She ignored the similarity, putting on an innocent expression. "You don't have to if you're afraid."
She wasn't entirely sure why she was playing their game. Maybe it had something to do with the careful restraint Roderick was displaying or the way they'd badmouthed Liara.
Kira might not have wanted to be stuck on Ta Da'an, but that didn't mean she'd let other people look down on House Luatha, the birth house of her deceased mother. After all, they were family—and supposedly protecting one another was what family did.
"What're the stakes?" Lorcan asked.
"You're the ones who offered the bet in the first place. Shouldn't you be in charge of the stakes?" Kira asked.
Lorcan's arm dropped from Roderick's shoulders as he straightened.
Triumph flashed in Niland's eyes. He opened his mouth but before he could speak, Lorcan interrupted. "A favor that doesn't clash with either House's interests."
Not bad. The request showed a certain wisdom. Niland and Lorcan were both convinced Kira would lose—and badly. Yet, Lorcan had the presence of mind to protect himself. Not many would be so careful.
It would be enough to make her respect him a little if not for the fact he seemed so intent on needling her.
She just didn't know why yet.
"Done," Kira said as the low hum of the drones warned the game was about to resume.
"You're so confident that you'll win?" Graydon asked as she turned away from the audience.
Kira flexed the wrist that held the blade. "I won't know until I try."
Graydon's chuckle was intimate. "Then how about a side wager?"
Kira paused as ripples spread through the falling water, a prelude to the start.
"What sort of wager?"
Graydon's eyes twinkled. "Same as the one you just made. Loser owes the winner a favor."
Kira debated with herself for half a second. If she refused, it would seem like she wasn't confident in her abilities.
Not that she really cared about that.
The possibility of Graydon owing her one was simply too tempting to pass up. There were all sorts of interesting ways to turn a favor of that magnitude to her advantage.
"All right, you're on," Kira said as a beam of light lanced at her.
Kira dodged, not bothering to destroy the beam, unsurprised to find Graydon doing the same on the other side.
Only when it had hit the wall twice did she eliminate it.
Three more beams shot out right after. Kira danced aside, easily dodging the beams as they hit wall after wall.
From the other square, she caught thebzzztas Graydon destroyed his beams.
Kira didn't pause, evading another wave of beams as they joined the first. By this point, there were seven laser beams she had to avoid.
Not enough.
Graydon was a powerful opponent. She'd need every advantage she could get against him.
Soon, the world faded away as Kira fell into the rhythm of the game. Nothing mattered other than the stray streaks of light that darted around the square.
She didn't bother with flashy moves, each strike efficient.
