by T. A. White
"Why don't we get to doing that?" she suggested.
A small huff came from the lizard before it curled around her neck, clasping its tail in its paws to create a torc. "Sheesh, you're so grumpy when you're upset with yourself."
"I'm not upset with myself," Kira said quietly.
"You know people will think you’re crazy if they catch you talking to yourself like this," Raider suggested.
Kira jumped, spinning to find him standing behind her.
He was quiet for a long time, his expression unreadable.
Kira wiped her hands on her legs and grasped for something to say. Regret from last night lingered, making it difficult.
"Is that Raider?" The lizard’s head lifted, his tail flicking. "How's your hangover, meat sack?"
Raider shuffled closer, bending for a better look at Kira's necklace. "Why is Jin's voice coming out of a lizard?"
Kira was too tempted with the prospect of chucking the lizard down the nearest dark hole to answer.
The lizard preened. "I've spawned a mini me. Do you like?"
A look of horror descended on Raider's face. "The universe doesn't need any more of you."
The lizard blew a raspberry. "How rude."
In this, Kira was inclined to agree. More versions of Jin scuttling around weren't pleasant to contemplate.
"How did he convince you to go along with this?" Raider asked.
Kira was slow to answer, the question taking her off guard. She'd expected antagonism. Anger. Some of the fury the old Raider had been so good at generating to blast her, leaving her feeling about two inches high.
This Raider acted like last night had never happened.
"He has his moments," Kira said, distracted.
Raider's behavior didn't make sense. She knew him as well as she might a sibling. She might not always like him, or he, her, but she knew him backward and forward.
This behavior was atypical. It left her suspicious and on guard.
"If you say so," Raider said before continuing toward Blue.
Kira watched him go, wondering what game he was playing.
"That was weird," Jin said, echoing her thoughts.
Kira made a sound of agreement.
They didn't have time to ponder his shift in behavior as Graydon, Wren, and Maida appeared on the balcony above.
The initiates fell silent, turning their attention to the three.
Wren stepped forward. "As warriors, we must be ever vigilant. It is why every warrior of Roake takes a turn on patrol. Today, you will join the ranks of those who've risked their lives on behalf of this House."
A murmur broke out among the initiates.
Wren held up a hand, and they died down. "One of the most difficult things a warrior learns is when to use ki and when to conserve. On patrol, you can be out for hours, often over the ocean, or in other environments where walking isn't an option. That's why we have flyers and other methods of transportation. Each requires skill and discipline to use."
Graydon's gaze found Kira's, his lips curving in anticipation.
Her eyes narrowed. "I have a feeling I know where this is going."
"In addition to the traditional options, our human guests have consented to teach those willing to learn the art of their waveboards. I caution you to choose your transportation wisely. Each has its own merits along with negatives. You will have to decide what is most important to you."
Wren stepped back as a deep cry of approval ripped from the throats of those around them.
"This is unexpected," Jin muttered. "How much do you want to bet Graydon had a hand in it?"
"Why would I take a bet I know I'll lose?" Of course, Graydon had a hand in this. That was who he was. His warning to be here last night as good as said so.
Jin harrumphed as Graydon's oshota, flanked by Roake's, moved into the hall carrying several contraptions, some familiar, many not.
There were devices where Kira was hard-pressed to figure out how they would allow the user to fly. Others resembled stripped hoverbikes, their frame made of wood, fragile-looking sails poking out the back.
Another contraption reminded Kira of butterfly wings, beautiful, but she suspected impractical.
Kira found what she was looking for cradled in Amila's arms. A waveboard, one of the nicer civilian models.
A tingle of anticipation filled Kira, her hands itching to relieve Amila of her burden. It had been ages, and she missed her old friend.
A broad smile crossed Amila's face as she handed Kira the board.
Kira took it, clutching it to her as if it might try to fly off. "Hello, my pretty."
"He thought you might like that one," Amila said, tilting her head up at where Graydon waited, not having taken his gaze off Kira. When he caught her looking, his lips broadened, reminding her of the things they'd done beneath the moonlight.
Jin whistled softly. "That man is playing for keeps."
Alarm filled Kira as her attention shot to Amila. Luckily, the other woman had already moved on and didn't hear.
"What did I say about making sure you weren't noticed?" Kira ducked her head and examined the board in her hands. It was different than the one she’d had during the war. Likely it would be less powerful since that version wasn't available to civilians. Once, she would have known the specs of every single model, civilian or military. No longer.
It was another aspect of her former life she'd allowed to slip away.
Technology had a habit of never standing still. It always progressed. Learning the ins and outs of this board would be like familiarizing herself with an old friend who had grown in the years since their last meeting.
She looked forward to the challenge.
The board was simple, she found, sharing only a passing resemblance to the monster she'd ridden into battle. For one thing, it was much lighter than her old board, its lines sleek and streamlined, designed for form as well as function. She had no doubt it would cut through air resistance like butter.
Kira flipped the board over, pressing the pedals with her hands and watching as the engine kicked on with a light rumble. The board rocked in her hands as the thrusters idled.
Yes, this thing was a beauty. Attractive. Fast. Agile.
Its only flaw was its delicacy. Judging by its light weight, Kira knew it wasn't a workhorse. There would be no battering the enemies' front line with this. A single piece of shrapnel would likely shred it.
But then, this board wasn't designed for battle. Her purpose lay in other areas.
Kira couldn't wait to see what she was capable of.
"I think I'm in love," Kira said.
The lizard bit her. Kira jumped and glared at him.
"We've discussed this. I'm the only machine you're allowed to love. Everything else is a tool," he informed her.
Kira hummed, her gaze returning to the beauty in her hands. Jin could object all he wanted, but that didn't change things. She couldn't wait to make a few modifications. By the time Kira got through with it, the board's abilities would surpass its designer's wildest dreams.
Kira finally looked up, finding most of the initiates had made their decisions. To her surprise, Blue had gravitated toward the Tuann technology, waffling between the hoverbike and the butterfly wings.
Like Kira, Raider had ended up with a waveboard, one that she could tell from the wear and tear was his own personal board. It had no doubt been sent ahead by Jace.
The rest of the initiates were an even mix between the options, with Devon, Rheya, Blake, and Joule ending up with boards similar to hers. The four of them shuffled toward Kira and Raider as their fellow initiates gravitated toward oshota holding the contraptions they'd chosen.
Raider held his hands up as the four approached. He slid a glance toward Kira, a sly grin forming. She stiffened.
"You four are in luck. You get to learn from one of the best," he stated. "Nixxy, here, was a pioneer of the waveboard."
"Don't you dare," Kira warned.
"Too l
ate." His smile held a nasty edge that suggested he might not be as over last night as he'd appeared. "Have fun learning from her. I have a few questions for the seon’yer."
With that, he clasped her on the shoulder and retreated, a bounce in his step.
Kira blanched as she became the sole focus of the initiates. That ass. He knew how she felt about being the center of attention.
Rheya avoided meeting Kira's eyes, looking away, uncertainty in her stance. Kira didn't know what had happened after she'd left the Rothchild demonstration, but the other woman had been different since.
She wasn't the only one, Kira concluded as Devon glanced at where Joule was studying his board.
Kira wouldn't have expected either Devon or Rheya to pick a human piece of technology for this exercise. That they had was interesting—and unexpected.
"Have any of you used one of these before?" Kira forced herself to ask.
There was an outside chance some of them had experience. The waveboards had gained in popularity after the war.
All but Joule raised their hands. This might be easier than she'd thought.
Graydon quirked one side of his mouth at her from where he lingered on the edge of her small group. She frowned at him, taking in the board he held in his hands, a twin to the one Amila had given her.
"Joule, you're with me. The rest of you, I'll check your stances once I've worked with him," Kira told them. "For now, practice hovering."
Joule’s gaze was avid.
"You'd probably have a better chance of impressing Wren if you stuck to technology you were familiar with," Kira told him.
His mouth screwed up in a stubborn line. "I want to learn from you. Besides, the tilu is slow and reliant on wind to change direction," he said, pointing at the group using the butterfly wings. He shifted and pointed at the bikes. "The loaw is more versatile, but it can't get very high. I've studied most of these, and the waveboard offers the widest range in terms of speed and maneuverability."
Kira propped her hands on her waist as she listened. Who was she to argue with his assessment? He was far more familiar with the flaws in his people’s technology than her.
Besides, waveboards really were the best choice—but she might have been biased in that.
"Fair enough. Let's get started."
It didn't take long to demonstrate the basic riding stance. Feet shoulder width apart, the dominant side facing front. It wasn't too far off from a stance you'd use on a surfboard or snowboard.
Joule's face was intent and serious as he copied everything she did. Kira was conscious of Graydon listening from the sidelines as she gently shifted his legs to a better position.
"Balance is the most important aspect of riding." The board was designed to help with that, its controls intuitive.
Kira picked up her board and showed it to him. "Weight distribution is key." She indicated the different spots on the board. "A single shift in balance will cause a reaction."
The others had stopped what they were doing to listen, drifting over to stand by Joule.
Kira set the board down and climbed on, adopting the rest stance. She settled her weight more firmly. The board snapped to life, its engines purring as the antigravs kicked online, allowing her to rise until she hovered a foot above the ground.
"Where you choose to distribute your weight determines where the board goes."
She shifted, demonstrating the different positions and what they did. Back, forward, up, down. Even flipping the tail end out, so she curved around them.
Joule looked fascinated, eager to get started.
At her gesture, the rest broke away to try their hand at what Kira had demonstrated.
Watching Joule make his first attempt was like watching a baby bird try to leave the nest—tentative, slightly awkward, even as he caught on quick.
The other three were already showing off, putting the boards through their paces as they sought to impress each other.
Graydon joined her as she observed them. "Enjoying yourself?"
"Teaching novices to fly is the highlight of my day," she said in a snarky voice.
His smile deepened. "I thought you might enjoy it."
He was right. She had. It had felt good and clean. Simple in a way she'd forgotten. Two things that were in short supply with her current mission.
Graydon left her side as Wren stepped onto the balcony.
"You'll be separated into groups based on the tools you've chosen. I expect you to acquit yourself well during this exercise."
Names were called, and the initiates shuffled as they joined their patrols.
Kira wasn't surprised to find herself in the same group as Graydon. The man was a bad penny who kept finding his way into her orbit.
The four she'd taught and Raider rounded out the group with Aeron joining them at the last second. Kira was interested to note Devon's face shut down as soon as the other boy got near. Whatever had happened between them, the two were no longer friends.
Blue ended up on a different patrol led by Maida, who seemed amused as the other woman chattered excitedly at her.
"I forgot that about you," Raider said, settling beside Kira as she fiddled with the settings of her board. "You always were a good teacher."
Kira paused. "Praise? From you?" She cocked her head. "How hungover are you?"
Raider folded his hands behind his head. "I'll admit it took me a while to see beyond my anger, but now that I do, a few things have started to become clear."
Kira changed another setting, not liking the sound of this.
Raider was a good soldier. Smart and intuitive. His biggest weakness had always been that he let his emotions cloud the clarity of his judgment.
If he was being truthful, he'd picked a hell of a time to fix his issue.
"Sometimes, with people we've known a long time, there is all this baggage. It makes it so we can't see them clearly." Raider's gaze was direct, no hint of the fatigue she'd expect in someone who'd spent half the night drinking. "I'd forgotten how focused you are when on a mission. How much you're willing to sacrifice for its success."
"Raider—"
He sat up, his hand landing on her shoulder. He squeezed, the pressure this side of painful. "You forget they weren't only yours to protect."
Kira stood frozen as he leaned closer. It wasn't anger she saw in his eyes. It was determination. All the things she'd worked to prevent unraveling all at once.
"I don't know what you're trying to protect me from, but it must scare the crap out of you if you're willing to burn not only me but also Blue." He glanced at the other woman who looked positively gleeful as she studied the device the Tuann would soon regret giving her.
He patted her shoulder before leveraging himself to his feet. He paused to stare at her thoughtfully. "It's good to see you've gotten better at lying. I think your performance yesterday might have worked on anyone else."
Kira blinked dumbly up at him, her mind racing. She needed a lie to steer him away from this road he'd gone down. Something that would disabuse him of his observations.
He couldn't know the truth. He couldn't.
It would ruin everything.
If he knew, there would be no stopping him. Patience wasn't in his makeup. He'd charge head first at the Tsavitee, undoing years of work in the process, likely getting himself killed along the way.
For Elise to have a chance, she needed something to come back to. A big part of that something was Raider.
Too much time had passed for her to deny it, Kira realized. Nothing she said would make him believe her.
"Consider this a warning from an old friend—your secrets won't be yours much longer. I'll be right behind you from here on out. Everything you've done finally makes sense."
Kira was mute as she gazed up at him. There would be no swaying him. Not with subterfuge or deception. She doubted he'd let himself be blinded by any of it.
His smile, when it came, wasn't particularly nice. "Brace yourself, Phoenix. I'm your
new battle buddy. Through thick and thin. You won't be able to drive me away a second time."
The words read like a threat and a promise.
She couldn't argue, not with Graydon watching them with interest.
Kira gathered her board and stood, giving herself time to think. To plan.
It wasn't enough.
Her composure was shaky as she rose. By the time she straightened, her expression was a mask of calm again, no hint of the turmoil within marring its surface.
The oshota’s take off saved Kira from having to form a response. She stepped on her board and hit the turbos, shooting straight up after them.
"You're going to have to do something about that," Jin murmured.
"I know."
For now, though, she needed to focus on the task at hand. Raider's threat wasn't going anywhere. She could deal with it and its ramifications later.
She'd been a little enthusiastic in her takeoff, piling too much momentum in it so she soared higher than the others.
Cannons came online, tracking her.
She tensed, bracing to dodge if it became necessary. When they did nothing, she bent her knees and piled on the speed.
Wind snapped the hair around her face as she arrowed toward the rest.
Himoto had always said he could read Kira's mood in the way she flew—happy, sad, angry, or a combination of the three.
If he'd been there today, he would have read her desire to run. It seemed the closer she got to her goal; the more things fell apart.
She took a deep breath, letting the board and the wind work some of the anxiety out of her soul. She performed loops and jumps in midair, taking her time as she got the knack of riding in gravity again.
She'd missed this.
No matter how many times she flew, it was like the first time all over again, when she was an angry, scared girl, outraged at the wrongs done her and painfully aware of the differences between her and her saviors.
The moment she stepped on a board, all those feelings vanished, leaving only Kira behind.
It was the same now. Freedom and control, even as she pushed the boundaries of what was possible.
Up here, power beneath her feet and wide-open space all around, nothing and no one could touch her.
Only when the last of the initiates had made it into the air did she join the rest.