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“ W e need a break,” I said to Frank as I sat on his couch and ate a kiwi tart from the selection of pastries he’d picked up at La Patisserie. And, yes, they’d had kiwi trifle at the dining hall, and, yes, I’d had some of that, too, but this was different. This was a mini-tart from La Patisserie.

“I know,” he called from his office.

“Something solid. Something actionable.” I took another bite of the crumbling, buttery crust and rich custard filling topped with diced bits of tart, tangy kiwi. “Something Hazel can use.”

“I’m working on it.”

“I’ll be quiet.” I ate the last bite of tart and thought about another one, but it was only a thought. I was truly full.

At least things had been better at dinner. Benni and Zanya made up just like she and I had at the library, and we were all back to laughing and smiling and having fun.

No one said a word about the Ohuli or Zanya getting them to give her a reading. It was like we’d made a collective decision to just ignore it. Probably best.

For her sake, I hoped the reading was positive but vague. She didn’t really need one of the sisters telling her she was destined for a solitary existence the remainder of her days.

Frank, on the other hand, told me he had news, which he would share as soon as he finished going through the data his lens and microphones had picked up.

I was happy to wait. Harry and Gracie were currently fixated on the screen, where the aquarium channel was playing. Fish seemed to be the most neutral ground. Harry couldn’t exactly salivate over birds in Gracie’s presence, and she found squirrels frightening for some reason.

“Els? You want to come in here?”

I brushed the crumbs off my T-shirt and jeans as I got to my feet, figuring the next vuum would get them. I went into the office, eager to see what he’d found. I took my usual seat next to him.

“Did you find anything good?”

He was staring at the big screen across from his desk. It displayed what looked like a stereo equalizer. “Good doesn’t seem like the right word.”

I sat back. “What does that mean?”

“Listen. I’ve cleaned this up as best as I could in a short time. I didn’t realize there would be three readings happening simultaneously in the same room, so most of what I got isn’t great. This is a few minutes into the start of the recording.” He tapped a button, and the sound began to play.

“She is going to be a problem.” It was a woman’s voice, one of the sisters, but I couldn’t tell which one.

“No,” Nostromo said. “She is merely an unbeliever. Give her a reading and she will see the light.”

“We can try.”

Frank tapped the button again and looked at me. “Pretty sure they’re talking about you.”

“Pretty sure they are, too. Mhari did offer me a reading, but I declined. Do you think I should let them do one?”

He tipped his head slightly as he made a face. “I already know how you’re going to feel about that.”

“Yes, but doesn’t mean I can’t pretend and go along with things to make them think I’m good with what’s happening.” I realized I was frowning as I said that.

Frank’s skepticism showed on his face. “Could you really do it?”

I took a breath and had a think. “Sure. I can do it. If they think I’m an issue, they’ll close up around me. I need them to be open. To talk. And maybe slip up and say things they shouldn’t. It’s the only way we’re really going to find out what’s going on.”

I made myself smile. “Tomorrow, I will apologize for my crankiness and make them love me.”

His brows arched.

I poked his arm. “What? I can do it.”

He laughed. “I’m sure you can.”

But the next morning, I was kind of dreading it. Not the being nice part. The part where I had to pretend that everything was cool. What concerned me was that was a lie, and I wasn’t great at lying. I’d do my best, though. For the good of the Athos and everyone on it.

Harry rubbed against my legs as I finished getting ready. Yellow cardigan and a blue and yellow hair scarf today. Yellow was supposed to be a happy, sunny, welcoming color.

I wanted the Ohuli to see me that way, too. I practiced smiling in the mirror. After three attempts that all looked fake, I sighed.

“What’s wrong, Mum?”

“I’m not great at smiling when I don’t really feel like it.”

He hopped onto the toilet lid, put his paws on the edge of the counter and stood up tall, his earnest little face looking up at me. “If you need to smile when you don’t feel like it, you could always think of me.”

I laughed, the smile that came with it as real and easy as anything. “You know what? That’s a fantastic idea. You are the smartest, most handsome compdroid on this whole starliner.”

Looking quite pleased with himself, he butted his head against my arm. “I know.”

“Come on. Let’s go to work and see what the day brings.”

He jumped down and ran out of the bathroom, stopping only to look over his shoulder and see if I was following. I was. I put my coffee cup in the sterilizer, grabbed my knitting bag off the recliner, and we were out the door.

We arrived early again, because the Ohuli arrived exactly on the hour, and I liked a few minutes to myself to get things ready for the day. Today was just a half day for me. One of the assistant librarians, Itzak Bazran, would be coming in at one to take over.

With the reduced hours for the fallow phase, everyone was working less. Except maybe Hazel. I couldn’t imagine she or any of the other top FAN officers were getting much of a break. How could they? The Athos still needed the same kind of looking after.

I decided to see what the schedule was like at the spa. It would be nice to get a massage, but even if there were no available times, I might just go and sit in the steam room for a bit. After all my crankiness, it might really help get some of the tension out of my muscles.

That stress was something pretending to like the Ohuli would probably just add to.

I dropped my knitting bag behind the desk, then Harry and I did the usual walking tour of the library. For all the foot traffic we’d had yesterday, there was very little to do. Mainly because that traffic had been headed into the first two classrooms and not the rest of the library.

The reading nook needed a tiny bit of straightening, but I was glad to do it. If the book club wanted to come in every day, that would have been fine by me.

I ordered a coffee from the Instachef, a simple half-caf with cream and sugar. I wasn’t in the mood for anything fancy. Kind of funny how sometimes simple was best. I took my coffee to the desk and logged on to check for any mail.

Harry settled into his bed at the back of the desk, drifting off into yet another catnap with the kind of ease I could only envy.

There was a little mail—a couple of new book requests, which I entered into the system right away, and another request from a teacher, Mr. Ahnmer, who’d asked if there were any video presentations available on terraforming.

I was pretty sure we had at least two in the archives, which reminded me I still owed Harry something with bats in it, but before I could start the search, the Ohuli arrived.

I took a long drink of my coffee, hoping it would give me the fortification I needed to get through the next few hours. And be convincing.

I set my cup down and took a deep, cleansing breath. Be nice , I told myself. And think of Harry.

That made me smile. I came out from behind the desk and approached them.

Nostromo, true to form, bowed. “Good morning, keeper of the books.”

“Good morning, Nostromo. How are you and your daughters today?”

He blinked, obviously surprised by my sunny disposition. “We are well, thank you.”

“Wonderful. And you’re settling in all right? I heard you got moved to a suite. That must be very nice.”

The sisters looked at each other, but Nostromo answered again. “It is. Very nice. A gracious gesture on behalf of those in charge. Such as your daughter.”

I nodded, thinking of Harry and holding on to my smile. “She’s a lovely person. Very proud of her. Listen, I’m sorry if I’ve been less than welcoming. I admit I’m not great with change. Forgive me for that. I really do hope you’ll be comfortable during your stay here.”

“That is kind of you. Your apology is unnecessary but accepted. I’m sure our presence in your space was not something you wished for.”

“No, it wasn’t, but the library is meant to be a common area for all.

A place to meet and expand the mind. Meditation and fortu—sorry, deep sight seem right at home here when you think about it.

” I smiled again, just to emphasize how happy I was to have them.

“I’ll leave you to your work. I’m sure you’ll be very busy today. ”

Mhari stepped forward, a curious look in her eyes. “My offer still stands to give you a reading. If you change your mind.”

I made a show of hesitating. “I must admit, I am a little curious.”

Her eyes lit up. “Then by all means, sit with me, and we will see what your future holds.”

“I can’t right now, not when I’m the only one in charge, but I’m done with work at one this afternoon. How about then?”

She nodded. “I will reserve that time for you.”

“I’ll see you then.” I held my smile a little longer, just until I turned and started back to the desk.

I’d done it. Now I just had to get through the reading. But I had a plan for that, too.