“I work for myself. My name is Eydrina Avarin.”
“That is a lie.” Her voice was soft and menacing. “I checked after you first came in. There is no such person as Eydrina Avarin. Not in Miran, nor in Bendara as you’ve told everyone.”
In the darkness, Jocassa said, “That’s fine. No one here talks about who they are. ’S self-protection—hey, ow! Keep yer hands off me.”
“Leave my friends alone. They have done nothing and they are not involved with any of my business.”
“They’re accomplices.”
“I paid them. Let them go.” Mikandra stared back at her, defiant. “And don’t try to intimidate me. There is no way you can know that there is no Eydrina Avarin unless you have access to the Mirani population registry, and there is no way Miran would give you access to that from here. You’re lying.”
“You
