Threshold of Annihilation (The Firebird Chronicles #3) - T.A. White Page 0,124

distance from the entrance.

Kira slogged inside the room Yukina had chosen, trying to ignore the thick and clingy substance that had somehow managed to work itself under her armor.

She stood awkwardly in a corner, not wanting to dirty the pristine monochromatic furniture as Graydon, the oshota Kira was pretty sure wasn't an oshota, and Wren entered.

Devon tried to follow but found his way blocked by Graydon.

"You should get cleaned up."

Devon's alarmed gaze found Kira. "I'm your yer’se. Shouldn't I be present?"

"Perhaps next time."

Raider slipped through as Graydon shut the door in Devon's face.

Yukina pointed at him. "Leave."

"Raider stays," Kira corrected. "He needs to hear this too."

Yukina pressed her lips together as her eyes flashed. "Only if he swears to keep anything he hears from the Consortium."

Raider threw himself into a seat, his expression that of a cat who'd just swallowed the canary. "What kind of person would I be if I promised to keep important intel from my own people? Would you trust such an individual?"

The answer was no, and they all knew it.

Someone capable of betraying their own kind once could be convinced to do it again.

Before anyone could raise an argument, Raider waved a lazy hand. "But I will tell you I've been instructed not to share anything I learn unless it directly pertains to the security of the Consortium."

The room fell quiet as all eyes turned to him.

Even Kira regarded him with a somber expression.

"There's a power struggle in the Consortium," Graydon guessed as he joined them, finding a seat across from Raider.

Yukina and the rest remained standing.

Raider didn't speak, but then, he didn't have to. The cause was clear.

If Himoto had given that order, it was because he feared any information Raider gleaned would fall into the wrong hands.

Better for everyone if it didn't make its way to the Consortium's ears at all.

"Who is the rebel faction?" Graydon asked.

Raider regarded him with a lazy expression.

"Zepher is leading it, if I was to guess," Kira supplied, not looking away from Raider.

His smirk said she was on point.

"Kent is part of the faction," Kira went on.

Another twitch of his eyebrows; another confirmation.

Kira rubbed her forehead. Such twisted webs Himoto wove.

"I'm willing to set the issue of the Consortium aside, but you will explain your history with the Haldeel," Yukina said with a direct stare.

Jin hummed. "Someone is a little confident. If we didn't know better, that would sound like a threat."

Yukina's stare turned arctic. "That's because it is."

Jin whistled. "Kira, pay attention. I think we're going to learn some things."

Kira's mouth quirked but she refrained from commenting. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't a little curious about what this so-called threat entailed.

Yukina’s gaze moved between them. "You think I'm bluffing? I'm not. I've worked for years to foster a relationship with the Haldeel. I'm not going to let you jeopardize that."

Jin let out a guffaw. "Hate to break it to you, but the Haldeel see you as a distant acquaintance, nothing more."

The pupils of Yukina's eyes dilated as the air around her body got colder. "Test me and I'll have you sent to the Manth sector. You'll do nothing but chase pirates for the rest of your lives."

Dead silence came after her words.

"Kira!" Jin whispered.

"No."

"But—"

"Don't do it," Kira warned.

Jin made a sound as high pitched as a tea kettle as his spherical body vibrated with excitement. "Pirate hunters. We're going to be pirate hunters."

Damn it. She'd lost him.

Jin bobbed up and down, looking like a jack in the box. "I never say this, but be yourself, Kira, and we can realize our lifelong dream."

Jin screamed to himself as he careened in a circle. "We'll get a big fancy hat and an artificial leg. This is going to be great.

Kira tilted her face up to the ceiling and sighed.

She knew the reasoning behind Jin's overblown antics was to draw attention away from her. He was an old hat at playing the fool to give her space to work unobstructed.

Perfect teamwork as always—except for one thing.

There were those in this room who easily saw through their schemes.

"Quit teasing her," Wren ordered.

Just like that, Jin settled down, turning serious in an instant. "Fine, but next time, if you're going to threaten someone at least make it something they fear."

To Yukina's credit, she was able to ignore Jin's distraction, instead focusing on Kira. "What is between you and that royal?"

"I'm curious to know as well," the oshota next to her said.

Graydon stretched one arm across the back of the couch.