“Not quite.” Alexander gave the emperor’s Face an unamused smile. “I’ll be accompanying Selene to your planet.”
A choked sound came from Kira as she lifted her head to stare. “Is this a joke?”
Alexander ignored her as he focused on the Tuann.
Yukina gave him a polite smile that did nothing to conceal her dislike. “As noble as your offer is, I’m afraid you’re not invited.”
Alexander lifted a hand, ki pooling his palm. Before the rest could react, he slammed his hand onto the table. A concussive wave erupted.
For a split second, nothing happened. Then the table crumpled as if a giant had smashed it as flat as a thin piece of paper.
“Whoa.” Kira’s expression hinted at a jealousy Selene found amusing.
If her sister wanted, Kira could do far more than flatten a table.
Faint interest showed on Graydon’s face before he selected another piece of fruit from the sideboard and popped it in his mouth.
“What about now?” Alexander asked with a smile as polite as the one Yukina had just offered him.
Yukina’s gaze lifted. “The Tuann welcomes the return of our child.”
two
Kira drained her tea and set the cup beside her feet since Alexander had so helpfully destroyed the table. “And on that note, it’s time I take my leave.”
Call it cowardice. Survival instinct or what have you, but Kira felt a very real need to skedaddle before Alexander found a way to place the blame for this mess at Kira’s feet.
It was the petty type of logical reasoning that had made him so famous. The kind that was hard to argue against because it contained a tiny grain of truth that made you second guess whether he was right or not.
Things like claiming Selene would never have chosen this dangerous path, one that ran counter to everything Kira thought she knew about the forty-three, if not for Kira’s involvement.
Never mind that Kira wasn’t responsible for the attack by the Tsavitee, an alien race obsessed with conquering the known galaxy.
Nor was it her decision for Selene to leave her well-defended home to face the invaders on her own.
It certainly wasn’t Kira’s fault that a group of oshota responding to the attack had happened on Selene in the immediate aftermath and identified her as Tuann.
But she’d be the one he’d blame. Not Selene. That was how things worked between them.
Kira rose, surprised when Graydon chose to remain seated. His posture was that of a lazy cat with no intention of stirring.
As the one responsible for her gaining entry into this private meeting, she hadn’t thought he’d choose to remain behind when she left.
Graydon’s expression was almost playful as he stared at Selene and Alexander. A hunter who’d caught sight of fascinating prey. “Go on without me. There are a few matters here requiring my attention.”
Kira mentally shrugged. “Your funeral.”
She, for one, was going to get while the getting was good.
Kira left the room the same way she entered, the door appearing as soon as she neared before disappearing once she’d stepped through.
Oshota stood guard on the other side. Two directly by the door and several others stationed throughout the hall. Without Graydon’s assistance, Kira didn’t think she would have gotten within earshot of those inside.
At least not without resorting to violence.
Kira slowed at the sight waiting for her. Though the oshota weren’t making it obvious, they were on high alert because of the standoff happening ten feet away.
Kira’s shoulders sagged as she caught sight of the two groups. “I never should have left the room.”
