Threshold of Annihilation

by T. A. White

  The Haldeel's head tilted as a dissatisfied expression appeared on his face. "Why would debate be needed?"

  "This man argues that her actions presented a danger to others and violated the rules."

  The Haldeel glanced in Kira's direction. "And did they?"

  There was a marked hesitation as the officials shared a look. "Not technically."

  "Was anyone injured?"

  The woman didn't answer verbally this time, shaking her head instead.

  Kira's lips quirked.

  Figures. They were leaning in Zepher's direction. Kira had a feeling without the Haldeel's interference, she would have been out of luck.

  Now that he was here, suddenly they were forced to see the truth of the matter. She didn't remember the race organizers being this biased, but then most of those races were filled with humans.

  "I don't see the issue, then," the Haldeel said.

  "It's common sense," the man from Zepher burst out. "They shouldn't have to spell out the obvious."

  The Haldeel's expression remained unchanged. "Common sense or not, her win stands."

  A heavy thud came from a few feet away. Baran straightened from his crouch.

  "You—" Kira mentally cursed.

  Baran's lips twitched. "I see you remember me. That's good. It'll make things easier."

  Kira hesitated, debating the merits of surrendering.

  An object flew out of the stands. Kira caught it before it hit her face. She glanced up to find the person who'd thrown it. A human child around the age of eight or nine grinned at her showing a gap where a tooth was missing. He had freckles spread across his nose and his hair was brown, a little longer than most and shaggy as a result.

  "For the show, lady," the boy called.

  Kira squeezed the ball in her hand, rotating it to see the words written on its side. "Tomorrow. Same Place. No Tuann."

  The words faded seconds later, leaving only a normal ball in her grasp.

  Kira sighed. That made things a little more difficult.

  Baran smiled. "I'm glad you're not going to make this hard on yourself."

  The ball dropped onto the ground as Kira shook her head. "This is going to be so disappointing—for you, that is."

  Baran's confusion changed to outrage. He reached for her, but it was too late. She'd already whirled and plunged into the crowd.

  EIGHT

  THE STANDS ERUPTED at the racer's crash landing—the giddy atmosphere that had been building since the racer began her descent on the tower ignited as the crowd collectively lost their minds.

  Any lingering doubts Graydon had had about the racer's identity were put to bed. Not that he'd suffered from any after that maneuver Raider had called the dead man's plunge.

  "What now?" Raider asked as the mob surged forward, the racer's call sign of Sparrow being chanted until it was a thunderous roar.

  Graydon stood. "We collect what’s ours."

  Raider tilted his head at the drama unfolding below as the race officials argued with the top four racers, including the one responsible for the current state of affairs. "You think she'll make it that easy for you?"

  The racer named Sparrow met his gaze, not even her mask capable of hiding her unease.

  "I'm really hoping she doesn't," Graydon replied.

  Graydon was quite looking forward to the cat/mouse game they were about to embark on.

  "Care to join?" Graydon asked the still form beside him.

  Wren stood, satisfaction appearing for the first time since the race’s start. "It would be my pleasure."

  Below, the little Sparrow couldn't hide her alarm at the mobilization of Graydon and his oshota. Satisfaction filled Graydon. Now, what are you going to do, coli?

  "Retrieve what's ours," Graydon ordered.

  Baran sprung over the stand's railing to drop onto the track below. He and the Sparrow exchanged words seconds before she whirled and disappeared into the crowd.

  Graydon grinned. Just as expected.

  That's it, coli.

  Run. Struggle all you want. You're already caught in the trap I’ve set.

  Raider stretched his legs as he propped his chin on his fist, watching the proceedings with a look of boredom.

  "How is it?" Graydon asked.

  Wren nodded. "She's moving as predicted."

  Satisfaction filled Graydon.

  It wouldn't be long now.

  While Kira had been occupied with the race, Baran and Wren had worked together to stretch strands of ki around the track and surrounding area. The thousands of strands created a web their quarry would be hard-pressed to escape. The more she struggled, the more those strands would wrap around her, making her defeat inevitable.

  As long as they could reach her before she left the area or the strands faded, there was nowhere she could go where Wren and Baran couldn't find her.

  Graydon stalked toward the exit. "Let's go."

  Wren and Graydon's oshota followed, Raider reluctantly bringing up the rear.

  Devon sent Graydon a questioning look and got a headshake in return. This kind of hunting was best left to the experienced.

  As they trooped up the stairs and toward the exit, the crowd remained in place, too focused on the scene below to take note. Except for one. A small, hooded figure stood and followed, tailing them up the stairs, into the innards of the stadium and outside again.

  "We're being followed," Solal informed Graydon.

  "I'm aware."

  The person wasn't even being subtle about it. They'd made no efforts at going unnoticed nor had they made any attempt to hide their presence.

  Graydon found both those facts interesting. For now, they seemed content simply to follow. If Graydon hadn't been planning on re-obtaining a certain troublesome child of Roake, he'd be tempted to allow the person to continue to observe.

  "What would you like done?" Solal asked.

  "Detain them, but don't hurt them if possible."

  There was no sign the person intended harm. They also didn't move in a way that suggested they were a spy. Their actions were too unschooled for that, and there had been no attempt made at being clandestine.

  Graydon didn't want to risk reprisal from the Haldeel in the event the person was a citizen simply fascinated by the Tuann.

  Jettie had a pretty large human refugee population. Humans had been known to fixate on Graydon's people. Sometimes to an unhealthy extent. As long as their shadow didn't intend them harm, Graydon would respond in kind.

  At Solal's silent signal, Noor and Cord fell out of step. As one, they moved to face the person following them.

  "Little friend, you'll need to come with us," Noor informed the shadow.

  "Graydon," Baran said, sounding like he was standing right next to Graydon. "We have a slight problem.”

  In front of them, their tail froze.

  Noor and Cord didn't move as they waited for the person's next move—whether to flee or surrender. They were prepared for both eventualities.

  "I don't know how she did it, but she's gone. I think she had help," Baran continued through the link.

  Graydon stopped moving, their follower's presence suddenly taking on a different connotation. Their smaller size. The fact they hadn't acted until Graydon gave the order to pick up Kira.

  Only a few people would have an interest in something like that.

  As if in confirmation, a familiar voice said, "I'm afraid that option doesn't work for me."

  Raider whirled to face the stranger. "Elena."

  The hooded figure took off, evading Noor's grasp and disappearing out an adjacent window in the next breath. Raider followed close on her heels.

  In an instant, Graydon's quarry changed from Kira to Elena.

  "After her," Graydon ordered.

  His oshota leapt out of the window.

  "What about Kira?" Wren questioned, his reluctance to abandon the chase clear.

  "She's gone, but someone just as good fell into our grasp," Graydon answered.
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  Wren was no fool. He knew Graydon wouldn't abandon the hunt without good reason. Still, Wren's agenda was clear. Find Kira and protect her. As her seon'yer, he only cared about her safety.

  Wren was a highly respected individual among the Tuann. Even Graydon couldn't force his compliance if he truly objected.

  "Trust me. If we catch this person, Kira will come to us."

  Wren studied Graydon, his thoughts not easy to read. Graydon waited, knowing no amount of demands would sway him. Wren made a sharp gesture and the three oshota who'd shadowed him like silent sentinels disappeared through the window after the rest.

  Good.

  That was one problem addressed.

  "Follow me," Graydon said over his shoulder.

  He left the oshota to chase after the hooded figure, knowing the two of them wouldn't add much value to the pursuit. Instead, they took an alternate route, seeking to cut the other person off.

  Yet, every time they came close, the person would veer away.

  "It seems our target isn't entirely without skills," Wren observed.

  Graydon hadn't expected anything else. The target had been trained by Kira. You could see it in the brash confidence that said they thought they were invincible, even as they showcased moments of extreme caution that made them as slippery as a fish.

  The hooded figure led Graydon and Wren's oshota on a merry chase through the city. It was easy to see her familiarity with her surroundings just by the paths she chose.

  Weaving in and out of the more heavily frequented tourist areas before trying to lose her tail in the streets and alleys was something only a local would know.

  Graydon couldn't help but pause to admire the individual and the person who'd trained them. Kira was the only woman who'd defeated him. It made sense her niece would share in some of her skills.

  "Flush her out," Graydon ordered from his rooftop seat.

  A chorus of yesses sounded through his link.

  They closed in on their quarry, coming at her from all sides and forcing her down a dead-end alley.

  Graydon took in the view of the city from where he stood. He loved it when things went his way.

  "I didn't think you would give up on Kira," Wren said.

  Graydon's smile was brief as he tilted his face to enjoy the mild warmth of Jettie's sun.

  "Who says I have?"

  Wren's frown said he didn't appreciate Graydon's games.

  "Just watch. I think you'll find this interesting."

  Wren didn't speak as the minutes passed, the silence deepening.

  Eventually, they both caught the sound of furtive movements from below.

  Wren tilted his head at the edge of the roof in question. Graydon nodded.

  He'd thought she'd choose this route. Good to see she didn't disappoint.

  In tandem, they both masked their presence, their breathing slowing as they stood still. An observer would have guessed them to be statues for all the movement they gave away.

  As a final touch, they ran ki through their bodies, erasing their body heat. Now, no one except a Tuann with a talent for discovery would be able to detect their presence.

  Just in time as a set of hands grasped the ledge, a cloaked head appearing next.

  Graydon moved, crouching in front of the girl. Her mouth dropped open, and her eyes widened in surprise. She would have shot back the way she'd come if Graydon hadn't been quicker.

  With one fast movement, he plucked her off the building's side.

  "Damn it, she said you were good." Elena dangled in his grip, a guilty expression warring with disgruntlement as the sound of pursuit grew below.

  "You didn't believe her?"

  The girl's frown was resigned. "I thought I was better."

  At that, Graydon couldn't contain his laugh. "I can see the resemblance between you two."

  Like Kira, Elena had no shame. Graydon was pretty sure if asked, the only thing Elena would regret was the fact she'd gotten caught.

  With that thought in mind, he deposited her on her feet in front of him.

  She bobbed a sarcastic curtsy at him. "Why, thank you, sir. I'll take that as a compliment."

  As well she should.

  Not just anyone could escape a trap set by the emperor's youngest Face. Had Elena not stumbled into him, this trip could very well have ended in a resounding defeat.

  Graydon didn't even remember the last time that had happened.

  A sharp inhalation told Graydon that Wren finally saw why he'd changed the hunt's prey.

  Wren's gaze was locked on the girl as if she was the only thing that existed in the universe. He looked to be barely breathing.

  For the first time since Graydon had known him, he seemed off-balance, losing some of that iron-clad control. To strangers, he would still resemble an unfathomable stone statue, but to those who knew him, his emotional state was clear.

  Though moments had passed, he looked like he'd aged decades, seemingly lost and adrift—but behind it all was a thinly veiled hope. As if every wish he'd ever had was standing right in front of Graydon. If he blinked, that mirage might crumble, leaving him cold and alone again.

  "Graydon?" There was a question in Wren's voice—tentative, unsure.

  "Yes." Even as Graydon inclined his head, there was a warning in his expression. This wasn't the time or place for this conversation.

  Wren flinched, catching Graydon’s meaning.

  Sound from below forced Wren to swallow what he'd planned to say. By the time Raider appeared over the edge, Wren's expression had reverted to his normal stoicism, leaving not even a hint of the turbulence of before.

  "Sperm donor, you're quite persistent," Elena teased as Raider climbed onto the roof.

  Wren's gaze snapped from Elena to Raider again. "Sperm donor?"

  No one answered.

  Wren studied Raider for several long seconds before shooting a glance in Graydon's direction. "I submit my name to be considered as his formal seon'yer."

  "I thought you’d say that."

  "Then you accept?"

  Graydon inclined his head. "As long as he agrees."

  Wren stared at Raider with a determined expression. "I'll see that he does."

  Raider ignored the exchange, instead focusing on his daughter.

  "Where's your aunt?" Raider asked.

  Elena tilted her head, not even the apparent innocence in her wide eyes quite able to hide her displeasure. "Is that how you greet your long-lost daughter?"

  Raider froze.

  Silence filled the rooftop, only disrupted as Graydon's oshota, Wren's among them, landed arranged in a circle around them.

  Elena startled. "How did you do that?"

  Amila grinned. "Practice, little one."

  "Can you teach me?" Elena asked, channeling a little girl's excitement again.

  Amila's chin dipped as she tried to restrain her amusement. "Perhaps one day."

  Elena pouted.

  "How is this possible?" one of Wren's oshota asked, staring at the girl like she'd seen a ghost.

  "Auralyn," Wren barked.

  She startled, looking in his direction with a lost expression.

  "Not here," he said.

  "But—" As if drawn by a magnet, Auralyn's gaze was pulled to Elena again.

  "Discipline," Wren ground out.

  Auralyn jerked like he'd struck her, but the reminder worked. She closed her eyes and when she opened them again, her expression was composed and still, the previous emotion gone as if it had never been.

  Graydon couldn't help but admire their control. But then, he hadn't really expected any less of someone of Wren's status and rank.

  "I don't suppose I can trust you to stay put," Graydon said.

  Elena flashed him a look, nearly identical to the one Kira got when she thought someone had asked a stupid question.

  That was what he'd thought.

  Graydon snagged her wrist, sliding a bracelet over it. He pressed his thumb to the clasp, satisfied when
a spark of warmth slid into his hand.

  "What's this?" Elena asked, shaking her wrist.

  "Insurance."

  Elena raised her eyes to his.

  "As long as you're wearing that, one of us will always know where you are," he informed her.

  Her face was a picture of indignant insult as she glanced up at Raider. "Are you going to let him do this to me?"

  Raider pinched the bridge of his nose. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but yes, I think I am."

  *

  "What are you doing?" Jin asked as Kira fled past pit crews and dodged around landing racers.

  "The contact reached out. We've got a meet."

  Baran barreled after her, barely avoiding getting clipped in the head by a returning racer in the process.

  "And I suppose they don't want any of our friends butting in."

  "You suppose right." Kira ducked under the waveboard of a landing racer. Its heat nearly singed her hair as she rolled away from it.

  "Why can't things ever be easy?" Jin asked.

  Kira would really like to know that as well.

  This wasn't the plan. Graydon wasn't supposed to recognize her. He wasn't supposed to send people to retrieve her. And she wasn't supposed to run from them.

  Yet here she was, doing exactly that.

  The departure from Ta Sa'Riel could be blamed on Elena and Odin, but this she was doing knowingly and on purpose. You could say she was acting under her own agency.

  Jin groaned. "We don't have a choice."

  Nope. They didn't.

  Their contact was nothing if not difficult. If Kira brought any of Graydon's people, she could kiss goodbye the relationship she'd painstakingly developed.

  Elena’s future safety depended on her contact’s good will; Kira couldn’t chance destroying their link.

  "I'm uploading a map to your interface," Jin informed her. "Follow it."

  A series of broken, floating lines appeared in front of Kira, curving around obstructions before disappearing into the crowd.

  Kira plunged after them, her interface calculating and recalculating the best route based on the changing conditions—exactly as it would during a race.

  The lines twisted and curved through the landing zone, occasionally disappearing to reappear as a new route opened up.