"I'm glad you think so," Kira muttered.
He snickered. "At least there is little chance of you destroying anything this way."
"I don't destroy things," she hissed, feeling off-balance and conspicuous as Graydon's warriors drifted over.
Their interest was clear as they jostled each other and whispered as they looked her over.
"They're like giant kids," Jin observed.
"The kind who can rip your arm off and beat you with it," Kira returned, glaring at the warriors. They seemed to think that was funny. The tallest one smothered a smile as he dipped his head.
It wasn't the reaction Kira was used to. Most humans had heard of her and her reputation. When she glared, they usually ran. Those who didn't, often lacked sufficient brain cells.
"TheWanderer," Jin said.
The words came out of nowhere and Kira frowned at him in confusion.
"TheWanderer, the latest thing you destroyed. I have other examples, but it looks like the mountain is ready for you," Jin said in a lofty voice.
Sure enough, Graydon had finished and was now regarding the two of them with an interested expression.
Graydon crossed his arms, the muscles in his arms and chest bulging as he gave her a smile full of challenge, the smug conviction he'd already won in his expression. "Perhaps you can demonstrate to Joule just where he's gone wrong."
So, he'd heard that. Their senses were better than she thought. Probably better than hers.
A disquieting thought occurred to her. If he'd heard what she said to Joule, he'd probably heard the exchange between her, Jace and Raider. Not ideal but good to know.
Kira hesitated to step into the simulator, aware of how she was now the center of attention in the gym. Jace and the Curs remained in their corner, but they made no secret of their interest. Even the children had taken a break from their activities.
Kira's shoulders slumped as she fought the urge to bang her head against the nearest hard surface. She'd never particularly enjoyed having all eyes on her, and it was more irritating now, when she wanted to avoid all attention.
Worse, any thought of letting herself get knocked out in the first few seconds went out the window.
She couldn't afford to be seen as entirely weak. The Tuann were much like predators. If they sensed any weakness, they'd run right over her—for her own good of course.
No, if she wanted to meet these people on an even playing field, she needed to be strong enough to protect herself, without becoming a threat or a treasure they wished to acquire.
Just because they weren't from her House didn't mean they lacked the potential to delay her goal. Every Tuann on this ship would carry stories of the lost child home with them. Appear too weak and others might seek to take advantage, appear too strong and any hope of them underestimating her disappeared.
It put her in a tricky spot.
Reluctantly, she moved past Graydon, a shiver of sensation rocking her as her shoulder brushed his. For whatever reason, she was intensely aware of him as a man. Galling, considering he saw her as one step up from a child.
She padded over to the mat marking the edge of the simulator's domain and waited, forgetting the rest of the gym as she focused on the coming fight.
There was a soft thrum, the faintest snap of electricity as the simulation began. From the floor, a being started to form.
Kira tensed. What surprise had Graydon picked out for this little excursion? He had something up his sleeve, there'd been too much arrogance in his expression to assume otherwise.
"Well, shit," she said, her hope this would be easy, disappearing.
She wasn't the only one to have an immediate reaction to the creature. Jin let out a low whistle as alarmed exclamations came from those humans in the room.
Those who'd fought in the war would recognize what she was up against. A Tsavitee war drone, class two, its intelligent eyes locking on her as its cry pierced the air in a sound that chilled her straight to the bone.
