Kira listed to the side, her eyes closing. "A little."
Graydon had had enough of restraining himself. Finally, he acted on the impulse that had been beating at him since the second he caught sight of Kira.
He swept her into his arms before carrying her toward his oshota.
The fact she didn’t fight him told him how exhausted she was. A transition to primus always took a toll on the body. He couldn’t imagine how much worse it would be after months of wearing an inhibitor.
A chill swept through Graydon at the realization of how close she’d come to burning herself out. An inhibitor was supposed to be removed in stages, allowing the body to readjust to the weight of its soul’s breath. Herkicould have easily rebounded, especially after such a large output immediately after.
"Finn and Raider?"
Graydon pressed his lips against her forehead. "They're fine, but we lost Noor.”
Kira tilted her head, her face saying she heard the bone-deep grief in that one statement.
“Oh, Graydon, I’m so sorry.” She reached up, touching his cheek with a gentle caress.
Understanding reflected in her eyes. She’d lost more than her fair share of treasured companions. It never got any easier.
Graydon’s voice was rough. “Me too.”
Kira’s silence acted as a balm, allowing him to process some of his grief.
“His ancestors would be proud he died in the same way he lived,” Graydon finally said.
“Maybe so, but that doesn’t make the pain of loss any less.” Her thumb flitted along his jaw. “Or fix the guilt we feel over having survived.”
Graydon pressed his forehead against hers, his arms squeezing her a little tighter. She got it without him having to say a word.
They stayed like that for several minutes, until Graydon finally drew back.
His eyes were reddened as he cleared his throat and changed the subject.
Kira was exhausted. Now wasn’t the time for this.
As if her head was too heavy for her to hold up, she set it against his shoulders.
“I left some of ours to help Finn and Raider take care of the strays,” Graydon said. “They should be here soon.”
*
"Ican walk," Kira saidafter resting against Graydon. She didn’t bother opening her eyes, judging the act more trouble than it was worth.
"I'd almost like to see that." Graydon responded in a neutral voice. "Something tells me it would be highly amusing."
Kira cracked one eye and sent him a glare. He didn’t think she could do it?
The way he kept his eyes focused on the others and the slight tilt to one side of his mouth said he found her adorable.
Hm. It seemed her glare needed work. It hadn’t intimidated him at all.
She had to admit, it was good to see some of the strain in his features lighten.
She knew Noor’s death wouldn’t be so easily forgotten.
Grief was a many-tentacled monster. Just when you thought you’d reached the end, when you’d finally dealt with all its many faces, another tentacle would reach out to wrap you in a suffocating embrace from which escape seemed impossible.
For now, though, their banter told her Graydon would be okay. It didn’t lessen what had happened, but it made it so he could get through it—at least for now.
