Rules of Redemption (The Firebird Chronicles #1) - T.A. White Page 0,16

history with one another. She wondered what they were doing posing as guards for children.

Not that it really mattered. Not anymore. She'd left that part of her life far behind her, and she didn't intend to pick it up again.

The door to the room slammed open, drawing the attention of everyone except the leader whose gaze never lifted from hers.

Hm. So they didn't see Spitzy or any of his men as a true threat.

It was understandable, really. While Kira had spent several minutes being patted down, every item on her person confiscated for fear she might use them for some unknown purpose, the station's security had barely touched the wizards, giving them a cursory examination, which failed to uncover the blades Kira was sure were stored in their armor. She suspected they weren't the only weapons these men had.

She had to wonder how many other things security had missed.

Spitzy sauntered toward Kira, his heavy steps making him easy to track despite the fact she couldn't see him with her hood limiting her peripheral vision.

"I want to know what you were doing on that craft."

Kira held her silence.

The man in front of her finally looked away, staring at Spitzy with a glimmer of curiosity. So, the forcefield didn't block sound. That or the man could read lips. Which meant he probably understood at least a little of human standard.

Good to know.

Spitzy nudged her shoulder. "Do you hear me?"

The wizard’s leader frowned, the look in his eyes turning turbulent.

"You have the station's feeds," Kira said blandly. "Watch them. They'll tell you everything you need to know."

Spitzy was silent a moment, his anger sizzling through the air. "I could do that, but why waste my time?"

Kira's sigh was weary. She longed for the quiet peace of her ship. Dealing with hardheaded idiots had never been her idea of fun. Less so, since she'd spent the past few years around a very small number of people besides Jin. She could count on one hand the number of conversations she'd had outside the Wanderer.

"We both know you don't have anything to hold me on."

He snorted. "Who's to say. Maybe the feeds all went haywire during the time in question."

The wizard’s forehead wrinkled, a frown crossing his face as thunder gathered in his eyes. The expressions on the rest turned slightly disgusted.

Kira almost felt sorry for Spitzy. If he wasn't on such a power trip, she might be tempted to clue him into the fact he was dangerously close to creating an intergalactic diplomatic incident his superiors wouldn't thank him for. If he continued in this vein, he'd be lucky getting a job as a convoy escort.

The faint sound of running came from outside, then the door slammed open letting in a babble of voices. For a brief second, a tall man with dark hair stood silhouetted in its frame, Spitzy's aide behind him, an expression of relief on her face.

Spitzy snapped to attention. "Sir, what are you doing here?"

The man's gaze had been locked on Kira's bent head, but at that, his focus shifted to Spitzy. There was fire in his eyes as he said in a tight voice, "Commander Spatz, I assume you received the memo passed to every person on this station dictating any incidents involving the Tuann were to be forwarded to my team."

Spitzy didn't move, his expression chilling. "I did."

"Then, is there a reason several of their delegation are sitting in a detention room? Furthermore, why have they been separated from the two children under their care?" The man's voice was excruciatingly polite as he verbally dressed down Spitzy.

Kira couldn't help the smallest bit of amusement.

"Sir, I have a duty to protect those on this station. I felt it best to investigate the incident to ascertain there was no further threat," Spitzy said stiffly.

"And did you bother to review the feeds of what happened?" the man asked, sounding annoyingly reasonable despite the bite in his tone.

Spitzy held quiet, not knowing which answer would damn him more.

"If you had, you would have already cleared everyone of any charges," the man said through clenched teeth.

"Sir," Spitzy started.

"Dismissed."

Spitzy didn't move.

"Was I not clear?" the man said, a snap in his voice. "Dismissed."

"This is my case," Spitzy started.

"Out," the man roared.

Spitzy held in what he had been about to say, giving Kira a fulminating glare before exiting the room.

The door slid shut behind him.

Kira remained still for a moment, studying the newcomer as he did the same to her. She sighed. She'd hoped to avoid