Trials of Conviction, page 21
There was a snicker from the rest of the children.
Elena played dumb, blinking innocently up at the Sye. Go ahead, laugh it up. They'd see who was laughing later.
Ajix appeared in the opening. "Are they ready?"
Kai nodded, striding toward him. The children marched in formation after the Sye, Elena bringing up the rear. Ajix waited for her to pass, falling into step beside her.
"Be careful, young one," he murmured in a voice only meant for her ears. "Today promises to be a very difficult one for you."
What else was new?
Every day since her arrival had brought new challenges she had to overcome. It was really no surprise that this wasn't any different.
"Whatever happened to the woman who arrived with me? I think her name was Elise?" Elena asked, pretending to forget.
Ajix's look of warning was stern. "Focus on your own survival. Fail this ranking battle, and I promise you, you will not like what comes next."
Why was it that every time she turned around in this place, someone was threatening her? Sheesh. No wonder Auntie hated the Tsavitee. They were so dramatic all the time.
Fourteen
Kira - Above Rothchild
The ruins of Rothchild's moon drifted into focus, giving those on the bridge of Pallas's ship their first glimpse of what happened when you blasted just under ten percent of a moon's mass into space.
A huge chunk had been taken out of its upper half. The crater that had been left behind was so big that it permanently altered the moon's shape, leaving it malformed.
The explosion that saved the planet from invasion had contained enough force to knock the moon off its former orbit, pushing it closer to the planet itself. A consequence of this was a shift in Rothchild's magnetic field which had yet to fully stabilize.
It made navigating on the surface difficult. Instruments were notoriously unreliable post moon blast.
The planet's inhabitants had adapted but those visiting were often caught unawares. It was why only experienced pilots now tried to land on the surface. Without the help of their ship’s navigation, they'd be flying blind.
Lathan moved closer to the window. "How did you survive that?"
Wonder tinged with disbelief was in his expression as he looked at Kira. Like he thought her survival was a miracle so unexpected it should have been impossible.
Kira agreed.
No one should have walked away from that. Particularly her.
Yet she had.
Video of the incident, taken from those ships nearby and the planet below, showed a bright flash coinciding with the moon's eruption. Her burst. It was likely what saved her life.
Too bad it hadn't saved Elise and the Curs as well. Or the CSS Vega.
That was what tortured Kira some nights. The thought that she could have saved them if only she'd been better. More skilled.
Pallas’s expression was inscrutable as he flew the ship. "I never figured you for a masochist."
Kira flicked a glance at him. Since his declaration regarding the forty three, they hadn't really talked. He'd shut her out immediately afterward, treating her to an icy silence that she wasn't sure she wanted to breech.
There was a chance that this was all a mind game Pallas was playing for some unknown reason. He did have a history.
Something told her he wasn't lying though. That every word had been the truth as he understood it.
Pallas tilted his head at the window and the planet below. "What down there is so important that you'd be willing to come back here?"
The lenacht perched on Pallas's shoulder lifted its head, looking at her as if it was wondering about that too.
"Just get us down there, Pallas. That's all you have to do."
Pallas's eyes narrowed. "What are you hiding from me?"
Kira's face was hard as she faced him. "I agreed to let you tag along. Nothing was said about me having to answer your questions."
The moments slipped by as Pallas examined her. It wasn't until the lenacht chirped and butted its head against his cheek that he relented.
"Have it your way then," Pallas drawled, turning back to the ship's controls.
Kira didn't listen to him, occupied with staring out the window at the moon.
Twelve years. Twelve long, agonizing years.
That's how long it had been since she'd stood on a ship much bigger than this one with Rothchild and its moon glistening orbs below. The last time she was here her life had been knocked off course and her happiness stolen.
How fitting then that the place that had taken everything from her was now the thing that would give it back.
Graydon joined her, his hand brushing hers in a soft caress. "Have you been back since it happened?"
While he waited for her response, Graydon entangled his fingers with hers. An anchor holding her to the here and now.
Kira released a silent breath, shaking away the sad memories.
"Jin ensured we avoided this section of the galaxy."
It wasn't something they'd ever talked about, but Kira knew he was the reason she'd never received any salvaging missions for the Tsavitee fleet the moon's blast had destroyed. Just one of the many ways he'd taken care of Kira over the years. Sometimes subtly. Other times more obviously.
Seeing the concern in Graydon's gaze, Kira understood what he was really asking.
She offered him a tiny smile. "I won't lie and say I'm okay. Being here—" Her gaze wandered to the window. "It's a reminder."
But maybe that wasn't such a bad thing. Kira had tried to forget. To run and not look back.
It hadn't helped.
Sometimes to heal, you had to lance the wound and drain away the pus infecting it.
When she'd decided to block everything from that time period, to wall it up so she didn't have to deal with the emotional aftermath, she'd also locked away all the good things too.
The little things. Like the way Commander Berry would always hide whenever his XO was on the warpath over the crew burning through their supplies too quick. Or how Walker had a stupid rivalry with Bates over pretty much everything. It had always driven her crazy, but Jin loved it. She was pretty sure he was the instigator behind some of those incidents.
Yes, being here was painful. But it no longer felt so overwhelming.
"Any word from Raider or Wren?" Kira asked in a low voice.
Graydon shook his head. "No, and I'd know if they were in the system."
Kira glanced at his forearm where the comms for his synth armor were located.
"I do not like this. They should have beaten us here," Kira said.
With the detour Pallas had forced on her, she'd expected the Wanderer to be waiting for their arrival. Either in orbit around the planet or already on the surface.
To now hear that they weren't even in the solar system was worrying. She had a nasty feeling in the pit of her stomach that usually heralded trouble.
"What about the rest of your pod?" Kira asked, referencing the group of oshota who served Graydon. "I know you ordered them to follow at a distance."
An approving gleam entered Graydon's eyes. "You know me too well."
"Hardly." Kira smirked. "It's just what I would have done if the situation were reversed."
Graydon moved closer, his voice lowering to a seductive rumble. "Maybe that's why we work so well together—we're the same."
"Oh yes. You do seem like the type prone to reckless behavior such as prison breaks involving your people's sworn enemies. Followed by a virtual suicide mission accompanied by the biggest psycho you know." Kira made a show of looking Graydon up and down. "I always thought there was a rebel inside of there somewhere."
Graydon's smile was slow. Wicked as heat entered his eyes.
Kira swallowed as his gaze dropped to her lips, all too aware of their audience. Even if Pallas and Lathan weren't paying any attention to them as they concentrated on preparing the ship for its descent to the planet.
Just the fact that they were present in the room made the tension between Kira and Graydon reach a boiling point.
Especially when Graydon used his grip on her hand to reel her in closer, lifting his other to brush a finger across her cheekbone. The look on his face so incredibly gentle. "For you—I'm willing to be whatever you need. Pirate. Wanderer. Rebel Tuann. You name it."
Kira swallowed hard.
Graydon rested his forehead against hers. "You hold onto that when we're down there."
"I will," she whispered.
"If you're done, I suggest you get strapped in. We'll be landing soon. It's bound to be a bumpy one,” Pallas said.
Kira drew away from Graydon, her gaze moving to the lenacht still sprawled across Pallas's shoulders like an intricate scarf.
"Problem?" Pallas asked. He didn’t look in Kira's direction, just focused on flying the ship.
"I'm still trying to decide," Kira said as the lenacht slipped off Pallas's shoulders and into his lap where it curled up to sleep.
Pallas finally looked at her. "Well when you do, be sure to let me know."
Kira read the hard look on his face that seemed to warn her away from this avenue of questioning.
"I'll be sure to do that," she said before taking her leave.
Graydon waited until they were off the bridge to shoot her a look. "What was that about?"
Kira shook her head. "I'm not sure."
The only thing she knew was that the forty three were up to something. And the lenacht was involved in their schemes somehow.
Elena - Tsavitee Planet
Elena and the rest of the children marched into a mammoth room that seemed to run throughout the heart of the spire. She craned her head back, looking up and up to the ceiling far, far above.
Wide stairs on the opposite end of the structure waited, leading to a platform several hundred feet up.
Unerringly, Kai headed toward them.
No one said anything as they reached the stairs and ascended as a unit.
Elena counted—there were a hundred steps to the first landing. Then seven more landings after that.
Overlooking them was a tall window the height of the space. Its immense weight supported by the ornate buttresses that intersected in the center. Light splayed over the steps, tinging everything with an orange glow from the stained glass.
"Eyes down," Ajix ordered.
Elena obeyed, trusting him to know the best way for her to blend in.
They reached the last landing, stepping onto a wide circular platform covered in the same sand found in the crèche's rock garden. Off to the side, there were several elevated private boxes above, like those you might see in a theater.
Elena cast a furtive look in their direction. The privacy barrier they had in place made it impossible to catch a glimpse of those sitting inside. Though they were definitely occupied. That much she could tell.
Kai stopped in the center of the platform, facing the children. "Today, you will prove your skills. Who is first?"
The children exchanged glances before looking as one in Elena's direction.
Evidently, they’d decided to target the outsider. After all, this was why they'd ostracized her for the past few days. For this moment. So they wouldn't feel guilty when they threw her to the wolves.
Kai beckoned her. "Front and center."
Elena pushed her way through the formation, making her way to Kai's side.
"Do I have a challenger?" Kai asked as Elena faced the rest.
Fyr stepped forward, meeting Elena's gaze with a flat one of his own. "I'll do it."
As expected.
The question was whether he would try to knock her unconscious or incapacitate her in some way. A broken arm? Maybe a leg? Either would take her out of the running and drop her to the back of the pack.
As Kai had said—any weaklings would be cast aside.
They probably thought it was better for that to happen to her rather than one of them.
Elena kept her gaze trained on Fyr as he made his way over to her.
Don't get injured. Don't stand out too much. And don't make it obvious you threw the fight.
So many rules. The fight hadn't even started and she was already exhausted.
"Our exalted ones have let me know this will be a special ranking battle," Kai declared as Fyr faced off with Elena. "They plan to choose an offering from among you. A lucky someone whose contribution to our gods' work will further the Tsavitee's dominance on this universe. I wish you well. Remember—the horde has no place for trash."
Offering? Wow. What a nice word for sacrifice.
Fyr's grip tightened on his staff as his gaze turned unfriendly.
A hush fell over the children. The silence stifling.
Normal children wouldn't be this quiet before a fight. The children Elena knew would be heckling the fighters and placing bets on the winner. Maybe yelling an encouragement or two. Not watching like soulless robots.
"Begin," Kai ordered before Elena finished moving into a defensive crouch.
Fyr struck, lunging forward without warning.
Elena barely whipped her staff up to protect her head in time. An ache immediately rose in her wrist and hands as the force behind the blow transferred through the staff.
"Someone's eager," Elena snarled.
If that blow had connected, it would have damaged her skull. Forget something as cute and minor as a concussion. Her face would have needed re-constructive surgery.
Elena parried, shoving him back a step to create a little space.
Fyr circled her. She moved with him, determined not to let him catch her off guard again.
He feinted with his staff, trying to draw Elena out to assess her abilities.
Elena didn't fall for it, hunkering down in an attempt to give away as little as possible. She analyzed her opponent, doing the same thing he was. Trying to find a weakness she could exploit.
The problem was that he was good. As fast as Tommy but lacking Aunt Kira's cunning and power.
Fyr attacked again, going from absolute stillness to lethal motion in a split second.
Elena fell for his trap, moving to block his strike to her head only for him to change target at the last second and aim for her leg. She deflected just a beat too slow, redirecting some of the force away to reduce the blow from bone breaking to something a little less painful.
Not by much though, she thought with a grimace as her leg threatened to buckle.
Elena limped backward out of reach, the muscle protesting in a way Elena knew meant it was already bruising.
Careless, El, Elena scolded. Auntie would have made you do extra training for being so reckless.
"What's the matter, new girl?" Fyr rumbled, speaking for the first time since the fight had begun. "No longer think this is a game?"
Elena gave him her crazy smile. The one she'd practiced in the mirror after seeing it on Aunt Kira's face a time or two. Usually directly before Auntie did something that left the people around her shaking their heads in disbelief.
"The joke is on you. The moment this is no longer fun is the instant you lose."
And that time was fast approaching.
Elena blocked Fyr's next attack. And the one after that.
Fyr re-doubled his attacks until the sound of their staffs banging against each other reverberated through the room.
The arrogance on Fyr's face pissed Elena off. The assumption that he'd automatically win.
All the frustration and fear she'd buried since her arrival bled into the fight, giving her strength as she returned his blows with decisive ones of her own.
Satisfaction filled her when one of her strikes snuck under his guard.
Take that. Who is the easy mark now?
Elena blocked his next head strike. He followed it up with a blow to her torso. Also blocked.
She leaned back almost parallel to the floor to avoid his staff to her face.
She recovered her balance a second later. "You asshole. Were you trying to disfigure me?"
Wreck the adorable features that had convinced Auntie to go against her better judgment on more than one occasion?
She bet that was exactly what he was doing. It wasn't the first time either. From the very beginning, he seemed to be gunning for it.
Elena didn't stop to think, attacking Fyr straight on. Anger gave her energy as she rained blow-after-blow on him. Not giving him time to attack. Only defend.
She scrutinized the play of his muscles. His reflexes. The way he responded if she were to do this. Or that.
All the while looking for an opening.
Not to take it. Honest.
She just wanted to prove to herself she could end this if she wanted to.
Elena evaded an attempt to hook the top of his staff around hers in an effort to disarm her.
Instead, she closed the distance, head butting him in the chin.
He stumbled back with a grunt.
An opening.
The surprise on his stupid face made bad habits rear their ugly head. The impulsiveness that so often led her into trouble whispered that she could take it.
One strike and the win would be hers.
Her hands clenched around the staff as the opening started to close. It was now or never. Already, his body was shifting, turning to meet her follow up attack.
Do it, El. He'd do the same to you.
Fyr read her intentions a second before Elena lunged. His staff came up.
She was going to be faster, Elena realized with excitement.
A butterfly sensation brushed across her mind. Easily ignored as she focused on the win.
The lu-ong spawn wrapped around her bicep shifted.
A second later Uncle Jin's groggy voice sounded in her ear. "Where are we?"
Elena stumbled. "Uncle!"
She forgot the fight for a split second. By the time she realized her mistake, Fyr's staff loomed large in her vision.
Uncle Jin's scream sounded in her ear as something seized control of her ki. Either instinct in response to severe danger, Uncle Jin, or some combination of both.
All she knew was that it flooded her veins, a tiny bit leaking into the air around her head.
An instant later, Fyr's staff collided with her skull.
