Etai Ama.
Osiri for eternal agony.The deadliest plant in the universe.A plant so rare that Gus had only ever seen it once.In a place of honor in Esara’s lab.
Even with her general level of immunity to most poisons, Gus had to be careful not to touch its stem or petals with her bare hands.Covering her hand with her sleeve, she lifted the flower carefully from the stack of paper it was lying on top of.
It was real, Gus determined after close study.
Twirling it in her hand, she gave her sister’s corpse a thoughtful glance.“Just what were you up to, former sister of mine?”
Nineteen
Gustrudgedtowardthelonely silhouette of her ship, hidden just outside the city ruins in the remnants of a farmer’s field.In the years since its owners had stopped tending it, nature had reclaimed most of the field, returning it to its original wild state.
Personally, she thought it was an improvement, much preferring the native plants of the area.The untamed beauty of wildflowers and high grasses interspersed with young trees just beginning to take root called to her on a much deeper level than neat rows of crops ever could.
With an internal sigh, Gus pulled her gaze away from the soothing sight to look up at the wing of her ship where a most unwelcome visitor had decided to make themselves at home.
“How did you find me?”Gus asked.
Kira lay on her back, dangling one leg over the edge and swinging it slightly as she studied the sky.“It wasn’t hard.It’s not like there are a lot of ships sitting unattended near here.”
No, Gus supposed there wouldn’t be.Though, that still didn’t explain how Kira had managed to find herself here.On this exact planet.On this exact ship.
“To be fair, you’re not the one I was looking for.It’s just a happy coincidence that we’re running into each other.”
Gus held back her snort.
Right.A happy coincidence.
Kira sat up, propping her weight on one arm to study Gus.“I take it she’s dead then.”
Gus didn’t know how to answer that without giving away things that were probably already obvious.In the end, she chose to maintain her silence, meeting Kira’s gaze with as much calm aplomb as she could marshal.
Kira’s expression turned a touch sly as she regarded Gus, one side of her mouth pulling up in a crooked grin.“I always knew Ryan had an assassin at his disposal.Never guessed it would be you though.It’s always the quiet ones.”
Gus wouldn’t know.She wasn’t acquainted with many assassins.
What did it say about Kira that she was?
“Jin told me about his conversation with you,” Kira said, still studying Gus.
Of course, he had.That didn’t surprise Gus at all.He and Kira were about as co-dependent as you could get.What one knew, the other would learn shortly.It would have been stranger if he’d stayed mum.
“I always wondered how the prison cells got unlocked the night of our escape,” Kira mused out of the blue.
Gus blinked at the shift in topic.
“I was wracking my brain on how to get me and Jin out of that hole.Then, suddenly, poof.”Kira waved her hand.“The door was open and alarms were going off all around.”The smile she aimed at Gus didn’t quite reach her eyes.“I’m guessing I have you to thank for that.”
Gus wasn’t surprised it had taken Kira this long to figure out who played a pivotal role in her and Jin’s escape from the camps that long ago night.She’d done what she’d done never expecting acknowledgment or gratitude.In fact, she would have preferred Kira to remain in the dark.Less messy entanglement that way.
There was a bittersweet look on her sister’s face as she regarded Gus with a tilted head.“You’re every bit as stubborn and taciturn as I remember.”
And Kira was every bit as terrifying as Gus remembered.Like alu-ong.A mercurial creature driven by its whims.Sometimes it bestowed blessings.Other times it might eat you.You could never be sure which it would be until it was too late.
Kira shoved off the wing, dropping lightly to the ground.
Internally, Gus flinched.Outwardly, she maintained her equilibrium.She remembered hearing somewhere that fleeing could trigger a predator’s base instincts.Kira probably had more control than that, but it was best not to tempt fate more than she had to.
