She'd do nothing of the sort.
"Have to make sure you don't damage your frail body," he continued. "You and the human can hang back, let us do the heavy lifting."
"Ah-ha," Kira said, her voice sounding slightly strangled.
Raider scoffed next to her. "Is he serious right now?"
"Hard to tell," Kira responded. She sure hoped not.
Graydon's chuckle was husky.
Kira's eyes narrowed. He knew exactly what he was doing, throwing down a gauntlet Kira and Raider would have no choice but to pick up. Raider, because of injured pride—Kira so Raider didn't get himself hurt.
Jace would never forgive her if Raider got himself killed trying to prove a point.
"Let me get this clear," Raider started. "You think you and the pain in the ass can take on this entire course by yourselves?"
Graydon's expression turned smug. "I know we can."
Raider and Kira exchanged a glance.
"Prove it," Raider challenged.
"Wait," Kira started. The whole point of the other three's inclusion was so they could work together.
"Alright, how about a bet?" Graydon asked.
"No. Don’t do it," Kira tried, already shaking her head.
"What sort of bet?" Raider asked.
Kira made a frustrated sound. He was playing right into the Tuann's hands.
"If either of you make it to the finish line before us, I'll make sure you're not saddled with any more guards besides Finn," Graydon said, capturing Kira's interest. He fixed Raider with a dark look as the playfulness dropped from Graydon's expression. "And I won't mention to our hosts the human ship sitting about five hundred units outside this system."
Raider's face drained of emotion, leaving only the predator behind. This was the man who had faced the Tsavitee down, never flinching. Death was in his eyes as he watched Graydon.
Kira tipped her head back and groaned. "I should have known."
"Shut up, Kira," Raider said.
"Make me," she snarled.
Raider didn't move, though he wanted to. She could tell.
She scrubbed one hand down her face, calling herself an idiot. She should have known Himoto would have something up his sleeve. A ship hidden out of sight would be just like him.
He was probably waiting for some sort of signal from Jace and the Curs. Not a bad idea, and normally she would have been thrilled at the prospect of possible backup, except the Consortium had agreed not to trespass on Tuann territory unless invited.
"They're holding just outside our territory," Graydon said pleasantly. "But the Luatha would be very displeased if they discovered your fellow humans knew the location of this planet."
Translation—if they found out, they'd likely kill the Curs and maybe even Kira, since she had technically agreed to bring them here.
Her shoulders bowed.
Graydon stepped forward, bending so only she could hear. "I suggest you make it across the finish line first."
"You're an asshole," she said without heat.
