Kira made a tsking sound with her tongue. “I should have picked a less mouthy second-in-command.”
That she hadn’t said a lot about her as a leader. She’d chosen to surround herself with people who weren’t afraid to challenge her.
Jin. Raider.
Both individuals who wouldn’t hesitate to voice their disapproval of a plan. Even as they remained ready and willing to walk into the fire with her.
It made Graydon wonder what sort of people the rest of her Curs had been. For her to mourn them as she did, they had to be individuals worth knowing.
They must have shone as bright as the two below.
It was pity he would never have the chance to meet them.
“Their bond is much deeper than I had been led to believe,” Torvald observed, one finger tapping against the arm of his throne as he studied Kira and Raider. “It is as strong as any familial bond between Tuann.”
It was in moments like these that Graydon saw how Torvald could maintain control of as fractious of a race as the Tuann. One that could all too easily fall prey to internal divisions.
He saw more than most.
Enough to pick up on the strength of the tie between Kira and her human.
“I see evidence of damage in their bond that frayed it but it’s been strengthened since then.” Torvald’s head tilted, fascination on his face. “Intriguing.”
Graydon said nothing as he stood beside Torvald, watching as Kira and her team advanced toward the circle they’d selected.
As powerful as Graydon was, he couldn’t see what Torvald did. The emperor was famed for his sensitivity and intuition that far surpassed any other Tuann, except one, that Graydon had met.
Graydon had to form his own conclusions from having interacted with Kira and Raider. Enough to know that the bond they shared was a precious thing. Something not even other Tuann might be able to achieve.
“I didn’t think we could create such an intricate bond with a member of another race,” Torvald said pensively.
Graydon understood his concern. A tie such as the one between Kira and Raider could strengthen each half immeasurably.
The problem lay in it ever being severed.
The resulting devastation would desolate the person left behind.
At least if that person was a Tuann.
There was a possibility a human might not suffer the same effects.
“This is concerning,” Torvald said, his gaze swinging to the one circle in the arena that had yet to be breached.
“It’s not over yet,” Graydon responded, knowing where Torvald’s thoughts had gone.
Golden eyes peered up at him. “You have such faith in her.”
“She has proven worthy of that faith,” Graydon said firmly.
Torvald leaned his temple against his fist as the four below reached the end of the maze of walls.
“I hope you’re right.”
As they were talking, a person wearing the garb of a wanderer approached the circle.
Above, the tendrils of ki realigned as the symbol prepared to change to the next access point. The transition created a split second of weakening in each of the circle’s barriers.
A fact the wanderer took advantage of as the Tuann pressed forward, breaching the outer barrier in an instant. They looked like they were moving through a thick wall of mud as they slogged toward their goal.
