That was just mean. Why offer hope then take it away in the next moment?
Typical of the forty-three.
Kira didn’t make the mistake of thinking her choice of words was accidental either. She’d chosen to say it in that way for a reason.
“Joule’s match is going to take a while. Why don’t we head over there?” Kira jerked her head at the second-floor balcony of the building next to the duel.
“I’ll get a drink. You can talk while we wait for Joule to wrap up.”
And Kira would get a chance to take a look at the Tuann she suspected were the architects behind Joule’s bout of challenges.
Selene’s knowing look said she had guessed Kira’s real motives.
Boden was quick to step forward as if afraid Selene would change her mind. “We accept your proposal.”
“Oh good. I’m so glad,” Kira said in a snarky voice, unable to resist.
She took one look at Joule’s focused expression as he parried Renata’s blows, reading the flow of the fight at a glance.
By the time she finished her drink, he should have figured out how to deal with the other woman.
Otherwise, Kira would start to think all that time spent training would have been for naught.
The balcony café that Boden and Edris led them to was a charming little spot with only enough tables to sit four different groups of guests. Planters hung from the ceiling, trailing tiny, purple flowers. To their right, a trellis climbed the wall, covered in green vines with red flowers that reminded Kira vaguely of roses.
It was a spectacular view, offering a bird’s eye vantage of the comings and goings of the plaza while putting you on eye level with the crown of the tree and the adorable tiny birds roosting in its branches.
Kira threw herself into an open chair next to the balcony that enabled her to check out their neighbors in the next balcony over in addition to keeping an eye on Joule.
Her target was an imperious looking bastard.
Already Kira didn’t like him. There was something about the snobbish and arrogant cast to his features that pointed to this person being an asshole of the highest order.
His oshota wore armor Kira didn’t recognize from the any of the Houses she’d had issues with in the past.
Its design wasn’t from House Dethos. Of that she was certain. Beyond that was a mystery.
Selene settled gracefully into the only available chair next to Kira.
There was a disgruntled expression on Boden’s face as he came to that realization a second too late.
“What?” Kira jerked her chin at a pair of chairs at the table next to them. “There are more chairs over there.”
The chances the oshota would compromise their dignity by retrieving them was small, making Kira interested to see what they’d choose to do.
She wasn’t entirely surprised when the pair remained where they were.
So rigid and uncompromising. How could anyone live like that every day for hundreds of years?
So many missed opportunities for fun.
Maybe it was better she and Jin had grown up among humans. They’d have suffocated in Tuann society.
“I’ve taken the liberty of ordering a local specialty,” Boden said, not quite hiding his irritation.
Kira smirked as she studied the fight. Joule was maintaining his defense but from the looks of things Renata was controlling the pacing.
Kira stretched her legs out in front of her and propped her head on her hand as a Tuann crossed the balcony to set a steaming mug in front of Selene.
