Too bad. She didn't like hiding, and time in the sun while enjoying the outdoors was a precious commodity she'd denied herself too long.
Even the dark glower he directed at her every time he glanced her way wasn't enough to ruin her enjoyment of the sun bathing her in its warmth.
Raider plopped in the seat next to her and tilted one of the many bowls toward him. She didn't know what half of them were and none of the servers seemed to speak enough standard to explain.
The small bowls with their bright foods offered a plethora of choices. She wondered if someone had included the variety so she could try several things at once to determine what she liked or if this was their normal breakfast set up.
Raider made a face at the bright pink ribbons in the bowl and sat back.
"You should try it. Tastes like fish," Kira said.
"No thanks. We have rations in the room," he replied.
She paused in her chewing and looked over at him. "Not afraid you're going to insult your hosts?"
Many human cultures had guesting customs. If you were to refuse the food or drink they offered, it could be considered a grave insult. There was a chance the Tuann were similar.
He shrugged, bracing one wrist on the chair next to him as he slouched in his seat. He was Tank's replacement, but he didn't seem particularly inclined to act like a guard.
"I don't care about the wizards or their damn feelings," he said.
That much was obvious in the disdain behind his eyes and the suspicion in his face when he looked around the terrace.
Kira took another bite of her fruit, chewing slowly.
"Why did Himoto send the Curs?" Kira asked. "Why not a squad with less baggage?"
She could have asked Jace, but Raider, oddly enough, was the one most likely to give her the truth. He'd never been particularly interested in diplomacy or couching hard truths behind kind words.
"You'd have to ask the old battleship," Raider said. "You know how he likes his schemes."
Kira did know, knew and hated it. She'd been caught up in them one too many times.
"If I had to guess, it's not so any of us can get anything as sappy as closure," he said, scratching his neck. "Or even to protect you. We both know you're more than capable of protecting yourself—especially at the expense of others."
Kira lifted her spoon in a salute at the jab, not letting it bother her. "Good to see you haven't changed."
Raider bared his teeth at her, his eyes dead as he fixed her with a dangerous stare. "Let's be clear. If I'd had my way, I would have thrown you in the brig while you waited for the day we spaced you. I don't like being here begging for scraps from the damn wizards, but I'll do my duty and put my personal feelings on hold. Unlike some, I know what honor is."
"You keep telling yourself that, Raider," Kira said as he stood.
He turned to her, thunder on his face. "What's that supposed to mean?"
She gave him a nasty smile. "It means you have just as much blood on your hands as me. The difference is you're human and I'm not."
He leaned over, rage on his face. Kira pushed back from the table, giving herself space in case she needed to act.
Jin flew out of the trees making a beeline straight for Kira. The distraction served to remind Raider of where they were.
He straightened. "One day we're going to finish this, Kira."
"I'll look forward to that. Until then, why don't you run along and be the good little soldier boy? Blue can act as the human guard."
"Oh no, cupcake. You aren't calling the shots. You're stuck with me until the end of my rotation," Raider said.
"I can't do what I need to do with someone who so obviously hates the Tuann at my side," Kira said through gritted teeth.
He shrugged. "Not my problem."
