Raider's eyes were shiny as he raised his glass. "At least it was quick. More than I can say for Ranger and Park."
Kira hid her sadness. Ranger and Park had had the misfortune of living through the battle for Paxus, only to waste away from substandard care, as toxins ate away their nervous systems. The two had been bright and funny. Sometimes when Kira dreamed, she could hear the jokes they used to tell each other.
Kira played with her glass as Odin’s advice rumbled through her mind. There was something she needed to tell Raider. Something that was long overdue.
Maybe if she hadn’t split from the remaining Curs and hidden herself and her secrets for the last few years, this would be a non-issue. Only she had and it was.
“Did you ever think about having kids?” she asked instead of what she’d planned to say.
Raider froze in the act of picking up another shot. “What the hell brought that on?”
Kira lifted a shoulder. “Just a question.”
He studied her. “Is this that whole fear I’m going to die alone again?”
Kira rolled her eyes, knowing he was referencing the conversation they’d had when she’d been high on one of the things Luatha’s doctor had given her after she’d been injured.
Evidently it had made her very talkative. Raider and Jace told her she’d shared a whole bunch of interesting factoids—including that she thought Raider was going to die alone as a grumpy old man.
“Never mind, it was a stupid question,” she said.
He grunted in agreement before downing his shot. He set the glass down. “No, I didn’t.”
Kira frowned. “Not even with Elise.”
“It was war. You know what our lives were like. Nothing was safe,” he said. “Why would I bring a child into that?”
She did know. It was why she’d kept Blue close to her after she’d found her in a dumpster. The kid had lost everyone and everything. Kira had pulled major strings to keep her on her ship. It helped Blue had been useful when it came to repairing things.
“Besides, Elise didn’t want kids. She was adamant about it,” Raider said.
Kira took a sip of her drink. She did know that. Any child Elise had would have been hunted. The child would never have been safe. Same with any child Kira had.
“You could have one now,” Kira pointed out.
Raider considered her words for half a second before shaking his head. “I’m a lifer at this point. I don’t plan on changing that.”
They sat in silence for several moments.
“And you? Do you want kids?” Raider asked.
“Jin is enough of a child.” Kira shook her head. “I haven’t thought about it. Until recently, I didn’t know how long I had left.”
Raider tipped his glass at her. “Whole new future for you.”
Blue appeared beside them in the next instant, cutting off any response Kira might have made.
"I finally found you," Blue said in exasperation.
Raider lifted his head slowly, a dull surprise flitting across his face. "Little Blue, there you are."
Blue scowled at him. "Don't give me that, old man. I've been looking for the two of you for hours."
Raider swept his arm out, indicating the table strewn with empty glasses. "Here we are."
"I can see that," Blue said, dropping the scowl and eyeing the table with consternation. "What are you doing?"
Kira lifted her glass. "Toasting the fallen."
