House Roake wasn’t what you’d call welcoming. They viewed strangers as hostiles who hadn’t yet declared themselves as enemies.
It was why Kira found it extremely unlikely that Harlow would allow their guests to step foot within the fortress’s walls.
That left one place for Kashori to cool their heels while awaiting Kira’s arrival. The formal entrance for the fortress.
Technically speaking it wasn’t inside the fortress itself but rather just outside. Part of the same raised bridge that extended all the way to the Shining Palace.
It didn’t take long for Kira and Graydon to reach the impractical, if intimidating, archway that framed the massive stone doors that acted as the fortress’s formal entrance. The doors were carved with the crest of House Roake. A lu-ong, fringe flared as it guarded a blue stone that acted as the handles for both doors.
Harlow stood in front of them, his face an impassive mask. Every inch the Overlord, despite the synth armor he wore being no different than the oshota flanking him on either side.
No one would ever mistake him as anything but what he was. The ruler within these walls.
Beside him, Wren was an aloof presence. Unflappable and stoic as he stared down the trio from Kashori.
It was easy to identify the two oshota as the ones Selene threw off the balcony.
They hovered protectively in front of the third, a woman a few years younger than Kira. Her hair was a reddish gold, hanging loose except for a single section near the front that had been woven around a strand of leather into a thin braid.
Kashori’s heir, Kira assumed.
She certainly looked the part. Her clothes were made from ethieri, a material Kira recognized since her own garments contained it.
Clothes made from the pricey fabric contained anti-ballistic properties able to stop most forms of small weapon fire. It also had a climate control function that ensured the wearer became neither too hot nor too cold in most environments.
“This is going to be a pain,” Kira said.
“Indeed, it is, but avoidance never fixed anything, Nixxy Poo.”
Jin evaded Kira’s swat, darting away to find a hiding spot among the shadowed recesses of the fortress before anyone could see him.
Before Kira could avoid it, Harlow and the rest looked in her direction, cutting off Kira’s last opportunity to hide and hope this all went away.
With a feeling of resignation, Kira trudged forward.
“Regretting anything yet?” Graydon asked.
“Hush, you,” Kira told him, lifting her chin as she joined Harlow and the rest.
“Niece,” Harlow said in greeting.
Kira was proud when her response contained only a little awkwardness. “Uncle.”
“I’m glad to see you found your way.”
Kira glanced up at the mountain beside her. “How could I not when you send such an insistent guide?”
Graydon’s lips tilted up on the ends before he focused on Kira’s unwelcome guests all of whom seemed more than a little surprised at his presence.
Edris’s expression was carefully blank as he stared at the emperor’s Face. Boden, on the other hand, seemed almost disconcerted, eyeing Graydon like he was some zoo animal who’d just sat up and talked.
The woman at their center was the least affected, more interested in Kira than why the emperor’s Face would be in her company.
Kira’s expression remained bland, giving them no hint as to the reasons behind Graydon’s presence.
Mostly because she didn’t understand it either.
“Our guests have been filling my ears with such interesting stories,” Harlow drawled.
