Kira's sleepiness vanished.
"Did Diesel put you up to this?"
Graydon's silence was as good as an answer.
She flopped onto her back, putting one arm behind her head as she glared at the ceiling. The bed dipped under Graydon's weight as he sat beside her.
"Fine," Kira huffed before he could say anything. "I'll go."
Graydon patted her knee. "I knew you'd agree. I'll let you get dressed."
She rolled her head to look at him. "Must be nice to have a suit of armor you can don instantly."
"You could always get one of your own."
"Is that a clever way to convince me to become your oshota?"
Graydon looked as if he was considering it. "I wouldn't mind you serving me."
Kira glared. "Who says I'd be the one serving?"
She was just as likely to become the master as the shield.
Finn had told her that to gain her own synth armor, she would first need to journey to a lu-ong hunting ground. There, she'd have to obtain a single scale from a lu-ong's chest. The endeavor could take years and often resulted in many failed attempts before a person met success.
Only the most skilled Tuann were chosen for the journey. It was the second to last step needed to be considered an oshota. The last one being finding a sword to serve.
Graydon leaned down to touch his lips to Kira’s. "Even better."
"You'd have to listen to Finn as my First."
His thumb touched the base of her throat. "I'm sure he and I could come to an acceptable arrangement. Raider, on the other hand—"
"What does he have to do with it? He's not an oshota."
"Isn't he, though?"
"He's human."
Graydon made a throaty sound that showed he didn't entirely agree.
"What do you know?" Kira asked sharply.
His smile was brief. "Your Raider is an oshota even if he doesn't carry the name. It wouldn't surprise me to learn Wren and Harlow have been grooming him for that role in future."
"Why would they do that?" Kira asked in confusion.
Graydon's gaze was soft. "They see his potential. Just like I do."
Kira was quiet. Wren she could understand. Raider's acceptance in Tuann society would only help Elena. Not hinder. Harlow, on the other hand. His motivations were more difficult to read.
A knock at the door had Graydon rising. "I'll take care of that."
Kira nodded as Graydon went to the door. She stayed where she was until he stepped outside, the door closing after him cutting off the rumble of voices.
"Guess I should get moving too," Kira said.
Running had never been in her nature, but this was one time she wouldn't have minded making an exception.
