The Golden Way (The Kestrel Chronicles Book 3) Read online

  “Yeah, but what’s it going to sound like to everybody else?” said Jaemon.

  Everyone was quiet. We all stared at the cargo container on the dock, and the scuffed, pitted treasure resting inside it.

  “Okay,” said Captain Harris, “It doesn’t really change anything, does it? I mean, everything that happened still happened. Except we got our artifact back. We’re going to be bucks up if we can make a sale. How about I shoot you a bonus, Esgar? It ain’t gonna pay for your new torch, but maybe I can ease the sting a little.”

  “If you can still make the sale,” said Erdos.

  “What?” said Harris. He spun to look at Erdos. “What do you mean?”

  “We have your buyer in custody,” Erdos said. “I have a feeling she won’t be conducting business for the History Office anymore.”

  “Oh,” Harris groaned. “You’re right.”

  Spader said, “Look, Sandy, I don’t think we shoulda done any business with that bird-brain, anyway. I never did trust her.”

  Harris faced Captain Rayleigh again.

  “I’m sorry, Esgar,” he said.

  The Captain half-smiled.

  “Don’t be,” he said.

  “I really oughta give you guys that bonus,” said Harris. “You deserve it. But I guess I gotta see what I can do with this damn relic first.”

  “Don’t forget we’re out of pocket on this deal, too,” said Spader.

  “Yeah, well,” said Harris. “Win some, lose some.”

  “What did the message mean about Yaug’s new name and new body?” said Erdos.

  Yaug sighed.

  “It’s a long story,” he said.

  Erdos turned and put her hands on her hips. She looked out through Solomon’s transit membrane at the mooring lines that held Kestrel in place. She tipped her head back, then traced her gaze down Kestrel’s length to where her drive spine ended abruptly, to where Yaug and I had crippled her.

  Erdos turned to face Yaug again.

  “You got plenty of time,” she said.

  Yaug sighed again.

  “Why don’t we go aboard,” he said. “I have some calls to make.”

  We started for the gangway. I paused as we passed the cargo container. What was it that Serik had said?

  “I look forward to collecting the debt.”

  END