I could hardly take my eyes off it. It was, I admitted, the perfect thing for breaking chains and freeing civilizations. And it fit—fit Tisaanah so perfectly that it was hard to believe that Via had only met her once. She wouldn’t know how to use it at first, of course, but what a thing to grow into. “It’s beautiful,” I said. “You’ve outdone yourself. How much do I owe you?” “Consider it moral reparations for all of those dirty, dirty weapons contracts I do,” she said.





