It was a complex deal, filled with entangling clauses and multiple relationships and different classes of stock and incentive payouts and reversions and time-triggered events, and it took all her focus and concentration to make sense of it, even then she wasn’t always sure what she was reading. At the root of the deal, as she expected, Esmeralda wanted a personal guarantee. From Archer. For Archer.
“She wants you to fail,” Alcina said.
Archer nodded. “I think you’re right.”
“I don’t think you should take the risk. Unless you want to end up like Jordan.”
Daviel agreed. “Alcina’s right. This isn’t a good arrangement. Unless you’re very lucky, you’ll end up a slave. I don’t think you’d like it very much.”
Archer stopped and looked at his two slaves. “Do you?”
Daviel paused. “Working for
