Except for Selene, Elise, and Alexander, Kira didn't have much cause to meet with the rest of the forty three. Pallas was more of an enemy than a friend. The others she'd encountered every now and then, but most gave her a wide berth when they came across her. The only things she really knew about them were what she remembered of them as children.
For them to exclude one of the few people Kira had significant contact with from their decision making process was a concerning development. Particularly when she was about to walk into a room with them.
"They're forming factions," Kira noted softly.
She never thought she'd see the day. They'd always been so united.
Selene seemed as troubled by that prospect as Kira.
"What do they want?"
"I don't know," Selene confessed.
Kira looked up to find Alexander watching them closely. If she didn't know better, she'd say she and Selene weren't the only ones worried.
"Kira," Selene called, the soft ache in her voice making Kira still.
She could see the guilt that haunted Selene. The question of 'what if' likely keeping her up at night. Maybe she could have prevented this, she'd tell herself. If only she'd been there.
That was the thing, though. The past didn't change just because you wanted it to. The only thing guilt accomplished was wearing you down and destroying your soul.
"I want to go with you," Selene confessed.
Of course, she did. She'd raised Elena when it was too dangerous for Kira to do so. Her protective nature and sense of responsibility were why Kira had entrusted her with Elena in the first place.
"No."
"She's my niece too," Selene choked out. "For the first time in an eternity, I wish to rampage. To be the monster our masters created me to be."
"That's exactly why you can't come."
Once you went down that path, it was so hard to come back from it. Selene wasn't like Kira. She had vulnerable lives counting on her. How would she offer them the softness they deserved if she was mired in darkness?
"Elena needs something to come back to. That's you."
If Kira and the rest didn't make it, Selene was her back up plan. She'd be there to step in if the worst came to pass.
Kira met her gaze fully. "Protect yourself and the rest of the children. That's how you help."
Selene's composure cracked. A tear rolled down her cheek, only to be dashed away a second later.
"Very well. As you wish." Selene jerked her chin in an acknowledgment, stalking up the stairs and past Alexander without another word.
"What was that about?" Graydon asked with a penetrating stare. As if he was trying to peel her layers back to see what was beneath.
"Oh, that's right."
He didn't know. At least not all of it. He’d been apprised of the fact Selene was the caretaker for an orphanage but not where all those children had come from. Selene’s contacts would have whisked the children away before any investigation could be launched.
Finn must not have told him either. Kira was a little impressed at her oshota’s discretion. Loyalty like that was hard to find. Particularly when it touched on a species-wide trauma.
"There are more children in Selene's care than just Elena," Graydon guessed.
"That's why I like you, Graydon. You catch on quick."
There was a time when she'd also hated that about him.
"I was under the impression the forty three were the only ones to survive," Graydon said slowly.
