They walked in silence from the Diplomats’ Quarter until they rounded the corner onto their street. “Do you think the offer?” Nuliyaa asked. She’d been reviewing it in her head since they’d left the Nengmekian chancery.

Cheeyt rolled her shoulders as she answered. “I would like to say yes, but it’s not. Standard for a first-year company. First-year companies also don’t usually get offered jobs escorting important people to foreign countries.”

“How important is she?”

“I should have guessed,” Cheeyt replied with a shake of her head. Her tone was a bit annoyed. “‘Chesfi’ is the word for warrior in Nengmekian and that’s the role a third child serves in their society. The one in charge of clan protection.”

Fascinating. “How did she get caught by the poachers?”

When Cheeyt didn’t respond immediately, Nuliyaa looked over at her. “It’s possible she was targeted,” Cheeyt said slowly. She then shrugged. “It could also be luck on their part.”

Nuliyaa really needed to know more about malk culture. She felt she had been missing out on half of the conversation. “Do you think they know how it happened?” They probably didn’t consider it likely that the poachers had gone after Chesfi intentionally—if they did, they would never risk sending her home with an unknown company. They would put their resources into her safe return.

“I think they chose us for a reason,” Cheeyt said.

“Beside convenience?”

She gave a twisted half-grin. “Yes. They asked us because no one knows who we are. And we’ve intentionally been going for smaller jobs.”

“Hm. I see what you’re saying. No one would suspect they would hire such a small company for this type of job. We need to ask them, if we decide we can even afford this.”

“And if we even want to get involved.” As they walked down the alley to the yard, Cheeyt nodded to the stable. “I’ll go find Kachaark. Meet us in his room?”

Nuliyaa agreed and darted up the stairs to the apartment. Miyt was working by the opened window again. “You were not gone long today,” she commented without looking up.

“No. We potentially have a job and we need to discuss it.” Nuliyaa found her figures book and tucked it under her littiichangs.

At that, Miyt looked up. “Oh? What is the job?”

“Escorting someone to Nengmek.”

Miyt set aside her embroidery and stood, her knees cracking slightly. “I will join you.”

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Nuliyaa was already halfway back to the door and turned to look back at her mother. “You don’t need to, Miyt. We don’t even know if we’re accepting yet.”

She shrugged. “Where is Cheeyt?”

“We’re meeting in Kachaark’s room.”

Cheeyt and Kachaark had already convened in his room. The minotaur had settled on his bed in the corner and Cheeyt had dragged in a bench from the yard. Seeing Miyt, she bounced up to stand in the other corner while Miyt took the bench and Nuliyaa perched beside her.

“So why don’t you want to take the job?” Kachaark asked when everyone was arranged.

Cheeyt must have started telling him about their morning. “We’ll barely make any money doing it, and it’s a high-risk job. Something happens to this client and we’re done.”

As Cheeyt talked, Nuliyaa opened her figures book and began totaling what they’d earned from all of the small jobs they’d taken on since starting the company. “She also doesn’t feel comfortable doing it without a mage,” she said as she did her addition.

Cheeyt shrugged. “That, too. Or a lot more guards. Two combatants and two non-combatants is asking for trouble.”

“We’ll need a way to hide the client,” Nuliyaa mused. She marked the total on the corner of a page.

It was Kachaark’s turn to shrug. “Clients such as this have their own way of hiding themselves.”

“Yes?” Nuliyaa looked over at Cheeyt.

“Yes, but it’s not a complete disguise. More of a confusion.”

“There is not enough money to hire a mage or other guards?” Miyt asked.

“Not to hire more people, cover the costs of travel, and replace the money in our savings,” Cheeyt said, tone sour. “And there already aren’t any mages available.”

“If we don’t take this job, it will take seven years at our current rate of income to replace our savings,” Nuliyaa reported. She showed them the numbers she’d written on the corner and pointed to the last. “That’s our average income per month.” She moved her charcoal. “This is how much our income seems to be increasing each month.”

“It’s actually increasing?”

“Yes, of course. We should start to see bigger increases as the months go on. It’s possible the increase will be more than I’m anticipating, but I don’t want to be too optimistic.”

“No, not that.” Was Cheeyt being sarcastic or sincere?

“Taking the job to Nengmek would allow us to replenish our savings now.” Nuliyaa closed the book.

“And then spend those savings on hiring people instead.” Cheeyt let her head tip back to thunk against the wall. “We should refuse. We’re not making a lot of money now, but we’re making something without the risks of this job.”

“If we don’t take it and we don’t find any other jobs offering more money, we’ll need to find a smaller apartment.”

“Then we’ll find a smaller apartment.” Cheeyt said the words, but then she froze and looked away.

Miyt’s lips pressed together. Nuliyaa leaned against her. Laa and Miyt had started renting their apartment when they’d first married. The sisters had spent their whole lives in that space.

But it was about more than memories. Most of the smaller apartments in the area were newer, but not built as well. They were cheap construction thrown up to house the hordes of people moving into Keeyl as it expanded. Most of the buildings lacked yards between the rows. Without the yards, they wouldn’t have neighborhood gardens or cooking spaces. Or a way to connect with their neighbors.

“Don’t need to decide it all today,” Kachaark said, pushing to his hooves. “Probably best to discuss again tomorrow after you’ve had time to think, yeah?”

“Kachaark is being wise,” Miyt said, popping up much faster than Nuliyaa had thought her joints would let her. “You should eat and sleep before making such a big decision, especially if it doesn’t need to be made right this moment.”

“We have a few days,” Cheeyt said slowly.

“Then make use of your time. Nuliyaa, go fetch the bread, please. Cheeyt, there’s laundry on the line.” Miyt disappeared out of the stable.

And when the sisters arrived at the apartment after their chores, she hadn’t yet returned.