Facets of Revolution, page 40
Despite the confident way he said that Kira couldn’t shake her doubt. He’d said one thing. That meant there were other things he worried about in relation to her and the adva ka.
Seeing her uncertainty, Graydon gave her a crooked smile. “Since I’ve taken the role of guide, I felt I should act like one.”
Graydon didn’t let her put distance between them, using his grip on her hand to draw her in front of him. He turned Kira to face the pools before embracing her from behind.
Kira let him, finding comfort in the warmth of his arms around her. The feel of his body behind hers.
“Beyond that point lays something that may be in need of your help,” Graydon said into her ear.
Desire tried to rise at the sensation of his breath whispering across her skin. A passion she’d thought they already sated.
“My hope is that you will answer its call if the need arises.”
Kira stilled.
She leaned forward, moving her head so she could glance up at him. “This is why you came.”
He dipped his chin in acknowledgement.
“What is it?” Kira asked, curiosity getting the better of her.
“I can’t tell you that.” His arms tightened at her glare. “It is one of the most closely guarded secrets of our race. If you are called, you will know then.”
Kira didn’t know if she liked that answer.
“It has something to do with the Mea’Ave,“ she said, watching his expression for clues.
To her disappointment, there were none.
Very well then. He could keep his secrets.
“If there is something I need to do, I will do it,” Kira promised him.
If it was this important to him, there was nothing she could do but listen and wait.
Graydon’s arms squeezed her in silent gratitude as they went back to watching the eerily beautiful sight.
They hadn’t been standing there long when the scrape of a shoe on the path behind them announced the fact they were no longer alone.
“Speak,” Graydon ordered.
“There is an issue,” Amila said.
Kira peeked around Graydon’s shoulder to nod a greeting at the oshota.
Amila sent her a gentle smile before focusing on Graydon. “There has been a break in at the prison.”
Tension invaded Graydon’s body.
“A prisoner escaped,” Amila continued, answering the question they could all feel hovering in the air.
“Don’t tell me,” Kira started.
“It was the general Roake captured during the uhva na,“ Amila confirmed.
Damn it. Kira had been afraid of that.
Graydon’s arms fell from Kira, the peaceful moment ruined at the unexpected intrusion of reality.
“I will go with you,” Kira told Graydon.
Aeron and everything to do with him was of concern to Kira. Particularly now that his allies had managed to break him out of a prison so secret that only a very few knew the location of it. A prison that until today had likely never seen an escape.
Graydon denied her with a shake of his head. “You cannot. Should you leave the adva ka, you will be considered to have withdrawn.”
It was on the tip of Kira’s tongue to tell him she didn’t care. Her main goal had been accomplished anyway.
The biggest thing stopping her was the certainty that Aeron’s escape wouldn’t be the end of things.
It could very well be that this was a feint designed to draw Kira’s attention away from the real plan.
The Tsavitee had employed such tactics many times before.
As Kira wavered, Graydon leaned forward to press a soft kiss on her forehead. “I need you here.”
It was a reminder of the conversation they’d just had regarding the mysterious something that might require her help.
Kira’s shoulders slumped in defeat. How could she argue when Graydon so rarely asked for anything?
She couldn’t.
Seeing her answer, Graydon withdrew, stepping away from Kira. “Let’s go.”
He swept away, Amila sending Kira a respectful nod before following Graydon.
It left Kira standing alone on the edge of the maze of pools. A solitary silhouette as she turned back to the view, hoping she hadn’t made the wrong choice in staying behind.
Aeron’s former cell was little more than a smoking hole by the time Graydon reached the prison. The person in question having long since disappeared.
Despite what he knew Kira assumed, the prison wasn’t located on a far-flung outpost halfway across the galaxy. Rather it was based much closer than that.
On Ta Sa’Riel, in fact.
Not everything he’d told her had been the entire truth. He could have made an exception for her to leave the inner sanctum of the adva ka. Such allowances, though rare, had been made in the past.
He’d decided against it for a couple of reasons.
Kira wasn’t the most logical when it came to a certain person. Emotion clogged her normally good judgment.
Before he brought her into this, Graydon wanted confirmation.
It was selfish of him, but he couldn’t help his desire to protect her. Kira would resent his interference when she learned of it, but he could live with that.
Seeing the pain and sadness that came with disappointment was far worse of a price to pay.
“What did the witnesses have to say?” Graydon asked, not taking his eyes off the ruin of the cell.
Five guards had been injured in the escape. Five of their most elite warriors. Men and women Graydon trusted to do their duty at all costs. Two of whom now clung to life while their healers did their best.
“There was a woman and two others,” Amila answered from behind Graydon.
“Is it her?”
Amila’s reluctance to answer was palpable. “She appears to fit the description I was given.”
Graydon exhaled a long sigh. “So, it’s Elise.”
This was a disaster.
If any of the guards died, it would be a bigger one.
Whoever did this would answer for their crimes. Whether that was Elise or someone else.
This was an attack on the emperor’s authority. There would be consequences.
It was a big part of why Graydon had asked Kira to remain behind. He couldn’t be sure she’d be able to accept what needed to be done.
He’d need to break the news to her carefully if it really was Elise responsible.
“How did they find this place?” Solal asked. “No one but the emperor’s people know where it is.”
Graydon felt the inquisitor’s presence before the man spoke.
“This is why I advised the emperor’s Justice not to allow you and Roake’s heir to interrogate the prisoner.” Jarek swept a cold gaze over the wreckage of the cell, his lips twisting at the sight of the damage. “She should never have been given access to this site.”
Graydon faced him. “Jarek. You made good time. I wasn’t expecting to see such a high-ranking representative of the emperor’s Justice in a place like this.”
Jarek’s look of embarrassment almost made the irritation of his presence worth it.
As an inquisitor, Jarek would have been within his rights to send a subordinate. The fact he’d come in person showed his fall in status.
Graydon quirked his lips in an expression Kira would have called insufferably arrogant. “As to your statement, I can say with confidence that Kira never stepped foot into this prison and has no knowledge of its location. All contact was conducted via a melding. She never saw the outside nor did she know it was on Ta Sa’Riel. I made sure of that myself.”
For exactly the reason he was standing here now.
He wanted no doubt cast on the question of her innocence if Aeron ever escaped.
His foresight was one of the reasons he’d managed to survive so long as the emperor’s Face. A position that made him a target.
“Her toy has proven quite resourceful in the past,” Jarek pointed out. “It is possible he found a way to follow your signal.”
Graydon’s eyes narrowed the faintest bit as he wiped away any trace of annoyance. “The J1N is composed of human technology. Do you actually think they are capable of such a feat?”
“Humans have surprised us in the past. Recently at that. It is possible they are working with an outside party.”
Jarek’s perceptiveness and creative thinking would be impressive if not for how rigid he was in his beliefs.
Jin was exactly what he’d claimed. A soul bound.
Moreover, he really was working with a third party. The mysterious figure Kira had carefully not introduced Graydon to.
There was also the fact that Graydon suspected Kira and Jin had modified the original drone his soul had been attached to.
None of which Graydon could allow Jarek to discover. Not if he wanted to protect Kira and her soul bound.
“Inquisitor,” Graydon said sharply. Once he had Jarek’s full attention, Graydon gave him an insincere smile. “I believe the emperor’s Justice already had this discussion with you. I will personally report your actions if you continue to pursue this topic.”
The way the skin around Jarek’s eyes tightened said the other man heard and understood Graydon’s warning.
Good.
Graydon hoped he would listen.
It would be a pity if he had to kill the other man because he threatened that which Graydon held dear.
twenty-six
“Kira!”
Jin’s shouting interrupted Kira’s quiet contemplation, her thoughts on Aeron’s escape and what that could mean for her plans.
Aeron now knew of Odin. There was no taking that back.
There was a general running around with knowledge that Kira was working with a Sye who was doing everything in their power to find and locate the Tsavitee home worlds.
As a clusterfuck, this was a doozy.
“Kira!”
Hearing her name being shouted, Kira turned to find Jin’s spawn slithering down the stone path she and Graydon had taken.
Finn followed quickly in his wake.
His gaze shot over Kira’s shoulder, his expression darkening at finding no one standing beside her. “Where is the emperor’s Face?”
Kira shrugged. “He had something to take care of.”
Finn’s jaw flexed. “And your observer? Did he have something to take care of too?”
Kira stayed quiet, knowing anything she said would most likely make the situation worse.
“Chastise her for being without protection later. We don’t have time for this now.” Jin’s lu-ong came to a stop in front of Kira’s boots. “We have a situation.”
Finn aimed an unhappy look at the spawn. “You are causing unnecessary drama. This doesn’t require her interference.”
“You keep saying that,” Jin snarled. “I disagree and as the one with the most history with Kira it’s my decision.”
If anything was guaranteed to spark Kira’s curiosity, it would be Finn’s hesitation.
“Don’t keep me in suspense,” Kira ordered.
“You know that plan you had me come up with?”
Kira’s body tightened.
“I think it’s time we implement it.”
Those fools.
“Joule.”
The lu-ong nodded. “Yeah. Joule.”
Wrath kindled in Kira’s gut, burning slow and hot. It wasn’t the type of anger that bubbled up like a volcano, splashing everyone in the vicinity.
No, this emotion simmered. A low-banked fire that could become an inferno the moment she needed it to.
“House Votair is determined to destroy themselves.” Kira’s words held a calm Raider would have described as terrifying if he’d been standing there.
He and Jace had always said Kira was at her scariest when she stuffed her emotions down deep. That was always their first clue that things were going to get a little crazy.
Kira knelt, holding out her hand to the lu-ong. It slid forward, the stone of its body warm to the touch. Almost like living flesh.
Jin’s spawn wrapped around Kira’s wrist as she rose.
“A few of my darlings are already moving into position,” the lu-ong informed Kira.
“How long?”
“Fifteen minutes.”
It would have to do.
“Where are they?” Kira asked Finn.
“You are making a mistake. He will not welcome your interference.”
“Where?” she barked, not having time for this.
His stubbornness matched her own.
“I won’t ask again, Finn,” she warned him. “You’re the one who said you wanted to follow me. This is what that means.”
There were times she’d go off halfcocked and do things he didn’t agree with. He could either accept that and stand beside her or get out of the way.
His gaze lowered in defeat. “The arena.”
Kira turned on her heel. “Good decision.”
Now, it was time to teach House Votair a lesson they wouldn’t soon forget.
Kira was grateful for Finn’s presence as he led them to a path that was much quicker and more direct than the tunnel she’d used to arrive at the sanctum, as Graydon had called it. Cheers assaulted Kira’s ears as she appeared at the top of the arena’s stairs, looking down at the floor where two figures were locked in combat.
“Well, well, there’s quite the audience,” Kira said softly.
Almost every initiate who had elected to continue in their adva ka was present along with any friends and family members who’d come to offer their support and guidance.
It was quite the crowd.
All to watch Joule be taught his place.
His wasn’t the only duel being fought, but it was the one that drew the most attention. Initiates ringing him and his opponent.
Kira started down the steps to where Raider leaned against the railing, Blue beside him.
Raider straightened at Kira’s approach. “Don’t do anything crazy.”
How well he knew her.
Kira looked away from him to Elena and Ziva, setting a hand on each of their heads and ruffling their hair.
“Don’t look like that,” she told them.
Elena was as angry as Kira had ever seen her. Furious to the point Kira thought about warning Raider that Kira wasn’t the one he needed to worry about.
One more challenge and Kira was betting Elena would do something he’d classify as unwise.
Ziva was more subdued. Her eyes and nose red as she fought not to cry.
Kira patted them both once more. “It’s going to be fine. You’ll see.”
She’d make it that way.
Raider shook his head and sighed. “Whatever you’re going to do, you should hurry up. I’m not sure how much longer he’ll last. He’s on his third opponent already.”
“How many duels have you fought?” Kira asked, noting the tiredness on Raider’s face along with the signs he’d been in a scuffle.
“A few. They’re more focused on the kid.”
Of course, they were. They’d been after Joule from the beginning.
Raider probably got swept up in events when he tried to redirect the focus from Joule to himself.
It had worked but only temporarily.
“What’s he doing?” Kira asked, tipping her chin at Devon where he stood between Joule and his opponent saying something.
“Acting as referee.” Raider leaned one arm against the railing. “You should be grateful. He’s ensuring Joule gets time to rest between each challenge. It’s letting the boy hang on but barely.”
Jin let out a harrumph. “I guess he’s not totally useless after all.”
Kira’s lips twisted as she turned to look up at the stands, locating her quarry easily. “Don’t sound so approving while you say that.”
There Terrel was, looking just as smug and arrogant as the last time she’d seen him.
“Let’s introduce ourselves, shall we?” Kira started up the steps without waiting for an agreement.
She’d been looking forward to this. A chance to work off some of her aggression and exact a little vengeance in the interim.
“Just remember not to go overboard, Nixxy,” Raider called.
Sure. Sure. She’d do her best. No promises though.
Terrel’s House had already used up the last of her good will.
“You cannot kill him,” Finn warned.
“I won’t.”
Not when there were so many other fun things Kira and Jin could do to him instead.
Selene’s blank expression caught Kira’s attention; the other woman’s tension evident in the ramrod straightness of her back.
Kira sent her a smile that made Selene blanch.
Huh. Maybe her reassurance skills needed work.
Alexander’s arms were crossed as he stared at the duel.
“You can’t do anything to him either,” Finn nagged.
“Is that my oshota or House Roake speaking?”
“It’s your friend telling you that any action you take against House Votair will not lead to the outcome you wish,” Finn snapped.
“Friend,” Kira tested the word.
She liked the sound of that.
“Good. Friends then,” Kira agreed before continuing up the steps. “Don’t worry. I won’t raise a hand to him.”
Finn stopped arguing, probably recognizing the futility of the endeavor.
“Are you in position?” Kira asked Jin.
“Is a baby’s bottom smooth?”
Kira’s steps paused. “And how would you know that?”
“I’m a genius, Phoenix. I know things.”
Sure, he did. That’s why he constantly got into trouble.
“At least send the girl back. This isn’t the sort of thing someone her age should witness,” Finn tried one last time.
Kira paused to look at their shadow, finding Ziva with a determined expression on her face that Kira knew meant the girl wouldn’t allow herself to be sent back. She clung to Kira’s side with all the tenacity of a tick. Only instead of sucking Kira’s blood, Ziva would absorb every action, word and deed.
An impressionable disciple who might later employ what she saw here today in her own adventures.
Finn was right. Kira should send her back. She really should.
