“You don’t need to worry about it.Focus on Caius.That’s why you’re here,” Kira said.
After everything they’d just gone through, she may have found Bez slightly more palatable than before, but that didn’t mean she trusted him.
Until she did, she’d keep her suspicions to herself.
There wasn’t much discussion after that.All agreed that in light of the recent attack it would be best to return to the world gate and link up with the rest of their party.
In case of further ambush, they decided to take an alternative route back.
Before setting off, Kira pulled Raider aside.“Where is Roderick?”
“Your guess is as good as mine.He said there was something he wanted to check out.We split up shortly after Finn came to get us.”
“You didn’t try to stop him?”
Kira didn’t like the thought of Roderick on his own out here.
“Of course I did, but as he pointed out, I hold no authority over him or his actions.”
“I bet that went over well,” Kira said.
“Yes, I so love being told to mind my own business.Especially in dangerous situations such as this,” Raider responded with enough sarcasm that Kira suspected Roderick had been a little less tactful in his response than Raider was letting on.
Roderick’s behavior did answer one question though.Liara’s reasons for sending him had to do with this planet.
Why else would he want to go off alone?
It did beg the question of how her cousin knew this was their destination.Harlow hadn’t informed even the emperor of Caius’s last known whereabouts.
The only explanation was one Kira didn’t like.Liara had a spy in their House.
Cousin, what are you up to?Kira thought quietly to herself.
“Anything else you needed?”Raider asked.
Kira shook her head.“No, that’s all.”
Roderick wasn’t an idiot.As Senechal to House Luatha, he had experience in ops like this.He knew what he was doing.
She’d hail him when they reached the world gate.Hopefully, by that time, he’d respond.
They got underway.Their passage a lot quicker and quieter than it had been on their way in.
There was a tension that infused their movements.The knowledge that at any moment there could be another ambush.
The wounds on Kira’s thigh and shoulder were becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.She endured as best as she could, trying not to show the pain on her face.Finn had given her basic first aid back at the compound.Enough to stop the bleeding, but that was about it.She’d refused the painkiller he’d offered, not wanting her reflexes dulled in the event of another attack.
She kind of regretted that now.
Jin’s heartfelt groan broke through the mental fog Kira was dealing with as Bez mercifully called a halt from up ahead.
She looked back to find Jin clinging to the trunk of a tree with both arms.His face was flushed and there were beads of sweat dripping down his forehead and cheeks.
“My feet hurt.Is it normal for them to hurt this much?”Jin rotated until his back was against the trunk of a tree.
“It depends.Is it a dull ache or more of a sharp sting?”
One was muscle related.The other could be caused by blisters.
