25. Twenty Five

Twenty Five

"You’re probably right about that," Kira drawled, canting her head.

After all, Graydon enjoyed getting under her skin as much as she did his. He would take it as a personal challenge.

Raider pushed to his feet. "On that note, I have some matters to take care of. I’ll leave you to it."

"Traitor," Kira said softly, not looking away from Graydon’s gaze.

"Always know when it’s time to stage a tactical retreat. You taught me that," Raider returned.

Aeron followed his example. "In this, I’m in agreement with the human. I have no need to listen to your petty squabbles. I wish to be returned to my cell."

"Amila, go with him," Graydon ordered.

Wren nodded at Zoella as well.

The two women glided forward, escorting the general out of the room after Raider.

Odin hesitated at the end of the table. "I’ll see you soon, Nixxy."

Kira nodded. "See you on board."

The room was quiet as Odin pulled the door closed behind him, sealing Kira inside with the Tuann.

She was quiet as she looked around the table, knowing what they were afraid of. In all that planning, no mention had been made of what role Graydon and the rest of the Tuann would play. Their opinions hadn’t been asked. Their presence ignored.

Intentionally, on Kira’s part.

"When you were listening to our plan, did any of you hear mention of an exit strategy?" Kira asked, making herself comfortable in her chair.

She waited, a mysterious little smile on her face as they came to the realization she’d been hoping they’d make.

"That’s because there is none. To get onto the planet without tripping the energy cannons, we’ll have to use waveboards."

While waveboards were versatile, able to maneuver easily in the void of space and be used for insertion into a planet’s atmosphere, they wouldn’t be able to get them back off again. This was meant to be a one way trip.

That’s where the Tuann came in.

"I was hoping you and your pod would take care of that part," Kira told Wren.

From prior experience with Finn, she knew he wasn’t leaving her side from here on out. She’d be lucky if she got bathroom breaks without either his or Talon’s presence.

As for Graydon, she didn’t even need to ask. He was with her. All the way.

That left Wren and his oshota.

Funnily enough, she had a feeling it was the perfect task for them. Anyone managing to get a ship down there would then need to defend it long enough for Kira and the rest to reach it after rescuing Elena.

The oshota in Wren’s pod were all elites. Talented warriors who should be able to hold their own against the Tsavitee for a short period of time.

"Consider it done," Wren said gravely.

Kira was a little surprised. She’d been expecting a fight. In his shoes, she’d want to be part of the team that went in after her granddaughter.

Wren’s smile was wry. "Your judgment in this matter is accurate. My pod and I are the best choice for this role. We will secure you transport off the planet and hold it until your arrival."

Kira nodded in relief. "Thank you."

She had no fear of her seon’yer failing her. Wren would die first. He was a demon with his blade so the chances of that happening were small.

Maksym winked at her. "Don’t worry, youngest. We do this sort of thing all the time."

Kira shook her head.

"I notice you didn’t mention Roake’s fleet," Graydon drawled, looking at her playfully.

"Always hold something back. They’re my trump card. You heard Aeron. The Tsavitee have spies everywhere in the Consortium and Centcom. It’s best not to reveal more than we have to."

Graydon’s grin was slow, reminding Kira of how they’d spent the morning. "I do so love this side of you."

"I know." Kira’s smirk faded as she looked at Devon and Joule. "You’ll be with the drop teams."

She would have preferred to leave them out of this, but she had a feeling they’d be needed. Joule’s shields would come in handy during the insertion when the drop ship would be at its most vulnerable.

Devon wasn’t one to be left out either. He could act as an extra sword while they were down there.

"Finn and Talon, you’ll be in the drop ship with me as well," Kira told them.

Graydon set his chin on his fist and fluttered his eyelashes at Kira in expectation.

She gave him a disgusted look. "Are you really going to make me say it?"

"I’d prefer it, yes."

"Fine," Kira bit out. "Graydon, how would you feel about risking life and limb on a potential suicide mission? I promise it will be chock full of death defying thrills and if we’re very unlucky we’ll come face-to-face with the monsters of Tuann legend."

"You always give me the sweetest of gifts, coli. It would be my honor to battle at your side in this most deadly of courtships. I wouldn’t miss it for anything."

Three hours later Kira stood in the quarters Jace had assigned her on the CSS Reliance, his flagship, her gaze trained on the rogue planet as it retreated in the distance.

A chiming sound came from the J1N.

"There is an incoming call," the drone announced.

Kira leaned her wrist against the window. "Right on time."

"Shall I answer it?"

An angry exhale came from Kira. "Yes."

Pallas’s silky tone flooded the room. "Dearest sister, methinks someone isn’t where they promised to be."

"Is that so?" Kira asked as Graydon’s reflection appeared in the window next to her.

"I thought we had an agreement."

"We did. No more."

"Oh?" Pallas purred.

"Yes."

Graydon’s arms came around her, tugging her back into his chest as he held her.

"Don’t be foolish, little sister. You know there’s nowhere you can go that I won’t find you."

"Maybe," Kira agreed. "But I wouldn’t recommend you trying. The next time I see you I plan to kill you."

Leaving this way was the last bit of mercy she had to offer her brother. So, she hoped he took her warning seriously.

Because the next time they met, one of them would die.

"You’ve disabled my ship," Pallas announced a moment later with a mixture of admiration and frustration. "And you’re using a Tuann disrupter field like the ones used in their prisons to prevent me from using alternate means of travel. Well done, little sister."

Kira didn’t say anything as he seethed.

"This won’t keep me forever," he spat.

"No, it won’t."

There was a loud crash from Pallas’s side. "Why are you doing this?"

"I know you were on Rothchild’s moon before the blast."

A defeated sigh came over the line. "Kira."

Kira glared at her reflection, hating the gleam of wet on her cheeks. "Did you kill my friends?"

There was another sigh. "It’s not that simple, heasa."

"It is, actually. Very simple."

"Turn off this trap. This isn’t the way to do this."

"Did. You. Kill. My. Friends?"

Symbols appeared on Kira’s face and arm, her primus struggling to rise by the last word.

Graydon’s arms tightened around her, his voice crooning in her ear. "Shh."

"Yes," Pallas admitted.

Kira folded forward, Graydon’s grip on her the only thing that kept her from collapsing as an ugly, hurt sound left her throat. "Shut it down, Jin."

"Who?" the J1N asked dumbly.

"Turn it off!" Kira screamed, lunging at the drone.

Graydon stopped her, turning her into his chest as Kira broke down. "I’ve got you, cheva nier. Let it all out."

Tears clouded her vision as she buried her face in Graydon’s chest and let herself grieve.

Elena - Tsavitee Planet

"It’s not fair that I have to play pretend while you get to go do all the fun things," Elena grumbled, trailing behind the other children.

She wanted to be out sabotaging Tsavitee weapons systems and creating havoc wherever she wandered. Not chumming it up with a bunch of children who’d made it quite clear how much they disliked her this morning when she reported for training to find a flaw in her gravity harness. If she hadn’t spotted the issue, she would have been subjected to gravity harsh enough that the bones in her legs would have snapped.

Assholes. Vicious, conniving assholes.

"Keep up, new girl," Fyr growled from the front of the pack.

"Yeah, yeah," Elena muttered under her breath, jogging to catch up with the rest.

Fyr signaled for the group to exercise caution as they spread out through the subterranean cavern they’d been tasked with exploring today. Elena took her time, putting distance between her and the others so she could carry on her conversation with Uncle Jin without discovery.

"As we’ve been over already, you’re responsible for maintaining our cover," Uncle Jin said patiently. "Your presence will be missed. Mine won’t. I’m the obvious choice."

Elena side stepped an obvious trap.

"Damn it," Elena cursed as one foot slipped off the rock, splashing into the shallow pool next to her.

"What’s wrong?" Uncle Jin demanded.

"Nothing. I misjudged a step. That’s all."

Elena made a face at the feel of cold wetness that was now oozing into her sock through the boot. Walking around in wet footwear was the absolute worst. Nor was their instructor, an unfamiliar general who looked less than thrilled at the thought of babysitting them, likely to let her switch out her boots and socks.

Elena lowered her foot back to the ground, careful about paying more attention to her surroundings this time.

At first glance, the cavern seemed straightforward. The passage they were in was several hundred feet wide with a large number of underground lakes that Elena could tell were much deeper than they appeared. Moss grew on cave walls, entirely covering them in some places.

Tunnels branched off the main system, making this place into a giant maze that would be easy to get lost in.

The occasional oculus, a fancy term for a hole in the ceiling, created pretty shafts of light to illuminate their surroundings.

"You have to be careful," Uncle Jin warned.

"I’m aware."

Taking her frustration out on her uncle wasn’t fair, but it was difficult to control her emotions when this was the third time in as many days that he’d left her behind. When he woke up, she thought they’d be a team. The raven and the lu-ong. Besties forever. Combating Tsavitee and taking names. Busting free together. Equal partners. Just like him and Auntie.

So far, though, all she was doing was tagging along after the children while she tried not to die.

The only interesting thing that had happened was the fact they hadn’t lost any of the children after the ranking battles. Everyone was still present and accounted for.

"I feel like you’re taking all the risks and I’m reaping the rewards," Elena complained. "I want to help too."

"You are helping. You’re the face. I’m the brawn."

Elena wandered over to another section of the cavern. "Is that how it works between you and Auntie?"

"Of course, it is. She’s played decoy so many times by now that she’s an old hand at it."

"Really?"

Elena was only half paying attention as movement across the cavern caught her attention.

"Now I know how Kira feels when I’m being difficult," Uncle Jin muttered under his breath.

"Rude," Elena said distractedly, her eyes on Fyr as he ducked down a shaft that branched off the main cave.

Strange. They’d already been warned about doing that. Something a teacher’s pet like him couldn’t have forgotten.

"What’s wrong?" Uncle Jin asked.

"Nothing." Elena glanced at their instructor for the day to find him watching the yellows battle a slimy-looking creature that possessed a pair of stunted wings folded along its back.

"Then why is your beacon moving toward the area your instructors told you not to go?" Uncle Jin asked.

"I don’t know. Must be an error."

"No, Elena. Do not do whatever it is you’re thinking," Uncle Jin moaned.

"Too late," Elena said, ducking into the same shaft Fyr had used. "I’m already doing it."

A groan came from her uncle. "This is what I get for not listening to Kira about setting a good example for you."

Elena grinned. "Yup."

She quieted as she squeezed through a narrow passageway, looking around curiously. There were several intriguing rock formations lining the walls. The same luminescent moss outside was in here as well, providing enough light to see by.

"You’re a pain in the ass," Uncle Jin griped.

"Of course, I am. Who do you think you raised?" Elena asked as she started down the passageway.

"I should never have taught you how to be so sassy," Uncle Jin grumbled.

No, he shouldn’t have. Too late now.

"Just promise me you won’t get hurt. Your aunts will murder me if you get so much as a scratch."

"I have faith you’ll handle anything they throw your way, Uncle Jin."

Elena stopped to study the passageway, finding it intriguing. It was strange. She couldn’t tell if this place was part of the same structure the crèche was housed in or naturally forming.

"Do you think these caves are real?" Elena asked, touching the wall and finding it slightly damp.

The flowstones—sheetlike deposits of minerals—stalagmites and stalactites all suggested as much. However, Elena’s sense of direction insisted they weren’t below the surface of the planet but simply a few levels down from the crèche. Not nearly deep enough to have entered a natural forming cave.

But why would someone create an illusion like this? It made no sense.

"During the war, there was a theory that the Tsavitee incorporated biologics into some of their weapons and engineering. Most especially on their ships."

"We’re not on a ship, though."

They were on a planet. Right?

"I wouldn’t be so sure about that," Uncle Jin said as the murmur of voices came from up ahead. "As far as I can tell, this place is basically a giant ship."

Elena stopped. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah."

She cast her mind back, trying to remember how many of these spire structures there had been when Ajix led her in here.

A lot of them.

Elena didn’t have time to follow that thought as the sound of voices got louder. She moved carefully, using a formation of rock and mineral twisted into a spiral as cover.

She scanned the cave, finding it empty despite the voices she could hear echoing off the walls around her.

Her gaze landed on a hole in the floor that led to another shaft below. That was where Fyr’s voice was coming from.

How did he get down there?

This place really was a maze.

Elena crept carefully toward the edge of the crevasse.

Fyr’s voice came from directly under her. "I’m telling you there’s something wrong. Elise visited her. You know that woman. She’s not someone who would go out of her way without a reason. Not unless that child is important to her or deeply connected to the Phoenix."

There was a long pause.

"I’m inclined to agree with you," Ajix said after some thought.

"Kai saw Elise’s visit. The Sye is now suspicious of the girl. What are we going to do? If they realize you had a hand in this, you’ll be in danger too," Fyr said.

"More than you know," Ajix rumbled. "I’ve heard back from our spies. There’s something wrong with the girl’s background."

"What does that mean?"

"We don’t know. The only thing that’s clear is that Elise lied to us."

Not good. Not good at all.

"Are you eavesdropping on a general?" Uncle Jin demanded in Elena’s ear, making her jump.

Guilt flickered over her face.

"You are!" Uncle Jin exclaimed in outrage. "Elena!"

For once, Elena was grateful she couldn’t respond. She knew what she was doing was dangerous. But look—hadn’t she learned something important?

"If she really is connected to the Phoenix on more than just a surface level, it could affect our plans," Ajix was saying.

"What do you want me to do?"

"Keep her close. We might be able to use her against the Phoenix later."

"And if Kai discovers her identity is problematic?"

"Throw her to the exalted one’s mercy. They can deal with the Phoenix’s wrath."

Elena ignored the kernel of hurt that took root at Fyr’s murmured agreement. She held still as they moved away, their voices fading.

Only after a long time had passed did Elena peek below. Seeing she was alone, she lowered herself to sitting, dangling her legs over the edge. "What do we do now, Uncle Jin?"

Her cover was compromised. It was only a matter of time before she was discovered. Either by the generals or Kai.

"For now, we’ll stick to the plan and see if we can buy some time. Your aunt’s getting close. I can feel her. It won’t be long now."

"That’s a relief," Elena said, climbing to her feet.

Movement down the passageway she’d come from had her nearly slipping into the crevasse. She caught herself, darting in the opposite direction before squirming into and through a tiny burrow hole to the adjacent passageway.

Several twists and turns later, Elena realized she was hopelessly lost.

"Uh oh."

"Uh oh? What uh oh? What does that mean?"

Elena turned in a circle, finding nothing familiar about the passageway she was in. "I may be a tad lost."

"You’re just like Kira. Always getting into trouble the moment I take my eyes off you."

Elena pursed her lips, battling the urge to thank him for the compliment. Something told her he wouldn’t appreciate the sentiment.

"Can you find me a route back to the main cavern that doesn’t involve retracing my steps?" Elena asked.

Mostly because she didn’t quite remember how she got there. And also because she didn’t want to run into whoever had been following her.

"No," Uncle Jin admitted grimly. "You’re not on any of the maps my worker bees surveyed."

"Worker bees? Are they part of the spawn army you were talking about?"

"They’re a little bit more basic than my spawn. Think of them like mindless drones whose only job it is to help me survey enemy territory," Uncle Jin explained. "Right now, I’m not picking up your bio signal. As far as my scanners are concerned, you’re nowhere within a twenty mile radius of me."

Elena fell quiet. The thought of her uncle not being able to track her a horrifying one.

"I think it has something to do with the cavern system," Uncle Jin continued.

"That could be useful to us," Elena said, trying to look on the bright side. "Not right now of course. But later."

In case she needed a place to hide out.

In fact, this was a blessing in disguise. The perfect opportunity for sneaking about. Exactly what she’d been wanting.

Except she hadn’t thought she’d be all alone when she did it.

"It’s all right, Uncle Jin," Elena said with forced cheer. "I can find my way."

That’s right. She was the Raven. Super-agent extraordinaire. Any situation she got herself into; she could get herself out of.

Elena started walking again, trying not to think about what would happen if she never found her way out of this cavern labyrinth.

Starvation would probably get her first. Or maybe not.

That burrow back there had looked like something an animal would create. She shivered as she remembered the creature the other children had encountered in the main cavern.

What if there were more of those wandering around?

She’d have to defend herself. Maybe they could be her new food source. Though cooking them might be a problem as the cave’s climate was too damp to start a fire. Which meant she could get intestinal parasites from eating uncooked food.

What a way to go. As a cautionary tale of what happened when you got too curious for your own good.

She doubted she’d be found either. Her body would be left to lay where it fell. Fossilizing in place. All those lessons in badassery cut tragically short due to Elena’s inability to navigate a cave system.

The thought was a chilling one that she shook off in favor of concentrating on finding a way out of this mess.

It felt like hours passed before Elena felt a spark of hope. A change in environment that brought a renewed sense of purpose.

"What’s this?" Elena asked, stepping out of the cave and onto a walkway suspended over a glowing pool of water.

She looked through the metal grates, finding the milky looking water familiar.

"Yes!" Uncle Jin’s crow of relief distracted her from her examination. "You just popped back on my scanners."

"That’s great."

"Wait. No. It’s not."

Elena found out the reason for his concern as she followed the walkway into a familiar looking room. The central platform waiting off to her left. The bank of cryopods that held her half siblings to her right along the edge of the room.

"How did I get back here?" Elena asked, her stomach sinking as the water below her rippled with movement.

She was sure to keep to the center of the suspended walkway as a vision of tentacles dragging her into the pool haunted her.

"The cavern must connect to several places in the ship," Uncle Jin said in explanation. "Let’s not dawdle, Elena mine. I want you out of there as fast as possible."

Elena didn’t have to be told twice as she hurried toward the stairs that would take her to the exit, passing the bank of cryopods in the process.

She slowed.

"Elena, you need to get moving," Uncle Jin warned.

"In a minute. This might be the only chance I have to meet them."

These individuals who’d inspired her egg donor to go to such lengths to protect them. Her siblings.

Elena didn’t know what she was expecting to find as she stopped in front of them. Maybe a sense of connection. Some spark that would help explain why Elise couldn’t abandon them.

There were five in total. One full grown. Another close to it. The rest were Elena’s age or a little younger. Not all of them looked Tuann or human.

The oldest looked most like Elise, scales running along the edge of her forehead and the side of her neck. Sharp claws tipped her fingers and there was a rather lethal looking tail floating in the tank with her.

Three of the children were curled into a fetal position. As if hoping to protect themselves from what awaited them outside the tanks.

"Some of them are older than me.”

"Are you sure?" Uncle Jin asked.

Elena nodded even though she knew he couldn’t see. "How is this possible?"

The egg donor had only been missing for twelve years. According to Auntie, any children born of the forty three would grow as slowly as a Tuann. It should take them decades to fully mature.

Take Joule for example. He was older than Elena by nearly forty years, but physically looked her age.

From appearances though, it looked like two of her siblings broke that mold.

The bug set in Elena’s ear canal started moving. "Excuse me, Elena. I need to see this for myself."

Elena held still as the bug crawled out of her ear and onto her cheek.

"No, no, this shouldn’t be possible," Uncle Jin said as the bug moved back and forth restlessly.

"Evidence suggests otherwise, Uncle Jin."

Elena looked around, catching sight of a tank whose shape was different than the rest. A sphere. The top half transparent, the bottom covered in thick cylinders that looked like roots.

Elena moved closer to it. "What’s that?"

Inside was a boy. A little younger than the rest. His skin a light brown. His hair floated around his head. Wires cradled him, attaching to his arms and back as he slept.

Elena set a hand on the tank. "Do you think he’s one of them?"

"No."

Elena blinked at the abrupt reply.

"Leave now. He doesn’t concern you."

Elena’s mouth moved, the words getting stuck in her throat

There was rage in her uncle’s voice. A suppressed anger that felt all the more dangerous for it.

Whoever—whatever—this boy was, his presence had greatly disturbed her uncle.

"He’s not your mother’s," Uncle Jin said, sensing her reluctance.

"Who is he then?"

"Someone thought long gone."

Knowing her uncle was unlikely to expand any further, and deciding her time here had run its course, Elena shot the boy one last reluctant look before turning to leave.

She froze an instant later. "Kai."

The Sye stood between her and the stairs. An enigmatic smile on their face.

Elena looked around the room in search of an escape. "What are you doing here?"

The Sye’s eyes glittered as they looked Elena over before tilting their head, the movement predatory. "I could ask you the same."

With her exit cut off, Elena backed toward the walkway that had led her into the rotunda. "I got lost and somehow wound up here."

Kai tracked Elena. Only the Sye’s eyes shifted to follow her in an uber creepy move that left her on edge.

"Were you not listening when you were told to remain in the main cavern?"

Elena’s laugh sounded awkward in the room. "Must not have been."

"You must also not have heard of the labyrinth’s true nature."

Nope. Elena somehow missed that too.

"If you had, you would know the labyrinth has a mind of its own." Menace crouched in Kai’s eyes. So at odds with the soft smile gracing the Sye’s face. "For it to lead you here, it must believe the exalted one has a use for you."

Elena took that as her cue, whirling. Time to go.

"Uncle Jin, I think we’re going to need to revisit my ship commandeering plan,” Elena said.

The little bug clung to her cheek. "This is why I told you to leave immediately."

Elena should have listened. She really should have. Too late now.

"Where are you going, little girl? There’s nowhere to run."

Elena fled, pounding over the metal grates back toward the labyrinth. As if she’d stay put like a good little girl.

Ha. Just ha. Aunt Selene didn’t raise no idiot.

Except for Tommy. That boy could be so stupid sometimes. He was a mother hen with a martyr complex as strong as Aunt Kira’s.

Elena burst into the adjacent room, slowing at the sight of Fyr blocking the labyrinth entrance.

"Move," she ordered softly, reaching for the bone pick she’d stashed in her boot. "I don’t want to hurt you, but I will."

The pace of Kai’s steps never varied. Slow and steady as if the Sye had all the time in the world to catch up. That more than anything let her know the two had planned this.

One to flush her out. The other to block her escape.

"Don’t worry; you’ve got this," Uncle Jin whispered. "If nothing else, stall for time. My main body is close. I’ll get you out before anything happens."

That would feel more reassuring if Elena didn’t detect a thread of the very worry he’d advised her against.

"I won’t ask again," Elena warned.

Fyr’s gaze was cold. As unfeeling as it had been that first day. "I have my orders."

Funny. So did she.

Elena sprung forward, pouring all her ki into her legs and arms to reinforce them. She made it two steps before a shock went through her system. Her mind blanked. A barrier snapped down between her and her ki, cutting her off from its source and snuffing out her connection with Uncle Jin.

It felt like half of her soul had been sundered from the rest. Agony, unlike anything she had ever felt in her short life, splintered her body.

Uncle Jin’s bug fell off her cheek and into the glowing pool below.

Elena couldn’t cope with the onslaught of pain, finding herself in a ball on the ground. No wonder some of her siblings had chosen this position for their sleep. It was instinctual.

"Worry not. What is happening to you right now is only natural. This is his space." Kai waved a hand at their surroundings. "Only he controls the flow of the seriet. All others are punished."

Elena whimpered, conscious of the Sye moving closer. Get up, El. Remember what you promised Auntie. You have to survive.

Her limbs refused to obey as Kai gazed down at her. "Who are you working for?"

Elena glared up at the Sye, putting all her hate into her gaze. What she wouldn’t give to curse right now. Aunt Selene’s rules or not. A good choice of swear words would really go a long way to making her feel better.

"That’s alright." Kai’s lips twisted cruelly. "We’ll have plenty of time to get acquainted."