“I’m surprised.” Raider nodded toward Renata and Notus as they headed for the tunnel. “I thought they’d be in it to the end given how combative they were toward Joule.”
Kira too.
It unsettled her that they were acting out of character. Both had made it into one of the circles, so she doubted it was the fear of possible death keeping them from advancing.
“Jin, do you have any more mini spawn lurking around?” Kira asked.
“Maybe.” Jin dragged the word out.
Raider patted her on the shoulder, signaling he was going ahead. She nodded to show she understood as he moved past her to join Devon and Joule.
Together they headed for the chamber.
“See if you can have them follow Renata and Notus,” Kira instructed.
“On it.”
Aware of Solal’s approach, Kira lifted her hand to cover her mouth as she spoke under her breath. “And don’t think I’m not mad that you created more of those things.”
Jin’s cackle made Kira want to roll her eyes as Solal stopped in front of her.
“Am I to take it you drew the short straw as my escort?” Kira asked.
“Not me.”
Kira glanced at Baran behind Solal and almost laughed. “Are you sure about this? He’s zero for two so far.”
Kira didn’t know the oshota very well. Mostly because he’d remained behind in human space for an as yet undetermined reason Kira bet had something to do with her. The few encounters she’d had with him always resulted in him chasing her with the aim for capture
He failed. Twice.
“I won’t make the same mistakes again,” Baran promised.
“Sure. If you say so.”
Kira moved past him, getting her first good look at the chamber and what was inside. It was a grotto, light trickling through several openings in the ceiling.
A brook wound through the space, moss clinging to its banks. The plants were a deep verdant green mixed with varying blues and purples. Glowing insects flitted from plant to plant, hovering a few inches off each one as their light flicked on and off.
The scene looked like something out of a fairy tale with small bridges offering passage across the brook in several places.
Pavilions were interspersed throughout, the structures almost blending into nature.
“Kira.” Jin’s whisper pulled Kira out of the trance she’d fallen into.
Kira swallowed hard. “I know.”
The next room wasn’t just otherworldly—though it certainly was that.
There was more than beauty contained in this place. Pressure clamped her body, growing with every step she took.
Power. Pure and hypnotic.
Enough to set Kira’s molars tingling.
The feeling was an uncomfortable one. The equivalent of being dipped into a pool of hot water that was just this side of boiling.
“This is a Nexus,” Kira whispered in realization.
