“That seems to be a habit of hers.”
Jarek straightened with a distant smile.“Our order prides itself on our devotion to duty.”
“Is that why its members so often overstep?”Harlow inquired in a dangerous rumble that made the hairs on the back of Kira’s neck stand up.Her uncle could be very scary when he wanted to be.And right now, he was the scariest that Kira had ever seen.
“Our enthusiasm does lead us into opposition with the powers that be more often than we’d like,” Jarek admitted.
Translation—they would do what they felt was right regardless of pressure from the top.
“I didn’t realize your order was so full of righteous crusaders.Did you, niece?”Harlow asked.
“It’s news to me as well,” Kira responded.
“Isn’t there a well-known human saying about self-righteousness and pride?”
“There is, actually.”Kira’s smile made the skin around Jarek’s eyes and mouth tighten.“I even reminded Lady Sariah of it earlier.”
“It appears she didn’t listen,” Harlow remarked as a flood of oshota wearing the emperor’s colors entered the room.“Pity—otherwise, she might have spared you this encounter.”
Jarek was forced to suppress his response as the oshota flanked the entrance, standing at attention.The last to step inside positioned herself to address the gathering.
“Here we go,” Harlow muttered as the Overlord’s all straightened.“Try to be on your best behavior, dear niece.”
“I always am.”
The oshota’s voice rang over the gathering.“Pay your respects to Emperor Torvald Elden, sixth of his line.”
Those along the wall snapped to attention as the Overlords turned their gazes toward the door.Anticipation built in the brief pause between the oshota stepping aside and the person who appeared framed in the doorway next.
Emperor Torvald Elden’s mere presence was something that commanded attention as he swept the gathering with golden colored eyes that were just a few shades darker than Jin’s.
Possessing the radiance of a small sun, the emperor was someone Kira hadn’t figured out yet.More mysterious and enigmatic than those he’d drawn into service.
Tall, with broad shoulders and brown skin, his hair was cut close to his scalp.
Kira wouldn’t have described him as beautiful or even handsome.But he was memorable.His features remained with you long after he was gone.Like all Tuann, he had that timeless quality that made it impossible to guess his age.
Though Kira suspected he was old.Very old.
At least Harlow’s age, or older.
The synth armor he wore stood out against the sea of matte black around him.Gold lined each scale of his black armor.Protrusions jutted from his shoulders and the outer edge of his arms.A fur-lined cloak flapped behind him as he strode over to take his seat at the head of the table.
Two of his Faces trailed in his wake.
Eurus, his Face of Justice, a Tuann whose dark red hair and eyes against the backdrop of his pale skin always reminded Kira of a vampire.
Last through the door was Graydon.
His gaze landed on Kira for a brief moment that made Kira’s heart tighten painfully before he looked away in dismissal.
She couldn’t say he hadn’t warned her.
Theory was very different from application though.She hadn’t anticipated the coldness that emanated from him.
Or how she would feel.
Kira swallowed hard, pushing those feelings away.
