Kira stepped onto its surface, expecting it to be slippery. Surprisingly, it was not. The surface had already dried in the short time since it had risen from the lake. A good thing, too, since there weren't exactly railings to prevent her from sliding off.
The gentle waves caused by the walkway’s rise subsided, allowing glimpses of several silvery fish the length of her leg. They darted beneath a wide-leafed plant that looked like the bastard cousin of a lily pad.
"I would advise not falling in," the leader said without turning around. "The lake is filled with thebuka. They have very sharp teeth and consider Tuann and human flesh a delicacy."
Kira's footsteps slowed. "You surrounded your cultural center with a moat and filled it with carnivorous fish?"
Talk about sending a mixed message.
Kind of like saying "Look at the beautiful things we can create—but beware, our pets might eat you."
No wonder the Tuann were willing to play nice with the Haldeel.
"Thebukaare beautiful. Why would we deprive our guests of their grace?" This time the Haldeel aimed a wide smile at Kira, flashing the sharp, serrated teeth of a predator. "Besides, they're quite tasty."
Kira nodded, feeling like the entire conversation was a bit surreal. "Practical."
But Kira wouldn't expect anything else from the Haldeel. There was a certain poetry in the way they chose to shape their surroundings. They chose beauty and then edged it with thorns.
The thought made her a bit nostalgic for Jin and the quip he would have made in this situation.
She didn't have time to dwell on the feeling as they reached the end of the walkway, passing through the base of the spire. The three structures surrounded them.
From a distance, the spire was impressive. It was even more so when you appreciated it from the worm's eye view.
"Wow," Kira breathed, looking up.
She felt like she was at the bottom of an intricate, twisting well, the sky high above.
She could have stayed right there for hours, soaking in the calm peace that seemed to radiate in this space.
The leader paused in front of a massive opening stretching two stories high. "You're very kind. This way, please."
Kira tore herself from the view, following the leader through the entrance. The building closed around her, muting the gentle sound of the outside world.
Large windows offered a view of the lake and the structure’s inner atrium. Shadows danced across the floor giving a feeling of movement and adding to the sense of being underwater, the world hushed and serene.
They crossed the atrium, heading toward a pair of Haldeel standing guard in front of a solid wall.
Like the Haldeel peacekeepers escorting them, the guards held tridents. Their faces were neutral as the leader stopped in front of them, saying nothing. Verbally at least. Standing beside him, she couldn't see what he was saying with his hands, but the reactions of the guards made it clear he was conveying something.
They looked past the leader to Kira, respect filling their expressions.
As one, they stepped aside, tapping the butt of the trident against the wall in tandem. There was a pause as they waited, facing the blank space. A door formed, the wall folding away square by square until it was big enough for all to step through.
The leader turned to Finn. "If you would please wait here."
Finn's body locked.
Kira could already hear his refusal as she patted his shoulder. "I'll be fine."
"You realize the last time you said something to that effect you ended up in a fight for your life against a swarm of shriekers," Finn said through gritted teeth.
Kira saw his point.
"I'd like to say I'll get better about that, but chances are I won't." Kira grinned and winked. "Welcome to the team. Also, I hardly think the Haldeel dragged us all the way here just to kill me. Much easier to do that out there."
"Very wise words.” The leader inclined his head in a partial bow.
