Aeron's unwillingness showed on his face.
Graydon's smirk turned dangerous. "Do you need another reminder of how much I dislike having my time wasted?"
Aeron broke eye contact to glare at Graydon. "Be careful. A general's memory is long. Especially when it comes to vengeance. You have the upper hand now, but one day that may change. Be sure you don't regret your actions when that time comes."
"Is he threatening us?" Raider asked.
Kira caught Raider's arm when he tried to shove past her. "Nope, we're not doing this tonight."
Aeron sneered as he started toward the ship. "Just pointing out something you may have forgotten."
Kira waited until Raider was under control before letting go.
"Don't forget your goal, Aeron," Kira called. "We're not your real enemies. Try to remember that."
"Tell him that."
An explosive curse came from Raider as Aeron and Graydon disappeared into the ship. Raider whirled, giving Kira his back.
She waited, knowing he needed a moment as he put his hands on his hips and bent his head.
"Is this going to be a problem?" Kira asked. "Because if so—"
It wasn't that she didn't understand or sympathize with his anger. The Tsavitee had been their enemies for so long. The generals responsible for guiding the Tsavitee's armies in particular. The war wouldn't have been nearly as devastating without their influence.
They'd lost friends and colleagues because of them. That was a lot to overlook.
"He's our only lead, Raider," Kira said.
Raider released a breath, tipping his head back to look up at the storm clouds overhead. "He isn't. There's Odin too. Elise told us to find the Sye, remember?"
Kira claimed the last piece of distance that would bring her shoulder to shoulder with him as she joined him in cloud gazing. "Odin and I have been searching for the Tsavitee home world for eight years. If it was that easy to find, we would have found it by now. We're close, but we're not there. Aeron has actually been where we need to go."
Not to mention reaching Odin would take them several days of travel. Then more time after that in space while they located the Tsavitee home world. That was if Odin had managed to find the coordinates.
Aeron's information could shorten their journey considerably.
It was a long shot, but one Kira judged worthwhile.
"Every time I see his face, I'm overcome with rage. It's my daughter who should be here. Not him."
Kira put her arm around his shoulder and leaned her head against him as they continued to watch the sky.
Something that sounded almost like a sob escaped him before he swallowed it down. "I know I need to be in control right now. I promise to do better."
She patted his back and straightened. That's all she could ask for.
"What about you?"
Kira sent him a blank look of incomprehension.
"Come on, Nixxy. I heard about what happened in that meeting. I'm not like these others. I know the primus isn't a card you'd ever willingly play. I'm not the only one with control issues, am I?"
Raider had always understood her in a way most hadn't. He knew her secrets. Her deepest fears. He should, since he'd been the one to hold her hand in the aftermath of one of her primus's rampages. He'd helped her through her guilt and grief.
Her gaze dropped as a self-deprecating laugh escaped. "I guess there's no use lying."
"I'd say we're past that. At least to each other."
