Chapter 2 #2
The third oshota also wouldn’t be a problem. At the first sign of trouble, he’d retreat to safeguard Jin’s maybe-mom.
“He’s a child. The emperor’s child. You may not take him. His safety and wellbeing are our responsibility,” the female inquisitor insisted.
Kira looked at Jarek. “The arrogance of you people is astounding.”
Simply breathtaking, really.
The grizzled looking oshota standing next to the inquisitor was suddenly staring straight at Kira. The standby mode that Kira recognized from pulling her own fair share of protection details, abandoned. She had his full, unguarded attention.
The female beside him frowned. “Dylan?”
Kira ignored them. “We’re not children. We haven’t been for a long time.”
The fact that they kept forgetting that was more than irritating. It was downright disrespectful.
Jarek rushed to smooth things over. “What Sariah meant to say is that we simply have the boy’s best interests at heart.”
Kira scoffed. “That would be a change.”
“Be that as it may, there are certain considerations at hand. Our order has long been responsible for the education of the emperor’s children. We simply wish to provide him with the best resources.”
That explained why Jin’s brother, Devon, had been so arrogant when they’d first met. It had taken being knocked down a few pegs before he got it out of his system.
Tired of their excuses, Kira slanted a glance at Jin. “I take it you didn’t tell them.”
“I thought it would be more fun coming from you.”
More likely he’d just forgotten he had a card left to play.
Sariah’s gaze darted between them. “Tell us what?”
Kira lifted an eyebrow at Jin. “Would you like to do the honors?”
He flapped a hand to tell her she could.
If he insisted.
This time her smile made Sariah tense.
She was learning.
“Strictly speaking, Jin isn’t a child. Even by your own laws, he would be considered an adult since he passed his adva ka at the same time Devon did.”
He should have finished when Kira did, but he’d been unexpectedly out of action. Instead, he completed the rite of passage on Devon’s shoulder.
“The drone somehow managed to go undiscovered and tag along during the adva ka,” Jarek said with an air of discovery.
Neither he nor Sariah looked particularly happy about that realization.
“The drone is Jin. Jin is the drone,” Raider announced in a bored voice. “The sooner you get that through your head; the better off we’ll all be.”
Sariah’s features betrayed her unwillingness to accept that. “Those rules cannot be applied to him since his current body has not undergone the rigors of the adva ka.”
“But his soul has,” Kira pointed out.
And the soul was what counted.
Sariah’s nostrils flared with frustration as she tried to intimidate Kira into backing down with that intangible sense of power some Tuann had.
Too bad for her that Kira was immune, having spent her formative years around creatures that made Sariah look like one of Earth’s fluffy bunnies.
Done with the conversation, Kira jerked her chin at Jin. “You ready?”
He put the last of a series of metal figurines he’d been collecting from the room into a backpack.
“Just about.”
Kira narrowed her eyes at the mouth of his bag, thinking that what he’d just put inside looked suspiciously like one of the mini-mes Jin had a habit of creating.
It couldn’t be, though. She had to be imagining things.
Yes, that had to be it. There was no way her best friend had just used the last few minutes to collect banned technology while in full view of the two people on this planet most likely to throw his ass in jail. Emperor’s son—or not.
Noticing her gaze, Jin stopped. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
Oh, God. He’d definitely done exactly that.
Jin eyed her suspiciously. “It doesn’t look like nothing.”
“We’ll talk later.”
When she could rip him a new one.
Jin adjusted the straps of the bag. “Ready when you are.”
The clink of a teacup being set on the table cut off Kira’s response.
Jin’s maybe mother—whose name Kira still didn’t know—patted her mouth before giving Kira her full attention. “Do you consider this wise?”
There was no judgment in her tone. It was simply a question. As if she was truly curious.
Selene used the same tactic when dealing with the children she fostered. The utterly reasonable tone and query designed to help them—and Kira—arrive at the appropriate conclusion.
Too bad Kira was wise to her game. And just stubborn enough to hold her ground.
“You are the heir of House Roake. Tell me—what do you think would happen if harm was to come to him while in your care?”
Even knowing she was being manipulated, it was hard not to fall into the trap.
Kira could only imagine what the emperor would do. Adult or not, your child was always your child. Torvald would rain down hell on whoever he felt responsible if Jin was injured. Since Kira was now the heir, that meant her House would get caught in the crossfire.
The woman capitalized on the tiny chink she’d made in Kira’s armor. “The boy may have been able to defend himself in that other form, but can you say the same for his current one?”
Truthfully? No.
“Disuse has made his body weak,” the woman continued. “He has no physical training nor is he able to use soul’s breath.”
There was sympathy in the smile the woman aimed at Kira. It should have felt condescending but, strangely enough, all Kira sensed was sincerity. As if the woman really was just concerned about Jin’s safety.
“We want the same things. Him, protected.”
And just like that, she overplayed her hand.
Kira cut off Jin’s scathing retort with a small gesture that was a silent request for patience.
A flicker in Dylan’s expression told Kira he’d caught the barely noticeable movement.
The frown that touched his lips at the sight made her upgrade his threat level a few notches. Whoever this oshota really was, he was skilled.
Most people never noticed the sign language she and the rest of the forty-three had created as children. A way of communicating without their former masters realizing.
Only, Dylan had caught on at the first opportunity.
Observant bastard.
Kira put him out of her mind as she focused on Jin’s maybe mom. “Did you ask Jin what he wanted?”
The woman’s expression went still.
“You didn’t, did you?” Kira drawled.
Of course not. This woman, like most Tuann, preferred to obliquely threaten rather than have an honest conversation with Jin.
“You really need to stop playing these games. Otherwise, you’ll lose him forever this time.” Kira jerked her chin at Jin. “Let’s go.
Jin hurriedly shouldered his bag. The weight caused him to topple. His eyes widened comically as he started to tilt backward.
Damn it, Jin.
She’d just gotten done defending him.
Raider snagged him by the back of the bag, half lifting him off his feet. “Let’s try not to give them any more ammo than we need to, shall we?”
Jin steadied himself with a quiet snarl that did nothing to hide his embarrassment.
Raider kept one hand on the bag, not letting go for several long seconds.
The side of Kira’s face heated as Jin’s maybe mother bored a hole in it with her stare.
Kira cleared her throat awkwardly. “Ready?”
Jin’s maybe mom could stare as much as she wanted. If she had something to say, now was the time to say it.
“Past ready.” Jin shuffled to the door, slightly hunched forward to compensate for his bag’s weight. “You should have liberated me weeks ago.”
“We wanted to give them a chance to get to know the new you, remember?”
“Fat lot of good that did,” Jin muttered.
Underneath the sarcasm, there was a vulnerability that he couldn’t hide. A hurt and resentment that had built over the last few weeks of neglect from both the woman behind him and his supposed father. Neither of whom had paid him a visit since he’d woken.
For people who insisted on Jin’s continued presence in the palace, they didn’t seem much interested in getting to know him.
Something like that was bound to sting. It made it hard for Kira to advocate on their behalf when they didn’t put even the smallest effort into their relationship with Jin.
“If you leave here, you will be in danger,” Sariah insisted.
“Lady—I’m always in danger. That’s what comes of hanging out with that one,” Jin said grumpily.
Kira arched an amused eyebrow at the thumb he jerked her way, wondering if she should be insulted at the implication that she always found trouble.
She thought about it for a moment then mentally shook her head.
Naw. It was kind of true.
Kira waited for the woman at the table to do something. Anything to stop her maybe son from walking out the door.
The woman continued to sip from her drink, staring down at it as if it was the most fascinating thing in the world.
Come on. Say something.
She couldn’t let Jin walk away like this.
Except it seemed like she could.
“Wait,” Kira called reluctantly.
Jin shot Kira a questioning look that she ignored as she glared at the other woman in frustration.
“Lady, I’m not a fan of games,” Kira warned.
She saw that tiny smile of victory before Jin’s maybe mom hid it behind the rim of the cup.
Jin liked games. But only when he started them.
The lady lowered her cup with a knowing gleam in her eyes. “You’re so adept at them though.”
For once, Kira found herself unable to stare someone else down. Her attempt landed like a pebble in a still pool, the water swallowing it with barely a ripple.
“Last chance,” Kira warned.
Sariah’s brows slammed down into a scowl.
“I have faith you’ll do the right thing,” the lady said.
“And what, exactly, do you consider the ‘right’ thing?”
The lady’s smile bathed Kira in warmth. “Whatever you decide it is.”
Jin reached out to tug on Kira’s arm. “Come on. Let’s go.”
Kira narrowed her eyes, not budging.
Seeing her reluctance, Jin stomped a foot. “Fine, I’ll leave by myself.”
He let go of Kira and marched toward the door. He made it all the way across the room, with one hand on the doorknob, before she broke.
“Compromise.”
Jin looked back with an aghast expression. “Compromise?”
He said it like he’d never heard the word before. Like he was tasting the syllables and found them utterly disgusting.
“Yes, compromise.” Kira shot him a sidelong look. “You know—that thing people sometimes do when they don’t want to burn every bridge. Ever heard of it?”
“Just surprised you had.”
Smart ass.
Kira ignored her friend’s stubborn expression to study the three standing by. “I’m assuming you’re here to audition to be Jin’s oshota.”
Jin’s cantankerous scoff made Kira bite back a smile. She ignored him, giving the oshota her full attention.
The female oshota nodded while her companions stared at Kira with blank, impenetrable expressions that she knew would remain stubbornly unchanging unless otherwise ordered by their master. In this case, Jin’s maybe mom.
Kira was used to reticence from their ranks and didn’t find it insulting.
She was betting the female oshota only responded because of how new she was to the role.
At some point she’d learn that the only person who could compel an oshota to answer was their chosen master.
That person they referred to as their sword.
“Choose,” Kira ordered.
“Excuse me?”
Kira regarded Jin calmly. “You heard me. Choose one or I will.”
She’d always wondered what a flabbergasted Jin might look like. Now, she knew. It was every bit the satisfying sight she’d thought it would be.
“You can’t—I won’t—” Jin stomped his foot angrily. “Kira!”
“You remember when Graydon told me Roake was keeping me?”
An “oh shit” look crossed Jin’s face.
Kira bared her teeth at him. “Payback’s a bitch, bestie.”
And how sweet it was.
“That was different,” Jin protested.
“How?”
“You were dying!”
“And you’re placing yourself in needless danger by refusing protection.”
Jin got an obstinate look on his face. “I can protect myself.”
“Is that right?” Kira looked around, spotting one of those fancy pillows sitting on a chair a few paces away.
“It is,” Jin insisted.
“Well, in that case.”
Kira grabbed the pillow and flung it at Jin in one smooth motion. It smacked him in the face.
His dumbfounded expression made Kira choke back a laugh.
Raider wasn’t so polite, his guffaw loud in the sudden silence.
The female oshota shifted like she wanted to go to Jin’s aid. Dylan blocked her advance with an upraised arm.
Uncertain, the female oshota settled back into position.
Jin fumed. “That doesn’t count. I wasn’t prepared.”
“Ah.” Kira glanced at Raider. “In that case.”
The human was quick to snatch up another pillow. He flung it at Jin’s face without hesitation. It landed, forcing Jin to rock back on his heels.
“Meat sack!”
“Got something to say, Tin Can?” Raider jutted out his jaw and stroked his cheek tauntingly. “Or maybe there’s something you’d like to do?”
Jin’s gaze was wintry as he shifted his attention to Kira. “You’ve made your point.”
“I’m so glad.”
It was tempting to gloat, but Raider was doing enough of that for the both of them.
Jin barely glanced at the assembled oshota before stabbing his finger at Dylan. “Him.”
If she was being honest, she’d thought he would go for one of the other two. Dylan was a good choice if Jin planned to let him do his job, but a terrible one if his goal was to duck and dodge the oshota until he gave up and quit of his own volition.
It made Kira wonder what Jin was actually thinking.
Her friend wasn’t the greatest around those who only saw the world in terms of black and white. He’d buck at the first sign of authority. When they served in the military, it had been like pulling teeth to get him to even pretend to obey their senior officers.
The moment Dylan pulled rank, Jin would push back. Kira could already feel the headache that would cause.
Seeing her hesitation, Jin grinned evilly. “You said choose.”
“So I did.” To Dylan, “I guess you’re it.”
“We’d say congratulations but you’re probably going to regret this within a week,” Raider chimed in.
A week? Kira gave it an hour.
“There. It’s settled. Can we go now?” Jin asked.
He didn’t wait for an answer, spinning toward the door and throwing it open.
Caius, Roake’s military adviser and commander of a large portion of its forces, the third in command after Harlow, loomed large in the opening.
The room froze as several things occurred to Kira at once.
First—Caius was the person Raider, Finn and she had chased from the Nexus.
Second—he’d somehow managed to follow them after they lost him.
And lastly—there was something wrong with his synth armor.
“Hello, there.” An unnatural smile stretched across Caius’s lips as his eyes glittered at Jin. “You’re not who I was looking for, but you’ll do nicely.”