d owe anything. She’d spent everything on those useless records. Everything her father had, too. He was currently in convention with his Seraphinden associates to determine how to make their next score.

Mitek stepped in. “Cam and I are lined up for cards at a parlor where Poqualle district intersects the wharf. If you join us, Fankalo will sit with you for three games.”

Celestar’s mouth twisted. “And that’s valuable to me because?”

“He’s fate-touched.”

“Mitek…” Fankalo warned.

Celestar seemed to take a deeper interest in her. “You’ve been running with, ahm, ‘Fankalo’ for how long?”

“About five years,” Mitek answered.

Celestar addressed her next. “You’re lucky to have this one by your side. I know how he gains his loyalties. For that, whatever secrets you have are safe with me.”

Mitek… Lucky? She hadn’t ever thought about it, but Mitek always had seemed Lucky in a vague sort of way. Perhaps that was why she put up with him.

“Can you help me or not?”

Celestar gave her a judicious snort. “It’s not whether I can help you. What with times being what they are and a raider taking interest in consulting with enemy forces, the question I would ask is ‘why?’”

Why did he care? Most gangsters just wanted to get paid. All this one seemed to want was to flirt and gossip. She looked at Mitek, who nodded encouragingly.

“I believe the Tera’thians have taken someone dear to me. And I want to understand why… so I can figure out how to get him back.”

“If someone you know’s been abducted by the Tera’thians, I’d place my bets on Mitek being elected Prime before you get them back.”

“I’ll place my own bets, thanks.”

“Hmmph.” Celestar crossed his arms and leaned against the counter, which groaned in protest. “Deshpian Thacklore’s the one you’ll want to talk to. He’s an ex Blue Wing official. But, from what I understand, if you’re going to seek an audience… simply put, you have some serious work to do.”

“Why do you say that?”

“He won’t give you the time of day unless you’re exceedingly wealthy, exceedingly dangerous, or—” He looked her up and down. “Well, those are the two options you have, anyway.”

Mitek winced and found something fascinating to look at on the far side of the room.

Fankalo’s upper lip twitched. “Then I’ll be both.” Nevermind the fact that she was a skinny eleven-year-old girl in Groundling mens’ clothes.

Celestar snickered. “You’re not easy to dissuade.”

Mitek snorted too. “Fankalo’s the poster child for incurable overambition.”

Celestar might have been shrewd and manipulative, but he’d given her a name for free that was worth more than what she’d paid good silver for. She lifted her chin and took her chance. “Three games, and you’ll tell me three things: Deshpian Thacklore’s location, why you’re confident he’ll have Tera’thian connections, and what you think I can trade him to give me what I need.”

The messenger station keeper grinned. “I call that a bargain. Haven’t left the station in nearly a moon—my feet don’t work the way they used to. But for a friend of Mitek’s? I can go win a few rounds of cards.”

Mitek and Celestar exchanged evening plans and pleasantries and a joke Fankalo didn’t understand but left them clutching their ribs in laughter. Then they exited, Mitek’s lazy legs stepping faster through Shrokan’s streets than usual.

“I didn’t know you still had ties in Shrokan,” Fankalo mumbled to him, instead of the ‘thanks’ he probably deserved.

“Not many.”

“He seems very fond of you.”

Mitek shrugged. “Helped him out of a spat once. Celestar is great for gossip. He isn’t great for fists.”