Kira shook her head. "It doesn't matter either way."
They shared a look.
There was no way Kira could leave Elena here now. Nor would the woman allow her to.
As if obeying some mental signal, the swarm split to circle around Kira and Selene.
"I forgot how much I hate these things." Selene raised her hand, a small distortion in the air beginning a few centimeters away from her fingertips.
It built, growing quickly only to pop like a bubble when Kira pushed Selene’s hand down. As much as she appreciated the offer to help, it would be a mistake.
"Tuann who will recognize the use ofkiare everywhere, to say nothing of Haldeel surveillance. Unless you want to be outed, I suggest you keep your talents to yourself," Kira advised.
Selene’s expression softened. "You make it so hard to deny you when you do things like this, little sister."
"Enough jaw jacking; more killing," Jin roared as he threw himself into the midst of the shriekers. Lightning bolts shot from him, hitting several bodies.
Kira grinned as she stepped forward, already sliding into the necessary mental space she'd need for the coming task. A place where mercy was as unwelcome as fear.
"When you see an opportunity to escape, take it," she ordered.
There was no more time to talk after that.
Kira darted forward, palming the small blade she'd hidden on her in the same instant. She'd prefer one of the swords House Roake had given her, but at least she wasn't unarmed for this encounter.
The swarm wailed, rearing upright and slashing at her with their two-inch claws.
Fighting with a knife was different than fighting with a sword. For one thing, she didn't have the reach she would have with a sword. Timing was everything.
Kira stayed light on her feet, dodging in and out of range of the shriekers, as she slashed, each move delivering a precise, lethal blow.
Kira pivoted as a shrieker dove in low. She stepped out of the way, slicing a long line along his spine. It wasn't a killing blow, but she didn’t want to chance having her only weapon taken from her if it got stuck in a body.
Movement on her left had her swaying to her right. A shrieker swung at her. Kira blocked with one arm, stepping inside his guard to plunge her knife in his throat.
Hot blood splashed on her hand.
That was three.
She stepped back to find a small circle had formed around her. Her expression turned cold as the shrieker she’d killed folded to the ground.
Kira lifted her head. "Who's next?"
They shrieked and pounced.
Kira became a whirling dervish, never remaining anywhere long as she sliced and hacked her way through them. Blood lust rose until Kira lived for the swing of the blade and the feel of blood splashing.
Shriekers weren't difficult to kill. Their primary danger lay in their numbers. There was a reason they were called the enemy of a thousand cuts. Bring one down, and there would be another to take its place in a never-ending cycle, leaving behind only despair when you realized your fate.
A smart Kira would run, bleeding off their numbers and trying to divert their attention to other victims.
But if she fled into the more densely populated parts of the city, civilians would die. The Haldeel peacekeepers would eventually arrive, but by then, it would be too late.
Kira could take care of herself. Others couldn't.
She danced around, feeling wind scrape by her as she narrowly avoided being disemboweled.
She returned the shrieker’s attempt by embedding her blade in his back. The shrieker's scream of agony brought a smile to her face.
