by T. A. White
Silas's manner was gentle, quiet, almost unassuming, but she sensed a thread of steel running through him. He wasn't a pushover even if his eyes were kind.
There was a hint of gray in Silas's hair, the finest of lines on his face, but that wasn't what made him seem ancient. It was the years she could feel pressing in his gaze when he looked at her.
Quillon was the same. She knew he was a healer, but the way he moved, like a predator anticipating an attack, made it clear he was a warrior too. And not in charge. That duty lay fully on Silas's shoulders.
It behooved her to learn all she could about them. Their strengths. Their weaknesses. They were the first of House Roake that she'd had contact with. She needed to know what she'd be up against.
"They're a small House. Much smaller than mine, yet they are unchallenged," Liara said in a pensive tone.
"You sound afraid of them," Kira observed.
Raider was attentive beside her. He seemed brash and bold, hotheaded even. He was all those things, but he was also observant and smart when he wasn't letting emotions rule him.
Once, he’d been a good man to have at her back.
Liara shrugged. "It's hard not to respect a lu-ong’s ability to swallow you whole even if you know they have no interest in you."
"You said before my mother married my father to create an alliance. Are your Houses enemies?"
Liara's expression was pensive as she considered Kira's question. "Perhaps once; before the Sorrowing. Everything changed after that."
Kira suspected it had. Losing so many of your people and loved ones to an attack tended to do that. Add in having your children stolen, and Kira thought the Tuann might have reason to be as reclusive as they were.
"Luatha no longer dares be so free with the word enemy. We lost too much during that time, and we aren't as strong as we once were," Liara said.
"The Luatha Overlord plays well with the meaning of words." Graydon strode toward them, his expression arrogant and amused as he regarded them.
Unlike Liara, he'd left off the cape, his footsteps echoing in the large space. He moved with purpose and efficiency. He looked like a knight striding out of humanity's past. Powerful. Brutal. Dangerous.
"The relationship between Luatha and Roake has been—" there was a brief hesitation as Graydon considered the right phrasing. "Fraught with tension since the Sorrowing."
Liara didn't speak, her chin lifting in challenge.
Kira didn't have to ask whether Graydon's assessment was correct or not. She could read the answer in Liara's suddenly smooth expression; all emotion wiped away.
Yup, there was definitely something there.
"If you want to know about House Roake, you should ask the Emperor's Face. After all, he was one of them once," Liara said, her tone cutting.
Graydon's expression remained amused.
Liara flicked a glance at Kira. "Did you ever wonder how they learned about you? That information isn't floating around. Someone would have had to tell them—and it wasn't us."
This wasn't about Kira. This was a power play. Liara was upset with Graydon and still hurting from the attack on her House.
"Sowing dissent, cousin?" Kira asked.
It was to Liara's credit that she flushed at the question.
Kira's smile was soft. "I'm not a tool to be used against others."
It was best Liara learned that now, before she made a mistake she couldn't come back from.
Movement from the doorway attracted Kira's attention as Ziva and Joule appeared. Kira had rescued the two children back on O’Riley Station when the air gondola they'd been riding in had been sabotaged and was in the process of crashing. That one act had set this entire situation in motion, but she found she couldn't regret it.
The two had somehow found a way past her defenses. They were persistent. Joule intent on protecting those he had no business trying to protect. He looked to be in his early teens. Thirteen or fourteen at most.
His face still held the slightest trace of baby fat, but his facial bones were defined. One day he was going to break hearts.
Ziva was an adorable mini-replica, modeling her behavior off the older boy. Several years younger than Joule, she had white-blond hair and eyes of the deepest blue. Her cuteness belied the fighter within. Right now she was small, but Kira knew with the right training and time to grow she'd be fierce. Already she didn't let her young age or small size stop her from throwing herself into the midst of danger.
What were they doing here?
They approached with hesitant steps. Joule's gaze came up to meet hers, his expression filling with guilt and something else. Stubbornness. That's what it was.
Well, well, it looked like he'd finally gotten over his hero worship.
Joule's attention slid to where Silas regarded him steadily.
Joule took a deep breath, steeling himself. "We've come to petition to join House Roake. If accepted, we would train there until we pass our adva ka."
Kira started to object.
Liara stopped her with a touch on her wrist. "Don't interfere. This is his choice."
"Who is your sponsor?" Silas asked.
"I am," Graydon rumbled from beside Kira.
Kira fixed Graydon with a hard look. That hadn't been the agreement.
"To gain entrance into Roake, he needs a sponsor. Same with the adva ka. Do you really want him trained by her warriors?" Graydon asked. "I thought you liked the boy. He'll have a far better shot at becoming an Overlord if trained by Roake."
Liara pressed her lips together tight but didn't argue. Kira took that to mean Graydon was right.
"You said they were welcome in your House," Kira told her.
"And they are, but we're stretched thin. We cannot provide the type of training he wants. It is customary for children to apprentice and learn at the feet of other Houses. It's how we keep our skills relevant."
New blood would bring innovation. Humans had had a similar custom in their distant past. Where the sons of knights and lords would foster with another household to learn their skills before going on their way. It was an important apprenticeship and only practiced sparingly now.
Silas's gaze was appraising as he regarded the two young ones still bent in their respectful bows. He glanced at Kira.
She worked to keep her face expressionless, unsure which way she wanted him to decide. The events during the attack had made it clear she had an attachment to the two children. A wise man might seek to use that against her. Himoto certainly would have.
Silas crouched so he was at eye level. "Why do you wish to join the warriors?"
Joule straightened, his gaze steady despite the slight shaking she could see in his legs. He was terrified—whether of Silas or rejection was hard to say.
"House Maxiim was attacked by Tuann pirates, roamers who banded together to bring us down so we couldn’t interfere with them anymore. Most were killed. I am the only one who has a chance of becoming Overlord, but I cannot pass the adva ka as I am."
"And you, young one?" Silas's gaze shifted to Ziva.
She drew herself up, lifting her chin. "I am going to be his first. I'm not going to let anyone hurt us ever again."
Silas made a thoughtful sound. "Put your hand in mine and let me test your resolve."
"Silas can determine a person's affinity and strength with a touch," Graydon told Kira quietly. "Right now, he's determining if they have what it takes to make it through the rigorous training."
"Hmm." Kira couldn't help the skeptical sound. More than a touch was needed to determine something like that.
Graydon's hand was warm on her back. "You forget he was there in the Nexus. He watched them try to defend their companions against the Tsavitee. Many warriors wouldn't have demonstrated the bravery they did. They'll pass his test, but whether he accepts them is still unknown."
"Why?"
Graydon thought a moment. "We're dangerous. The oshota and Overlords particularly so. To develop their talents is a responsi
bility House Roake takes seriously. Those who pass become weapons. They must make sure those weapons can never threaten them or the Tuann as a whole."
The look he aimed at Raider was significant. "This is the training you and the other humans agreed to undertake."
Now she saw why Graydon was explaining this. It wasn't just a kindness but a warning as well.
She had a feeling that those whose minds cracked or exhibited weakness never left House Roake again.
"Understood," Raider said, his expression slightly grim.
Both of them had seen enough soldiers whose minds or temperament were unsuited to a soldier's lifestyle. Some got off on the power. Some stopped seeing the white and black, only seeing shades of gray. Those were the ones you had to watch out for because they could justify anything. They'd commit unspeakable crimes and never blink an eye.
Power in any form should be carefully guarded because there were always those who would abuse it to prey on the weak.
It made Kira like House Roake just a little bit more to know they were careful about who they let loose in the galaxy.
"Both of you have amazing potential. With the right tools, conquering the adva ka should be no problem." Silas's hands dropped to his side, and he straightened as the children's faces lit up.
Silas's gaze was somber. "The boy can come, but the girl wouldn't be a good fit at this time."
Joule's expression froze, the hope of seconds before fading. Devastation settled on Ziva's face, her gaze going blank.
Silas rested a hand on Ziva's shoulder. "Your goals do you credit and someone as passionate and brave as you would fit in well with Roake. However, I'd be doing your future a disservice by allowing you to attend right now. You're too young, and there are still things you can only learn here."
Ziva's face threatened to crumple. She scrubbed one hand over her eyes, wiping away any tears that might have escaped her iron control. "When I'm older, then? Can I try again?"
Silas's gaze was wise and kind. "It would be my honor."
Ziva's nod was short and abrupt, resolve filling her delicate features.
Silas directed his attention to Liara. "If this is acceptable to you, Overlord."
Liara's smile was faint. "Of course. We're pleased Joule will get this chance. The remnants of their House and I will expect regular reports and visits to ensure their continued wellbeing."
Kira's attention jerked to her cousin. Now she saw why Liara had been willing to let Joule and Ziva make this attempt. It wasn't because she thought they'd be better off—although Kira had no doubt that was part of it. Instead, Liara had neatly managed to come up with a way to keep tabs on Kira.
Respect crept into Silas's gaze, and he inclined his head in a formal bow.
"Well played," Graydon murmured.
There was the slightest quirk to Liara's lips that said she heard and appreciated the compliment.
It left an uneasy feeling in Kira's gut. She didn't like the thought of Joule and Ziva being pawns in a larger game. She'd been in that position too many times to be comfortable sentencing someone else to that fate.
"Ziva," Joule said, sounding lost and shocked. This turn of events had been nowhere in his calculations, Kira was sure. It was a harsh, but necessary, lesson that things wouldn’t always go his way.
"You need to go," Ziva said in a strong voice. She had a cocky smile on her face even as Kira caught the faintest tremble in her hands. "I'll catch up soon enough."
Joule shook his head, the sting of betrayal in his eyes. Kira could see his resolve wavering. She didn't blame him. Both children had lost more than any should have to bear. They'd probably clung to each other harder as a result. Now, their goals threatened to separate them for an unknown length of time.
Kira exhaled heavily and moved toward them. She set a hand on Joule's head, before flicking him in the forehead.
Joule touched the spot and glared, anger replacing the lost look he'd had. Good. The other expression hadn't suited him at all. "What was that for?"
She leveled a censorious glance on him. "Are you thinking clearly again?"
His gaze fell, his shoulders rounding before he nodded.
"Good, it looks like we're about to move. Why don't you say goodbye to Liara?" Kira told him.
His lips flattened mulishly before his gaze went to Ziva. His eyes softened, and he jerked his chin down slowly, a wealth of promise there. "I won't let us down."
Ziva's small body shook next to Kira, but she still managed an enthusiastic cry of approval. Joule spun, striding toward Luatha's Overlord.
There was a sniffle next to Kira, Ziva's composure cracking. Kira saw the girl glaring at the gate even as tears trailed down her cheek.
The girl had done well to put up a front for this long.
Kira dropped to a knee, getting to Ziva's level and blocking her from the rest of those in the room. By now silent sobs wracked Ziva's small body, the girl's hands clenched into fists as determination blazed from her eyes. Kira smiled. That was her girl.
She pulled Ziva into a hug, pressing the child's face against her shoulder and ignoring the tears soaking her shirt. "Well done."
"I don't want to be left behind," Ziva gasped.
Kira nodded. She understood that feeling. She'd been left behind more times than she liked to think about. She'd done the leaving a time or two. It never got any easier. "I don't think anyone does."
Kira ran a hand over Ziva's silky hair. She saw too much of herself in Ziva. The girl was a survivor. Incredibly brave and foolish at the same time with a chip on her shoulder. Joule too. They both made Kira remember the lost little girl she'd once been. She couldn't walk away, not without making sure Ziva would be all right. "This is going to hurt. You're going to feel lonely. That's okay. Use those feelings to make yourself stronger."
Kira drew back, her gaze finding Ziva's as she shared the things she wished someone would have told her. "You're going to be tempted to close yourself off from others. Don't let yourself fall into that trap. You will both experience many things from now on. It will change you. Your worlds will slowly shift, and you will grow. Make those friends, Ziva. They will help during darker times."
Both Joule and Ziva were so young. It was entirely possible that by the time they found their way back to each other, they would be different than the other remembered, neither fitting so easily into the other's world.
Kira hoped that didn't happen, but that was the way of life. You grew. You evolved. Sometimes toward one another; other times away. Only the two of them could decide which direction they'd take.
Ziva's tears had faded, and she had a focused look on her face that said she was internalizing Kira's words. Kira squeezed her shoulder and stood. She hoped they were helpful, that they'd provide comfort in the lonely days ahead.
"I will make our dream a reality," Ziva promised in a fervent voice.
Kira couldn't help a small smile at that statement. The arrogance of youth. She could do with a little of that herself.
Ziva’s shoulders were straight and square as she moved toward the door, her stride full of purpose. Already, she was shaking off the blow of Silas's rejection.
"If only some of us were capable of taking our own advice," Raider mused, joining Kira.
"I'm simply discerning in the people I choose as friends." Kira faced the gate as the Tuann arranged themselves in preparation for travel.
Silas stood in front of it, waiting. "Are we finally ready?"
Kira shot another look over her shoulder at the door. Still no Jin.
She fought to hide her disappointment. No matter how angry he had been, she hadn't thought he'd let her leave without him.
Seeing her hesitation, Silas offered. "We can wait a little longer for you to say your goodbyes."
Raider nudged her. "Tin Man will forgive you. He always does. Give him a little time to come around."
Kira jerked up a shoulder. She knew he would. That didn't make the intervening time any easier.
; She didn't like leaving him behind. This felt wrong—down to the very core of her soul wrong.
Kira took a deep breath. Sometimes to do right, you had to do things that felt wrong. This was one of those times.
“Right now, he’s angry with you and them. They may have made it clear he wasn’t welcome,” Raider said in a quiet voice.
Kira shot him a sharp look. Raider lifted a shoulder in answer.
That still didn’t explain why he hadn’t come to say goodbye.
After several more minutes where it became increasingly clear Jin wasn’t coming, Kira forced herself to face the gate. “We can go."
Waiting would prolong the inevitable.
Jin would cool off—eventually. Until he did, the only thing she could do was take the first steps to repair the breach between them.
"Let's do this." She met Silas's gaze, resolve in hers. He gave her a tiny nod of respect.
In Tuann, he barked several words, of which she only caught a few.
Without Jin here to translate via the comms patch inserted into her ear, she was left reliant on her own language skills. She knew some Tuann but she was far from fluent. It was a weakness she'd have to address.
There was a thrum as the runes along the edges pulsed. Blue made an interested sound, her eyes as wide as a child seeing a magic show for the first time. She drifted closer, her gaze wondering. Resigned, Kira grabbed her by her shirt and hauled her several steps back.
Blue was smart, but sometimes her curiosity got the better of her.
"Let's keep our distance until we get the all clear," Kira warned her.
Blue barely acknowledged Kira's words; her attention still fixed on the gate. "Whatever you say, Nixxy."
Raider glanced at Blue before shaking his head in resignation. "You're fighting a losing battle. She's going to latch onto it eventually."
"But perhaps not until after it does its thing," Kira shot back.
Raider shrugged. "Whatever you say. You're the boss."
Kira kept her grumble to herself. If only that were true.
A pulse went up from the gate; one Kira felt through her bones. It set them vibrating, not exactly unpleasant but not comfortable either.