Graydon’s wrath would be swift and fierce.
He’d made a promise to himself that he would never have to sit on the sidelines while watching the woman he loved gamble her life against almost certain death.
They’d made him break that promise. Now, they would pay.
Graydon’s swept the cabin with a quick scan, his gaze pausing on Selene and Alexander. Their expressions held a calm that felt out of place.
Everyone else on board, whether they knew Kira or not, were caught up in the drama.
Not those two though.
They seemed detached. Bystanders without any stake in the situation.
Strange since Graydon was convinced the only reason they hadn’t disappeared from Tuann sight was because of the woman whose life was currently in jeopardy.
“You don’t seem worried,” Graydon said.
Alexander’s stare held a flatness Graydon had seen a time or two before. Mostly on the faces of warriors who’d seen too much. Those who were afraid to feel again.
Kira had a trace of that on her when Graydon first met her.
She was better now but Graydon still caught that look on her face when she thought no one was watching.
Graydon wondered if it was a remnant of their time under the control of monsters.
“Kira has done much more foolish things than this,” Alexander said.
Either the man didn’t care, or he was pretending not to.
Graydon couldn’t tell which.
And that troubled him.
“What he means to say is that our youngest sister is quite talented at surviving situations others would not.” Selene stepped in to play the role of peacemaker.
Although Selene and Alexander had spent most of the journey in seclusion, rarely stirring from their quarters, Graydon had noticed a few things. Like the fact Selene seemed to play that part often.
Selene smiled briefly. “There is a reason they call her the Phoenix.”
Was that supposed to be comforting?
The problem with Kira’s pseudonym was that it inspired a blind faith that she’d come out of any dangerous situation in one piece.
That wasn’t always the case.
Graydon had seen evidence of her at her most fragile. He knew how close she’d come to death.
This conviction she would always come through was bound to fail at some point.
“My lord, we’re at jump altitude,” the captain interrupted.
Graydon jerked his chin down in a nod, dismissing Alexander and Selene from his thoughts as he prowled toward the side of the ship where the jump would take place.
Amila, Isla, and Cord joined him, their synth armor helmets already raised.
The door slid open, an energy field dropping into place to make sure the cabin didn’t lose its air.
Amila grinned before doing a back flip out the door. Isla jumped as Cord gave Graydon a firm nod, falling forward to follow the other two.
