The water turned red as she washed away the blood. She dried her hands and shrugged out of her jacket before picking up a cloth sitting beside the basin.
Too bad there wasn’t a mirror to see the extent of the damage.
As if sensing her desires, a silvery oval formed at eye level, reflecting her image.
Blood streaked her cheek and throat, small specks dotting her white shirt. There was nothing she could do about the shirt, but her face was another case.
It didn’t take long to clean the blood off her skin and make herself at least semi-presentable again.
She ran the cloth over her jacket. Luckily, it was black and hid the stains she couldn’t wipe away.
When it was dry enough, she shrugged into it, knowing it would cover most of the blood.
With one last check in the mirror, she judged that she wouldn’t send any kids screaming if they saw her like this.
Good enough for her.
After that she paced around the room, hoping to burn off some of her excess energy. Cleaning the blood off her hadn’t touched the adrenaline that had flooded her system.
Being cooped up in this room didn’t help. It made her antsy. Not the best feeling when you were supposed to be on your best behavior.
Kira counted her steps. First to one wall and then the next.
"Don't think I'm not going to rub your face in this later," she told Jin. "You're lucky I have nothing to write with, or you'd be covered in graffiti."
The silence that answered her wasn't exactly calming, but the act of talking to Jin, even if he couldn't snipe back, helped settle her.
When long minutes passed and nothing happened, Kira relaxed, allowing herself to soak in some of the tranquility of the garden outside the window. She found a chair, making herself comfortable as she propped her feet on the table and stared out the window.
Time passed, one minute ticking into the next. Eventually, she fell into a form of meditation, one only broken when the door finally disassembled, and a thunderstorm hovered on its threshold.
The sharp, fresh smell of ozone flooded into the room, bringing with it the taste of rain and the wicked bite of wind.
Kira closed her eyes, letting herself bask in the seething energy. The crack of lightning against her senses, blistering hot only to be soothed by the coolness of the storm clouds. A primal feeling that made her lightheaded.
Graydon.
Anticipation rose, fast and furious before Kira strangled it.
"Did they finish their investigation?" she finally asked after what felt like an eternity of silence.
*
Graydon held himselfin check with a rigid discipline born from the most brutal training a Tuann could undertake. All this time and that was the first thing she wanted to say?
No "how are you", "sorry for leaving", "I missed you".
Fine. If that's how she wanted to play it, he was game. He liked challenges, anyway. They were so fun to conquer.
Graydon prowled across the room, noting the way Kira subtly stiffened at his approach.
Satisfaction rumbled through him.
She wasn't as unaffected as she pretended.
Good to know.
"They've concluded you were in the right,” Graydon said, answering her previous question.
