by T. A. White
"Alert the ambassador and tell the Haldeel to bug out," the commander ordered.
"Roger that," someone shouted, already moving to obey.
Kira stared at the screen. "We're not going to be able to hold them."
There was grim acceptance in the commander's face. "I know, but we'll do the best we can anyway."
Kira nodded.
Again, the scene tried to wrench sideways. Graydon held firm, his mind threatening to buckle as his nose began to bleed.
Kira's mind was powerful, and her desire not to revisit this next memory even more so.
Graydon couldn't let her run.
Her desperation beat at him, shredding his insides. He didn't relent. This was their best opportunity. He had to act now. Every time she looped, she'd grow weaker. Eventually, there would be no pulling her out. This had to happen now.
Their wills tangled as they fought for control.
The balance wavered before tipping back toward Kira. Jin appeared beside Graydon.
"Sorry, dearest. Time for a little tough love. You need to wake up, and this is the fastest way," Jin said with a sad smile.
The bridge disappeared, the black void of space taking its place, glittering stars caught in its depths. Below him, a moon reflected the light of a strange sun.
"Curs, rally on me. I have a plan," Kira shouted.
"There’s no time. We're not going to make it,” Elise said.
“Yes, you can,” Kira shouted. “Trust me. It’ll work.”
“I’m sorry, Phoenix. It wasn’t supposed to happen like this,” Elise said in a broken voice. “I’ve left you something. Find it. Protect it. Trust no one.”
Time skipped.
Kira's scream of denial came as the moon splintered, pieces of it shooting into space from the force of the explosion.
"Pull her out now, before she relives this," Jin ordered.
With the last dregs of his will, Graydon shattered the world around them, the sound of Kira's agony echoing in his ears.
Graydon jolted into his body, the waters of memory and dream holding their shape. They wobbled before crashing down.
Kira fell. Graydon surged forward, catching her body and lowering them both to the ground until he was kneeling in the water.
She screamed; one long, drawn-out agonized sound after another. It was painful to listen to and even more difficult to watch as he clutched her to him, making soothing sounds.
She sobbed, the sounds broken as they reached inside Graydon and twisted. He hated what he'd made her relive, even as he knew it had been utterly necessary.
Gradually, he became aware of her speaking into his chest as he rocked her back and forth.
"They're gone. They'reThey'regonethey'regonethey'regone."
Harlow met Graydon's eyes. His expression almost lost as he took in his niece. The Overlord wasn't used to helplessness. It didn't sit well.
He withdrew into himself, a mask slamming down as his attention shifted to the culprits of what happened. There was no mercy in him as he made his way toward Aeron.
"Shh, I've got you," Graydon crooned. He lifted a hand, pushing her hair away from her face. "I know, cheva nier, but you're not alone now. I'm here."
Her pain gutted him.
Jin drifted beside her.
"She sacrificed herself for you," Graydon said softly. A word crept along the edges of his mind, one he tried to ignore, knowing the ramifications of it would change everything.
It pushed forward anyway. Soul bound.
"Yes," Jin agreed. "Not all of her secrets are hers to tell."
It was a warning, one Graydon would do well to pay attention to.
As secrets go, this one was dangerous. There hadn't been a soul bound since the Tuann's escape from their merciless masters.
That there was one now would rock the very foundations of their society if it ever got out.
He was starting to understand the full ramifications of Kira's existence and the potential for danger she held.
*
Numbness spread through Kira as she clutched Graydon, nuzzling her face into his neck. Just one more minute, and then she'd pull herself together.
She needed to face the consequences of this—but not yet.
Even knowing she shouldn't, Kira's head lifted, her lips unerringly finding Graydon's.
She needed to forget, if only for a minute. All of the pain. All of the sadness. She needed to know there was more to this life than death and loss.
Graydon had come for her, dragged her scratching and clawing from the darkness. He was still here, even after he'd seen her in some of her worst moments.
Graydon's hand rose, cupping her nape. His passion matching hers. The kiss was gentle, as if he was afraid of breaking her—until he wasn't.
They sank into each other. The rest of the world faded away. The only thing of importance the way their lips clung, heated and warm. A brand that marked and claimed.
Someone cleared their voice loudly next to her.
It took several seconds before Kira could force herself to draw back, her breathing fast as arousal swam through her veins.
The brutal beauty of Graydon's face eclipsed the rest of the room. The visible battle he fought not to pull her to him and continue their interlude was reassuring. She wasn't the only one fighting not to finish what they'd started.
"As touching as this is, I'm not sure your uncle wants to see you getting busy with the commander," Jin drawled. "I second that sentiment, if you were wondering."
Kira felt drained and weak as she propped herself on one hand. "You couldn't have found another way?"
Jin darted into her chest. Her arms closed around him as his voice came, muffled. "Graydon seemed convinced this was our best option."
Kira dropped a kiss on his smooth metal. "Thank you for coming for me. I know that couldn't have been easy for you."
Jin carried his own scars from those memories.
Jin drew back. "It wasn't."
The other two were starting to recover from their immersion in Kira's mind. Devon bolted upright, landing on his hands and knees as he lost the contents of his stomach.
Finished, he scrubbed at his mouth, looking lost. "How do you bear it?"
Kira's smile was halfhearted. "What other choice is there?"
Their conversation was interrupted as the oshota forced Aeron up and onto his knees, not bothering to be gentle as they did so.
To Kira's surprise, Aeron didn't seem defeated, sitting there on his knees, oshota on either side and one behind him, en-blades unsheathed.
She frowned.
He seemed resigned, if anything.
"Why did you do this?" Harlow asked.
Aeron's head lifted, his eyes finding Kira's. "You weren't supposed to be here. He said you were done with the Tuann."
"So sorry to ruin your plans," Jin said when Kira remained silent, watching Aeron carefully.
Aeron’s smile was humorless. “Me too, but that’s why I’m here. Insurance, right? For when things go wrong.”
His gaze fell on Loudon as black crawled across Aeron's eyes, his skin darkening. “We couldn’t exactly trust a Tuann to secure such a valuable prize as Devon. He’s going to be the new you, Kira. It’s why they sent me.”
"Primus," an oshota shouted, his en-blade already swinging.
Aeron’s hand shot up, catching the blade. He bared incisors that had lengthened into fangs. Horns curled up from his head as he ripped the blade away. He swung, and the oshota flew back.
"Wrong," Aeron said, adjusting his shoulders as if trying to get comfortable in his new form.
"General," Kira whispered.
Kira’s world shifted as her preconceptions were realigned. The generals were like the Tuann; they had more than one form.
Around them, the oshota scrambled in the face of the unexpected threat.
Jin moved to hover protectively in front of Devon and Kira.
The general lunged at Harlow. The world slowed, Kira too
far and too weak to do anything but watch as Harlow dropped back a step, a glow building in his hands as the general neared.
A lance of red pierced the dark. It hit Aeron in the chest. He gurgled, blood bubbles forming around the corner of his mouth as he dropped to his knees, a look of shock on his face.
For an instant, nobody moved, surprise holding them immobile.
Finally, they looked to see a figure standing in the middle of the water, a cloak covering their face. The person snapped a jaunty wave in greeting before racing into the darkness.
"After them," Harlow roared.
Kira didn't move as she stared after the stranger. She recognized that cloak.
She should. It was hers, though the last time she had seen it had been on her ship, months ago.
"Oh boy, that's not going to be good," Jin muttered.
Kira shot him a glance, ordering him without words to do something.
He sighed, floating after the figure. "Don't get into any more trouble."
No one remarked his passing, too vested in Harlow's security to notice.
Graydon's oshota grouped around Devon, forming a wall of flesh around him.
Kira’s lips parted, and Graydon bent a look of warning on her, telling her without words not to ask.
Her mouth snapped shut. His look was confirmation enough of her suspicions.
On the ground, Aeron wheezed as he struggled to breathe. With the rest distracted, Kira crawled over to him, her touch fleeting and tentative as she examined the wound. It was clean. Almost surgical.
If Aeron got medical attention, he would no doubt live.
"Lothos told me you'd kill me if I accepted this position," Aeron gasped. "Looks like he was right."
"You’re not dead yet," Kira told him as she pressed her hand to his wound to stem the blood.
His laugh was clogged and pain-filled. "They call you the Savior. Always whispering of your existence—but you never came for us. We weren't good enough for you to save. You saved all of them, but never us."
His gaze moved over the ceiling, fear of death on his face. Right then, he was a boy despite his form being that of a general, with the same fears the rest of them had.
"Did it ever occur to you to save yourself?" Kira asked.
He scoffed. "Someone has to protect our young from our masters. If we don’t, they’ll do terrible things to them."
"I know," she said sadly.
“We never were the favored children,” he ground out. “Seems not much has changed.”
Graydon appeared over Kira’s shoulder. "Why are you here?"
Aeron shifted, an agonized groan leaving him. "The masters want their toys back."
Graydon looked over Kira's head toward Harlow. "Confirmation."
Harlow nodded, looking grim.
"Get him medical attention and then fit him with a disruptor," Harlow said. "It stands to reason if the disruptor works on our criminals, it'll work on one of them too. The emperor will no doubt want him interrogated."
Harlow's oshota were gentle as they shuffled Kira to the side, reaching down and securing Aeron.
"See you soon, Phoenix," Aeron said over his shoulder as he was carried away.
"You'll never get close to her again," the oshota carrying him snapped.
Harlow crossed to Loudon, grief and betrayal written on his face as he stared at his friend. Makon and several others stood in a semi-circle around the man, making sure the Tuann wouldn't try to run.
Loudon struggled to focus on the approaching Overlord.
His armor had clamped down on the flesh above the arm, creating a tourniquet and preventing him from bleeding out. It didn’t stop him from going into shock, however.
"I always thought there was a traitor, but I was hoping it wasn't you," Harlow informed him.
Loudon was quiet.
"Why did you do this?" Harlow asked.
Still, Loudon didn't speak.
"If I had to guess, it's because of the role he played in my parents' deaths. He was the mole, the person who made everything that happened possible," Kira finally said, coming to stand beside Harlow's side.
She crouched so she could stare Loudon in the eye. "I'm betting when the Tsavitee approached him before my arrival, he tried to refuse. Only the Tsavitee don't like being told no. They probably threatened to reveal the role he played in the Sorrowing if he didn't help."
Loudon glared at her.
"Tell me I'm wrong," she told him.
His face turned ugly. If he could have, he probably would have tried to kill her again.
Kira stood and shook her head.
"Why did you betray them?" Harlow asked. "You were Harding's friend too. He trusted you."
Kira was quiet. She could have told him what she’d learned, but she knew the answer would only hurt him.
She found herself reluctant to do anything that would cause him further distress.
"He was weak and a fool," Loudon bit out finally. "He never should have been Overlord. It always should have been you."
Harlow was still as poison continued to spill from Loudon's lips.
"I did it for you. He was never strong enough to do what was necessary. You were the one who was always meant to lead. You—"
Harlow hammered his fist into the reclined man's chest. Raw ki exploded through him. Kira's ears popped from the pressure.
Loudon was dead even as his eyes widened, his body convulsing.
Her uncle slowly straightened. "You fool. All this for a position I never even wanted."
Harlow's head bent.
Grief chased through Makon's expression before it was gone. The marshal met her eyes before inclining his head.
Kira lingered, torn between the need to retreat and leave them with their grief and the need to offer some form of sympathy. Her uncle’s friend had committed unspeakable wrongs against him. There were no words that would take the sting of that knowledge away.
She had to try anyway. Kira opened her mouth to speak. Pain devoured her. A high whine escaped her as fire encased her wrists.
Harlow whirled as she brought her wrists to her in an instinctive gesture to protect them.
"What's happening?" she gritted out as the fire burrowed deeper.
Graydon was there in the next second, both men hovering protectively over her as Graydon withdrew one arm, bringing it up so they could see.
Shock and awe were on both men's faces as Graydon pulled her to him, his hand rubbing a soothing pattern over her back.
"Make it stop," Kira managed to get out.
"I can’t. It'll be over soon," Graydon said, pressing his cheek into the top of her head.
Sure enough, seconds later the pain eased, and Kira stared at her new injuries. Her skin was unblistered, but it wasn't unmarked. Around each wrist were etched lines, the pattern beautiful and familiar.
The only time she'd seen anything like them was when Himoto had shown her photos or video of her primus form.
"Why are the tattoos from my primus form suddenly appearing?" Kira asked, feeling a spurt of fear.
Graydon touched them gently, smoothing a finger along the lines. Electricity and heat trailed behind where he touched, tugging at Kira's core.
"These are Overlord bands," he said. "They're bestowed on very few."
Her gaze lifted to find pride and a fierce satisfaction blazing in his.
"It means the Mea’Ave has judged you worthy," her uncle rumbled. "Congratulations. You've passed the uhva na."
TWENTY-SEVEN
It was several days later when Wren finally managed to hunt her down. A part of her had been expecting him.
She'd never know if it was what she'd done that day or Quillon reaching him in time was what saved him. Kira didn't think she wanted to know.
Wren joined her where she leaned on the stone balcony of her new room. It seemed when you passed the Trial of the Broken, you got better accommodations.
This room was bigger than the last and came with more amenitie
s. The balcony was one.
Like her first room, it had come fully stocked with a full complement of clothes. Many were the same ballistic-proof quality of the outfit she'd worn to the trial.
In addition, Kira had found two weapons that made her mouth salivate. They begged her to test their capabilities. One was a sword similar in form to an en-blade and fit her hand like it had been made for her. The second was a bracelet that turned into a whip of light, perfect for those times you couldn't go overtly armed.
Her not so mysterious benefactor had been more than kind.
To everyone’s surprise, Kira wasn't the only one to pass the trial. Devon had received his marks at some point before she'd arrived. Joule too, she'd been delighted to discover.
Raider’s attempt was delayed by a day so the Overlord could deal with the fallout from events, but soon he too bore marks of his own. He was the first human ever accorded the honor. It had sent shock waves through Roake as a result.
Not that Kira was surprised. She always knew Raider was capable of it. Her former ally was nothing if not tenacious.
The question of Aeron’s infiltration had been answered as well. Loudon had been a busy boy over the past few weeks, falsifying Aeron’s background and making sure to put him into Devon’s orbit whenever possible.
Aeron was supposed to get close to Devon, then find a way to alienate him from the rest of the initiates. It was meant to mentally weaken him and drive him into a corner, making him easier to scoop up in the end.
The trial was over, but the path to the adva ka was still long and twisting. No one could tell her when the next one would be called. They simply didn’t know. Evidently, the adva ka existed based on the Mea’Ave’s will. It would allow entrants only when it wanted.
It meant Kira was back in a holding pattern. Not that she minded overly. With evidence provided by Odin that Elise was out in the universe again, it meant her need to find the Tsavitee home worlds was no longer as pressing.
She still needed to find them, but she no longer felt like she was going to come out of her skin from the urgency she felt. Besides, it was going to take time for Odin to sift through the data she’d given her. This had always been a long shot.