Morning did not bring clarity.
Instead, Nuliyaa slept too long because she spent much of the night staring at the ceiling. Cheeyt and Tseetsaa were gone by the time she emerged from behind the curtain and found Miyt packing up a commission.
“Tseetsaa hasn’t been around as much,” Nuliyaa commented after unwrapping last night’s bread. Miyt had left the apartment door open and Nuliyaa shifted to take advantage of the breeze flowing from the window to the door.
“She’s trying to make her own money.”
That hadn’t been the response Nuliyaa had expected. “Oh.” Take away Tseetsaa’s access to pretty, shiny things and Tseetsaa finally decided to try to support herself. “How has it been going for her?”
“She’s working very hard.”
Not well, then.
“She has also been helping me,” Miyt added.
“Miyt.” Nuliyaa laid down the knife she was using to spread jam over the bread and went hug her mother. “I’m sorry you’ve had to take on so much extra work.”
Miyt laughed and patted her back as she returned the hug. “You and Cheeyt need to remember I’m not ancient.” As Nuliyaa let go, she took Nuliyaa’s hand and pulled her over to the cushions. One of the seams ripped as she sat down. When were they going to have time to fix that?
“I have been thinking,” Miyt started. Nuliyaa pulled her attention away from the worn cushion. “You and Cheeyt need to do so much with a limited amount of money. Supporting Tseetsaa and I here while you travel is going to put a strain on your resources.”
“Miyt, we will find a way to keep the apartment—,” Nuliyaa started.
Both of Miyt’s hands flew up, waving off her words. “No, I’m telling you to do the opposite.”
Nuliyaa blinked at her mother. Miyt watched her back calmly.
“You want us to find a smaller apartment for you?”
“No. I think Tseetsaa and I should go with you.”
“Absolutely not.”
At Cheeyt’s words, Nuliyaa and Miyt swung around to the door. Cheeyt stood just inside the doorway. She threw her arms out to the sides, frustration lining her face. “Kachaark and I aren’t even enough to protect Nuliyaa and a client, much less four untrained people. Even using protection charms. No.”
“Without the rent, you will have money to hire more people, which you need to do anyway.” Miyt’s jaw clenched in the way that used to make Laa sigh, kiss her head, and give in because he knew there’d be no more changing Miyt’s mind.
“Why do you all insist on treating this company like it’s for your amusement?” Cheeyt demanded, slamming the door shut. “It takes years to learn proper guarding. Preparation, strategy. This isn’t an adventure!”
Miyt folded her hands in her lap, staring at her eldest daughter in a way that asked if Cheeyt was done with her tantrum. Cheeyt scowled back. “I am tired of watching my daughters grow up doing nothing but work.”
“We’re already grown, Miyt,” Nuliyaa said gently.
Those hands tightened. “So you are. And you work. That is all either of you do. Your Laa and I had hoped—.” Here Miyt looked away and Nuliyaa saw her swallow before she spoke again. “We wanted to give you more freedom than we had ourselves. And yet, Cheeyt, you were apprenticed at seventeen. Nuliyaa started working at fifteen. Your work is why we can afford what we can. But it has cost you—neither of you have families, you barely have friends.”
Nuliyaa cleared her throat and Miyt looked over. “Just reminding you that I told you a long time ago I have no interest in a spouse or children.”
Miyt blew out a harsh breath. “But you have no friends. You work, you come home, and occasionally you are able to borrow a book from the lending libraries. And Cheeyt.” She turned her attention back to Cheeyt. “You have not spent any time with Nuttulch and Saknuu since you started this company.”
“They’ve been on jobs—,” Cheeyt started.
“Not the whole time. I know they’ve come around a few times.”
Cheeyt sighed. “How does your and Tseetsaa coming along help me work less? I’ll be working more trying to keep you safe.”
Miyt drew herself straighter. “You will free up money. And you will be working, yes, but at least we can all see the world together.”
Nuliyaa eyed her mother. “You want to go,” she said, almost accusingly.
Miyt gave a slight smile. “You are not the only ones who want to know what is outside of this city.”
Cheeyt crossed her arms. “I don’t care. I’m sorry, Miyt, but I’m not letting you or Tseetsaa come unless I can find a mage or at least two more guards to hire. Which we can’t afford unless we take that job, which we can’t take unless we have more people.”
Nuliyaa stayed silent, because Cheeyt was right this one time. This was too short of a notice to drastically upend their lives.
“And what happens if we do this and you and Tseetsaa decide after that you don’t want to travel anymore. It’s rough, Miyt. We’ll spend most nights sleeping on the ground in whatever the temperature is. None of you have done anything like that. But once we give up the apartment and everything in here, it’s gone.”
Someone knocked on the door. Cheeyt scooted around to open it, her face set in a way that told Nuliyaa she was going to quickly shoo away whoever the visitor was so that she could lecture some more. As the door opened, her expression smoothed into the face Nuliyaa was starting to associate with professional Cheeyt. “Health and safety to you, Sikoesnu Singmij,” she greeted.
“To you as well, Charchee Etskauu. May we visit your home?”
Nuliyaa and Miyt stood, Miyt moving away from the cushions. Cheeyt opened the door wider, revealing Singmij and a young man who looked vaguely familiar. The young man was obviously Nengmekian with his lighter skin and hair, and the crest of a Nengmekian family affixed to his long outer garment. Nuliyaa had seen several similar crests on packages delivered to the shop over the years. There was something about the shape of the crest that denoted the family’s rank, she remembered, though it was escaping her exactly what the four-pointed diamond represented.
“Please, sit,” Miyt said, motioning to the cushions as Cheeyt shut the door and followed them in. Nuliyaa was suddenly intensely embarrassed over that split seam in the cushion she’d been sitting on. “Would you like tea?”
“Yes, please,” Singmij said. The young man looked like he was about to refuse, but Singmij gave him a subtle poke with her elbow. Perhaps he hadn’t been in Keeyl long, to not know how rude the refusal of tea was. Or perhaps he didn’t care if he seemed rude.
Miyt and Nuliyaa warmed what was left of the morning’s pot of tea. As she poured, Nuliyaa glanced at her bread and jam that was still uneaten. It was seeming less likely that she would get to her breakfast today.
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Cups distributed, Miyt gave their visitors a pleasant smile and excused herself. Nuliyaa took the last cushion and said, “You have walked far to see us today.”
“I believe I have a solution to several problems,” Singmij said, easily balancing her cup on her knee as she spoke. The other Nengmekian seemed unsure what to do with his. He’d taken a single sip. Was Nengmekian tea so different?
“Oh?” Cheeyt’s voice was neutral.
“I am aware there has been quite some difficulty hiring mages this year.”
“There has been, yes.” Still carefully neutral.
“Tajak’s employer also has a problem. Tajak, if you would explain.”
The young man spoke. “I am employed by the Mingom family as bodyguard to their youngest son. My charge has recently completed his education at a mage academy here in Wumaltsmaas and would like to return home. However, his parents do not wish to send an envoy for him at this time.”
Cheeyt’s eyes had narrowed slightly and Nuliyaa desperately wanted to know what her sister was thinking. If the young man had come to them on his own, they probably would have refused whatever he was about to ask.
Singmij had brought him, though.
“You were leaving the chancery yesterday when I arrived, and I overheard you say you may be traveling to Nengmek,” he continued, flushing with a pink that carried up to the tips of his ears. How adorable. “I apologize for allowing myself to listen in. I asked others at the chancery who you were and Sikoesnu Singmij found me before I left.”
“I did have a few conversations with some of our employees about talking to those outside of the agency,” Singmij inserted drily. Tajak flushed a little more deeply.
“We also had a conversation that led to that solution I mentioned,” she said, taking back over the conversation. “Family Mingom does not want their son making his way home on his own. However, they would be very excited for him to be employed until he returns home.”
“You want us to hire him,” Cheeyt said flatly. “A barely-trained mage.” Nuliyaa stifled a sigh. It wasn’t as though any of the other mages they would have hired would have been more experienced. They had been hoping to hire a less-experienced mage.
“As I said, it’s a solution. You would also gain yourselves an experienced guard.”
Cheeyt’s gaze flicked to Tajak. “Who would be focused on his own charge.”
Knowing Miyt wanted to go along had made Cheeyt resistant to the whole idea. Nuliyaa needed to step in before her sister ruined the opportunity for them. “What is the rate of pay this mage would expect?” she asked.
“A trade,” Tajak answered before Singmij could. “Allow us to accompany you, we will purchase our own supplies, and my employer will provide you with his services as a mage during the travels.”
“No,” Singmij and Cheeyt said together. They glanced at each other as though suspicious of the other’s reasons.
“I believe that arrangement will cause more problems than it solves,” Nuliyaa said more gently, ignoring her sister and the Nengmekian Sikoesnu. “We would pay him the rate for a first-year mage. You would not be our employee at all.”
“If we agree to this,” Cheeyt said.
Tajak looked like he wanted to say more, but Singmij dismissed him. “I will let you know of their decision. You’ll be informed no more than two days from now.”
He got up from the cushion, hesitated, then bowed. Nuliyaa got up to show him the door. Cheeyt certainly wasn’t going to do it; she was too busy glaring at Singmij.
When the door shut, Singmij said, “May we speak as friends?”
“Friends,” Cheeyt said slowly, suspicion darkening her tone. “Not as hosts and guest?”
“Yes.”
“What does that mean?” Nuliyaa asked.
“She wants to claim a closer relationship,” Cheeyt said.
Singmij spread her hands. “Friends tell each other things that a person would not say to their hosts, yes?”
Nuliyaa knew she and her sister both had learned how to read people. But Cheeyt saw everyone with varying amounts of skepticism. Nuliyaa knew how to read people for their desires. And Singmij’s desire was to share something with them, something her honor would not let her speak of outright.
“And does this friendship involve a ritual?” she asked.
“Oh, no.” Singmij laughed. “We Nengmekians take verbal oaths seriously.” Nuliyaa took Cheeyt’s huff as some kind of agreement.
“Then we are friends.”
“Nuliyaa.” Cheeyt’s voice was strangled.
“You don’t have to be here. Though, since we are friends now, I’ll eat my breakfast while you talk.” Nuliyaa fetched her bread.
“The offer I presented yesterday was barely adequate.” Singmij spread her hands. “Within the expectations of your Guild, certainly, but not reasonable for the work that goes into this job. However.” She held up a finger. “Get her to Nengmek, and her mother will pay you three times as much.”
“You want us to agree based on the potential for more money?” Though that amount would set the company up quite nicely for the future…
“Chesfi is going, whether or not someone goes with her. It’s taken all of my diplomatic skills to keep her at the chancery for this long. She’s worried and she’s angry. She wants to return to her people before their situation worsens.”
“She can’t go by herself. She’s hurt.”
“And I’m not certain her Pounce will be reasonable if she’s hurt further. Or if she returns home without an escort. I’m also not certain they’ll be peaceful for much longer. They’re already angry with Keeyl for the poaching. Having a third daughter captured has not improved the relations between our nations.”
“You’re worried this will escalate.”
Singmij laughed, the sound bitter. “I know it will.”
“Then why not send her back with a full contingent of your people?” Cheeyt demanded.
“It’ll draw attention,” Nuliyaa realized. Singmij dipped her head and said, “The other Pounces will find out Chesfi’s people are less secure. My country as a whole will be more angry. There are some power struggles that could be affected.”
Nuliyaa looked at Cheeyt. Her sister was shaking her head.
“I will also travel with you. As a friend.” Singmij gave them a fierce smile and Nuliyaa realized every smile and laugh before that one were part of her diplomatic persona. This one was real. “You will not be paid for me, but you also won’t have to pay me. I am a fully trained Sikoesnu of the martial band. So you will have yourself, your guard, the mage and his bodyguard, and myself. Is that adequate protection for one client?”
“And my mother and sisters,” Cheeyt muttered. “Suddenly everyone wants to go along.” She scowled at Singmij again. “I thought your people didn’t want to send a contingent?”
“I won’t be accompanying you in my official role. After all, we are friends now.”
Cheeyt’s arms crossed. “I’m not risking my family for your problem.”
Nuliyaa rubbed her forehead. This was why she was supposed to be the one talking to clients.
Singmij was suddenly serious, her expression as somber and hard as Nuliyaa remembered from the day she had brought Chesfi to the chancery. “Our nations have been peaceful for decades now. If the Malks and Pookas decide we cannot trust the Keeylish peoples to honor our agreements, that peace will crumble. Along with all the trade between us. And how will a company like yours fare if that happens?” She let those words smother the room for a moment before she continued, voice gentler, “I am not trying to put your family in danger, Charchee Etskauu. I have a family of my own that I protect. I cannot promise this journey will be without troubles, but I will help you make it so that our travels will be no more dangerous than what you would normally expect between here and Nengmek.”
“My sister and I need to speak privately,” Cheeyt said.
“Then I shall wait for your answer in two days.” Singmij stood and started toward the door. “Health and safety to you both.”
Cheeyt spun when the door was closed securely behind Singmij and said, “No.”
“Cheeyt,” Nuliyaa said, exasperated. “Three times the fee when we get to Nengmek? That money would mean we don’t have to worry about finding jobs for at least the next year, maybe two.”
“It’s not worth it. They want to get her home, they need to figure out how to do it without us. There are plenty of other companies, better equipped companies, to take on the job.”
“You heard the reasons why they’re trying to avoid using one of those companies.” Nuliyaa finished the last bite of her bread and jam as she thought. “What would make you feel comfortable taking this job?”
“Not escorting Malk nobility, not taking along a half-trained mage, not having any of you along, hiring six more guards.”
Cheeyt was just being difficult at this point. “If you were still a part of Supyuunch’s crew and the Nengmekians approached him about this job, and told you everything Singmij just told us, would you expect him to send almost ten guards and a mage on a job meant to be quiet?”
Cheeyt blew out a breath. No. Of course she knew nothing would attract more attention than ten people assigned to one small wagon.
“But if we’re a family traveling with a couple of guards and a mage, how notable is that?” Nuliyaa pressed.
Cheeyt drove her fingers through her hair, tugging on the short, messy strands until everything stood up in clumps. “Not notable. Some people might see us as easy marks, but we’d be taking the river for half the distance.”
“I think we should take this job, Cheeyt. If the Nengmekian chancery wasn’t directly involved, I’d have walked away faster than you wanted to. But I think it’s worth it.”
Cheeyt’s shoulders slumped. “Even with Tseetsaa and Miyt there?”
“What better way to pull off the appearance of a simple family traveling?”
She buried her face in her hands and growled. “Fine. Fine.” She straightened. “But we’re buying as many protection charms as we can afford and guilting the chancery into giving us more.”
“That sounds reasonable.”
The door bounced open and Tseetsaa stalked in, bag over her shoulders, eyes puffy, and grit across her arms and clothes. She saw her sisters, drew herself up, and snarled, “I’m going with you!”