Trials of Conviction, page 38
As for Graydon, she didn't even need to ask. He was with her. All the way.
That left Wren and his oshota.
Funnily enough, she had a feeling it was the perfect task for them. Anyone managing to get a ship down there would then need to defend it long enough for Kira and the rest to reach it after rescuing Elena.
The oshota in Wren's pod were all elites. Talented warriors who should be able to hold their own against the Tsavitee for a short period of time.
"Consider it done," Wren said gravely.
Kira was a little surprised. She'd been expecting a fight. In his shoes, she'd want to be part of the team that went in after her granddaughter.
Wren's smile was wry. "Your judgment in this matter is accurate. My pod and I are the best choice for this role. We will secure you transport off the planet and hold it until your arrival."
Kira nodded in relief. "Thank you."
She had no fear of her seon'yer failing her. Wren would die first. He was a demon with his blade so the chances of that happening were small.
Maksym winked at her. "Don't worry, youngest. We do this sort of thing all the time."
Kira shook her head.
"I notice you didn't mention Roake's fleet," Graydon drawled, looking at her playfully.
"Always hold something back. They're my trump card. You heard Aeron. The Tsavitee have spies everywhere in the Consortium and Centcom. It's best not to reveal more than we have to."
Graydon's grin was slow, reminding Kira of how they'd spent the morning. "I do so love this side of you."
"I know." Kira's smirk faded as she looked at Devon and Joule. "You'll be with the drop teams."
She would have preferred to leave them out of this, but she had a feeling they'd be needed. Joule's shields would come in handy during the insertion when the drop ship would be at its most vulnerable.
Devon wasn't one to be left out either. He could act as an extra sword while they were down there.
"Finn and Talon, you'll be in the drop ship with me as well," Kira told them.
Graydon set his chin on his fist and fluttered his eyelashes at Kira in expectation.
She gave him a disgusted look. "Are you really going to make me say it?"
"I'd prefer it, yes."
"Fine," Kira bit out. "Graydon, how would you feel about risking life and limb on a potential suicide mission? I promise it will be chock full of death defying thrills and if we're very unlucky we'll come face-to-face with the monsters of Tuann legend."
"You always give me the sweetest of gifts, coli. It would be my honor to battle at your side in this most deadly of courtships. I wouldn't miss it for anything."
Three hours later Kira stood in the quarters Jace had assigned her on the CSS Reliance, his flagship, her gaze trained on the rogue planet as it retreated in the distance.
A chiming sound came from the J1N.
"There is an incoming call," the drone announced.
Kira leaned her wrist against the window. "Right on time."
"Shall I answer it?"
An angry exhale came from Kira. "Yes."
Pallas's silky tone flooded the room. "Dearest sister, methinks someone isn't where they promised to be."
"Is that so?" Kira asked as Graydon's reflection appeared in the window next to her.
"I thought we had an agreement."
"We did. No more."
"Oh?" Pallas purred.
"Yes."
Graydon's arms came around her, tugging her back into his chest as he held her.
"Don't be foolish, little sister. You know there's nowhere you can go that I won't find you."
"Maybe," Kira agreed. "But I wouldn't recommend you trying. The next time I see you I plan to kill you."
Leaving this way was the last bit of mercy she had to offer her brother. So, she hoped he took her warning seriously.
Because the next time they met, one of them would die.
"You've disabled my ship," Pallas announced a moment later with a mixture of admiration and frustration. "And you're using a Tuann disrupter field like the ones used in their prisons to prevent me from using alternate means of travel. Well done, little sister."
Kira didn't say anything as he seethed.
"This won't keep me forever," he spat.
"No, it won't."
There was a loud crash from Pallas's side. "Why are you doing this?"
"I know you were on Rothchild's moon before the blast."
A defeated sigh came over the line. "Kira."
Kira glared at her reflection, hating the gleam of wet on her cheeks. "Did you kill my friends?"
There was another sigh. "It's not that simple, heasa."
"It is, actually. Very simple."
"Turn off this trap. This isn't the way to do this."
"Did. You. Kill. My. Friends?"
Symbols appeared on Kira's face and arm, her primus struggling to rise by the last word.
Graydon's arms tightened around her, his voice crooning in her ear. "Shh."
"Yes," Pallas admitted.
Kira folded forward, Graydon's grip on her the only thing that kept her from collapsing as an ugly, hurt sound left her throat. "Shut it down, Jin."
"Who?" the J1N asked dumbly.
"Turn it off!" Kira screamed, lunging at the drone.
Graydon stopped her, turning her into his chest as Kira broke down. "I've got you, cheva nier. Let it all out."
Tears clouded her vision as she buried her face in Graydon's chest and let herself grieve.
Elena - Tsavitee Planet
"It's not fair that I have to play pretend while you get to go do all the fun things," Elena grumbled, trailing behind the other children.
She wanted to be out sabotaging Tsavitee weapons systems and creating havoc wherever she wandered. Not chumming it up with a bunch of children who'd made it quite clear how much they disliked her this morning when she reported for training to find a flaw in her gravity harness. If she hadn't spotted the issue, she would have been subjected to gravity harsh enough that the bones in her legs would have snapped.
Assholes. Vicious, conniving assholes.
"Keep up, new girl," Fyr growled from the front of the pack.
"Yeah, yeah," Elena muttered under her breath, jogging to catch up with the rest.
Fyr signaled for the group to exercise caution as they spread out through the subterranean cavern they'd been tasked with exploring today. Elena took her time, putting distance between her and the others so she could carry on her conversation with Uncle Jin without discovery.
"As we've been over already, you're responsible for maintaining our cover," Uncle Jin said patiently. "Your presence will be missed. Mine won't. I'm the obvious choice."
Elena side stepped an obvious trap.
"Damn it," Elena cursed as one foot slipped off the rock, splashing into the shallow pool next to her.
"What's wrong?" Uncle Jin demanded.
"Nothing. I misjudged a step. That's all."
Elena made a face at the feel of cold wetness that was now oozing into her sock through the boot. Walking around in wet footwear was the absolute worst. Nor was their instructor, an unfamiliar general who looked less than thrilled at the thought of babysitting them, likely to let her switch out her boots and socks.
Elena lowered her foot back to the ground, careful about paying more attention to her surroundings this time.
At first glance, the cavern seemed straightforward. The passage they were in was several hundred feet wide with a large number of underground lakes that Elena could tell were much deeper than they appeared. Moss grew on cave walls, entirely covering them in some places.
Tunnels branched off the main system, making this place into a giant maze that would be easy to get lost in.
The occasional oculus, a fancy term for a hole in the ceiling, created pretty shafts of light to illuminate their surroundings.
"You have to be careful," Uncle Jin warned.
"I'm aware."
Taking her frustration out on her uncle wasn't fair, but it was difficult to control her emotions when this was the third time in as many days that he'd left her behind. When he woke up, she thought they'd be a team. The raven and the lu-ong. Besties forever. Combating Tsavitee and taking names. Busting free together. Equal partners. Just like him and Auntie.
So far, though, all she was doing was tagging along after the children while she tried not to die.
The only interesting thing that had happened was the fact they hadn't lost any of the children after the ranking battles. Everyone was still present and accounted for.
"I feel like you're taking all the risks and I'm reaping the rewards," Elena complained. "I want to help too."
"You are helping. You're the face. I'm the brawn."
Elena wandered over to another section of the cavern. "Is that how it works between you and Auntie?"
"Of course, it is. She's played decoy so many times by now that she's an old hand at it."
"Really?"
Elena was only half paying attention as movement across the cavern caught her attention.
"Now I know how Kira feels when I'm being difficult," Uncle Jin muttered under his breath.
"Rude," Elena said distractedly, her eyes on Fyr as he ducked down a shaft that branched off the main cave.
Strange. They'd already been warned about doing that. Something a teacher's pet like him couldn't have forgotten.
"What's wrong?" Uncle Jin asked.
"Nothing." Elena glanced at their instructor for the day to find him watching the yellows battle a slimy-looking creature that possessed a pair of stunted wings folded along its back.
"Then why is your beacon moving toward the area your instructors told you not to go?" Uncle Jin asked.
"I don't know. Must be an error."
"No, Elena. Do not do whatever it is you're thinking," Uncle Jin moaned.
"Too late," Elena said, ducking into the same shaft Fyr had used. "I'm already doing it."
A groan came from her uncle. "This is what I get for not listening to Kira about setting a good example for you."
Elena grinned. "Yup."
She quieted as she squeezed through a narrow passageway, looking around curiously. There were several intriguing rock formations lining the walls. The same luminescent moss outside was in here as well, providing enough light to see by.
"You're a pain in the ass," Uncle Jin griped.
"Of course, I am. Who do you think you raised?" Elena asked as she started down the passageway.
"I should never have taught you how to be so sassy," Uncle Jin grumbled.
No, he shouldn't have. Too late now.
"Just promise me you won't get hurt. Your aunts will murder me if you get so much as a scratch."
"I have faith you'll handle anything they throw your way, Uncle Jin."
Elena stopped to study the passageway, finding it intriguing. It was strange. She couldn't tell if this place was part of the same structure the crèche was housed in or naturally forming.
"Do you think these caves are real?" Elena asked, touching the wall and finding it slightly damp.
The flowstones—sheetlike deposits of minerals—stalagmites and stalactites all suggested as much. However, Elena's sense of direction insisted they weren't below the surface of the planet but simply a few levels down from the crèche. Not nearly deep enough to have entered a natural forming cave.
But why would someone create an illusion like this? It made no sense.
"During the war, there was a theory that the Tsavitee incorporated biologics into some of their weapons and engineering. Most especially on their ships."
"We're not on a ship, though."
They were on a planet. Right?
"I wouldn't be so sure about that," Uncle Jin said as the murmur of voices came from up ahead. "As far as I can tell, this place is basically a giant ship."
Elena stopped. "Are you sure?"
"Yeah."
She cast her mind back, trying to remember how many of these spire structures there had been when Ajix led her in here.
A lot of them.
Elena didn't have time to follow that thought as the sound of voices got louder. She moved carefully, using a formation of rock and mineral twisted into a spiral as cover.
She scanned the cave, finding it empty despite the voices she could hear echoing off the walls around her.
Her gaze landed on a hole in the floor that led to another shaft below. That was where Fyr's voice was coming from.
How did he get down there?
This place really was a maze.
Elena crept carefully toward the edge of the crevasse.
Fyr's voice came from directly under her. "I'm telling you there's something wrong. Elise visited her. You know that woman. She's not someone who would go out of her way without a reason. Not unless that child is important to her or deeply connected to the Phoenix."
There was a long pause.
"I'm inclined to agree with you," Ajix said after some thought.
"Kai saw Elise's visit. The Sye is now suspicious of the girl. What are we going to do? If they realize you had a hand in this, you'll be in danger too," Fyr said.
"More than you know," Ajix rumbled. "I've heard back from our spies. There's something wrong with the girl's background."
"What does that mean?"
"We don't know. The only thing that's clear is that Elise lied to us."
Not good. Not good at all.
"Are you eavesdropping on a general?" Uncle Jin demanded in Elena's ear, making her jump.
Guilt flickered over her face.
"You are!" Uncle Jin exclaimed in outrage. "Elena!"
For once, Elena was grateful she couldn't respond. She knew what she was doing was dangerous. But look—hadn't she learned something important?
"If she really is connected to the Phoenix on more than just a surface level, it could affect our plans," Ajix was saying.
"What do you want me to do?"
"Keep her close. We might be able to use her against the Phoenix later."
"And if Kai discovers her identity is problematic?"
"Throw her to the exalted one’s mercy. They can deal with the Phoenix's wrath."
Elena ignored the kernel of hurt that took root at Fyr's murmured agreement. She held still as they moved away, their voices fading.
Only after a long time had passed did Elena peek below. Seeing she was alone, she lowered herself to sitting, dangling her legs over the edge. "What do we do now, Uncle Jin?"
Her cover was compromised. It was only a matter of time before she was discovered. Either by the generals or Kai.
"For now, we'll stick to the plan and see if we can buy some time. Your aunt's getting close. I can feel her. It won't be long now."
"That's a relief," Elena said, climbing to her feet.
Movement down the passageway she'd come from had her nearly slipping into the crevasse. She caught herself, darting in the opposite direction before squirming into and through a tiny burrow hole to the adjacent passageway.
Several twists and turns later, Elena realized she was hopelessly lost.
"Uh oh."
"Uh oh? What uh oh? What does that mean?"
Elena turned in a circle, finding nothing familiar about the passageway she was in. "I may be a tad lost."
"You’re just like Kira. Always getting into trouble the moment I take my eyes off you."
Elena pursed her lips, battling the urge to thank him for the compliment. Something told her he wouldn't appreciate the sentiment.
"Can you find me a route back to the main cavern that doesn't involve retracing my steps?" Elena asked.
Mostly because she didn't quite remember how she got there. And also because she didn't want to run into whoever had been following her.
"No," Uncle Jin admitted grimly. "You're not on any of the maps my worker bees surveyed."
"Worker bees? Are they part of the spawn army you were talking about?"
"They're a little bit more basic than my spawn. Think of them like mindless drones whose only job it is to help me survey enemy territory," Uncle Jin explained. "Right now, I'm not picking up your bio signal. As far as my scanners are concerned, you're nowhere within a twenty mile radius of me."
Elena fell quiet. The thought of her uncle not being able to track her a horrifying one.
"I think it has something to do with the cavern system," Uncle Jin continued.
"That could be useful to us," Elena said, trying to look on the bright side. "Not right now of course. But later."
In case she needed a place to hide out.
In fact, this was a blessing in disguise. The perfect opportunity for sneaking about. Exactly what she'd been wanting.
Except she hadn't thought she'd be all alone when she did it.
"It's all right, Uncle Jin," Elena said with forced cheer. "I can find my way."
That's right. She was the Raven. Super-agent extraordinaire. Any situation she got herself into; she could get herself out of.
Elena started walking again, trying not to think about what would happen if she never found her way out of this cavern labyrinth.
Starvation would probably get her first. Or maybe not.
That burrow back there had looked like something an animal would create. She shivered as she remembered the creature the other children had encountered in the main cavern.
What if there were more of those wandering around?
She'd have to defend herself. Maybe they could be her new food source. Though cooking them might be a problem as the cave's climate was too damp to start a fire. Which meant she could get intestinal parasites from eating uncooked food.
What a way to go. As a cautionary tale of what happened when you got too curious for your own good.
She doubted she'd be found either. Her body would be left to lay where it fell. Fossilizing in place. All those lessons in badassery cut tragically short due to Elena's inability to navigate a cave system.
The thought was a chilling one that she shook off in favor of concentrating on finding a way out of this mess.
It felt like hours passed before Elena felt a spark of hope. A change in environment that brought a renewed sense of purpose.
