She looked at the children through new eyes, the direness of their predicament finally registering on her. Liont glanced at her from where he was helping them get situated.
He was the head of the children's honor guard. Until now, she hadn't seen the near desperation on his or his companions’ faces. They looked like soldiers about to be sent on a suicide mission. Grim and resigned. They'd do their duty even at considerable cost to themselves.
Graydon saw where she was looking. "The best outcome they can hope for is for Luatha to absorb their entire House. Even then, they will be reduced in standing and rank, while the rest of Luatha looks on them with pity or derision.”
"Unless Joule can prove himself worthy of the title of lord of his House in the trials," Kira said slowly, putting together all the pieces.
Graydon inclined his head. "Yes. That is the best option for them. If he were to pass, it means he would be considered strong enough to protect his household and he’d be allowed to hold their fealty. However, such an event is unlikely. There are those who would wish his House to fall into memory. They will make his journey as hard as possible."
"You said best case. What is the worst?"
"Those who aren't accepted will seek shelter with other Houses, their former affiliations dissolved. It is not an easy fate."
And because they'd once been loyal to another, they were unlikely to find another House to take them in, Kira finished for him.
“Why can’t Joule wait till he’s older to attempt theadva ka?” All he needed was a little time to become seasoned and grow into his abilities.
“He could do that,” Graydon conceded. “But his path will be twice as difficult. He’d need permission from his new overlord to verify he was ready. Even then, it would likely be too late for the rest. There is no going back in time. They would have been affected by the years apart, and reassembling them would be twice as unlikely and unwise.”
What he didn’t say was time had a way of changing you despite your best intentions. New experiences shaped you and molded you, forcing you to adapt or perish. Even if you remembered those you left behind with fondness, they might not be the same person when you caught up with them. Their loyalties could have changed, their needs evolved.
This still didn't answer how he thought she could help them. As much as she felt for them, there was little she could do. She was here for a specific goal. Getting distracted wouldn't help her achieve that.
"Don't think I've forgotten about the Curs," Kira challenged, changing the subject.
His teeth flashed, dark amusement on his face. "I wouldn't dream of it,coli."
He moved away before she could respond.
“Arrogant ass," she grumbled to herself as she headed toward Joule and Ziva.
"Graydon has excellent hearing," Amila said in a neutral voice.
A wicked smile curved Kira’s lips. "I'm counting on it."
Amila blinked at her, the idea someone would purposely pull her commander’s tail obviously never occurring to her.
Kira reached Ziva and Joule and took a seat beside them. She ignored the way Ziva's face lit up as soon as Kira arrived, something like hero worship shining from her eyes.
Kira shifted, uncomfortable at the sight. Things never ended well when people looked to her as a hero. She always proved a disappointment, eventually.
Jin zoomed above their heads, completing a circuit of the area before settling in the seat beside Kira. His antics caught both of the children's attention, their gazes fascinated.
Amila stopped, her expression disconcerted. Jin had taken the last seat. It meant Amila would have to sit in the row behind them with Liont and the others instead of beside her.
"Move. Someone else might want to sit there," Kira ordered Jin.
"They can find another seat," he returned. "I need to be strapped in for re-entry just as much as you do. Do you see any cargo straps around here? Because I certainly don't. I'm not risking my safety if we crash. I plan to be strapped down, nice and proper."
Kira narrowed her eyes at him. "You'll survive."
Probably better than the rest of them, given his ability to magnetically attach himself to anything metal. Nothing would be able to pry him off, not even doing Mach two in a planet's atmosphere. Kira knew, because he'd attached himself to the outside of a hull to test the theory once.
Jin made several rude sounds while flashing his lights at her, letting her know what he thought of that idea.
A frustrated sigh escaped her. She'd forgotten how irrational he got during re-entry. It was probably one of his biggest fears and no matter how much logic you applied, he'd refuse to budge.
Kira sent Amila an apologetic look. There wasn't going to be any reasoning with Jin right now. He'd stick himself to the seat like a barnacle and no amount of arguing or manhandling would be enough to move him. She recognized the signs.
