"Remove your hood," the woman ordered.
Kira glared at Pallas. "I blame you for this."
The woman advanced aggressively. "I won't ask again."
"Yeah, yeah," Kira muttered under her breath, reluctantly reaching for her hood. There was no point in continuing the charade now that her identity had been compromised.
Of all the things for Pallas to reveal, why did it have to be her name? It would have been easy to convince the humans that they were harmless if he'd just stuck to the script of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
There was a sharp inhale as Kira slid the hood back, exposing the burgundy of her shoulder length hair. Along with the face she knew had been plastered on more than one news broadcast during the war.
For a brief second, there was silence as Kira regarded the humans steadily.
Maybe her worry was for naught. Human memory was short and this group was young. They would have been only kids back then.
"I was right," the woman breathed, dashing that hope. Her muzzle dipped toward the ground. "You're Kira Forrest. You're the Phoenix."
Graydon eased closer to Kira.
Several rifles snapped in his direction.
"Move again and you're dead," someone barked.
Graydon shifted forward another step, his gaze on those who still had their weapons trained on Kira. His movements stealthy. Predatory. A hunter stalking its prey.
"Graydon," Kira warned.
If she didn't stop him, there would be a blood bath. And it wouldn't be her team's blood staining all this pretty snow.
Graydon stopped, the ki he'd been summoning sliding away as he gave her a rueful look. "The things I do for you, coli."
"I'll be sure to reimburse you later."
"I'll be sure to take you up on that," Graydon murmured.
Kira acknowledged his statement with a wry twist of her lips as she focused on the woman and her companions. "You asked why we're here. It's simple. We’re looking for someone."
To Kira's surprise, the woman nodded. "I know. You're here for the All Father."
Pallas's head jerked toward Kira. "No."
His reaction made the humans jump. Their rifles swiveled toward Pallas.
Not that he paid them any attention, his focus on Kira. "You were supposed to cut off all contact with that person!"
"As we've established many times over the years, I'm neither required nor am I obligated to listen to the forty three's requests."
If Pallas was under the mistaken impression otherwise, that was not her fault.
The veins in Pallas's neck and temples protruded as he pointed at her, looking like he was about to say something several times before shaking his head wordlessly.
Well, well, well. Would you look at that. She'd rendered him mute. Her most dangerous brother. The man who always had a witty quip, no matter the situation.
Jin would be proud.
Too bad he wasn't here to gloat with her.
Pallas shook his head at her again, his anger still too great to allow for words.
