nineteen
Kira stepped into a room that was in the shape of a rotunda with a solitary tree growing at its center. The ceiling was a glass dome, allowing a shaft of solid light to play in the tree’s gnarled branches.
Gold accents ran throughout the room. A monument to the Tuann’s wealth and history.
The scene looked like something out of a fairy tale. Almost dream-like.
The tree at the rotunda’s center was covered in blooms whose color reminded Kira of the trees that lined the road leading to Himoto’s ancestral family home on Atlas. The petals and shape were different. The light blush edging to brilliant pink in the center, but it had that same delicate appearance. The same ability to create a sense of awe and admiration in its viewer.
Kira circled the room, noting the alcoves dotting the perimeter. The eyes of the statues inside seemed to follow her as she passed.
Kira ignored the feeling. She’d never had any real expectations of privacy.
The Tuann might not be as high profile with their use of technology as the Consortium, but only a fool would expect they wouldn’t be observing from behind the scenes in something as important as the adva ka.
Kira suspected every step of the initiates progress was being recorded and displayed somewhere.
Who had access to those recordings was the real question?
The emperor definitely. Likely the Overlords of the major Houses as well. Beyond that she was uncertain.
Kira completed her circuit, making note of the six doors leading into the rotunda.
Five of those doors contained the crests for the major Houses. It was the sixth and final door Kira found most fascinating.
The crest was one she hadn’t seen before. A motif of the tree at her back.
She couldn’t help but wonder at its meaning. The other five were easy to figure out since the door Kira used to enter carried Roake’s symbol.
She was betting once the rest of the initiates started trickling in, they’d do so via the door affiliated with their House. Did that mean this door represented Houses not within one of the major five? Or was there a sixth House that wasn’t spoken of?
As interesting as the question of the sixth door was, Kira didn’t want to waste more time thinking about it.
She raised her arms above her head and stretched, enjoying the gentle pull of her muscles. Her jaw cracked around a yawn as she searched out the best spot for a nice snooze fest.
She dismissed the benches with barely a thought. They’d be far too uncomfortable to sleep on for long. Not to mention their easy accessibility practically invited challenges.
No, she needed something that wouldn’t be immediately visible upon arrival and would allow her to study her intended prey before they took note of her.
Kira twisted to look up at the tree, noting the sturdy branches and blooms that offered cover.
Kira grinned. If she really was being watched, she should keep things interesting for them. It was only fair.
Without letting herself think too hard about the wisdom of what she was about to do, Kira sprinted for the trunk of the tree.
She planted one foot on the tree and leapt into the branches, scaling the tree until she’d found the ideal location for her nap. A spot where the branch and trunk came together in a perfect cradle for her weary bones.
Almost as if the tree had known what Kira would want and had grown over the centuries to accommodate that desire.
Kira settled into the spot with a sigh, wiggling a little until she found the most comfortable position.
She leaned her head back against the trunk, her eyes closing as she felt the warmth of the sun on her face.
Was there anything better than a nap stolen in a fairytale tree while awaiting the arrival of possible danger?
Kira didn’t think so.
A smile was on her face as she allowed herself to relax under the gentle hum of the tree. The gentle whispers of its voice keeping her company as she drifted off, knowing her senses would wake her again the moment they detected an anomaly in her environment.
