Of course, some of those below had made their settings public. Those were the initiates hoping to be recognized and recruited by another House.
“Didn’t think I’d get such a good workout during this,” Raider said, tossing the drone he’d destroyed to the ground.
“You know what they say, ‘Participate in an insane rite of passage. Get your sweat on,’” Kira joked.
“I doubt the Houses expected them to be quite so dangerous,” Torvald murmured in a distracted voice as Devon studied the carnage with envious eyes.
“No one did,” Graydon responded.
They all underestimated Kira and Raider. Of course, for different reasons. Kira because she lacked the training of a Tuann warrior and Raider because he carried the stigma of being human.
“Asanth has learned,” Torvald responded, his gaze moving to Asanth’s initiates.
The small group were keeping their distance from Alexander and Selene, choosing a different circle when it became obvious which one the pair was heading for.
It was a surprising gesture of respect.
Below, Kira was in the middle of giving Joule and Devon a confused look. “What’s up with you two? You’re acting like I did something surprising.”
“It’s different seeing this in person,” Devon said slowly.
Kira’s face showed confusion. “You were there the last time I went on a rampage.”
Something in Devon seemed to withdraw at the reminder. “I remember little of that day. Mostly pieces. You standing over me. The lights on the drones as they swam through the darkness. The sound of their weapons. But nothing of the fight itself.”
If anyone understood what he was going through, Kira would, having her own primus.
Graydon knew Devon still had nightmares about his primus assuming control and killing everyone around him.
It had left him with a trauma that was slow to heal. Months after the incident that had caused his pain and Devon was still reluctant to have anything to do with his primus.
It was a wall Graydon hadn’t figured out how to help the boy overcome.
“She has talent as a teacher. Perhaps the child who refers to her as seon’yer is more perceptive than I gave her credit for.“ Torvald looked up at Graydon. “Even with you as his seon’yer, he’s been resistant about discussing anything to do with that day.”
It was one of the reasons it had taken them so long to realize his primus rising wasn’t a natural event and instead a Tsavitee plot designed to isolate him from his peers.
“She understands better what he’s going through,” Graydon said.
From what the oshota Graydon had assigned to investigate Kira’s past had told him, Kira’s primus had killed quite a few allies by accident before she’d managed to gain control of it.
She was in a unique position to help Devon work through his issues.
“I never did thank you for what you did for me,” Devon was saying slowly.
Graydon chuckled at the uncomfortable look on Kira’s face. As if there was nothing she’d like better than to run away from Devon’s words.
Joule moved forward, setting a hand on Devon’s shoulder as he saved Kira from awkwardness. “It just means we have to work harder.”
Determination filled Devon’s eyes. “You’re right.”
Raider waved at them from where he’d been scouting. “Get a move on, Grandma. Time is a wasting.”
Kira’s scowl was magnified on the transparent screens in front of Graydon and Torvald.
“You know I hate it when you call me that,” Kira was saying.
“Don’t act like one and I won’t have to.”
