Chapter 8
Eight
Kira
Helena dropped the hand she’d been leaning her cheek on to look at Kira with a hard expression. “That section of the galaxy is ruled by humans, isn’t it? Funny how the culprits ran straight to a section of space you’re familiar with.”
Kira’s face was blank as she met Helena’s stare. “I’m not sure I understand the insinuation.”
Helena bared her teeth. “Let me be more direct. I find it suspicious that these infiltrators fled to the same place where Graydon discovered you.”
“Hardly,” Jin quipped with an insulting roll of his eyes. “Do you have any idea how big that sector of space is? There are hundreds of star systems to get lost in. I doubt even the Consortium knows how many there are.”
Kira appreciated what Jin was trying to do, but she had her own bone to pick.
“What I find interesting is how every other infiltrator died from poison except those who invaded your house.”
“What is that supposed to mean?” Helena demanded.
“Awful convenient, isn’t it? Almost makes one wonder if they were actually traitors at all.”
Helena’s sharp indrawn breath told Kira she’d scored a point.
“You dare!” Helena hissed.
“There’s a lot I’ll dare when someone accuses me of something I didn’t do,” Kira snarled, not holding back her rage.
“Beyond the fact that it’s asinine to think I had something to do with this just because I grew up in Consortium territory, it makes no sense.
There are only two places the infiltrators could have sought refuge.
Haldeel or Consortium territory. They wouldn’t have stuck around Tuann space for the simple fact that you’d hunt them down too quickly.
A human would never go unnoticed. The Haldeel are almost as strict with their borders as you.
Not to mention the iron clad treaty between your two peoples.
That leaves only one place in civilized space. ”
“The Consortium,” Jin interjected.
“The Consortium,” Kira agreed. “Something that they’re familiar with. You may not know this because you know almost nothing about humans but that sector of space where Luatha lost their trail is considered something of a no man’s land.”
Truthfully only outlaws, salvagers, and those who lived on the edge of society made their homes there. There were a few space stations and mining colonies that made it worthwhile for the Consortium to claim jurisdiction, but that was it.
It was basically the wild, wild west. A place where only the desperate or the unfortunate ended up.
That’s part of why Kira had chosen it as her new stomping grounds upon her departure from the military.
The fact that it was also the site of one of the largest battles of the war, with a wealth of access to Tsavitee star maps, was a bonus.
“Graydon, you have the most experience with the area in question. What’s your assessment?” Torvald asked.
“Roake’s Heir is correct. That section of space is notoriously lawless with little oversight.”
“Big surprise there—he sided with her. You’d think he was her Face instead of the emperor’s,” someone whispered to the person beside them.
Stiffening, Kira scanned the Tuann along the wall, her gaze stopping on a Tuann wearing a type of armor she wasn’t familiar with. Not synth armor. It was too clunky and ostentatious, adding unnecessary bulk to the Tuann’s frame.
Not a member of a Major House then.
The Tuann avoided Kira’s stare, suddenly finding something on the floor unusually intriguing.
She couldn’t tell if he was brave or dumb.
A second later, she realized it was neither but rather a third option as he snuck a peek at Danai’s Overlord. Whatever he saw there gave him the confidence to straighten his back and meet Kira’s stare with an antagonistic tilt to his chin.
His bravado didn’t last long as an invisible force clamped down on the room.
Kira’s knees buckled as she fought to remain upright. Others weren’t as lucky. More than one Tuann ended up on their knees—including the man who’d spoken.
“What was that?” Torvald asked into the deafening silence. “Come, come, don’t be shy. You were so vocal a second ago.”
By now, the Tuann man had his forehead pressed into the ground. His arms trembled from the effort of supporting his weight.
“Still nothing to say? I’m surprised. From the way you spoke, I thought we were friends or colleagues or something.” Torvald glanced at Danai’s Overlord. “How about you? Any concerns you want to share?”
“No,” Elias said in a subdued tone that showed he was feeling the strain from Torvald’s crushing power.
“Good—if you question my Face, you question me. Is that clear?”
“Yes, sire,” Elias gritted out, sounding like he was swallowing nails.
Torvald glanced at Graydon. “Continue.”
“As I was about to say—although the Consortium claims it on paper, in actuality it would be more appropriate to view it as a border area since it is home to a number of factions. This includes several minor Tuann Houses who’ve settled there.
Though, they face constant threat of pirate attacks. Both of human and wanderer origin.”
Asanth’s interim lord looked up with interest. “I thought the star map looked familiar. We’ve lost a couple sub-houses out there over the years. Wasn’t a house subordinate to Luatha also lost recently? Maxiim, I think.”
Liara nodded. “That is correct, Rhett. They lost their Overlord, his First, and ninety percent of their oshota. Only a handful survived the attack. Luatha took their children under our banner for a short time. The elder just passed his adva ka and is preparing to restore his House’s glory.”
Elias made a scoffing sound. “Someone should have brought him back to reality. As if establishing a House is so easy. No doubt he’ll wind up just like his former Overlord.”
Kira disliked Elias’s tone. Joule may be young, but he was capable of great things. It wasn’t for Elias to decide what those things were.
“You mentioned the oldest but what about the youngest?” Helena asked.
Kira ignored the searching glance Liara shot her. Despite her best efforts, Ziva had managed to wiggle her way past Kira’s defenses and lodge herself in Kira’s heart. Kind of like a barbed thorn that refused to be plucked free no matter what she did.
“Her fate is still in something of a transition,” Liara answered with a private smile.
“I think I’ve heard enough,” Torvald announced. “I’m placing Graydon in charge of this investigation.”
Helena and Rhett raised their voices in objection.
Torvald cut them off with a simple gesture. “I understand the complicated interests involved in this matter. Kashori and Asanth may each appoint a representative to accompany my Face.” He bared his teeth at those present. “This way there can be no questions later regarding the truth.”
Sariah stepped away from the wall. “The inquisitors wish to be included in this investigation.”
“You have no authority to make any demands. This isn’t in your jurisdiction,” Graydon argued.
“That’s why we’re making this request. We were present during the attack on the emperor’s son. We would like to see this through.”
Torvald looked past Sariah to Jarek. “Does her opinion represent the rest of your order?”
Jarek bowed his head. “It does.”
Torvald tapped the arm of his chair once before nodding. “Very well. You may join the expedition.”
Graydon looked like he’d tasted something nasty as Sariah preened.
The emperor glanced at Harlow and Kira. “Before we end, I want to make one thing clear. Roake will not involve themselves in this pursuit. They and their heir are to stay far away.”
Harlow’s response was firm. “Understood.”
Kira swallowed back her instinctive objection, knowing it would do no good and only cause others to question Harlow’s authority at a critical time.
The emperor seemed to sense something, his gaze deepening. “Is that clear?”
Kira paused to glance at Harlow one last time before giving a resigned nod. “It is.”
“Good. Don’t let me find out that you disobeyed.”
The “or else” was left to Kira’s imagination.
“Dismissed,” Torvald barked.
Those who could slipped out the door as soon as the order was issued. Asanth’s interim lord was one of them, striding out of the room without a backwards glance. Helena and Liara said a few words to each other before they and their people began to trickle out.
His retinue gathered around Elias as he rose to look at Kira and Harlow. “I wonder how merciful the emperor will be when your commander is discovered abetting these criminals.”
No words were needed as Harlow fixed Danai’s Overlord with a flat stare that managed to intimidate without a single change in his expression.
There was a cough from the side. “Excuse me, Overlords.”
Harlow and Elias glanced over to find one of the emperor’s oshota standing there.
“The emperor wishes a word with your heir before she leaves,” he informed Harlow.
Elias’s laugh held a note of surprised glee. “So, it begins. Roake’s fall.”
He walked away, still laughing. His retinue trailed after him.
Harlow glanced at Kira. “What did you do?”
She shook her head. “Nothing that I know of.”
Harlow pushed away from the table. “Very well. Let’s see what this is about.”
The oshota stopped him. “Not you, Overlord. Just her and the child.”
“Child?” Jin mouthed, looking insulted.
Harlow’s gaze lingered on Jin. “I see.”
“What do you see?” Jin demanded.
“Adjustment is always hard. Remember that,” Harlow advised.
Jin’s bafflement mirrored Kira’s.
“Head back to Roake when you’re done. Don’t go anywhere else. It’s too dangerous right now,” Harlow instructed.
Kira nodded. “Understood.”
“Why do I get the feeling that we’re in trouble?” Jin muttered as Harlow strode out of the room.
The emperor uncoiled from his chair. “Probably because you are.”
“What did we do?” Jin demanded.
Sensing this wasn’t a conversation she wanted to be present for, Kira tried to make like a fly on the wall and blend into the woodwork.
She wasn’t sure how successful she was as the emperor loomed over Jin.