“And you agreed?” Kira asked, a little baffled.
Raider gave her a crooked smile, some of his old self peeking out. “I did.”
“Why?”
A chuckle left Raider. “If you think about it, I’m sure you’ll arrive at the correct answer.”
“Elena.”
Raider inclined his head. “Ding. Ding. Ding.”
It made sense. As much as they tried to protect her, there would come a time when her origins got out.
As a half human, Elena would face discrimination—on both sides.
The best way to combat that was for Raider to prove himself in the most explosive manner possible.
“Himoto always said if you couldn’t be respected—be feared,” Kira said on a sigh.
There was a vicious look in Raider’s eyes that Kira hadn’t seen since the war. Not when he was angry at her for her perceived abandonment. Not even when he found out about Elena.
There was a void in his gaze that said he’d shut away the softer emotions, leaving nothing but the killer behind.
It was a look Kira had hoped to never see again.
“I don’t mind being a monster if that’s what’s needed to protect her,” Raider informed Kira.
“There are other ways that don’t include making yourself a target for all the Houses.” Kira tossed her napkin onto her plate.
The conversation had officially ruined what was left of her appetite.
“Name them,” Raider challenged.
Kira lifted her chin, knowing he wasn’t going to like this next part. “You could keep your distance from Elena.”
“No.” Raider didn’t even hesitate to reject Kira’s suggestion.
From a certain standpoint, his objection was reasonable.
Raider had already lost twelve years with his daughter. That was twelve years of experiences he’d never get back.
All the firsts he’d never see.
Like the first time Elena smiled. The lisp she’d had when she lost her front teeth. The excitement she’d had the first time Kira put her on a wave board.
Raider would be loath to miss any more of his daughter’s life.
What’s more, their relationship was still in the nascent stage. Any perceived rejection from Raider would crush Elena.
“If you fail in the adva ka—“ Kira trailed off.
Right now, the relationship between the Tuann and the Consortium hung by the thinnest of tendrils.
Since most Tuann had likely never interacted with a human, only hearing about them through unflattering rumors, they would use Raider as an example by which to measure the rest of humanity.
If he showed the slightest weakness, they’d use that as further confirmation that humanity wasn’t worth the effort.
“I won’t fail.” Raider’s gaze was steady, conviction burning in his eyes.
