Kira hummed.Dylan could decide how long that “nap” lasted.She suspected once Jin went down, he wouldn’t be getting up for a few hours.
At least.
There was a clicking sound as one of Jin’s avatars, the flying squirrel, crouched.The muscles in its back legs bunched a second before it launched itself into the air.It glided over to land on Kira’s shoulder.
She placed a hand over its body, surprised by the slightly warm feel of metal.Like living flesh.
“For someone who insists that biological bodies are inferior to machines, you sure go to a lot of trouble to create something as physically close to one as possible.”
Twenty Five
Kira
LettingherselfandGraydonout of Jin’s room, Kira realized she’d never got a firm answer on the whereabouts of Roderick’s group.Figuring Jin was already busy enough with everything else she’d put on his plate, Kira decided on one last stop before she and Graydon took off.
“Just one moment,” Kira murmured.
Graydon nodded.“I need to touch base with my people anyway.”
He stepped away as Kira continued down the hallway, stopping at a door halfway down and knocking softly.
Several moments passed before it whooshed open.
Maksym stood silhouetted in the frame, his yawn big and the corners of his eyes crusted with sleep.He scratched his chest and leaned against the door frame.“Heir—what can I do for you?”
“Did Arly come back with you?”
“Yup.”Maksym moved aside to let her see the lump on the room’s second bed.“She’s sleeping right now.”
“Jin said Roderick and the other three haven’t returned yet.”
The sleepiness faded from Maksym’s expression.“You want me to track them down?”
“If you could.”
Kira couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong.They should have been back by now.Either they’d met with an unfortunate encounter or they’d gone missing on purpose.
She needed to know which it was.
“I’ll grab my stuff.”
“Did you and Arly learn anything interesting over the last few hours?”
“Nothing of note.But then you weren’t really expecting much.”
The pointed look Maksym bent on her said he’d guessed the real reason Kira had sent him and Arly on their fact finding mission.To keep Arly out of her hair and away from the investigation.
“Sorry.You’re the only one I could trust.”
“More like I’m the only one you had any hope of sending away.”
Kira winced, feeling a little guilty.
“Don’t sweat it, heir.Like I told you at the beginning, I’m here to do your bidding.”
“That’s not anything like what you said.”
“I’m paraphrasing, of course.”
