"Yippee," Kira muttered.
"I'll leave them to your care," Silas said, dipping his head toward Wren before departing.
Wren's jaw flexed as he stared at those assembled. His expression was as unflappable and indifferent as it'd been when he'd stared Graydon down.
"Follow me," were the only words he spoke before padding out of the room.
Devon shoved past her, his shoulder knocking against Kira's. "Don't let the fact the Emperor's Face singled you out go to your head."
Kira stared at him, not letting him intimidate her. Raider's expression was careful as he watched the two of them, his hands twitching as if he was restraining himself from acting.
Devon arched an eyebrow. "No response."
"You didn't ask a question," Kira pointed out.
Jin crowed. "The Kira special. A remark guaranteed to send the recipient to Angerville, by way of Fury Road. I like your style, Kira Forrest. It gets me right in my tingly bits."
Jin didn't have tingly bits unless one counted his electronic circuit board. Not that rational arguments ever really affected him.
However, if he didn't shut up, she was going to find a way to reduce him to scrap metal when she finally returned to the room.
Devon's lips tightened as he leaned forward. "You're weak. You shouldn't be here." He flicked the disruptor around her wrist. "This practically announces you as a liability."
Kira's smile didn't reach her eyes. "There are many kinds of strength. If you don't learn to recognize that, you’ll never advance beyond your current state."
Devon sneered before spinning on his heel and striding after Wren. Kira didn't relax, knowing others were still watching.
The Tuann she'd noticed during the test smiled and waved. "I'm Aeron."
Kira frowned. "Your friend is leaving you behind."
Aeron’s smile dimmed with uncertainty. He hesitated before hurrying after Devon.
"I've always admired your ability to create enemies without even trying," Raider said. "It’s good to see that hasn't changed in the intervening years."
"He's hardly worth considering an enemy," Kira said in distraction as she caught a glimpse of a broad back belonging to a man with the exact same shade of hair as hers as he strode away from the Warrior’s Hall.
An annoyance? Yes. A distraction? Maybe. Someone to fear? Not really.
*
Raider staggered out of an archway; unhappiness written on his features. Runes flashed along the stone sides of the archway as another Tuann stepped through into the forest Wren had brought them to.
Kira didn't know how, but with a single step they'd gone from a courtyard in the fortress to standing in the midst of a lush forest, ancient trees towering overhead, a monolithic stone jutting from the mountainside behind them. It emerged above the trees like a leviathan breaching the surface. Tall and remote.
"Why do they keep insisting on breaking the basic laws of the universe?" Raider groaned.
Alarm colored Jin's voice as he shouted through the coms. "Where are you? Kira, answer me! Your signal disappeared."
The edge of panic creeping into Jin's voice meant Kira couldn't ignore him this time.
She lowered her voice and faced Raider as if the two of them were in the midst of a conversation. "Calm your jets, Tin Man. We're all fine. We went through a spot of teleportation, but that’s it."
Raider looked confused for a second before understanding dawned.
Jin exhaled, audibly calming himself. "Right. Right. Teleportation. Why didn't I guess?"
Jin’s consciousness pushed forward as he dipped into her senses. The experience of feeling like she’d disappeared—if only for a moment—must have been more disturbing than he wanted to admit, if he was riding her senses without asking first.
