Raider’s insulted expression surprised a husky laugh from Kira.
“See?Not just me,” she teased.
Raider shrugged her away, not taking his gaze off Bez.“Why is it that Tuann insults are always so unoriginal?You’d think such a long-lived race would be a little more imaginative.”
“Watch your tongue, human.We’re about to leave polite society far behind.You never know what could happen.Maybe that offensive tongue of yours gets ripped right out of your mouth.”
“Is that a threat, wizard?”
“I don’t know, human.Does it sound like one?”
Kira kept expecting Silas to intervene as he had with her, but so far, he seemed content to wait and watch.Guess that meant it was up to her to step in before things turned violent.
As usual.
“Raider—we’re supposed to be making friends.Not more enemies,” Kira said, speaking through her teeth as one of Bez’s companions straightened from where she was leaning against her pack.The other man with them didn’t move.
Raider didn’t look away from his stare down with Bez.“I don’t know about you, but these aren’t the sort of friends I care to be associated with.”
“I can’t argue with that,” Kira agreed.
The startled gaze Bez shot her might have been amusing if she wasn’t trying to keep him and Raider from each other’s throat.
“That being said, let’s not antagonize them any more than we have to.We might need them later.”
As cannon fodder, Kira added silently.
By this point, she’d given up on them adding any value to this mission.She’d be lucky if they didn’t end up as hindrances instead.
Raider’s shoulders relaxed as he grinned, going from attack dog to guard dog in an instant.
“Crazy bastard,” Kira muttered with a small shake of her head.
Silas’s expression caught her eye.The barely there smile was that of a proud mentor.
She was pretty sure he’d let that happen on purpose.
More than a little angry from all the grandstanding, Kira looked away from Silas to offer Bez the politest “fuck you” smile she could muster.“Anything else you want to get off your chest?I’m all ears.”
In fact, she almost hoped he said something.
“No?”Kira’s smile widened to show teeth as the silence lingered “Then perhaps we can quit this dick measuring contest and get this shit show on the road before someone finds out what we’re up to.As you’re aware, we’re in a time crunch.”
“Pye,” Bez called to his companion, not taking his gaze off Kira.“We’re leaving.Get ready.”
A wiry man with curly black hair sat up from where he’d been laying down near the packs.He called an acknowledgment before ambling toward the gate.
“If you do anything to endanger my people, I won’t care whose heir you are,” Bez threatened.
“Looking forward to it,” Kira snarked back.
A flash of anger mottled Bez’s face.His fists clenched as the muscles in his arms bulged.
“Bez!”Silas hissed in warning.
Interesting.
Kira’s presence was often polarizing—through no fault of her own—but the effects weren’t usually this big or immediate.
