"Would you rather I abandon her?" Graydon asked, sending him a hard look.
Raider sighed and shook his head. "Of course not. Curs don't abandon each other. No matter what fucked up rift they wind up on the other side of."
"Glad we have that settled," Graydon spat, turning his attention to the rift.
"Make sure you bring her back," Wren said.
"There was never any doubt of that."
As if Graydon would let anything stand between him and his coli.
"We'll meet you on Rothchild," Graydon told the others, stepping through.
Wren’s voice followed him into the darkness. "Good luck. May the Mea'Ave protect you."
Nine
Kira - Somewhere else
The rift spat Kira out in the same manner in which she entered. Tumbling backwards, ass over tea kettle like the newbiest of novices. As if she hadn't spent nearly every day of the past 92 years training to be the biggest threat in the room.
Her back hit the ground hard, knocking the wind out of her. Dots of black ate at her vision. Her stomach heaved.
Don't throw up. Don't you dare throw up.
That would be the cherry on top of this sundae of spectacular failure.
Pallas sauntered out of the rift while she was still trying to get her bearings. "I was expecting more from that ship of yours. It's a tiny bit run down. Somewhat lacking as a flagship of House Roake's heir. What's the matter, Nixxy? Your house experiencing financial difficulties?"
"Pallas," Kira snarled.
The world heaved as she flipped onto her stomach. Kira was forced to stop and breathe lightly through her nose as the motion set the world to spinning.
Fuck spatial dislocation and her idiot brother. Tuann teleportation devices didn’t cause this kind of reaction.
No. This awfulness was limited entirely to the use of Pallas's messed up little ability.
"Is it because they don't support your suicide mission? Is that why they half assed your ship's retrofit?"
Kira tuned Pallas out, his babble a low drone as she pushed herself upright. Devastation settled slowly over her at finding herself no longer on the Wanderer. Or any ship for that matter.
Stone walls had replaced metal ones. The floor she knelt on was made from the same material. The chamber was massive. Not something you'd find on a ship in space.
Its architecture wasn't of human design. Not Tuann either.
This place felt old. And abandoned. Dust had accumulated on the floor and stairs, disturbed by Kira and Pallas's arrival.
Three steps as wide as the room's length led up to a landing. Beyond it was a giant door that seemed almost narrow given the breadth of the rest of the space.
"What the fuck did you do?" Kira's question was spoken in a low tone. Her manner outwardly calm.
Pallas pointed at his chest in fake surprise. "Me?"
Kira stared.
His hand dropped. "I thought you'd be more grateful."
"Grateful?" The word was almost a hiss. "You kidnapped me!"
He'd taken her from her ship. She was alone. Against the greatest trial she'd ever faced. On a planet whose location she didn't know the first thing about.
"You ruined everything! I had a team. A plan. And now it's gone."
He didn't even look sorry.
A deranged smile played on his face as he watched her meltdown. As if he found all this vastly amusing.
Should she just kill him?
Tempting.
Except the last time she’d tried, it didn't exactly end well for her. Three broken ribs. A shattered wrist. And so much internal bleeding the doctors were surprised she survived.
The only thing that had soothed her wounded ego was that Pallas had been in equal if not worse condition.
Pallas's smirk grew predatory. Practically goading her. Dancing on her last nerve. Tip tap. Tip tap.
"Someone is feeling spicy." Pallas pretended to shiver. "Go ahead. You know you want to."
"Don't push me," Kira warned.
"What's the matter, Phoenix? Afraid? How do you expect to accomplish anything if you're pissing yourself right out of the gate?"
The last thread controlling her anger snapped. Rage roared to the forefront of her brain.
Kira launched herself at Pallas, her hand withdrawing the sheathed akieri blade that had once belonged to her father. A flex of her ki and the blade unfolded, the pieces snapping together with a snick that made her soul sing. Almost as much as the glowing lines that riddled the length of the metal. Like fine cracks on an egg's surface.
Pallas threw his head back as he shouted with laughter. It stopped a second later. His smile insane. "Finally."