If Yukina was like the rest of her race, she wouldn't allow herself to be insulted by someone she considered her inferior.
She'd retaliate.
Kira was looking forward to it.
Pressure built in the air between them, ratcheting up until the intensity fairly crackled.
Yukina and Kira stepped toward each other at the same time.
Graydon and Finn blocked Kira's path, Yukina's oshota doing the same to her.
"Move," Kira ordered calmly.
Finn didn't even bother shaking his head.
Graydon smirked. "I don't think so. Not today."
"You don't think I can win."
"It won't matter if you win or lose because you’ll take some damage." He quirked an eyebrow at her. "Don't you have other business to concern yourself with?"
Kira hated it when other people talked sense—especially when her skin itched for a good fight and right now there was someone willing to give it to her.
Graydon didn't give her time to argue, addressing his oshota. "Escort Kira to the villa.”
Reluctantly, Kira let Finn herd her away, allowing herself one last look at Yukina. "Bummer. It could have been fun."
Amusement touched Yukina's features. "Perhaps another time then."
Amila stepped forward then, indicating for Kira to follow. Carrying Jin in her arms, Kira complied. Finn and Noor fell in behind her as they set off along the avenue. They didn't walk far before Amila headed toward an arch.
They stepped off the water road and onto stone similar to that of the white-gray archways. At this time of the afternoon, the city was busy. Despite the crowded streets, pedestrians moved out of the way when they saw Kira's trio of oshota.
A groggy voice came from her arms. "Why is it the first thing I hear when I wake up is you starting a fight? Can't you play nice for even a few minutes?"
To Kira's surprise, Jin sounded lucid, if a tad sleepy.
She'd felt his mind stirring shortly before Graydon and Finn had intervened, but she'd been afraid to let herself hope in the event she was wrong.
"What? You're not going to answer my question?"
Kira's snort was waterlogged as she forced down the riptide of emotions the sound of his voice engendered.
Jin was her constant.
The ancients of old Earth would have called him her north star. Without him, Kira would have been someone quite different. Someone much darker and more violent. She didn't know if she would have won against her own internal demons if he hadn't been there forcing her to confront her flaws and accept the times she'd failed.
He was ridiculous and temperamental. Childish on occasion. But he was hers, and no one would harm him.
"Aw, you missed me. I knew you would," Jin teased.
"You wish," Kira retorted.
Jin tried to lift out of her arms. He made it only an inch before settling more firmly against her.
"Are you okay?" Kira asked.
"Yeah, I just need a moment to get my bearings." A smacking sound came. "Why does my mouth taste like metal?"
