The dome dropped and Elena sprinted forward with zero regard for the tense situation.
Throughout it all, Alexander stared at Kira. His posture that of someone who could attack at any second.
He didn’t move even as Elena dropped to her knees beside an unconscious Raider.
“Dad, please don’t be dead,” Elena pleaded.
Something in Alexander relaxed. His berserker stepping back from the edge as his body started to shrink.
Kira let out the breath she’d been holding.
Whew, she really hadn’t been looking forward to going head-to-head with him.
That would have been the horrible cherry on top of an already awful day.
twenty-eight
One thing she could take comfort from was the fact that Alexander’s restraint proved that Selene was alive. Unconscious but breathing.
Otherwise, Alexander’s berserker wouldn’t have backed down so easily. He would rage through the arena. Probably with the intention of disemboweling the stage two and then using the entrails to decorate the stands.
Maybe after that he would have finally remembered Kira and the debt she owed him for drawing Selene into this.
Kira found Jin hovering over Devon’s body. The boy alive but just barely.
Kira went to her knees beside him as Tinsley looked between them in question.
“I have to ask. Are you sure you want to do this?” Kira stroked a finger along the back of the lu-ong still sitting on Devon’s chest. “There will be consequences.”
It would out him as a soul bound.
“I don’t care.”
Kira nodded, not bothering to talk him out of this. There were some things you had to do no matter the cost.
“Alright then,” Kira said. “No matter what happens it was a good run.”
“The best. I regret none of it,” Jin said with a sob in his voice.
Kira offered the seed she’d pocketed when no one was looking to Jin. “It should be enough, but if it isn’t, take what you need from me.”
The seed lifted from her palm to hover over Devon’s wound.
“What is he doing?” Tinsley asked.
Neither of them answered as the seed started to glow. Pieces of it began to flake off from the rest. Cracks appeared in Jin’s casing as his ki reached out to the seed.
Kira could feel Jin’s effort and knew the toll this was taking. She widened her defenses, offering up every part of herself.
She set a hand on his casing, repairing the cracks that appeared as fast as they could form.
Wren had been easier to heal, but Devon was further gone. The price to save his life would be steep.
Kira felt the drain as her deep well of ki left her for Jin. She closed her eyes, not allowing herself to narrow the connection even when the sting threatened to become unbearable.
An image flashed. The same vision she had of the winged, translucent creature she’d seen days earlier in the crash.
A summons pulled at Kira.
