That’s it, coli. Come closer, Graydon whispered in his mind as Kira advanced a few steps toward him.
“Enough flirting. Why are you here?” Kira said with the cute little frown that always made Graydon want to kiss it from her face.
He resisted the impulse, watching her out of the corner of his eye. “Truthfully, I expected you sooner. Anything I should know?”
Kira narrowed her eyes at him, the expression making him bite back a laugh.
“Excuse my delay. I was distracted by the whole oshota murdering initiates thing,” Kira said in a sarcastic voice that couldn’t quite hide how disturbing she found that fact.
Graydon couldn’t help but regret the harsh return of reality. “Now you know why Harlow wasn’t thrilled with your decision to step into the adva ka.”
“He could have warned me.”
He did. Kira simply hadn’t listened.
“There is a vow of silence involved with the adva ka. Advice can be given but only up to a point.”
Graydon was sure Harlow and Wren did everything in their power to prepare Kira for what she would face.
It was one of the reasons a position in Roake’s training program was so highly coveted. Tuann who underwent the uhva na almost never failed this section of the trial.
“Tomorrow’s trial is where most Tuann fall,” Graydon informed her.
Kira’s gaze sharpened, a blade trying to dig out all Graydon’s secrets. “Is that why you’re here? To warn me?”
Graydon allowed himself a small rumble of amusement. “You could say that.”
Kira’s eyes narrowed. “What is that supposed to mean?”
As ever, his coli was as suspicious and wary as a turz. A small mammal on one of Roake’s planets that was cute and adorable but highly paranoid.
When agitated, it had been known to take on adversaries twice its size.
In that, the turz and Kira shared much in common.
“Each initiate is permitted a guide in hopes the counsel they provide can help them with what is coming.”
Kira stopped to aim an arch look at Graydon that spoke volumes. “And Harlow was okay with you taking that spot?”
He wasn’t.
In fact, he’d been quite vocal in his opposition. The only reason he backed down was because Kira had entered the emperor’s path.
As much as he loved his niece, Harlow was also an Overlord of the Tuann. Duty and the preservation of their way of life were difficult taskmasters he couldn’t ignore.
Kira shook her head after studying him for a moment. “I don’t think so.”
Clever woman.
But then, that was what he loved about her.
“The emperor may have intervened,” Graydon admitted.
“I bet Harlow was thrilled about that.”
Graydon let out a hum of agreement. That was putting things mildly.
Kira flopped onto the settee across from him, sprawling along its cushions with a boneless grace. “Are you going to tell me why you’re really here? Or should I just guess?”
