"I'd love to, but a couple of someones decided to use my bedside as a location to have an intense conversation." By the end, Kira had shifted so she was half-reclining.
Her body ached, but nowhere near as bad as it had the first time she'd woken. At least she thought she'd been awake. Everything since thelu-ongwas kind of hazy and disjointed, like a series of waking dreams.
She felt slightly weak and off balance, the very small use of thekidraining her. That was better than she’d expected. The last time she’d tried using it had left her in a much worse state.
Raider reached out and pulled the pillows into place behind her to support her weight.
Once she'd finished adjusting the sheets, she fixed the two men with a hard stare. "Now, spill."
Jace looked like he was on the verge of arguing. Raider was the one to meet her eyes calmly.
"The Tuann want to confine us to our quarters," he said.
Kira's mouth dropped open. "What did you guys do?"
"That's ironic coming from you," Jace said bitterly.
Kira looked between the two men, noting the anger in Jace's face and the neutrality in Raider's. "What're you talking about?"
"Evidently the sedative they dosed you with has some side effects," Raider said. "It makes you quite talkative."
Surprise and dismay ran across Kira's face as she got a sinking feeling. She vaguely remembered some of the conversation with Graydon.
"Oh no." Kira's head sank into her palms. This was not good. She definitely remembered revealing things that were supposed to stay secret. "How bad was it?"
Raider arched an eyebrow, amusement tugging at his lips. "We now know you find the Luatha's use of the color white concerning and see it as an indication of a lack of soul."
Kira groaned, not bothering to lift her head.
"You also seem worried over Jace's childlessness and that I'm going to die a lonely, grouchy old man," Raider continued mercilessly.
If Kira could have sunk through the bed, she would have.
"At least we finally know what you'd be like if you were able to get drunk," Jace said with a sigh.
"Yes, very, very chatty—and emotional," Raider responded, not bothering to hide his gloating at Kira's predicament.
"The Tuann also now know about the Tsavitee Ravens we picked up on our scanners. They're unhappy we kept their existence from them," Jace said, each word bit off.
Kira looked away. Of all the secrets she'd spilled, she’d given away one that wasn't really hers to tell.
Maybe she disagreed with the Consortium keeping the Tsavitee's return from their allies, but it hadn't been her decision to make.
"Confining you to the brig is a bit of a severe reaction, don't you think? What else am I missing?" Kira asked.
"Someone managed to infect them with your paranoia. They now think the Tsavitee have infiltrated the Consortium and want to expel all humans from this planet. There is also talking about dissolving the alliance." Jace said, acid dripping from his voice.
"Ah, that," Kira said lamely.
Damn, she wished she'd kept her mouth shut. The Tuann suspecting the Tsavitee had adapted enough to hide among humans would spell the end of the alliance.
"Luckily, they need the emperor's approval for that, so we have some time to warn our people to prepare," Raider said.
"Why would you tell them that?" Jace snapped. It was hard to separate the emotions in that question. They were all tangled together. Anger primarily, with a side of hurt and fury. "Especially when you know it's not true."
Except it was true. The humans didn't want to accept it, but their determined blindness didn't change the facts.
Kira had no words to explain so she kept silent, as she always did.
