Kira would prefer not to be in this at all, but if he was going to help, he needed to do it soon.
The current running through her was powerful and could turn dangerous. Memories of another time when she'd set that current free swamped her. If that happened, she doubted anybody on the shuttle would be landing safely.
"I've never felt such a strong reaction from the Mea'Ave," Amila said in a hushed voice.
"She's been gone a long time," Graydon said. "It seems the Mea'Ave knows it and is trying to make up for lost time."
"It's too much." Amila's voice sounded strained. "Her mind will break if this continues."
"Let me in,coli," Graydon said soothingly, his thumb caressing the side of her throat.
"Someone had better do something, or I'm lighting this place up," Jin snarled. He sounded like he was two seconds from doing exactly that.
"Noor, get him away from us," Graydon rumbled.
There were sounds of a brief struggle and then Graydon's warm presence returned. He scooped her up and suddenly Kira was sitting in his lap. He tucked her head under his chin, making a strange rumbling sound in his chest that sounded like a purr.
"You're holding onto theki. You need to redirect it," Graydon said in her ear.
"I don't know how to do that," Kira panted.
By now, the power was sending painful prickles throughout her skin. She would have given it back if she could.
"Relax, I will help you," Graydon said.
He pressed his cheek against hers. A connection sprung to life between the two of them, strong and radiant. A line snapped taut. Kira fought against it, trying to push it away. No, she didn't want this.
"Stop it," he growled. "You're going to hurt yourself. It's temporary."
Kira stopped pushing, relaxing enough to analyze what was happening.
"Feel what I'm doing," he instructed.
Sure enough, she could feel the push and pull of the energy in his body as it collected thekiand then pushed it out, giving as much as taking. There was a limitless well of it inside him, deep and vast, an ocean to rival the one beneath them on the planet.
"Do you understand now?" he asked.
Kira didn't need to voice her assent, knowing the connection currently binding them meant he would know already.
Her attempts were fumbling at first but gradually she got the hang of it, cycling the planet's energy through her body before returning it. After the first few successes, the line of energy from the planet abruptly abated, as if now that it knew Kira had the capability, it didn't need to push the energy on her anymore.
Her breathing eased as the taut line relaxed, leaving Kira able to process something beyond the incredible energy.
Graydon's presence eased up, the connection between them thinning.
Kira straightened in his lap, her gaze meeting his for one tension-filled moment. Her body shook as she eased her body off of his lap. She collapsed into a chair beside him.
"What the hell was that?" she finally rallied herself enough to ask.
Graydon twitched with amusement. "That was the Mea'Ave, the mother of the planet."
Kira watched him blankly. That told her nothing.
He seemed to understand. "Your people have a name for us, don't they? Wizards, I believe."
Kira didn't confirm or deny. It was unclear whether he found the name insulting or not.
"They're not far off," he admitted. "Our home is capable of filling us with the Mea'Ave. We can manipulate its energy, turn it to other uses to fit our needs. Other societies have often misinterpreted this as magic."
