That left Kira trying to win her freedom without showing too much of her more ruthless self.
“What if I was too weak to ever be an asset to the House?” Kira challenged
Liara shook her head. “Everyone has a purpose, whether it be big or small. Either way, we would protect you, even onto death.”
“And if I was so strong, I could fend off a hundred enemies?” Kira tested.
“We would use your skills to protect others,” Liara said simply.
So, she was damned if she revealed the depth of what she was capable of, and damned if she didn't.
“Doesn't give me much incentive to trust you either way,” Kira concluded.
Liara inclined her head. "I can see how it might seem that way. Unfortunately, the House test will reveal the depths of your soul one way or another."
"House test?" Kira asked.
"Theruma ah. It's a series of tests all Tuann seeking to join a House undergo. When you reach the point where you can pledge your loyalty, you experience this as well," Graydon supplied. "I wouldn't waste time trying to fool it into thinking you're weaker than you are. The test will figure out your potential no matter how you fight it."
Kira didn't like the sound of that. Her expression was pensive as her thoughts turned inward. She wished she knew more about what was expected of her. There were things she'd like to keep hidden, partly because of her past, partly because she didn't want to face the questions their revelation would inevitably bring.
While the Tuann seemed to have many things in common with her, there was the ever-present worry her time in the compound had changed or damaged her in some way. The experiments they'd performed on her and others had been brutal. It wasn't outside the realm of possibility she'd been changed as a result.
The Tuann, for all their stiff-necked insistence on family, weren't likely to be accepting of too many oddities.
She released the breath she was holding. It was pointless to agonize. If she couldn't figure out a way to rig the test, Jin would.
Graydon turned his attention to Finn. "Would you like to explain how you let your charge wander around without you?"
A threat threaded through Graydon's voice as he fixed Finn with a hard stare.
Finn opened his mouth.
"No," Kira said.
She shook her head at him. She didn't want him explaining. She didn't want the cause of the incident brought up, discussed, and dissected.
There was a chance those symbols had been normal. There was also a chance they weren’t.
Finn's mouth clicked shut and his expression went neutral.
His silence surprised Kira. She hadn't expected him to listen to her, his friendship with Graydon trumping her wishes
Graydon arched an eyebrow at her. "No?"
Kira lifted her chin, not letting him intimidate her. "That's right. This is between me and him."
Liara's mouth made a soft O. Even the two guards at her rear seemed impressed at Kira's stubbornness. Both looked away after a second of shock, struggling to contain their amusement at the sight of her standing her ground against a man she was beginning to realize wasn't often challenged.
Graydon's eyes darkened as he studied her. "You're being ridiculously stubborn."
"Good. It’s my life to be stubborn with," she said.
He chuckled. "That statement shows me how little you understand. If you die, he will be the one to face consequences. He's already lost one charge. To lose a second would result in no others accepting him as theiroshota. This means he could no longer contribute to the wellbeing of the House."
And dead weight was the first to be eliminated in times of strife, Kira supplied mentally, seeing where Graydon was going with this.
He leaned closer, saying for her ears, "Think carefully upon your actions. While his duty is to ensure your wellbeing, you have a responsibility to him as well. It's a two-way street as the humans would say."
