Rules of Redemption (The Firebird Chronicles Book 1)

by T. A. White

  Kira turned away from the painting. She rubbed the ache behind her breastbone. It burned, creeping its way up toward her throat. She didn’t want to hear any more about this.

  She glanced at Graydon. His expression was neutral, no sign of his thoughts on what Liara had revealed. Kira supposed this was old news to him. He’d indicated he knew her parentage after Liara revealed their relationship as cousins.

  Kira shook off the dark thoughts, forcing herself to consider Liara’s previous offer. Going down the dark roads of the past wouldn’t help her now. It would only lead to distraction and heartache, neither of which she had time to indulge.

  Stay on mission. It was the only way to survive.

  Liara's offer to stay with her tonight would give Kira an easy way to thwart Graydon's plans, enabling her to get rid of the spy he’d assigned her.

  The problem was she'd just be trading one spy for another. She had no doubt any guards her cousin assigned would be loyal to her cousin first, second and last. Not exactly a healthy situation when there were assassins on your tail.

  That led to another issue. She didn't quite trust Liara. She wanted to, if only because she was supposedly family. Liara seemed sincere, especially when talking about Kira’s mother. However, the instincts of a lifetime were telling her to be careful of the other woman.

  Better to keep to the devil she knew for now.

  "Thank you for sharing about my parents. I appreciate it more than you know, but I think it best I stay with Graydon for now." Kira's voice was quiet as she tried to soften the rejection.

  Liara's expression shuttered, the brief flash of emotion gone as she withdrew into herself. She inclined her head, once more the proper Overlord. "Sleep well, cousin."

  "You too," Kira said.

  Their group was quiet as they headed to their section of the Citadel, accompanied by the escort Liara had sent with them. Kira had a feeling a perimeter would be set up around the guest wing as soon as they arrived.

  They reached Graydon's wing easily. He led her inside, ushering her through the sitting room where Jace and Raider were talking.

  Their heads lifted, alarm and curiosity in their gazes as Graydon opened a door and gestured inside.

  "You'll stay here for tonight," he said.

  He didn't wait for her response, giving her a curt nod before striding off without a backward glance. Guess he had better things to do than answer her questions.

  She was tempted to hurry after him anyway and badger him with requests.

  "He's focused on determining how the attackers got so close without detection," Finn said. "It's doubtful he'd welcome any distractions."

  In other words, stay put or risk angering her only ally.

  She sighed and shook her head, turning to her new bedroom. Might as well get some sleep while she could. This would all still be here in the morning.

  She took several steps toward her bed but stopped when she realized Finn was shadowing her. "Do you mind?"

  "Not at all," he said.

  She took another step and shook her head when he moved with her. "Are you planning to watch me sleep?"

  "Yes."

  She frowned at him. "No."

  "It is not your decision," he told her politely. Or that's what it should have been. Instead, it came off as sounding more like “Fuck you.”

  Kira should know. She'd pulled the same trick on more than one commanding officer. Strange to have it turned around on her.

  Jace and Raider barreled into the room.

  Finn's en-blade cleared its scabbard as he crouched. He sprang at them seconds later, clearing the distance with two steps.

  "Wait," she shouted, dashing after him.

  Jace drew his side pistol in a smooth movement.

  Finn knocked the barrel away with the edge of his sword, grabbing Jace with the other hand and pinning him against the wall.

  The room hovered on the edge of calamity.

  "Holster your weapons," Kira ordered.

  She approached Finn and set her hand on his shoulder. "You too."

  He shot her a hard glance, his reluctance to listen clear.

  "Let him go and put away your sword." Kira enunciated each word, sinking her will into them.

  They stared at each other for several seconds. Neither one willing to back down.

  For a moment, she thought he was going to refuse. She tensed, prepared to act if he became a threat. They'd already tangled once. He'd be difficult to neutralize, but it was doable.

  If he pushed her, she'd show him exactly how she earned the name Phoenix so many years ago.

  With a grunt, he loosened his hold on Jace, not moving away from the other man, but no longer strangling him.

  "Who's this?" Jace asked, rubbing his throat.

  Since Finn wouldn't move, Jace was forced to slide around him until he could back away, unwilling to turn his back on the warrior.

  "A new fuck buddy?" Jace asked.

  Raider choked and stepped away

  Finn snarled, rage descending as his muscles locked.

  "No," Kira shouted, moving between the two men.

  "He's a little touchier than your normal sort," Jace observed.

  "Shut up and stop talking out of your ass," Kira snapped. Jace’s pride was insulted and he was lashing out at her. She didn't have time for this stupid posturing.

  He shrugged at her. "What are we supposed to think when you show up with him this late at night while looking like you've been rolling around on the ground?"

  She narrowed her eyes, grinding her teeth as she said slowly, "Someone tried to kill me tonight. I don't have the patience for your games. Say what you need to say then get out."

  Jace stiffened. "What are you talking about?"

  Kira sighed, already resigned to not sleeping anytime soon.

  "Earlier tonight someone tried to kill me. He is the Tuann's response," Kira said, gesturing at Finn.

  Raider let out a low whistle. "They've assigned you your own personal protection? Guess it pays to be related to the overlord."

  Jace folded his arms over his chest as his face creased in thought. He didn't look happy at the news. "Is the assassination attempt where you got that?" he asked, pointing at her forehead.

  "Not exactly," Kira said sourly, unable to help her glance at Finn.

  His expression didn't shift, no sign of regret or discomfort there.

  Jace studied the two of them. His intelligent eyes noted the cut on Finn’s forehead and the presence of dried blood.

  "You've gotten rusty if he scored a hit like that," Jace said in Japanese. "How long were you on that ship for?"

  Kira looked away.

  He made a hmphing sound. "Must have been a lot longer than we thought to degrade your skills this much. It's not like riding a bike. The longer you avoid training, the worse off you'll be, especially if there are now assassins after you."

  "I'm fine," Kira said, shame making the words come out harsher than she intended. The skin around Jace's eyes tightened slightly but he didn't lash out.

  "What are you guys doing here anyway?" she asked in standard.

  There was a long pause as the other two conferred silently, their interactions having the same ease and familiarity of people who'd spent countless hours together, risking their lives for one another in impossible situations.

  Kira had been a part of that once. Seeing it now reinforced how much of an outsider she'd become since.

  "We came to check on you since I thought you were staying in a different wing," Jace said. "Also, there was some action earlier, but no one will tell us anything."

  He sounded accusing.

  In other words, he thought she was the reason for the commotion, and he wanted to ensure she hadn't done anything to derail the mission.

  "You came to make sure I hadn't done something stupid," she said flatly.

  "You do have a history," Raider quipped.

  Kira gritted her teeth. "As you can see, I'm fine. You can leave now."
>
  "Wait, we're not going to talk about this?" Jace asked.

  "What's there to talk about? Someone tried to kill me. They failed. It won't be the first time, and now it looks like it won't be the last," Kira said.

  Jace shook his head at her, his frustration clear.

  Kira relented. "Don't worry too much, the guard they saddled me with seems to be halfway competent, as you just saw."

  Jace wasn't convinced. "I want one of us watching you tonight. Two are better than one."

  "I'll be fine, Jace. I don't need another babysitter," Kira said. If she could have banned Finn, she would have.

  Amila and Baran had been bad enough on the ship, but at least they had had the decency to stay outside her private quarters.

  "I'm not giving you a choice, Kira. This is my mission and you're my primary. It's my job to make sure you survive," Jace said.

  At least until they got what they wanted, Kira finished for him.

  "Don't try to lie to me," Kira said, leaning forward, a threat in her face. "We both know I might be the excuse you used to get a foothold here, but there's way more to it than that."

  He made a strangled sound like he was trying to dredge up patience. Unfortunately, it didn't look like he was successful. That was more like the Jace she knew.

  He shot a glance at Finn and switched to Japanese. "You're being difficult. Again. I'm the mission commander on this trip. Not you. You gave up that right when you left."

  "Careful who you're talking to," Kira warned.

  "Or what?" Jace challenged. "We're not your faithful mutts anymore. You might be able to take one of us. But all? Not likely. Looks to me you spent a little too long on your ship and a little less time remaining combat ready."

  Kira's teeth clicked closed as anger tightened in her throat, strangling her voice.

  Jin flew through the window, whistling a jaunty tune.

  Finn fell into an attack stance, his sword clearing its scabbard as his focus locked on Jin.

  "No, not him either," Kira yelled.

  Jin beelined for the ceiling, staying out of reach of the over-protective oshota.

  "What is that?" Finn hissed, not relaxing his stance.

  "It's Jin. He's with me," Kira said.

  That didn't seem to comfort Finn at all.

  Jace took advantage, saying over his shoulder as he moved toward the door. "I’ll send Tank in. He can take the first watch and the rest of us will rotate in."

  Kira watched him go, Raider following, as words burned her tongue. There was a lot she wanted to say, so much, it all got tangled up and refused to come out.

  Jin slowly lowered from the ceiling, keeping a careful eye on Finn.

  "That thing's unnatural," Finn said, pointing at Jin.

  "Maybe, but you touch him and you're dead."

  Finn didn't look particularly impressed with the threat. That was okay. It wasn't a threat. It was fact. If anyone hurt Jin, Kira would ensure it was the last thing they ever did.

  "Where did he come from?" Finn asked.

  Kira didn't answer.

  "If the Luatha Overlord or her guards figure out he was roaming around, they would order your death."

  "Seems like a bit of a harsh reaction," Jin muttered.

  "Jin sleep flies," Kira said, trying not to wince at the ridiculousness of her statement. It was the first thing she could think of.

  "Sleep flies," Finn repeated in a flat voice.

  Jin rotated to see her better.

  "Yup, like sleep-walking but with flying," Kira said, doubling down on her lie.

  Finn didn't seem convinced, but he didn't argue with her. "Well, keep him in here. The Overlord's warriors will dismantle him if they catch him out of the room."

  Kira didn't argue as Jin flew by her.

  "That was pathetic," he muttered in a low voice meant only for her ears.

  She growled at him as she slumped on the bed. The confrontation with Jace and the rest, coupled with everything else had left her feeling drained of energy.

  Finn was quiet for a long time as he watched her.

  "Your supposed friends don't seem to like you very much."

  "Nope.” She didn't see much point in lying. Five minutes with all of them together and it was obvious there was history between her and the Curs.

  Why had Himoto sent them?

  "Why?"

  Kira sighed and flopped back, staring up at the ceiling as she debated how to answer.

  Some strange urge prompted her to share the truth.

  "Jace blames me for abandoning them and breaking up our dysfunctional little family," she said finally.

  "He's the one who thinks he's in charge," Finn guessed.

  Kira made a small sound of amusement that ended up sounding sadder than she intended.

  "And the tijit?" he asked.

  "What does that mean?"

  "It's a rodent. Small, but filled with anger and unexpectedly vicious," Finn said.

  Hmph. That was actually a good description of Raider.

  Kira turned onto her side giving him her back. "He holds me responsible for the death of the woman he loved."

  "Were you?"

  Kira closed her eyes. "Yes."

  Quiet fell between them. One Kira was grateful for, since she didn't feel like talking anymore. She was done answering questions for the night. She'd already shared more than she should have.

  There was a noise behind her, and she lifted her head to see Tank lumber through the door, carrying a M340 Bravo. It was a long-barreled rifle capable of spitting out 600 rounds per minute.

  "That's a bit of overkill, don't you think?" Kira asked.

  "No such thing," he assured her.

  She snorted and jerked the blanket over her. Sleep wasn't likely to come again tonight, but she didn't plan to spend the rest of the night staring at those two.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  Her feet propped up on the same terrace railing she’d stood next to last night, Kira slouched in her chair. She’d made it a point of hunting down the spot where she’d been ambushed, curious to see what she could learn in the bright light of day.

  Kira dug into a small bowl of neon blue fruit. So far, she had concluded she was extremely lucky to still be breathing. The singe marks from the attack stood out in stark contrast against the white stone, their color black and angry.

  Knives sprouted from the railing like porcupine quills, not quite as numerous but still impressive. She flicked one with her foot, still surprised at how deeply they were buried. What sort of metal cut stone?

  It was a wonder she'd survived. In the fury and chaos, she hadn't registered how many shots she'd dodged. If she'd been even a second later in reacting, she would have lost her life.

  Her muscles ached pleasantly as they reminded her she still wasn't quite used to the difference in gravity from the Wanderer.

  During her exploration earlier, she’d found the terrace wrapped around the entire exterior on this side of the building, connecting Graydon’s wing with her former one. She’d walked the entirety of its length twice before settling down for breakfast.

  She took another bite of her fruit and hummed as the tart sweetness burst on her tongue. Finn loomed behind her like an angry cloud. He hadn't liked her insistence of eating out on the terrace—especially on this section of it.

  Too bad. She didn't like hiding, and time in the sun while enjoying the outdoors was a precious commodity she'd denied herself too long.

  Even the dark glower he directed at her every time he glanced her way wasn't enough to ruin her enjoyment of the sun bathing her in its warmth.

  Raider plopped in the seat next to her and tilted one of the many bowls toward him. She didn't know what half of them were and none of the servers seemed to speak enough standard to explain.

  The small bowls with their bright foods offered a plethora of choices. She wondered if someone had included the variety so she could try several things at once to determine what she liked or if this was their norm
al breakfast set up.

  Raider made a face at the bright pink ribbons in the bowl and sat back.

  "You should try it. Tastes like fish," Kira said.

  "No thanks. We have rations in the room," he replied.

  She paused in her chewing and looked over at him. "Not afraid you're going to insult your hosts?"

  Many human cultures had guesting customs. If you were to refuse the food or drink they offered, it could be considered a grave insult. There was a chance the Tuann were similar.

  He shrugged, bracing one wrist on the chair next to him as he slouched in his seat. He was Tank's replacement, but he didn't seem particularly inclined to act like a guard.

  "I don't care about the wizards or their damn feelings," he said.

  That much was obvious in the disdain behind his eyes and the suspicion in his face when he looked around the terrace.

  Kira took another bite of her fruit, chewing slowly.

  "Why did Himoto send the Curs?" Kira asked. "Why not a squad with less baggage?"

  She could have asked Jace, but Raider, oddly enough, was the one most likely to give her the truth. He'd never been particularly interested in diplomacy or couching hard truths behind kind words.

  "You'd have to ask the old battleship," Raider said. "You know how he likes his schemes."

  Kira did know, knew and hated it. She'd been caught up in them one too many times.

  "If I had to guess, it's not so any of us can get anything as sappy as closure," he said, scratching his neck. "Or even to protect you. We both know you're more than capable of protecting yourself—especially at the expense of others."

  Kira lifted her spoon in a salute at the jab, not letting it bother her. "Good to see you haven't changed."

  Raider bared his teeth at her, his eyes dead as he fixed her with a dangerous stare. "Let's be clear. If I'd had my way, I would have thrown you in the brig while you waited for the day we spaced you. I don't like being here begging for scraps from the damn wizards, but I'll do my duty and put my personal feelings on hold. Unlike some, I know what honor is."

  "You keep telling yourself that, Raider," Kira said as he stood.

  He turned to her, thunder on his face. "What's that supposed to mean?"

  She gave him a nasty smile. "It means you have just as much blood on your hands as me. The difference is you're human and I'm not."