Kira allowed her gaze to wander over their surroundings as the crowd stared at the work of art she and Lieven had created, impressed all over again.
While the Haldeel were known for their intricate architecture and exquisite stations, there were still pockets that didn't live up to the rest.
Selt was one such pocket. It was a grim and dark place where every day was a fight for survival.
Almaluk and its many wonders suited Tierni and Lieven much better.
"I’m glad your fortunes turned," Kira said.
Lieven’s stance shifted to one that denoted pleasure. “Me too.”
Before Kira could say anything else, Skye darted in her direction.
“It’s beautiful,” the girl said, her eyes wide with wonder as she stared at the ribbons of light as they wound around each other, the shimmering gold of the labyrinth acting as a backdrop. “More than I ever dreamed.”
There was a wealth of emotion in Skye’s voice. She acted as if Kira had handed her a priceless gift beyond her wildest expectations.
“It has the same feeling I get when I’m on a waveboard,” Skye said.
Kira looked away, uncomfortable. It was true she had Skye’s words in mind when she’d planned her movements. It was just an extra touch, not anywhere near as special as Skye was making it out to be.
Kira’s eyes caught on Alexander as he descended the pyramid and crossed the floor toward them.
Noticing her preoccupation, Lieven asked, "Do you know each other?"
Jin made a low sound. "We wouldn't dare."
Kira frowned at him in warning as Skye looked between them. She was smart enough to keep her questions to herself as Alexander approached.
Jin grumbled to himself but didn’t argue further.
Alexander reached them, focusing exclusively on Kira and acting like Jin was no more important than the drone he pretended to be. "Follow me."
"Of course." Unable to fully resist being a snarky asshole, Kira added with a taunting smile. "Why wouldn't I want to listen to such a kind invitation?"
Skye rolled her lips together to hide her smile as the man's eyebrows twitched at the jab but remained stoic.
Lieven stepped into the awkward silence. "Our apologiesza na riif this seems abrupt. Theza na ri naanticipated your request and has already made the necessary preparations."
Kira couldn't hide her surprise.
She knew damn well she'd never shared about Elise all those years ago. Her mental state had been too unstable for one, and she'd been more interested in losing herself in the challenges than exposing her deep emotional wounds.
Seeing her confusion, Lieven's expression softened. "We knew you had a difficult history and didn't feel it appropriate to force you to talk about something that was so obviously painful. That didn't stop us from making inquiries after the fact, however."
"Yes, the Phoenix and her Curs are rather famous. How could they not realize?" Alexander’s tone was bland, but Kira could sense the disapproval lurking beneath the surface.
Kira forced herself not to react. It was what Alexander wanted. Why live down to his expectations when irritating him was so much more fun?
"Please lead the way," Kira said with a stiff smile.
Alexander set off, crossing the room with powerful strides.
Kira lowered her voice. "Locate Raider and make sure he meets us outside."
If he missed this chance, it would be hard to get another one. Kira didn't want to think how he would react if that happened.
He might finally kill her if that was the case.
