She had no fear of her seon'yer failing her. Wren would die first. He was a demon with his blade so the chances of that happening were small.
Maksym winked at her. "Don't worry, youngest. We do this sort of thing all the time."
Kira shook her head.
"I notice you didn't mention Roake's fleet," Graydon drawled, looking at her playfully.
"Always hold something back. They're my trump card. You heard Aeron. The Tsavitee have spies everywhere in the Consortium and Centcom. It's best not to reveal more than we have to."
Graydon's grin was slow, reminding Kira of how they'd spent the morning. "I do so love this side of you."
"I know." Kira's smirk faded as she looked at Devon and Joule. "You'll be with the drop teams."
She would have preferred to leave them out of this, but she had a feeling they'd be needed. Joule's shields would come in handy during the insertion when the drop ship would be at its most vulnerable.
Devon wasn't one to be left out either. He could act as an extra sword while they were down there.
"Finn and Talon, you'll be in the drop ship with me as well," Kira told them.
Graydon set his chin on his fist and fluttered his eyelashes at Kira in expectation.
She gave him a disgusted look. "Are you really going to make me say it?"
"I'd prefer it, yes."
"Fine," Kira bit out. "Graydon, how would you feel about risking life and limb on a potential suicide mission? I promise it will be chock full of death defying thrills and if we're very unlucky we'll come face-to-face with the monsters of Tuann legend."
"You always give me the sweetest of gifts, coli. It would be my honor to battle at your side in this most deadly of courtships. I wouldn't miss it for anything."
Three hours later Kira stood in the quarters Jace had assigned her on the CSS Reliance, his flagship, her gaze trained on the rogue planet as it retreated in the distance.
A chiming sound came from the J1N.
"There is an incoming call," the drone announced.
Kira leaned her wrist against the window. "Right on time."
"Shall I answer it?"
An angry exhale came from Kira. "Yes."
Pallas's silky tone flooded the room. "Dearest sister, methinks someone isn't where they promised to be."
"Is that so?" Kira asked as Graydon's reflection appeared in the window next to her.
"I thought we had an agreement."
"We did. No more."
"Oh?" Pallas purred.
"Yes."
Graydon's arms came around her, tugging her back into his chest as he held her.
"Don't be foolish, little sister. You know there's nowhere you can go that I won't find you."
"Maybe," Kira agreed. "But I wouldn't recommend you trying. The next time I see you I plan to kill you."
Leaving this way was the last bit of mercy she had to offer her brother. So, she hoped he took her warning seriously.
Because the next time they met, one of them would die.
"You've disabled my ship," Pallas announced a moment later with a mixture of admiration and frustration. "And you're using a Tuann disrupter field like the ones used in their prisons to prevent me from using alternate means of travel. Well done, little sister."
Kira didn't say anything as he seethed.
"This won't keep me forever," he spat.
"No, it won't."
There was a loud crash from Pallas's side. "Why are you doing this?"
"I know you were on Rothchild's moon before the blast."
A defeated sigh came over the line. "Kira."
Kira glared at her reflection, hating the gleam of wet on her cheeks. "Did you kill my friends?"
There was another sigh. "It's not that simple, heasa."
"It is, actually. Very simple."
"Turn off this trap. This isn't the way to do this."
"Did. You. Kill. My. Friends?"
Symbols appeared on Kira's face and arm, her primus struggling to rise by the last word.
Graydon's arms tightened around her, his voice crooning in her ear. "Shh."
"Yes," Pallas admitted.
Kira folded forward, Graydon's grip on her the only thing that kept her from collapsing as an ugly, hurt sound left her throat. "Shut it down, Jin."
"Who?" the J1N asked dumbly.
"Turn it off!" Kira screamed, lunging at the drone.
Graydon stopped her, turning her into his chest as Kira broke down. "I've got you, cheva nier. Let it all out."