Kira's smile was halfhearted. "What other choice is there?"
Their conversation was interrupted as the oshota forced Aeron up and onto his knees, not bothering to be gentle as they did so.
To Kira's surprise, Aeron didn't seem defeated, sitting there on his knees, oshota on either side and one behind him, en-blades unsheathed.
She frowned.
He seemed resigned, if anything.
"Why did you do this?" Harlow asked.
Aeron's head lifted, his eyes finding Kira's. "You weren't supposed to be here. He said you were done with the Tuann."
"So sorry to ruin your plans," Jin said when Kira remained silent, watching Aeron carefully.
Aeron’s smile was humorless. “Me too, but that’s why I’m here. Insurance, right? For when things go wrong.”
His gaze fell on Loudon as black crawled across Aeron's eyes, his skin darkening. “We couldn’t exactly trust a Tuann to secure such a valuable prize as Devon. He’s going to be the new you, Kira. It’s why they sent me.”
"Primus," an oshota shouted, his en-blade already swinging.
Aeron’s hand shot up, catching the blade. He bared incisors that had lengthened into fangs. Horns curled up from his head as he ripped the blade away. He swung, and the oshota flew back.
"Wrong," Aeron said, adjusting his shoulders as if trying to get comfortable in his new form.
"General," Kira whispered.
Kira’s world shifted as her preconceptions were realigned. The generals were like the Tuann; they had more than one form.
Around them, the oshota scrambled in the face of the unexpected threat.
Jin moved to hover protectively in front of Devon and Kira.
The general lunged at Harlow. The world slowed, Kira too far and too weak to do anything but watch as Harlow dropped back a step, a glow building in his hands as the general neared.
A lance of red pierced the dark. It hit Aeron in the chest. He gurgled, blood bubbles forming around the corner of his mouth as he dropped to his knees, a look of shock on his face.
For an instant, nobody moved, surprise holding them immobile.
Finally, they looked to see a figure standing in the middle of the water, a cloak covering their face. The person snapped a jaunty wave in greeting before racing into the darkness.
"After them," Harlow roared.
Kira didn't move as she stared after the stranger. She recognized that cloak.
She should. It was hers, though the last time she had seen it had been on her ship, months ago.
"Oh boy, that's not going to be good," Jin muttered.
Kira shot him a glance, ordering him without words to do something.
He sighed, floating after the figure. "Don't get into any more trouble."
No one remarked his passing, too vested in Harlow's security to notice.
Graydon's oshota grouped around Devon, forming a wall of flesh around him.
Kira’s lips parted, and Graydon bent a look of warning on her, telling her without words not to ask.
