Page 122 of Stars in Halo

In essence, he’d played them off each other, and they, in turn, had bullied her for it.

She’d learned to cope. To survive.

To give as good as she got.

And to use her brain.

This had meant over the years, she had risen to the top of their flotsam, using her smarts that had delighted her father.

For years, he’d made her the spearhead of most of their heists and thieving plans, which had sown even more division between her and her siblings.

Their torment of her, away from their father’s purview, became worse.

Unable to stand it anymore, she’d fled her family as soon as she’d got out of prison in Galicia.

Until they’d reeled her in by force, which she intended to make them pay for.

Now, with the stakes so high, she had to rise above it all.

So she plastered on her smile and manners, playing nice to get what she wanted.

Korin, the oldest and most cunning of the three, spearheaded the conversation.

‘So, Katya,’ he began, his voice smooth and calm, ‘this Sable vault job, you want in?’

‘I do. I’ve checked out the requirements. I think we can do it all. Together. We need to discuss the plan and ensure everyone is on the same page.’

‘Why should we cut you in?’ K’Zito sneered.

‘Did the metanoids you siphoned from Xion Sable survive?’

Korin jolted. ‘They should have. The King has not advised otherwise.’

She leaned in, speaking with care and emphasis. ‘I have it on reliable authority from a contact with eyes and ears in the palace that they did not. How stupid do you think the Riders are? Xion escaped, and you think he didn’t have some way to deactivate them?’

Panic rose in her siblings’ faces.

‘What do you mean?’ Kiros growled.

‘We need to work together on this vault gig because, most likely, K’Sumi will come after us. Blaming us because Xion Sable enacted a fail-safe for the metanoids.’ Katya said. ‘We must show the King we can get the job done. Otherwise, it’s off with our heads.’

‘Fokk,’ K’Zito snapped. ‘K’Sumi has become the monkey on our backs.’

Katya sighed, trying to find the right words to convince them. ‘He’s unrelenting, which is why we have to make sure this vault plan is foolproof before we proceed.’

Their faces remained stern, but she sensed they were considering her offer. They weren’t the brightest bulbs in the room, but they were also reckless opportunists, and she pressed on, hoping they’d lean into their latter quality.

‘We must be smarter than the Sable Riders,’ she urged. ‘We have to use our brains, not just our brawn.’

Korin scoffed. ‘So what do you suggest, maestro?’ snarling out the dig he’d always used on her since they’d been children.

Katya ignored his needling. ‘I believe I can bring something valuable to the table that’ll keep us one step ahead at all times.’

Kiros snorted, unconvinced. ‘And what’s that?’

She pulled something from her bag. ‘This.’

They stared at the sleek device on the surface.

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