"What time is it?" she asked around a yawn.
She stretched, her joints popping as she blinked the drowsiness out of her eyes.
It felt early. Much too early to be up and about.
"The sun is up," Graydon said, glancing out the light filtering window.
That explained it. When they'd arrived, it had been nighttime. Their circadian rhythms hadn't had time to adjust to the planet's rhythm yet.
Day was when she'd been getting her rest.
"What are you doing up? Come back to bed." Kira tugged on his arm, trying to draw him back under the sheets with her.
"I can't do that," he said.
The eyes that had just drifted closed, opened as she gave him a grumpy frown. "Why not?"
He smiled, smoothing a hand over her head. "I think there's something we need to do."
Kira's sleepiness vanished.
"Did Diesel put you up to this?"
Graydon's silence was as good as an answer.
She flopped onto her back, putting one arm behind her head as she glared at the ceiling. The bed dipped under Graydon's weight as he sat beside her.
"Fine," Kira huffed before he could say anything. "I'll go."
Graydon patted her knee. "I knew you'd agree. I'll let you get dressed."
She rolled her head to look at him. "Must be nice to have a suit of armor you can don instantly."
"You could always get one of your own."
"Is that a clever way to convince me to become your oshota?"
Graydon looked as if he was considering it. "I wouldn't mind you serving me."
Kira glared. "Who says I'd be the one serving?"
She was just as likely to become the master as the shield.
Finn had told her that to gain her own synth armor, she would first need to journey to a lu-ong hunting ground. There, she'd have to obtain a single scale from a lu-ong's chest. The endeavor could take years and often resulted in many failed attempts before a person met success.
Only the most skilled Tuann were chosen for the journey. It was the second to last step needed to be considered an oshota. The last one being finding a sword to serve.
Graydon leaned down to touch his lips to Kira’s. "Even better."
"You'd have to listen to Finn as my First."
His thumb touched the base of her throat. "I'm sure he and I could come to an acceptable arrangement. Raider, on the other hand—"
"What does he have to do with it? He's not an oshota."
"Isn't he, though?"
"He's human."
Graydon made a throaty sound that showed he didn't entirely agree.
"What do you know?" Kira asked sharply.
His smile was brief. "Your Raider is an oshota even if he doesn't carry the name. It wouldn't surprise me to learn Wren and Harlow have been grooming him for that role in future."
"Why would they do that?" Kira asked in confusion.
Graydon's gaze was soft. "They see his potential. Just like I do."
Kira was quiet. Wren she could understand. Raider's acceptance in Tuann society would only help Elena. Not hinder. Harlow, on the other hand. His motivations were more difficult to read.
A knock at the door had Graydon rising. "I'll take care of that."
Kira nodded as Graydon went to the door. She stayed where she was until he stepped outside, the door closing after him cutting off the rumble of voices.
"Guess I should get moving too," Kira said.
Running had never been in her nature, but this was one time she wouldn't have minded making an exception.
The cold felt like a slap in the face compared to the warmth of Kira's bed as she tucked her cloak more securely around her.
She never thought she'd say it, but she missed Ta Sa'Riel. It was infinitely better than this frozen ball of ice.
With a sense of resignation, Kira trudged across the hard packed snow toward where Diesel and Graydon were deep in conversation.
At her approach, Diesel glanced over in amusement. "You look miserable. I forgot how much you hate the cold."
"I don't hate it. I just prefer not to be out in it if I don't have to."
"It might help if you were dressed appropriately," he said, taking in the thin clothes she wore and the cloak that didn't look like it was doing much to ward off the cold.
"I'm fine."
The balial material her clothes were crafted from made sure of that.
"You sure?" Diesel beckoned a woman over. "At least put on gloves and a scarf."
Not wanting to argue, Kira took what was offered and slid her hands into the gloves before wrapping the scarf around her neck, making sure her ears were covered at the same time. Although her Tuann designed garments protected most of her body, her hands and ears were still vulnerable to the cold.