“You heard him,” she confirmed.
“Ridiculous!”Bez burst out.“This is who you’re sending?Why not just sign our death warrants and be done with it?”
He glanced back at Kira and shook his head again before stalking away.
“Don’t judge him too harshly, little heir,” Silas advised, not unkindly.“This entire affair has been hard on him and the rest of his pod.They’re not themselves right now.Caius means a lot to them.”
“It’s alright, Silas,” Kira said as her gaze lingered on Raider.“People in pain tend to lash out.I can understand that.”
She had plenty of experience, didn’t she?
As Silas moved away to operate the gate, Kira glanced down at Jin.“You’re not supposed to be here.”
“Pretty sure you’re not either.Remember—I was there when the emperor ordered your House to stand down.”
“We’re obeying his orders to the letter.”
“Right.”Jin snorted.“The letter.Not the intent.”
There was a difference.He knew that just as well as she did.
Kira glanced at Dylan.
“Don’t worry about him,” Jin said, reading her concern.“The emperor and I have come to an agreement.Dylan won’t inform on my movements or anything he learns in my company as long as I don’t try to shake him.”
Kira looked at Jin in surprise and no small amount of amazement.“I didn’t think a man like Torvald was capable of compromise.”
“I can be very convincing when I want to be.”
“I’m aware,” Kira said dryly.
Half the trouble they got into was a direct result of Jin’s instigation.
“Where are we heading anyway?”Jin asked, following her to the gate.
Kira was too lazy to explain.“Guess.”
“Sure thing.”Jin considered Bez and the rest.“Just as long as you’re okay with me doing my thing.”
“What thing is that exactly?”
“You know—the one where I irritate the living daylights out of everyone until they tell me what I want to know.”
Kira’s surprised laugh turned into an awkward cough as Bez and his companions glanced over at them.
Jin’s smile was sly as he watched her out of the corner of his eye.
Kira cleared her throat and tried to hide her smile.“Let’s hold off on that plan for now.”
Jin shrugged.“This is your op.I’ll do as you instruct.”
“That’ll be a first,” Raider remarked, coming up behind them.
“Done hiding?”Kira asked.
“You jest, but if you’d survived his attention over the past few weeks, you’d hide too,” Raider grumbled.
Maksym popped up beside them.“What did I do?”
