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22. Twenty Two

Twenty Two

Kira turned to find Pallas watching her with an enigmatic expression. "What?"

"Oh, nothing. Just admiring your hypocrisy."

"What’s that supposed to mean?"

Pallas patted her on the shoulder, leaning down to speak into her ear. "Just that we both know that in her shoes, you would have gone back. Certain death or not."

Pallas straightened, reaching around her to pull the hatch shut. As he did, she thought she heard him mutter something under his breath.

Something to the effect of, "That’s why I had to do what I did."

Kira couldn’t be sure though.

"Lathan, let’s get this ship in the air," Pallas called as he wandered in the direction of the bridge. "We don’t want any more guests."

Brie glanced at Kira before taking a seat in the corner of the hold.

Everyone looked exhausted. Most especially Graydon. The journey and the losses they’d sustained along the way having taken a toll.

Like Brie, Odin had found a place to sit. She rested her head against the wall with her eyes closed as she fought to control her fast breathing.

An athlete Odin wasn’t. The majority of the Sye’s time was spent in a hacker’s chair. It didn’t leave a lot of room for physical fitness.

Hearing Kira’s approach, Odin cracked her eye open to look up at her. "I can’t tell you how uncomfortable it makes me to be on a ship with that psycho."

"Get over it," Kira said, glancing at the J1N as it made a circuit of the room. "We don’t have another choice at this stage."

The forces below weren’t the only ones they had to worry about. There were still the three Tsavitee ships making their way through the solar system to consider as well. When they reached Rothchild, this place would become hell.

Putting Odin out of her mind, Kira stopped next to where Graydon leaned tiredly against the wall.

"That was quite a show you put on." Kira touched his arm. "How long have you been able to do that?"

Graydon lifted his head off the wall. "Pretty much since I woke up from the coma."

That must be nice. To receive a massive power up rather than be reduced to his weakest state. Why couldn’t she get something like that?

"My efforts all these years have paid off," he told her, seeing the question on her face. "It left me with a new set of marks and a few abilities to go with them."

Kira scanned his body. "I didn’t notice."

His smile was brief. "You were a tad distracted."

Kira shook her head, fighting her own smile. "You’re awful."

His chuckle was husky as he pulled her into his body. "But you love me anyway."

Kira let her weight rest against him, leaning her head on his shoulder. "I’m glad we survived."

It had been a little too close for comfort.

He kissed her temple. "Me too."

The ship rocked from the force of an explosion.

"What was that?" Odin asked, coming alert.

Kira didn’t answer as she pulled out of Graydon’s arms and started for the ship’s bridge.

Pallas’s whistle greeted her as she stepped through the hatch. "Looks like someone is playing for keeps."

"What happened?" Kira asked.

The giant crater where the Vega had once been made Pallas’s answer unnecessary. Smoke still billowed from the rubble. The trees all around it had been flattened in the blast, leaving nothing behind.

"I think someone triggered one of my booby traps," Odin said, coming up behind her.

Kira’s eyebrows climbed to her hairline as she pointed at the crater in disbelief. "This is you?"

Graydon’s eyes had narrowed to slits as he took in the damage, his body going rigid with the knowledge that it could have been him and Kira caught in that blast if Pallas had decided to go exploring a few days ago.

"You didn’t think I’d abandon Yggdrasil without ensuring it couldn’t be used against me, did you?" Odin looked out the window with a frown. "Though the extent of damage is considerably greater than I anticipated."

Kira made a choked sound of disbelief as she stared at Odin.

"It’s Diesel," Brie interrupted. "His plan was to fall back to the Vega when they were overwhelmed and lure the Tsavitee inside."

“You’re saying he was in the ship when it went up?”

Brie shook her head. "I don’t know."

"Kira, he may have been able to use my escape tunnel," Odin said, attempting to offer hope where there was none. "He knew they were there because he helped me build them."

Kira motioned sharply, cutting Odin off. "I can’t."

She just couldn’t right now.

She still hadn’t dealt with her anger at Diesel for what he might have done. Adding the possibility of his death or survival was too much. She had already grieved his loss once. She wasn’t ready to do it again so soon after getting him back.

Composing herself, she looked at Pallas. "You need to get us out of here. There are three Tsavitee ships inbound."

The ship banked sharply, flying away from the crater and arrowing upward.

Kira caught the back of a seat, Graydon steadying her as gravity caught them. It wasn’t long until the ship breached the boundary that separated the planet’s atmosphere from space.

"I hope you got what you came for," Pallas said tightly as the trio of Tsavitee trips came into view. "Because we might not be making it out of here in one piece."

"We don’t know that they’re here for me," Kira said, analyzing the flight pattern of the three ships.

They were coming in fast. On an interception course.

Rothchild’s fighters swarmed the ships, unloading their payloads in an effort to hamper their progress.

Pallas snorted as their ship broke off, attempting to place the moon between them and the Tsavitee. "Don’t lie to yourself. They’re here for you. Someone leaked your location. Again." He shot her a sarcastic glance. "It’s almost like humans have a pattern."

"It wasn’t us," Brie said, speaking up.

Pallas didn’t respond as he focused on dodging any debris still in orbit. His silence, though, expressed his disbelief quite loudly.

Outside, the Tsavitee ships changed course to follow them.

"There—you see. Just like I said. You’re their target."

Kira bit back her retort, glancing at Graydon instead. "I don’t suppose you can do what you did down there again."

Graydon shook his head. "It’ll be hours before I can summon even the faintest whisper of my soul’s breath."

Kira’s shoulders sagged. She’d had a feeling that would be his response.

"What about you?" Pallas asked, his eyes on Kira.

"No," Graydon said emphatically, his voice overriding Kira’s. He glared at her, looking angrier than she’d ever seen him. "You can’t."

Kira’s expression was reluctant. "Let’s leave that as a last resort."

"Sure thing," Pallas agreed sarcastically. "It’s only all of our funerals."

"I don’t think it will come to that, seon’yer." Lathan hit a few buttons and then nodded at the screen. "Look."

A fleet of ships came into focus.

"I don’t believe it. They belong to Centcom," Brie said.

As they watched, several ships broke off to engage the Tsavitee fleet.

Pallas frowned as the last of the ships headed in their direction. "What is Centcom doing here? They’re supposed to be setting up a defensive posture on one of their more populated planets."

"How do you know that?" Kira asked.

"I have my ways."

Sure, he did. Just like Odin. And Graydon. It seemed only Kira was consistently out of the loop. She might need to fix that sooner rather than later.

Centcom’s ships began firing on the Tsavitee. The barrage was quick and furious, resulting in one demolished Tsavitee ship before too long.

"We’re being hailed," Lathan announced.

Pallas looked at Kira. "Did you know they were coming?"

"No."

There was distrust in Pallas’s gaze before he turned back around. "Answer it."

Lathan hit a button. Raider appeared on screen.

Surprise rendered Kira nearly speechless.

"Raider?"

"The one and only."

Jace moved into view. "Just so you know, he’s not alone."

Kira shot Raider a hard look. "I thought you were avoiding him."

"Let’s just say we ran into some trouble ourselves."

Jace moved out of the range of the camera, but Kira could hear him calling commands to his subordinates.

She lowered her voice. "What about the package? Is it safe?"

"As safe as we could make it," Raider responded. "How about you? Did you get what you were looking for?"

Odin moved into view and waved.

He nodded, his features loosening with relief. "That’s good. That’s very good."

"What about Wren and the others?" Graydon asked.

"They’re here too. Along with a few friends I wasn’t expecting when I began this journey," Raider said with a pointed look at the emperor’s Face.

Graydon suppressed a smile, his expression the picture of innocence when Kira looked at him.

Spotting Pallas to the side, Raider arched an eyebrow at Kira. "You left him alive. That’s surprising."

"Be careful of your words, boy." Pallas’s grin was nasty. "I don’t share her attachment for your kind. I can and will kill you if I get bored."

"Why is each of your siblings crazier than the last?" Raider complained.

Kira rolled her lips between her teeth at Pallas’s furious expression. There was something satisfying in watching Raider get under Pallas’s skin so effortlessly.

"I’m sending you some coordinates," Raider said as he ignored her brother. "They’re about half a day out. It’s an abandoned combat outpost from the last war. Rendezvous with us there. I’ll explain the rest when we’re face-to-face."

"Understood," Kira said as Raider vanished from the screen.

Pallas sniffed. "I don’t know what Elise ever saw in him."

"Next time you see her you can ask her."

Hopefully, it wouldn’t be too long now.

"Why would Centcom have a stronghold so close to Rothchild?" Brie asked with some confusion. "Our planet and this section of space doesn’t have any known strategic value."

"It’s Himoto’s secret base," Kira answered.

Sometimes it was scary how prescient her former mentor had been.

"I have the coordinates," Lathan said, speaking up. "Should I plot a course?"

Pallas twisted his chair to face Kira. "I don’t know. Should we?"

"They did just save our asses," Kira said mildly, ignoring the challenge on his face.

Pallas reclined in his seat. "Yes, because walking into another den of humans after barely escaping the last one with our lives seems like such a great idea."

"You were in danger? It looked to me like you cleared out when you caught wind of something going down."

Then returned at the most opportune moment for him.

"I thought it best to move the ship out of harm’s way. Good thing too. Or it may have been the one targeted by that city breaker."

Kira bit back her words, settling for glaring at him instead.

Pallas swiveled his chair to face front, saying over his shoulder, "Seeing as I’ve agreed to follow your lead, I can be magnanimous this once."

"How kind of you.”

"I’m aware. Just don’t get used to it. Next time we’re going with my plan."

"You mean the one where you kill everyone involved?"

His smile was slow and wicked. "Exactly."

Elena - Tsavitee Planet

"Nothing to say to me?" Elise asked, fiddling with one of the utensils Elena had sharpened into a fine point. "That’s fine; I have plenty."

Elena was quiet, watching her egg donor carefully. The sleeve of her shirt shifted as Uncle Jin unwrapped himself from around Elena’s bicep before working his way up to her shoulder.

Elise’s face hardened as her gaze shifted to him. "I entrusted her safety to you. How could you let her be so reckless?"

"You don’t get to talk to him like that!" Elena flared up.

Uncle Jin was one of the three people who had helped raise her in the egg donor’s absence, contributing both time and attention to her development. He’d earned his place as Elena’s guardian through countless hours spent at her side. Teaching her. Caring for her. Just being there when she needed it.

Who was Elise to her? A stranger. Someone who’d abandoned her at birth.

"I’m your mother."

"You’re an egg donor. Aunt Kira and Aunt Selene are my mothers. They were there when I needed them. You weren’t."

Elise’s face went blank.

Elena tried not to feel bad, sensing her words must have hurt the other woman on some level. That reaction, the way Elise’s face emptied of all emotion, was a self-defense mechanism that Elena had noticed a lot of the forty three shared.

Aunt Kira and Aunt Selene were the same. The stronger their emotions, the more expressionless they became. As if they were afraid the things they felt would be used against them.

Aunt Selene was the worst about it. Her emotions almost always tamped down and controlled except for the rare occasion when she let herself go around the children. They always cherished those moments, competing to see who could make her the most expressive.

One time Tommy even got her to laugh. Not a snicker either. A full belly, tear forming laugh.

Aunt Kira was different. It took a lot to get her to retreat to that state. Elena thought that had something to do with the fact that Aunt Kira had spent more time interacting with humans. She was more used to wearing her expressions on her face.

But even she would occasionally get that flinty look in her eye. Her expression made out of stone. As if nothing in this world could affect her.

Elena hated when she looked like that. Hated it more seeing the same expression on her egg donor’s face now and knowing she’d put it there.

Elise looked down at her hands. "I deserve that."

"Yes, you do."

"Elena," Uncle Jin chided softly.

Elena’s flinch was tiny. She steadied herself, projecting a bravado she hoped would conceal her guilt.

"You’re lucky it was me who ran across you," Elise said, seeing right through Elena’s facade. "If it had been anyone else, it would be a very different story right now. They would have turned you over in a heartbeat. I can promise you wouldn’t have enjoyed your time in the Osiri’s care."

An uncomfortable feeling rose in Elena’s chest at the rebuke. "It’s not like I meant to wander into that place. It was an accident. That’s all."

"You can’t afford ’accidents’. A single mistake and you’re dead. I thought Kira and Jin would have taught you that."

"What do you care?" Elena shot back, the words out before she could stop them. "You abandoned me, remember? It’s too late for you to pretend to care now."

"Is that what you think? That I deserted you? Because I didn’t care?" Elise didn’t hide her shock or distress as she looked from Elena to Jin. "That’s not what happened."

Elise rose to kneel in front of Elena, reaching for her hand. Elena pulled back, but she wasn’t quick enough. Elise caught it and cradled it gently in hers.

"I left you behind, not because I didn’t love and want you, but because things were happening that I wasn’t certain I could protect you from."

The sincerity on the egg donor’s face felt genuine. Sincere enough that it was hard to remember that Elise was considered a master of manipulation.

Despite everything she knew about the woman, Elena found herself wavering. She wanted so badly to believe in her mother. This hero of her childhood. The person she’d yearned for despite the love and approval she’d received from her aunts and uncle.

"I left you with someone I trusted. Who would care for you in my absence," Elise explained.

Elena yanked her hands out of Elise’s grip and stepped back. "Except you didn’t."

"What are you talking about?"

"She’s right," Jin interjected. "I found her living hand to mouth in some back alley on Idra. She’d long been abandoned and a pair of lowlifes were planning to sell her to cover their debts."

Elise shook her head in denial. "That can’t be. That’s not right."

"My first memory is of the cold. Shivering so hard as I wondered if I’d make it to morning. Unable to feel my hands and feet."

If that was what Elise considered being "cared for", Elena would hate to see what she considered neglect.

"A disabled, homeless military vet took pity and cared for me the best he could. He gave me his food and his jacket on the cold nights. Things weren’t so bad then."

He’d been kind. Kinder than anyone Elena had met up to that point.

He could have overlooked her presence like so many other people had. Instead, he’d provided for her and protected her from the worst of the predators stalking those streets.

"When he died, I was on my own again. I survived by foraging food from dumpsters. At least until I was caught by a pair of ’good Samaritans.’" Elena sneered. "They were not nice people."

"That’s not possible. She was supposed to look after you in my absence. If I didn’t return, she was to deliver you to Kira."

Elena snorted. "I hate to tell you, but that’s not what happened."

Elise’s face paled, her expression seeming lost as her gaze turned inward.

"Auntie and Uncle always tell me to consider every angle before I do something. Maybe they should have given that advice to you instead."

Even if what had happened hadn’t been Elise’s intention, she’d still made a mistake. One that could have ended Elena’s life when it had barely begun.

Elena needed to hold onto that and not let herself be swayed by a few pretty words and some well-timed tears.

"Who did you give her to?" Uncle Jin asked.

"Thea."

"Why not Selene?"

"I’ve never been close to her and back then I didn’t know about her and Kira’s little side project." The egg donor gave Uncle Jin a hard look. "A heads up on your extracurricular activities would have been nice. It was real fun being broadsided with that news once the generals got hold of me."

"You know secrets. They only work if the circle of trust is tighter than a drum."

Wait a minute.

Elena knew about Auntie’s rescue missions. Did that mean she was in the circle?

She hoped so. She’d always wanted to be part of a trust circle.

"They think she’s been killing the children she found to prevent them from falling into the hands of the Osiri," Elise said, not taking her eyes off Jin.

The lu-ong avoided her stare. "Is that so?"

"Funny thing is—I know Kira. She wouldn’t harm a child. Not even one that belonged to an enemy."

"Ah ha," Jin mumbled.

"You’ve been saving them, haven’t you?" Elise said, sounding certain. "They’re the children Selene has been protecting all these years."

Uncle Jin was silent.

Elise’s laugh was rough. "I wish you’d told me."

"Considering later events, it’s probably a good thing we didn’t."

Elise’s expression turned sad. "Yeah."

There was an awkward silence before Uncle Jin cleared his throat. "Does Thea know the secret of Elena’s birth?"

"Like you said, the fewer who are privy to a secret the better the chances of it remaining a secret."

"Who does she think Elena belongs to?"

Elise’s lips quirked. "I may have led her to believe Ryan and I had a brief fling."

"Smart," Uncle Jin said.

Elise’s expression was wry. "I thought so."

Elena’s gaze followed Elise as her egg donor rose. "Where are you going?"

"I can’t linger. They’ll be watching me." Elise looked at Uncle Jin. "Do you have a plan?"

"The makings of one."

"Good," Elise said with obvious relief. “I won’t ask for the details since I’m compromised. I can’t be trusted."

"Come with us," Elena said impulsively as Elise moved to the door.

Now that the invitation was out, Elena found she liked the sound of it. Hope spread through her.

"When Auntie arrives, take her hand and allow her to pull you out of this place," Elena pleaded, meeting her mother’s eyes.

Despite everything, the little girl inside Elena still held hope that her mother could be saved. That, deep inside, she was the person Elena had always believed her to be.

If Elise really was telling the truth about wanting Elena, she would take this offer. All she had to do was meet her in the middle. Not even half way. Just lift her hand so Elena and Auntie could grab hold.

"I’m afraid not, little bird," Elise said, destroying the last of Elena’s hope.

Alright then. That was that.

Her mother didn’t want her? Fine. Her aunts and uncle were more than enough for her.

Elena swallowed hard, notching her chin up to meet the egg donor’s gaze. "Is it because of them?"

Stop it, she told herself. She already gave her answer. Don’t open yourself to any more hurt.

"Are they older or younger than me? My half siblings or full?"

She supposed it didn’t matter. It was selfish, but she already hated them either way.

Elise’s expression softened. Her hand dropped from the door as she turned and went to her knees in front of Elena, reaching for her cheek. "Oh, my darling, it’s not like that."

Elena slapped her hand away, backing out of reach. "What’s it like then? I want to know the reason I wasn’t good enough. Is it because I’m half human? Or did you just never want me?"

She was a mistake, after all. An accident. A freak who should never have existed in the first place.

Elise grabbed Elena, pulling her into a fierce hug. "I wanted you more than anything."

Elena lost the fight against her tears. They rolled down her cheeks as she hung in her mother’s embrace, not able to return it despite having dreamt of this moment for years.

Elise pushed Elena away to look into her face. "Before your aunt and uncle, I was an empty shell of a woman. I didn’t experience emotion. I didn’t understand it. Joy. Sorrow. These were only words other people used to legitimize their actions. Your aunt and uncle gave me back my humanity. They broke me out of my cocoon and showed me that surviving wasn’t living. Your father taught me what love was. That to protect it sometimes sacrifices had to be made, but that it was always worth it." Elise wiped the tears from Elena’s face, affection shining from her eyes. "But you, my dear, you gave me a heart and a soul. You are the only reason they didn’t completely brainwash me."

"Then why?" Elena demanded with a broken sob.

"Because they’re mine," Elise declared. "They deserve better than this fate. Just like we deserved better. I had no part of their making but that doesn’t change the fact that they’re embedded in my soul the same way you are."

Elena couldn’t control her tears. They fell from her eyes. A lifetime’s worth.

Uncle Jin draped his tail around the back of Elena’s neck, giving it a small squeeze. A hug. Her first one from him.

"You lied to Kira," Uncle Jin said quietly. "You’re not here for the generals."

"I did; and I didn’t. Lothos and his allies are trying to do something important. They’re worth saving. I know you and Kira don’t see it because of your history with them, but I’m betting she’s beginning to."

Elise nodded at Elena.

Uncle Jin’s silence held a grudging note, but he didn’t argue.

"Never doubt my love for you," Elise told Elena, rising. "It’s the only thing I have left to offer you."

A whimper tried to crawl out of Elena’s throat as Elise strode out of the room without a single look back. Tears were useless. They wouldn’t bring her mother back. And they wouldn’t save her when the Osiri came for her.

"It will be alright, dear heart," Uncle Jin whispered, cuddling against her neck as she walked over to close her door. "We’ll find a way through this. I promise you, Elena."

Elena barely heard him as she caught sight of Kai watching Elise from the shadows of the rock garden. "Oh no."

"Shit," Uncle Jin cursed as Kai looked in their direction.

He tucked himself under Elena’s hair, going very still as Kai crossed the room.

"You’re familiar with the masters’ toy?" Kai asked, arching an eyebrow at Elena.

She stiffened, her eyes narrowing at the pejorative term in reference to her mother.

Uncle Jin squeezed the back of her neck. "Easy."

Elena took a breath, expelling it lightly as she met the other’s probing gaze. "I don’t know what you’re talking about. She was in my room when I returned. I thought you sent her."

"What did you two talk about?"

"You’ll have to ask her." Elena sent the Sye a cocky look. "I’m not at liberty to say."

Elena gave herself a mental pat on the back. With how rigid Tsavitee society was, Kai probably wouldn’t question her further if the Sye thought the discussion was considered Top Secret.

The trick always worked for Tommy. She hoped it would do the same for her.

The moments dragged by as the Sye studied her.

"You’re doing good," Uncle Jin whispered. "You just have to fool them a little longer."

Elena really hoped so. Maintaining an innocent expression for this long was difficult. Any moment she might break and give away her fib.

Fyr cleared his throat, making his presence known.

The Sye frowned at him. "What is it? Can’t you see I’m busy?"

Fyr’s expression remained blank as he stepped closer, lowering his voice to speak into the other’s ear.

"I see." Kai looked over at Elena to give her a cold smile. "We’ll pick this up at a later date."

"Looking forward to it," Elena chirped.

Kai strode away. Fyr lingered, studying Elena for a moment before following.

Elena’s breath whooshed out of her as she bent forward to set her hands on her knees, her relief making her light headed. "Did you do that?"

Uncle Jin rubbed his cheek against Elena’s in comfort. "What do I always say, Elena mine? Never bring a pulse pistol to a fight of improvised explosives."

Elena straightened. She was pretty sure she’d never heard Uncle Jin say that.

"What did you do?"

His laugh was sinister. "Just a little sabotage here and there. They really should do regular maintenance on their environmental systems. They’ll be picking up the pieces for weeks. It’ll take at least that long to figure out what happened. If they figure it out."

Elena stroked the lu-ong’s head. "I knew you were my favorite uncle."

"Nice try, but we’ve got bigger problems now." Despite that statement, Uncle Jin leaned into her touch. "They’ve caught your scent. My distraction won’t work for long. We may not have time to wait for a rescue."

Elena dropped her hand. "What does that mean?"

The lu-ong flicked its tongue. "We might have to go with your plan after all."

"You mean the one where we steal a ship?"

"Yeah," Uncle Jin sighed. "That’s exactly what I mean."

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