Kira set the welding rod inside the threshold as she studied the walkways teeming with Tuann boarding their ships. “Don’t worry. I have my ways.”
There would be objections, but Kira didn’t really concern herself with things like that.
It was time.
A part of her found the entire situation ridiculous. But if that was the hoop she needed to jump through to restore her autonomy, that was what she was going to do.
“I don’t suppose you’d be willing to include me in that?” Joule asked with a hope she couldn’t ignore.
Kira wasn’t the only one up against the wall.
Joule needed to resurrect his fallen House or risk its members drifting away. Some would end up as wanderers. Viewed with suspicion and pushed out to the periphery of society.
The talented would find invitations to other Houses, but even that wasn’t the salvation it seemed. They would still face suspicion along with now being on the bottom rung of the hierarchy in any House they joined.
Neither option was what Joule wanted for the members of his House.
He needed to pass the adva ka as much as Kira did. It was the only way to save those who’d survived the fall of his House. A duty Joule took seriously.
It was a dangerous path that could easily end in his death. If Kira was smart, she’d turn him away for his own safety.
She sighed, already knowing she wasn’t going to do that. “I’ll see what I can do.”
Joule’s fist clenched in a small celebration before his expression smoothed out.
Kira shook her head, reaching out to ruffle his hair. “Don’t make me regret this.”
“I won’t.”
Kira hoped he was right.
“What are you two doing here?” she asked.
“About that—“ Joule started as Ziva’s gaze darted to the ship and back.
Kira had a sinking suspicion she knew what they were about to ask. “No.”
Joule’s smile showed he was undeterred. “We were hoping for a ride to the planet.”
“Doesn’t Luatha have their own shuttles to the surface?” Kira whined.
“They do but since I’m technically part of House Roake while I am in training it will be difficult for them to transport me,” Joule explained.
Red tape. The bane of Kira’s existence and something that obviously transcended race and culture.
“We want to go down together,” Ziva explained.
The separation between the two while Joule was in training was hard for them. The trip back to the planet over the past few weeks had allowed them to catch up, but now that they were home, they faced another separation.
“Why do I get the feeling that’s not all there is to it?” Kira asked dryly.
Ziva’s answering grin was impish.
Yeah. That’s what Kira thought.
The children’s gazes lifted to a spot over Kira’s shoulder.
Ziva’s face brightened. “Jin!”
