"I will. But first—" The drone pulsed, using its anti gravs. Slowly, the carpet of vines parted to reveal the entrance to a dark, dank cave. "We should go save our troublemaker."
Raider regarded the entrance doubtfully. "The Tsavitee are hiding my daughter in a cave?"
"Don't be ridiculous, meat sack. Elena's not in the cave. The cave leads to Elena."
This time, Raider wasn't the only one to look at Jin in confusion.
"You're going to have to do a better job of explaining," Kira said.
Jin made an irritated sound. "I will, but can I do it while we're moving?"
Kira gave him a doubtful look before ducking into the cave, moving to the side to let Raider and Jin join her.
"Start talking," she ordered as Jin arranged the vines so they hung over the entrance again.
A whistle echoed against the walls as a metal bird flew out of a nearby passageway. It landed on Jin's casing, twisting its head back and forth to look at them out of first one eye and then the other.
"Elise used her contacts among the generals to have Elena inserted into a crèche with their young."
Oh, thank God. Of all the places Elena could have ended up, that wasn't the worst. Kira had spent several sleepless nights over the last few weeks, envisioning her niece being hurt. Tortured and ripped apart at the Tsavitee's whims.
To learn she was instead sent to a crèche was a relief she barely dared let herself feel.
"Although the training methods in a crèche are brutal, they're not as bad as what we went through as children. Actually, they're pretty similar to Roake's."
The metal bird took flight from Jin's sphere, arrowing back into the passage it had just come from. Jin started after it, Kira and Raider following.
"What happened to change things?" Kira asked.
"A few days back Elena drew the attention of a Sye."
"How did she manage that?"
"She tried to break into an Osiri's lab."
Kira's horrified gaze swung to Jin. "Please tell me you're joking."
"I'm not," he said in a grim tone. "I don't think she knew what she was doing. Elise covered for her. Unfortunately, the Sye saw the two of them meeting afterward. It aroused the Sye's suspicions. Enough for them to go poking into Elena's background."
"Sye," Raider said, looking at Kira. "That's what Odin is, isn't it?"
At her expression, he swore.
"How long have you known Odin was a Tsavitee?" Raider asked.
"Odin's not the enemy."
The very fact they were standing here proved that.
"Are you sure about that? Don't forget how we met that Sye.”
There was a sneer on the last word.
Kira regarded him calmly. "I think I'm more familiar with Odin's motivations than you."
Raider shook his head, not bothering to argue with her. "Finish the story, Tin Can."
"Today, Elena decided to play spy. I think that's what the Sye was waiting for. Because somehow we ended up back in the Osiri's lab. That's when I lost contact with her."
