“If it was up to me, I’d throw you in the deepest, darkest cell I could find and then forget about you,” Sariah continued.
“I guess it’s good that it’s not up to you then.”
“However, I was able to win at least one concession.”The inquisitor crooked her finger at another standing against the wall.
He glided forward, holding a small box in front of him like an offering.
When he stopped in front of Sariah, she touched the opposite sides of the box with her forefingers.
There was a snick before the box’s lid turned to dust, revealing a small wrist cuff inside.
Graydon stiffened at the sight.“You overstep.”
“Others didn’t think so.Including your emperor,” Sariah said with a smug little smirk that made Kira want to give her face a good smack.
Rather than do something that would land her back in a prison cell, Kira studied the cuff.“An inhibitor?”
It looked different from the one she’d worn previously as part of her treatment plan forkipoisoning.
Designs had been etched in gold on top of the black metal.
It looked like a sun had collided with a crescent moon.The sharp points of the sun extended down one side.A line rose out of the moon on the opposite side.
If Kira squinted just right, they almost looked like swords.All pointing at the sun and the moon as if prepared to pierce their hearts.
If not for the unnatural feeling emanating from it, Kira would have thought it was a pretty piece of jewelry.As it was, there was an intangible sense of wrongness coming off it that made her incredibly uncomfortable in a way that was hard to explain.
Graydon glared at Jarek.“This wasn’t part of the agreement.”
The inquisitor’s expression remained bland.“There were some among our number who felt that we’d given you too big a concession.This was their solution.”
Pallas’s lip curled as he plucked the cuff out of its bed to examine it more closely.“They wish to collar our sister like a dog.Can you believe that?”
He wasn’t careful as he tossed the item back into the box.
“No, I can’t.”Alexander fixed a cold gaze on Sariah.“I thought we made our position adequately clear.”
“You’re in no position to make such demands.You have no House nor the power to back up your position.You also haven’t completed the rite of passage that would allow your voice to be heard.”Sariah swept a defiant gaze over Alexander and Pallas.“You may have been Tuann once, but you are no longer.If it was up to me, your genes wouldn’t be allowed to muddy our ranks.”
Kira sucked in a harsh breath.
This right here was why the forty-three had been so reluctant to make themselves known to their former people.The bigotry and intolerance that undermined so much of Tuann society.They’d feared they’d never gain acceptance due to what the Osiri had done to them as children.From what Sariah just said, it looked like they were right.
“A purist.How fucking stereotypical,” Pallas sneered before glaring at Graydon.“And your emperor wonders why we’ve kept to ourselves.”
Sariah’s chin lifted arrogantly.“She will wear the shackle or she will remain here.That is the deal.Take it or leave it.”
Alexander clamped a hand on Pallas’s shoulder when he would have gone for the inquisitor’s throat.
“Get your hand off me,” Pallas snarled, a wild look entering his eyes.
“Easy there.You know what we’re after.”
Pallas shoved Alexander’s hand away.
Sensing the impending violence, Kira glanced at Graydon, hoping he would say something to stop it.
No help there.
