by T. A. White
"You done?" he asked.
She shrugged. "For now."
He bared his teeth at her. She bared hers right back.
The sight made him chuckle as his hands slid from her shoulders and he stood. He didn't help her up, which was probably a good thing, since she might have savaged his arm given the way she was feeling.
The strange man said something in their language.
"She doesn't understand Tuann. Stick to human standard," Graydon said as he looked around them.
She noticed with a start Graydon wore a pair of pants and nothing else. His shoulders and chest were wide and developed, tapering into a narrow waist. Every muscle was rigidly defined, making it hard to take her eyes off him. He had the sort of body the barbarian romance holos liked to feature. Women everywhere would pay a fortune for any scrap containing a picture of his chest and waist.
"Where did you get the hellcat?" the stranger asked, nodding at Kira.
"It's a long story," Graydon said, sparing a glance at her. "It's good to see you again, Finn."
"Can't say the same," Finn said sourly.
Kira smirked when he reached up to touch the gash on his forehead. It matched hers and made the headache quickly forming behind her eyes almost worth it.
"What are you doing here?" Graydon asked.
"I heard the fight. Got here and found her," Finn said, jerking his chin at Kira.
Kira stared at the two men as they focused on her. "I was out for a stroll and thought I'd investigate."
Neither man looked like they believed her.
"She was their target. She sprinted straight at them after the first salvo. Didn't even hesitate," Finn said, not taking his eyes off Kira.
Graydon growled as he glared at Kira. "Usually one doesn't run at the people trying to kill them."
"Does it happen to you often?" Kira asked politely.
His face got even grumpier.
"Will you do it?" he asked, not looking anywhere besides Kira.
She frowned, not understanding.
Finn’s sigh was heavy and depressed. "Yeah. There's not much choice. She has too much of him in her."
Satisfaction flashed across Graydon's face and he slapped Finn on the shoulder. "Good, that'll make things easier."
"For you, maybe," Finn said as the sounds of others approaching reached them.
Roderick and several of his people slipped through the trees, taking in the sight of them with varying degrees of dismay and caution.
Roderick's gaze lingered on Finn before he focused on Graydon. "What is going on here?"
"I’d like to ask you the same thing," Graydon said in a painfully polite voice. "A child of your House was attacked. Where were your men during this?"
Roderick's attention shot from Graydon to Kira. "We cannot protect you if you leave the safety of the Citadel without notifying anyone."
Kira lifted an eyebrow, unimpressed with the way he'd tried to shift the blame for this to her shoulders.
She held her silence, waiting to see how far he would go.
"Kira was on the terrace when she was attacked. Your men should have been guarding her," Graydon said, a dangerous undercurrent to his voice.
"My men have more important things to worry about," Roderick snapped.
"Someone just penetrated your House defenses and attacked someone under your Overlord's protection. What is more important than that?" Graydon demanded silkily.
Roderick fell silent, glaring at Graydon for several seconds before switching his scowl to Kira. She gave him a polite expression. Graydon had raised excellent points. She was interested in hearing the answer.
"You've made it clear she's under your protection," Roderick shot back. "Until she is declared part of our House, her safety isn't my responsibility."
That response seemed to infuriate both Graydon and Finn. Both men straightened, seeming to grow larger for a brief moment. Graydon's eyes were bright and furious. For a moment, Kira thought he might grab the shorter man by the throat.
Roderick broke the standoff by spinning and stalking away. He barked an order over his shoulder.
"Incompetent fool," Graydon snarled quietly.
"I'd like to say I'm surprised, but I'm really not," Finn drawled. "Luatha has gotten fat and lazy."
That was one word for it.
Roderick hadn't even taken the time to investigate. He hadn't sent his men to sweep the perimeter or make sure there were no other points of insertion. For all he knew, the attack on Kira was a decoy used to gain access to the House for some other agenda.
Was his lack of concern because this was an attack on her? Or was this their normal operating procedure?
Either way, it pointed to a dangerous lack of foresight.
Had the safety of the Citadel and those inside been Kira's responsibility, she would have made sure to hunt the perpetrators no matter who their target. It said bad things about your leadership if someone under your protection could be hurt with impunity. It was only a matter of time before others attacked too.
The same thoughts seemed to have occurred to Graydon, his expression darkening further.
There was a small sound behind them as Amila ghosted out of the woods.
"They got away," she told Graydon.
Impressive. Kira knew exactly how quick Amila and the other oshota were.
The assailants would have had to be reasonably versed in the area for them to have pulled off their escape. Kira just didn't see a stranger being able to evade the oshota otherwise.
A disturbing thought, considering she thought she detected a Tsavitee presence. Her frown grew pensive. She could be imagining things that weren't there, her nightmare influencing her.
"Did you see how many of them there were?" Graydon asked Kira.
"At least two. Other than that, I'm not sure. I didn't get a look at them."
"How do you know there were two?" Finn asked.
"Two weapons," she said. "The energy arrows and these."
She tossed one of the throwing knives at Finn. He caught it easily, lifting it as he examined it closely.
"These are of Luathan design," he confirmed.
"Are you sure?" Graydon asked.
"Very. They're the only ones who bother with the filigree along the sides," he said, tilting it for a better look.
"Form and function. It's practically their motto," Amila agreed.
"Why go after me?" Kira asked. "I haven't been here nearly long enough to make enemies."
"You're of the bloodline. Not just a distant relation but a direct descendant. If you wanted to, you could challenge Liara for her position as Luatha Overlord," Graydon said grimly.
Politics. Great. The last thing Kira liked dealing with.
"Where's your little friend?" Graydon asked, focusing on Kira. "I would have thought he'd be the first one out once the action started."
Kira met his gaze with a cool one of her own. "He's resting."
She didn't let her expression shift, keeping it calm and confident. She didn't want Graydon or the others to know about Jin's extracurricular activities, not now that his spying had become more important than ever.
The look in Graydon’s eyes said he didn't quite believe her. She tensed, expecting him to force her to prove it. If they checked her room, they'd know instantly she was lying.
Graydon turned, saying over his shoulder, "Come."
"Where are we going?" Kira asked.
"We need to report this to the Overlord," he said.
"Haven't we already established the Luatha don't care at best, and at worst she was the one to order the assassination," Kira said, following as he headed toward the manor.
"Yes, but seeing how she reacts to this information will tell us a lot," Graydon said with forced patience.
Kira let herself smile, liking the fact she was getting to him. It was obvious Graydon was used to being obeyed without question.
He turned and caught sight of the smile. He paused before fixing her with a loo
k that indicated he knew what she was doing, knew it and would relish his revenge.
Fair enough, but he'd find she wasn't the easiest of opponents.
His smile deepened. No, he looked forward to that.
CHAPTER TWELVE
"Where's your Overlord?" Graydon barked at the two oshota standing guard in front of a great door.
If Kira had thought her quarters were needlessly fancy, they had nothing on this. It looked like the entryway to a palace, ornate with finely carved details into the wood panels. Whoever had made these doors had taken their time, poured all their soul into them. They would have taken years to create.
Just like everything else in the place, they were works of art modified to fulfill a purpose.
"She's sleeping," the woman to their right said. “She's not to be disturbed."
Her partner took in the sight of them, his gaze lingering on Kira, noting her dirty bare feet, the slight dishevelment of her clothes. Rolling around on the ground while fighting a full-grown Tuann wasn't easy on the clothes or appearance. Her hair was a mess of snarls and her face had blood on it.
"Get her," Graydon ordered.
The man didn't wait for permission, turning and disappearing into the room as the woman barred their entry.
They waited in silence. Kira shifted, exhaustion pulling at her as the adrenaline from the fight faded. The close brush with death and the ensuing aftermath had wiped the last bits of her nightmare from her, leaving her ready for sleep.
The door opened again as the woman's partner returned.
"She will see you," he said.
Graydon brushed past him, his face a grim mask. The woman remained at her post as the rest of them filed in after Graydon.
Their footsteps echoed in the large cavernous space, the ceiling high above supported by ornate columns. They reminded Kira of some of the ancient buildings on Earth. There weren't many left, not since the war. The Tsavitee didn't seem to care whether something was a cultural treasure before they set out to destroy it.
Liara waited on the other end of the room. She was attired in slightly less formal clothes than the last time Kira had seen her and wore a soft looking, gauzy gown in white, her hair loose.
Like Kira and Graydon, she wasn't wearing synth armor. It made her seem slightly vulnerable, transforming her from the untouchable Overlord into something real and tangible.
Kira’s attention was caught by the large painting behind her that took up a sizable chunk of the wall. It was easily twice the height of a person and featured a woman with hair similar to Liara’s, loose and unbound, with waves cascading down her back.
It would be easy to assume the woman was Liara’s mother or grandmother given the resemblance. Except those eyes. They were a copy of Kira’s eyes, though their expression wasn’t one Kira had ever been capable of—warm and gentle with a hint of playfulness
Kira’s lips parted in surprise and yearning. Before she could say anything Liara spoke. "What is your reason for disturbing me?"
Her gaze flickered when she noticed Kira's state.
Liara stayed focused. "As the Emperor's Face, you are given a lot of leeway, but you are quickly wearing out your welcome."
"Tell me, Overlord. Do you often condone assassination plots against those in your House?" Graydon asked in a reasonable tone.
Insult moved across Liara's face as her guard tensed, his hand dropping to the sword at his side. He stepped forward, stopping when Liara held up a hand.
The two exchanged a glance and his face softened. He relaxed, folding his arms across his chest as he stared at the rest of them.
"What are you accusing me of?" Liara asked with forced calmness.
Graydon looked from her guard to her, his movements precise, a coiled danger waiting for the right opportunity.
He was testing her, Kira realized with a start. Prodding and manipulating to see what lay under that glossy exterior. Smart and sneaky. He played the big dumb brute, but underneath that muscled façade was a man who knew exactly what he was doing, a puppet master making the rest of them dance to his whims.
"Your cousin was attacked in your own home. Had Finn not happened by in time, she would likely have died," he said.
Well, that was an overstatement. Finn hadn't played any role in saving her.
"Look at her face," Graydon thundered. "Someone got close enough to bleed her."
Liara's face grew troubled, her guard's expression equally upset as both focused on Kira. She did her best to seem like the night had been an ordeal, like she was weak and frail, moments from collapse, after the trauma of it all.
"I am beginning to think Luatha does not care about the preservation of its own," Graydon challenged.
"That's not true," Liara argued.
"If you cannot keep a child of your House safe in your own territory, then perhaps that child should be removed," he said as if she hadn't spoken.
"That's not necessary," Liara said, her voice overly loud. "The oversight in her protection was mine. Her re-appearance has thrown us off balance. She should be assigned her own guards. I will make sure it happens and have someone I trust investigate this incident."
She looked at Kira, reassurance on her face. "This won't happen again. I promise."
Graydon's smile was cruel. "I know it won't. You don't have to worry about assigning her an oshota. I've already corrected your mistake."
Liara's forehead wrinkled in a frown.
Graydon gestured at Finn. "He has agreed to act as Kira's shield. He should be a powerful deterrent against any further assassination attempts. She'll also be moved into our wing so my personal oshota can assist in her protection."
Kira's head whipped toward him, her previous admiration of his tactics turning to fury. He'd been waiting for this.
He met her eyes and smiled, knowing he'd trapped her. Yup, he'd definitely been waiting for this opportunity. He'd probably had Finn already picked out, long before they'd stumbled across each other.
The two were obviously acquainted. She wouldn't be surprised if they were friends. Finn's appointment as her guard meant Graydon would be able to keep an eye on her even if he was forced to leave for any reason.
Had he planned the attack for this possibility? She considered the question thoughtfully. No, she was forced to conclude. The assailants had been trying to kill her.
That first shot would have taken out her head and the daggers would have pierced her chest. Only dumb luck and instinct had saved her.
Which meant Graydon was simply taking advantage of the situation presented to him.
She mentally added several notches to the level of danger he represented.
"I would prefer people I trust to serve in the role of her oshota," Liara said, her gaze lingering on Finn where he slouched against the wall. He didn't look away from Liara's guard, studying him with a hawk-like intensity. It was a look the other man returned, both men's faces locked in blank masks as they regarded each other.
"I don't care. You lost your right to decide when an assassin took aim," Graydon said. "Finn has Luathan lineage. He is acceptable."
"He's also Roake and has already failed once as a shield. We allowed him entrance into our House because we remember the sacrifice his mother’s mother’s mother made for us and wanted to bring his line back to ours," the guard returned. "He's can't be fully trusted with the protection of someone as important as the child."
"I trust him," Graydon said. "That's enough."
"He wants someone who knows what they're doing with a weapon," Finn said, tilting his head at the sword the guard had grasped. "Draw it and I'll demonstrate my meaning."
Kira stirred. "That's enough. I’ve had enough violence for the evening. If we're done here, I'm going to bed."
Somehow, she didn't think Finn beating up Liara's guard would endear her to her cousin. She didn't need anything else working against her.
Liara stood. "Please. Stay. These quarters are meant for the direct family. I can protect you be
tter here."
Kira paused. Her cousin's face reflected the first glimpse of real emotion since she'd arrived. There was pleading there.
Kira hesitated, her glance going back to the painting above Liara.
The Overlord noticed where she was looking. “She was your mother.”
Kira absorbed those words, unable to take her eyes off the woman who’d given birth to her. She’d half-convinced herself she’d been wrong about those eyes.
“What was her name?” Kira asked softly.
“Liliana.” Liara watched her carefully, looking for some break in Kira’s mask, an indication she cared.
Kira did care—more than she wanted to admit—but she didn’t allow any evidence of the turmoil filling her to touch her expression. Kira refused to give her cousin any leverage against her.
“She was a special existence to me. There was no one else like her,” Liara said, glancing up at the painting, a soft expression on her face. “My mother was the Overlord and didn’t always have time for me. My aunt filled in for that role. At least before she left us to marry your father.”
Kira’s expression was blank as she listened. It was so odd to be staring at this stranger who was not a stranger at all.
Over the years, she’d had so many conflicting emotions toward the people who were her parents. They’d run the gamut between hatred for allowing her to fall into the hands of monsters and longing for the love that could have been hers.
“She was so happy when you were born,” Liara said. “She called you her gift. You became her whole world.”
“And my father?”
There was a pause. “His name was Harding. I did not know him well.”
Kira looked away from the painting, pinning her cousin with a look. “What happened to them?”
How had they let Kira be taken was her real question.
Liara hesitated, pain flickering across her face. “They both died during the Sorrowing.” Seeing the question on Kira’s face, Liara offered, “It’s what we call the night when many of our Houses were attacked and our children stolen. It was a devastating time for many of us.”
Kira concealed her flinch, looking away instead.
“Your mother was killed trying to protect you,” Liara offered.
