Graydon faced him. “Jarek. You made good time. I wasn’t expecting to see such a high-ranking representative of the emperor’s Justice in a place like this.”
Jarek’s look of embarrassment almost made the irritation of his presence worth it.
As an inquisitor, Jarek would have been within his rights to send a subordinate. The fact he’d come in person showed his fall in status.
Graydon quirked his lips in an expression Kira would have called insufferably arrogant. “As to your statement, I can say with confidence that Kira never stepped foot into this prison and has no knowledge of its location. All contact was conducted via a melding. She never saw the outside nor did she know it was on Ta Sa’Riel. I made sure of that myself.”
For exactly the reason he was standing here now.
He wanted no doubt cast on the question of her innocence if Aeron ever escaped.
His foresight was one of the reasons he’d managed to survive so long as the emperor’s Face. A position that made him a target.
“Her toy has proven quite resourceful in the past,” Jarek pointed out. “It is possible he found a way to follow your signal.”
Graydon’s eyes narrowed the faintest bit as he wiped away any trace of annoyance. “The J1N is composed of human technology. Do you actually think they are capable of such a feat?”
“Humans have surprised us in the past. Recently at that. It is possible they are working with an outside party.”
Jarek’s perceptiveness and creative thinking would be impressive if not for how rigid he was in his beliefs.
Jin was exactly what he’d claimed. A soul bound.
Moreover, he really was working with a third party. The mysterious figure Kira had carefully not introduced Graydon to.
There was also the fact that Graydon suspected Kira and Jin had modified the original drone his soul had been attached to.
None of which Graydon could allow Jarek to discover. Not if he wanted to protect Kira and her soul bound.
“Inquisitor,” Graydon said sharply. Once he had Jarek’s full attention, Graydon gave him an insincere smile. “I believe the emperor’s Justice already had this discussion with you. I will personally report your actions if you continue to pursue this topic.”
The way the skin around Jarek’s eyes tightened said the other man heard and understood Graydon’s warning.
Good.
Graydon hoped he would listen.
It would be a pity if he had to kill the other man because he threatened that which Graydon held dear.
twenty-six
“Kira!”
Jin’s shouting interrupted Kira’s quiet contemplation, her thoughts on Aeron’s escape and what that could mean for her plans.
Aeron now knew of Odin. There was no taking that back.
There was a general running around with knowledge that Kira was working with a Sye who was doing everything in their power to find and locate the Tsavitee home worlds.
As a clusterfuck, this was a doozy.
“Kira!”
Hearing her name being shouted, Kira turned to find Jin’s spawn slithering down the stone path she and Graydon had taken.
Finn followed quickly in his wake.
His gaze shot over Kira’s shoulder, his expression darkening at finding no one standing beside her. “Where is the emperor’s Face?”
