Himoto gestured for Graydon and Kira to take a seat. The rest of Graydon's people had chosen to wait in the hall, with the exception of the man who'd chased Kira through the honeycomb.
"Now that we're all here and calm," the last was a reminder for Kira. Himoto continued, "Let's see if we can get to the heart of this matter and find a satisfactory compromise for all parties."
Kira contained her snort. Unlikely. Unless any of those compromises involved her on board her ship hightailing it to a less congested part of space. She'd heard the Ghost's Shroud was pretty isolated. No one for billions of miles. Right now, it sounded like exactly what she needed.
Graydon fixed Himoto with a hard stare. "We’re taking the child with us. What happens after that is dependent on her."
Kira choked on a laugh. "Is he serious?"
She was many things but a child wasn’t one of them. Over thirty years had passed since the mission which had rescued her from hell. She didn't think she could really be classified as a child then either, the circumstances of her upbringing burning any trace of innocence out before it had time to form.
Graydon's head turned toward her. "Yes."
Kira waited. No further answer was forthcoming. Her eyebrows climbed in disbelief. That was it? That was his entire response? Yes?
Himoto gestured for patience. Kira bit her tongue on the many things she wanted to say and forced herself to remain in her seat.
"The Tuann are much more long-lived than us," Himoto said cautiously. "It is possible, in their culture, you might not be considered fully grown."
Kira pointed at her face. "Do I look like a child to you?"
"You certainly act like one sometimes," Jace murmured.
She sent him a fulminating glance. His lips quirked, but otherwise he didn't respond.
"I'm not a child," she stated emphatically.
Jin snickered next to her. So glad someone was finding humor in this.
"Until you pass theadva kaand prove yourself, you won’t receive the rights of an adult," Graydon stated as if his words were final.
Jace hid his smirk by dipping his head as Kira stared dumbly at Graydon.
"You don't know how old I am," she said. For all he knew she could be hundreds of years old.
She'd stopped growing years ago. There was no way she was still a child, biologically or mentally. Could a child have fought in a war? Become a hero, then a villain because of her successes and failures? Could they have taken a decrepit ship and restored her to perfect condition? Or run a business and survived on their own for as long as she had?
No.
This whole conversation was ridiculous.
"I believe this is all a miscommunication," Jace said finally interjecting. "You're ascribing the human definition of child to his words. I think it would be more appropriate to say, Lord Graydon sees you in the same way we see those in their first years of university—a young adult without the responsibilities of one."
Graydon didn't react to that statement, neither confirming or denying it as he stared at her over the table.
Kira settled in. Jace's conclusion made sense, even if it grated. She'd worked too hard, for too long, to let anyone take her accomplishments away from her. Children had few rights, only those adults gave them. They were rudderless kites, bobbing along the wind currents of someone else’s ambition and whims. Being seen on the cusp of adulthood was better, but only just.
"What if I don't want to go with you?" she asked.
His gaze was piercing as he gave her his full attention for the first time since he'd sat down. Until now, he'd been focused on Jace and Himoto, as if her presence was an afterthought and she had no real power.
"Your desires don't matter. You are Tuann. Your House and family will have much to answer for when we return, given how they've let you stray so far."
Kira stiffened, her mask slamming down as every muscle in her body tensed at the implication.
Both Himoto and Jace sat forward, knowing Graydon's words for the trigger they were.
"Lord Graydon, I think perhaps you are misunderstanding as well. Kira has no history with your people. She was discovered at a young age—the equivalent of a thirteen-year-old human—in a compound deep in our territory," Himoto said. "She'd been severely mistreated and there were signs of torture. She has no memories of the Tuann. As far as she or anyone knew, she'd been born in that place. Whatever you might think, she did not choose ignorance of your people."
