“Yes, yes. I made a mistake. I get your point.”
It would have been better if she’d won by a narrow margin instead. Too bad she hadn’t realized how lifelike the bio feedback was until far too late.
“Not yet, but you will,” Jin threatened.
Sure. Right about the time she learned to fear cute, fluffy bunnies.
Quiet settled as Jin let the topic drop.
Not even a few minutes passed before he wasn’t able to resist breaking the silence. “Where are those three? They should have been here by now.”
Kira rubbed her forehead and closed her eyes. “I’m sure they won’t be much longer.”
“How can you say that? Joule and Devon left before us, and Raider was only minutes behind us.”
Kira gave her wrist a look, finding his frustration revealing. “Are you saying this because you’re worried about all three? Or just Devon?”
“I just think it’s weird how long they’re taking,” Jin said, choosing to ignore her question. “Maybe I should go check on them.”
“Don’t you dare,” Kira said, her humor in the situation falling away. “Have you seen how many oshota are on the edges of this room? There’s no way you’ll be able to make it into that tunnel without one of them noticing.”
Not to mention, there was a possibility that the tunnels were like the archways and every path was different. She would have liked the chance to ask the others about their experiences and whether they’d walked through the same abyss she had.
Unfortunately, such questions would only draw attention to her.
Well—more attention than she’d already garnered.
“The quickest way to find out what is going on is to do a little reconnaissance,” Jin argued.
“Don’t you do it.”
If his mini lu-ong stretched so much as a tail off her wrist, Kira would incinerate the spawn with every bit of ki at her disposal.
Attention drawing actions be damned.
Before Jin could argue further, Devon stumbled out of the darkness. His face exhausted. Far more so than warranted based on Kira’s experience.
It was further evidence supporting her theory that the tunnels contained different experiences for those traveling through them.
Kira sensed rather than heard Jin’s sigh of relief.
Joule stepped out of the darkness next.
The two boys said something to each other before they started forward, a unit as they faced the rest of the initiates.
It was Kira’s turn to feel worried as the minutes passed with no sign of Raider.
Not much concern. Just a tiny amount. No bigger than a thimble full.
“He’s certainly taking his sweet time,” Kira remarked as Solal stepped forward, signifying the end was close at hand.
Hurry up, Raider, Kira mentally urged. Waiting on you, buddy.
“Is he trying to be the last one across the line?” Jin hissed.
Looked like it.
Jin let out an amused huff. “At least someone remembers the correct way to fly under the radar.”
