"The secret," Raider said, exasperation in his voice. "What is it?"
"The Tsavitee did it," Kira said grumpily. Hadn't she already told them this? It was fairly obvious.
Raider scoffed. "Not this again. You're tilting at windmills. The Tsavitee are gone. They have been for nine years."
Graydon folded his arms over his chest, contemplation on his face. "It's true, I did remove one of their collars from thelu-ong, but it could be a trick to throw us off. The person responsible could have procured it from the black market. I doubt a Tsavitee was involved. Our defenses are impenetrable. We haven't had a sizable incursion in over a thousand years."
Kira made a choked laughing sound. "That's what you think."
Raider's sigh was heavy and frustrated. "I thought you gave up this line of thinking when you left the Curs. The Tsavitee were beaten. They're gone. Get that through your head."
The look she gave him was full of sympathy. "They're not. They never left. They're hiding in plain sight. Just like they always have been."
She got distracted by the room. The lack of color was beginning to bother her. "This place is too white."
"Focus, Kira. Why do you think the Tsavitee are here?" Graydon asked.
Perhaps yellow or blue would be better for the space. Those colors were supposed to be soothing.
"Kira," Raider snapped.
It was a struggle to get her thoughts to take shape. "Because I felt them before thelu-ongattacked and before the assassination attempt last night."
"What?" both men shouted.
Kira blinked at them and yawned. "Pretty sure it was them. They've tried to capture or kill us a lot since we took over theWanderer. But we always get away because we're sneaky ninjas."
"Hell yeah, we are," Jin said.
"Don't egg her on," Raider told Jin. His gaze was intent as he focused on Kira. "What are you saying?"
"About what?" she asked.
"The Tsavitee. You didn’t tell anyone you thought you saw one last night,” he said.
“Didn’t see it. Felt it. Just like I did in Idra and Rothchild,” she told him. “You wouldn’t have believed me. You guys never do.”
“Do you have any proof?” Raider asked with skepticism.
Kira snorted. Of course, he wanted proof. He never could trust her word.
He scowled at her and she realized she’d said that out loud.
“Ask Jace. They caught images of a Tsavitee Raven class buzzing Zepher.”
A growl escaped Graydon, and he seemed to expand, waves of energy pouring from him. Kira leaned closer cooing at them. How interesting.
She lifted her arm to see if she had the same and frowned. No pretty waves for her.
“Oh brother,” Jin muttered. “You probably shouldn’t have said that.”
Raider looked frozen in place as Graydon’s expression darkened.
“This is why they’ve been pushing to expand the treaty,” Graydon muttered. “The humans should have told us.”
“We’re tired of dancing to your and the Haldeel’s tune. You’ve placed so many restrictions on us that our science and technology are unable to advance,” Jace said from the doorway.
“Hi, Jace,” Kira waved.
