“I also need you to watch out for her while I’m in there,” Kira continued.
That wiped the smirk from Ziva’s face.“Seon’yer—”
“Don’t argue.Consider this your first task as my yer’se.While I take care of matters, I want you to wait out here.”
Ziva’s natural desire to argue warred with the knowledge that as her seon’yer, Kira had every right to expect her orders to be obeyed.
Reluctantly, Ziva nodded.
Knowing the restraint that took, Kira touched her shoulder.“Just a reminder—and this is very important, maybe the most important instruction I will ever give you—nothing you see or hear while in my company is to ever be repeated elsewhere.Not to Joule.Not to anyone.There are lives at stake.”
Ziva’s nod this time was a little less reluctant, her face as serious as Kira had ever seen it.“Understood, seon’yer.”
“Good.”
Maybe this whole seon’yer/yer’se thing wouldn’t be so bad after all.
The door behind the oshota creaked open and Elena peeked her head around the corner.“I thought I heard voices out here.”
Yawning, Kira’s niece pushed the door open a little further, just enough for her to slip through without giving a glimpse of what lay inside.Rubbing her head and messing up the short locks, Elena covered her mouth on another yawn before blinking owlishly at the girl by Kira’s side.“Ziva?What are you doing here?”
At the sight of the dark circles under Elena’s eyes, Kira made a mental note to talk to Harlow about getting her niece help.Humans had counselors and therapists.There had to be a Tuann equivalent.Kira knew firsthand how long trauma could linger.She didn’t want this to haunt the rest of Elena’s life.Not if there was someone who could help.
“My seon’yer finally accepted me.This is my first task,” Ziva exclaimed, beaming with pride.
There was confusion on Elena’s face as she looked from the girl to Kira.“What task is that?”
Ziva snapped to attention.“I’m to guard the door.”
Kira rolled her eyes up to the ceiling.“That’s not even close to what I said.”
Her yer’se had a habit of taking her words and turning them into something entirely else.Just like another young girl Kira knew.
The sight of the tiny smile gracing Elena’s face distracted Kira from her exasperation.The mirth that now danced in her eyes had been sadly lacking over the last few weeks.
“I don’t know, Auntie.”Elena lounged against the door frame.“Ziva seems pretty convincing to me.”
Kira leveled an arch look at her niece.“Then maybe you should join her in guard duty.”
Elena’s smile grew into a full-fledged smirk as she stepped away from the door.“Maybe I should.”
Kira’s niece flung an arm around Ziva’s shoulders and steered her down the hallway.“Come on, little sister.Why don’t you regale me with stories about how you won Auntie over?”
“It wasn’t easy, I tell you.My seon’yer is exceptionally picky when it comes to her yer’ses.I had to be canny and patient to win her approval.”
“You realize it’s difficult to guard a door when you’re not anywhere near its vicinity, right?”Kira called after the pair.
For all the good it did.
Neither of the girls acknowledged Kira’s statement as they continued down the hall.
“I’m feeling a little bit peckish.How about you?”Elena asked.
Ziva touched her stomach and nodded.“I could eat.”
The rest of what was said was lost as the two turned the corner a second later.
“Your yer’se is good for her,” Zoella noted.
