There was a crash, then angry grumbling that gradually faded as he moved further away from the door.
Kira shook her head, unsurprised. That had gone better than she expected.
The hell of it was, she did know how hard this would be for him. No one liked a bored Jin. He was dangerous if he didn't have something to occupy himself, but this time her hands were tied.
He couldn't come with her, and she couldn't stay in her room without arousing suspicion. He'd simply have to endure.
SEVEN
Finn was waiting for her at the end of the hall. A fact which Kira was grateful for since she didn't want to wander around the massive fortress. She'd likely end up searching for hours and still not find her destination.
Seeing her, Finn started up the stairs, again not waiting for her. Someone still wasn't happy about Jin's presence here.
Kira mentally shrugged. There was nothing she could do about the past now.
Their journey was mostly silent, allowing Kira to take in the fortress's interior. There were only so many things you could notice at a time, and yesterday she'd been suffering from sensory overload after completing a grueling physical endurance test.
This morning she caught things she’d missed yesterday—like the stained-glass windows, not all of which looked outside. Some peered into other rooms.
It was beautiful and complicated in a place that seemed to have defined itself by its simplicity.
The contrast was unexpected, and if her companion's silence hadn't boiled with anger, she might have questioned him about it. As it was, she took note of things of interest even as she cataloged their route, storing it in a mental map of the fortress.
Perhaps the beauty of her surroundings was the reason it took her so long to notice the stares they were drawing from the Tuann they passed.
She glanced around, instantly on guard as one such Tuann stopped when she caught sight of Kira, her expression pained as if Kira's presence had ripped wide a wound that had barely sealed.
Another of Roake's people ventured over and hustled the woman away, but not before sending a glance filled with yearning toward Kira.
Kira became conscious of the whispers around them as they continued, the voices not quite hushed enough.
Very quickly, the weight of those inquiring glances, filled with more emotions than her presence warranted, became tiring. It didn't take long before Kira stiffened. Habit had her viewing them as potential hostiles. In her experience, good things never came with drawing attention like this.
Tension threaded through her as her hand itched for a weapon she didn't have. Her muscles coiled in preparation for action.
She stared at those they passed, her expression hard and unrelenting. Not antagonistic but not welcoming either. Several Tuann flinched from her, their gazes dropping as they hurried away.
"You shouldn't challenge them like that," Finn advised, finally speaking.
"Then they shouldn't be staring."
"Can you blame them?" he asked. "You're an impossibility they'd forgotten to hope for. They're bound to be a little curious."
It wasn't lost on Kira that Finn used the phrase "them" when referring to the Roake caught staring. It meant either he no longer identified with his former House or that he harbored enough pain that he was afraid to lump himself in the same boat.
Kira's posture shifted infinitesimally, enough that she no longer felt like she was on high alert for an attack. It had been a while since her instincts had led her to view everything and everyone around her as an enemy.
Kira supposed that as long as their curiosity didn't lead them to do anything stupid, she was content to let them watch from a distance.
Finn stopped in front of a large door. "We're here."
Kira hesitated on the threshold.
Like the rest of the fortress, the room had stone walls and floors, while still managing to seem homey and inviting. There were no windows, which in a way made sense. Everything Roake did showed a mindset focused on survival. Locating your hospital wing behind thick walls in the center of your stronghold made sense. It would allow healers to treat their patients without worrying a missile attack would breach their sanctuary unexpectedly.
Despite its lack of windows, it managed to appear light and airy without seeming artificial.
Kira wouldn't have minded knowing how they did that. TheWanderercould have used a little of this lighting. Even with UV lamps, she sometimes found herself missing the sun and natural light.
