Kira thumped her hand on the back of his pack.Encountering something hard, she squeezed it in several places.
Just as she thought.It was stuffed full with objects that could only be his spawn.
Jin shoved her hand away.“Hey, now.Stop that.They’re fragile.”
“Stop procrastinating.Spill.How long?”
“Since I woke up.”
“You control them with your consciousness?”Kira probed.
Jin’s nod held a trace of uncertainty that told her he wasn’t entirely sure how he was doing it.Just that he could—and did.
“Is it the same as when you were the drone?”
Jin shook his head, looking like he was thinking.“It’s different.Harder.I could split my attention dozens of times as the drone.Now, my max is three or four.You’ve seen what happens when I attempt more than that.”
“Is there anything else you’re not telling me?”Kira asked.
She saw from his hesitation that there was.
“I’m not ready to talk about it yet,” he mumbled.
“As long as you know I’ll be here when youareready.”
Kira had figured there were a few things he was keeping to himself.She and Jin didn’t have a lot of secrets from each other, but there were some.They usually came out in the wash, but not always.Occasionally, they had to be dragged out kicking and screaming.
Jin had gone through a lot of changes lately.A few of them monumental.World upending, honestly.He needed space to properly process everything.As long as he didn’t let those secrets claw him up inside, she was happy to give it to him.
Honestly, drawing boundaries was probably the healthiest thing he could have done.
“Tell me more about this deal you struck with Torvald,” Kira ordered.
Jin groaned.“I don’t want to talk about that either.”
“Too bad.Your deal affects both of us.”
This wasn’t like whatever he was holding back.Wherever Kira went, Jin would follow.That meant Dylan would also be tagging along.It’d be like having another oshota.Only one she had no control over.
She wasn’t certain Jin did either.
“He made certain stipulations in return for not standing in my way,” Jin admitted grudgingly.“Dylan’s company being the first.”
“I heard about that one already.What else?”
“He wants to train me,” Jin mumbled.
Kira looked at him in surprise.“That may not be the worst thing.”
Torvald was the most powerful Tuann Kira had encountered.His insight could provide untold value.Especially now when Jin could use every advantage he could get.
She didn’t think that’s what was causing Jin’s pensive expression though.
“You’re leaving something out,” Kira guessed.
Jin’s shoulders slumped further.“That’s part of the thing I don’t want to discuss.”
“Ah.Gotcha.”
