Facets of Revolution, page 23
Kira hooked one arm over the back of her chair as she made herself more comfortable. “So glad you liked it.”
Further evidence that Selene, and likely the rest of the forty-three, had a familiarity with Tuann society that surpassed her own.
“Don’t look at me like that, dear sister.” Selene set the glass on the table in front of Kira. “I’ll think you’re angry with me.”
Kira tapped her finger against her thumb, telling herself that anger would get her nowhere with Selene or the others. It never had.
Still, Kira couldn’t resist a small jab. “I wonder what reason I would have for that.”
Maybe the fact they’d left her twisting in the wind when a simple warning the Tuann existed might have led her to make different choices.
But no, they’d kept that tidbit to themselves.
Rather than dwell, Kira chose to focus on something different as she nodded toward the two oshota, a man and a woman, waiting a short distance away from them.
Selene’s escort.
“You brought friends.”
There was a faint expression of discontent as Selene glanced at the two. “It was unavoidable.”
Kira considered Finn’s expression, more familiar with that sentiment than she’d like to admit. Her oshota looked like it was taking every ounce of his willpower to not spring across the room to save her from Selene and her escorts.
“As I’m sure you understand,” Selene added, seeing the same thing Kira did.
“I never warranted two oshota, though. Should I take the fact you did as an insult or be gratified that I escaped that level of scrutiny?”
“The Tuann likely learned their lesson from trying to deal with you.” Selene flashed Kira an impish smile. “Alexander and I are paying the price.”
Kira’s flat look said she didn’t find the other amusing.
A faint trace of laughter lingered in Selene’s expression as she tilted her head at the city outside. “Shall we take a walk?”
A transparent box formed around Finn and the other two oshota. One Kira knew from experience was virtually impenetrable until the ki sustaining it faded.
“Alone, if you would,” Selene added.
Fury showed on Finn’s face as he hammered a fist into what was essentially a ki shield like the one Joule used—only ten times stronger and more durable.
When that didn’t work, Finn unsheathed his en-blade, slicing at the box of pure ki.
Selene’s escorts were frozen in place, their faces showing an almost comical amount of surprise. As if they couldn’t fathom how the poor, untrained Selene had managed to trap them.
“Release them,” Kira ordered
“Are you sure about that?” Selene asked with a composed look. “I don’t think this conversation is one you want overheard.”
From that, Kira understood that Selene didn’t plan to budge. This was her way of laying out Kira’s choices—agree to go along with Selene or risk not having this conversation at all.
There was an apology in Kira’s eyes as she glanced at Finn. Disbelief showed on his face as he swore, most of the words not ones Kira had learned yet.
She stood and crossed to the bar where Talon waited. “If you could, take care of him for me when he finally manages to escape.”
It might take a little bit of time, but she had no doubt he would.
“Are you sure you wouldn’t like my help?” Talon asked.
One of his hands rested on the bar while the other waited out of sight. It didn’t take a genius to know he had a weapon stashed somewhere. There was a readiness in his stance that suggested he’d be up and over this counter in the blink of an eye.
“Do you think you could take her? She’s pretty dangerous,” Kira asked, unable to help her curiosity.
Talon bared his teeth in a fierce smile, not taking his glare off Selene. “So am I.”
Kira glanced in Selene’s direction, noting the other’s poise. You’d never know from looking at her that she’d managed to put three elite oshota out of commission with little effort.
A part of Kira was interested to see how Talon would fare against her friend—but then she wouldn’t get that information she needed.
“I’ll be fine on my own,” Kira pushed away from the bar to pause in front of Finn. “Sorry about this.”
His incredulous expression asked if she was really going to be this stupid.
The answer was yes. She really was.
“Come find me when you’re out,” Kira instructed before ambling toward where Selene waited in front of the pair of glass doors that led onto a patio and a set of stairs descending to the city below. “Let’s get this over with.”
The two were quiet as they crossed to the stone steps and started down.
The Sirav Rytil was located on a small hill, the fortress less than a quarter mile behind them. It left most of the city to their front.
“Did you know?” Kira asked as they wound their way toward the streets below.
The stairs were uneven and old. Moss grew between the cracks while wildflowers bloomed along one side.
“You will have to be more specific, little sister. I know many things.”
Fine. If she wanted to play games, Kira would humor her.
“Did you know about Elise?”
That she was working with the Tsavitee. That by doing so she was betraying everything they’d fought for. That she’d voluntarily abandoned Elena and Raider—and Kira.
Sadness showed in Selene’s face.
Kira’s heart clenched. “You did.” They must have all known. “This is why none of you would help.”
When she’d been so certain they would.
Elise was different than Kira; she was one of them. It was why their decision to leave Elise to her fate never made sense to Kira.
Until now.
Of course, they would’ve refused. Kira would have too if she’d been in their position.
“We suspected.” Selene’s admission was the last nail in the coffin. The final cut that snapped the frail tendril of hope Kira had hung onto until now.
Kira slowed and then stopped as Selene continued downward. She stared at the distant horizon feeling numb.
“How?”
How did they see what she missed?
Selene reached the bottom of the stairs and stopped to look up at Kira.
“Because of this.” She tapped the side of her head with a sad smile. “After our escape, we made a pact never to allow ourselves to fall into the hands of our former masters.”
fifteen
They’d implanted kill switches into their brains to prevent them from falling into their former masters’ hands, Kira realized with horror.
It was a shocking revelation. Yet not truly since Kira had considered a similar method. A tiny poison capsule that would render her lifeless in seconds.
She’d never used it. No matter how dire the situation she’d chosen to hold on and continue, trusting she’d find her way out in the end.
But simply knowing she had that “out” was a comfort.
Silence descended after Selene’s confession. They strolled through the city streets. Past charming stone houses and through alleys, some of which were so narrow it was a squeeze to fit side by side.
They reached a main street, turning toward a wide-open plaza in the distance guarded by a ten-foot-tall statue of a Tuann woman. She wore a long flowing dress and held a spear. Her eyes seemed to follow them as they passed, entering the plaza where dozens of Tuann milled.
A tree covered in tiny white flowers grew in the center of the cobblestone space. A beautiful focal point against the gray of the sky.
The breeze picked up, rustling the branches.
“You could have warned me,” Kira complained, giving Selene a sidelong look. “A ‘Hey, just so you know, Elise let them capture her on purpose. We don’t know why, but we’re pretty sure she’s working an angle.’”
Kira wasn’t so naïve as to think that knowledge would have given her complete respite from the overwhelming guilt she’d felt at surviving Rothchild, but it might have taken the edge off.
Maybe reduced it from a ten to a nine point nine.
Kira was distracted from Selene’s response as a clump of Tuann caught her attention. Somehow, in the few hours since she’d last seen them, Joule, Ziva, and Elena had found their way out of the fortress and into the city.
Kira frowned, locating Auralyn posted under the branches of the tree a second later. Her arms folded as she frowned at the group across from the three. “What are they doing here?”
Heckling started as the tall Tuann across from Joule gave him a cocky smile.
Kira picked up her pace, not liking the look of that expression. Bad things happened when people were that cocky. Usually to them because she made them happen.
Joule’s eyes spat fire as he held onto his temper. He and Elena stood slightly in front of Ziva; their stances protective. Behind them, Ziva’s expression was set and guarded. The clenched fists at her side telling Kira that whatever the other group was saying it wasn’t nice.
Kira’s eyes narrowed.
Was this bullying she was seeing? Were these Tuann really so stupid that they thought they could get away with picking on her chickadees?
Kira started to stalk forward when Selene’s touch at her wrist brought her to a halt.
“You cannot intervene,” Selene warned her.
“Pretty sure I can.”
The Tuann in front of her three didn’t look so tough. Teaching them a lesson would be a matter of moments and require little effort on Kira’s part.
“We are being watched.” Selene’s gaze flicked up and to the left.
Kira held herself still, taking her time as she tried not to be too obvious as she scanned the surrounding area.
Kira found in seconds what she would’ve missed if not for Selene.
Oshota wearing a style of synth armor Kira didn’t recognize surrounded a man at their center whose attention was locked on her. The group was arranged on one of the balconies overlooking the plaza.
“You cannot give them a weakness to exploit later,” Selene advised.
“Too late.”
They’d already clocked her and her reaction to the impending situation.
They’d know what Joule and the other two meant to her. They’d realize if they wanted to hurt her the best way would be through them.
Rooky mistake, Kira. Especially when you’ve been so careful all this time.
If this was a test, she’d failed. Might as well do what she wanted at this point.
“You will not help him by fighting his battles for him. He must do this for himself. Otherwise, you’ll hinder the person he will grow into.” Selene’s grip tightened on Kira’s wrist. “Intervene now and he’ll carry the stigma for the rest of your life.”
As if to reinforce Selene’s statement, Auralyn shifted. Once she had Kira’s attention, she shook her head with a warning in her eyes.
Fine. They won.
Still, Kira made a mental note of their dress and faces for later. Maybe she couldn’t do anything right this second, but that wouldn’t always be the case.
She was nothing if not patient when it came to revenge.
Kira shook free of Selene’s hand. “I won’t do anything. I promise.”
Selene’s relief was short lived as Kira drifted toward Joule and the rest.
“Where are you going?” Selene asked.
“You said not to interfere but nothing about watching.”
If she couldn’t protect Joule, the least she could do was provide moral support.
Ziva glanced Kira’s way, her small face brightening with hope. Kira gave her a wink as she joined the crowd that had congregated to watch the show just as the tallest of those present gave Joule a shove.
“I am Notus, a member of House Votair. Know your place, son of a fallen House.”
Joule barely budged; his face remarkably calm as the man’s companions jeered.
“Show him his insignificance, Notus,” one of the Tuann with the other said.
“It might be wiser to move on,” Selene murmured in a low voice at Kira’s shoulder.
“I’m staying. End of story.”
“This will be agonizing for you—watching but unable to act.”
Yes, it would.
But Kira was going to do it anyway.
In front of them, Joule took a step forward, lifting his face to stare up at the tall man as he invaded the other’s space. “I know my place, and it’s not for the likes of you to decide.”
Would you look at that. Joule had grown a few teeth in the time since Kira had known him.
She was so proud.
It was like watching a child take their first steps. If those steps led them to making monumentally bad decisions that involved challenging someone much older and better trained than them.
She should really advise him not to learn from her.
“Promise you won’t interfere even if it looks like he’ll lose,” Selene urged, distracting Kira from the brewing tension.
She was tempted to ignore Selene’s nagging. Only, Selene wouldn’t go away that easily.
“You have my word that I won’t step forward unless I think he’s in actual physical danger.”
That was as far as Kira was willing to go.
“You don’t have to worry about that. They won’t let it go that far.” Selene nodded at Auralyn and then several other oshota who’d appeared in the crowd.
Their expressions were attentive as they watched the confrontation. From their postures, Kira could tell they were prepared to stop the fight if things went too far.
“Tuann society is so weird,” Kira muttered with a bit of disgust.
It was obvious the group facing Joule were all much older than him, but because of some archaic rule that those who’d passed their adva ka couldn’t interfere in the duels of those who hadn’t, no one would intercede on his behalf.
The complete ridiculousness of it made Kira want to kick something. “This fucking sucks.”
Amusement touched Selene’s face as she looked at Kira out of the corner of her eye. “Would you still be saying that if you were over there and not here?”
Kira gave Selene a sulky look. She really hated it when the other was right. “Yeah. Yeah. You know me so well.”
Kira looked over to find Elena’s eyes trained on her, a small frown on her face.
Elena’s mouth opened to call Kira’s name before she thought better of it. She pressed her lips together and darted a quick glance in Auralyn’s direction.
Smart girl.
But then she always had been. She was like her mother in that way.
Kira dropped one arm, giving Elena a hand sign that meant “I am here.”
Useless, at the moment, but she had hopes that wouldn’t always be the case.
There was a renewed sense of confidence in Elena’s expression as she focused on Joule’s confronters. Her eyes contained a brightness that had been lacking before.
She seemed almost perky as she waited for the others to make their first move. Anticipation showed on her face as she squared off with the Tuann from the opposing House, a similar cocky smile to that of the other side’s leader playing on her lips.
“I find your arrogance offensive.” Notus slapped a challenge coin against Joule’s chest. “Someone needs to teach you how the world works.”
Joule caught the engraved piece of metal before it could fall. “Someone already has and she’s far more qualified a teacher than you.”
Selene shifted closer to Kira as the crowd around Joule and the other moved back, giving the two space. “I think he means you.”
Kira didn’t respond as she studied Joule’s opponent. Notus appeared unarmed but such things were always deceiving with the Tuann.
“He’s issued a challenge that relies on pitting their soul’s breath against each other. Weapons won’t be allowed,” Selene informed Kira. “I’m guessing his is one of the more combative types. Your friend may be in some trouble since he’s a shielder.”
“I think he might surprise you.”
He would surprise them all.
A circle formed around Joule and the man as the crowd debated who would win.
“Kick his ass, Joule!” Ziva shouted.
His opponent focused on the girl. “Little one, confidence is admirable but too much makes you look foolish.”
Ziva glared at the man with a fierce look that was surprisingly at home on her young face.
Joule made a quick gesture. Ki exploded out of him, his hands quickly shaping it to the form he desired before thrusting it outward. It rushed in a narrow line at his opponent, striking him in the chest with enough force to knock him off his feet.
The crowd went silent.
Selene gave Kira a considering look that Kira ignored.
Joule dropped his hands as the other Tuann lifted onto his elbows.
“That’s something my mentor taught me,” Joule said with the faintest trace of gloating. “Never lower your guard when an enemy is in front of you. It’s too bad you never learned that lesson or else you might have won.”
Ziva let out a war cry as she slammed her hands together. “House Maxiim! House Maxiim!”
Joule’s expression showed nothing but calm as his opponent scrambled to his feet.
Notus’s face was a mask of fury as ki built around his hands. The air warped.
The oshota in the surrounding crowd started forward.
Joule didn’t wait.
He dashed forward, closing the distance before the other could finish constructing his ki. Taking advantage of his opponent’s momentary inability to move, Joule sunk his fist into the man’s stomach.
Breath exploded from Notus as he bent over. The ki he’d been accumulating burst out in a violent eruption that passed harmlessly over Joule’s shield.
As soon as the wave finished, Joule followed his punch with an upper cut to the man’s chin.
The man’s legs went limp, spilling him to the ground.
Kira pumped her fist covertly. “Yes!”
That was how he should do it.
Joule’s face was cold as he ran his gaze over the other man’s prone body, disgust curling his lip. “That’s another thing she taught me. Never wait when you could do.”
