Graydon's hand settled under her elbow. "Don't spoil your little demonstration by collapsing now."
"Easier said than done."
Graydon raised his voice, speaking to their audience. "Clean up this mess and get Devon to the healers." To Kira, he murmured, "So you do have a limit; how very human of you."
Kira snarled silently. She forced one foot in front of the other, then did it again and again. The tree line closing with agonizing slowness.
Finally, they were there. Kira made it two steps into its cover before her legs collapsed.
Graydon caught her as she fell, lifting her to cradle her against his chest. "Good girl."
He strode through the trees, his pace fast as her head lolled on his shoulder. She was too spent to give a token protest. She'd make sure to do that later when she could move her limbs again.
Over his shoulder, Kira caught the concerned look Finn and Amila shared, worry written on their faces.
The path she'd taken through the trees had seemed so short with the primus chasing her, but now it felt never-ending as Kira struggled not to lose consciousness.
Graydon jostled her when her eyes closed for a second time. She blinked slowly up at him.
Concern and anger warred in his expression. "What possessed you to take on a primus?"
She forced herself out of the darkness's embrace. Tempting as it was to slip away and escape the pain radiating through her body—her very cells feeling swollen and tender—she couldn't. Not until she was safe.
Her lips lifted in a halfhearted grin. "I don't think I did so bad, considering I can't reach myki."
Graydon's pace increased, not quite running. Her old drill instructor would have said he was moving with a purpose.
Kira nodded off, waking herself at the last second.
"Not far now," he assured her. "That course is meant to be taken with two oshota pods. Not by a single woman with suicidal impulses."
"I see the conversation you wanted to have couldn't wait," Kira observed, her eyes drifting shut. Her words slurred. "I got skillz."
Graydon bounced her in his arms, jarring her awake. "No, you don't get to fall asleep now. Stay awake."
Kira moaned. So annoying.
"At least this time, I saved you. I think I deserve a reward," Graydon said, his voice tight.
Kira knew what he was trying to do. He wanted a fight.
It worked. From somewhere, she summoned enough strength to fix him with a glare. "Bullshit, you killed one. I destroyed nearly two dozen."
"In battle, it doesn't matter how many you kill if the last enemy still gets you," Graydon taunted.
A thin growl escaped her. "I would have had it. You didn't need to interfere."
He raised an arrogant eyebrow. "Are you sure? Because it looked to me like you needed saving."
"You should take off those goggles you're wearing. They're impeding your vision," Kira said, disappointed to find her words lacked the appropriate bite.
"I'd like to know how you managed to reset the parameters while being chased by an infuriated primus," Graydon said in a silky voice.
"I thought we weren't doing this now."
His smile held teeth. "Soon then."
Her head sagged. No amount of taunting or will power was going to keep her upright much longer.
