Threshold of Annihilation (The Firebird Chronicles #3) - T.A. White Page 0,134
food consisting only of items she’d enjoyed while on Ta Da’an and Ta Sa’Riel.
Graydon had paid much closer attention to her than she previously realized.
Kira picked a cube of blue fruit up and popped it in her mouth. It was tart and sweet, a perfect balance of flavor.
She’d never realized how amazing food was until she’d lived with the Tuann. Before them, food was a necessity. Something she had to eat to survive.
Simply put, only a small microcosm of human food suited her palate. The rest either made her sick or tasted awful.
Kira had found enough options never to go hungry, but she also didn’t go out of her way to eat.
Furtive sounds from the window drew her attention.
Jin rose into view as he used a plant to shield him from the sight of those below. His “eye” was focused on the garden.
“What are you doing?” Kira asked, picking up her chai and moving toward him.
The transparent barrier separating her room from the balcony swished out of the way, allowing her to step outside.
She peered past the plant Jin was using as a hiding spot to find Devon and Joule practicing their sword play.
“Gathering information,” Jin said grudgingly.
AKA spying.
Kira took a sip of her chai. “Is that where you were last night?”
He’d disappeared after they’d returned from the races and she hadn’t seen him since.
Jin’s answer was a grunt.
Kira settled against the balcony, watching the two below with interest.
“You’re wrong about Devon,” Jin suddenly burst out. “I’ve been studying him. I don’t see a resemblance. At all.”
“Ah,” Kira hummed.
So it was to be denial then.
Not entirely unexpected. Kira had gone through a similar phase herself. With Jin, it would likely be more pronounced. He had always been way more stubborn than her.
“We have nothing in common,” he argued, swinging his eye to face her.
“What are you basing this on?” Kira asked, curious.
“Looks.”
Kira’s eyebrows climbed as she fought to hold in her laughter. “You remember what you look like?”
“Not really, but I know it’s nothing like him.” Jin dipped in Devon’s direction.
“Anything else?”
“I’m also not nearly as annoying. Our mannerisms are nothing alike.”
“I agree with that last part,” Kira muttered into her chai.
“He’s an ass,” Jin said flatly.
Kira smiled. “I’d argue you can be one too on occasion.”
Jin sputtered as Kira poked him.
“Also, he hasn’t displayed any ass-like qualities since the uhva na on Ta Sa’Riel,” Kira pointed out.
“Only because you saved his life. I’m sure he’d still be an asshole otherwise.”
Perhaps, but Kira thought it was more from how close he’d come to being kidnapped by the Tsavitee. Something like that tended to change a person’s outlook.
Whatever the case, neither of them had spent enough time with Devon to make an accurate judgment on his personality one way or another.
“There’s no way he’s my brother.”
That had Kira looking over at him. “His eyes are the same as yours were.”
Jin made a dismissive sound. “Eye color isn’t a deciding factor. Many people could have that eye color.”
Kira gave up, knowing no amount of argument was going to solve this today. “You’re stubborn.”
Jin twisted one way then another, his emotions spilling into their bond. Anxiety and apprehension mixed with unease. Beneath it all, the smallest kernel of longing.
“I don’t want to open myself up to hurt down the line,” he whispered.
Kira’s expression softened. She could understand that. Wasn’t it at the core of why she had so much trouble accepting Harlow and Roake?
It hurt to get your hopes up only to have them dashed in the end.
Rejection in any form was corrosive. It ate away at the person you were.
Both Kira and Jin had been conditioned to expect the worst out of people. It was damn near impossible sometimes to remember the universe wasn’t always a dark place.
“How would they ever accept what I’ve become?” Jin asked. “The answer is they wouldn’t, and you know it.”
Kira’s expression was contemplative as she set the cup of chai on the railing.
The conversation with Graydon pointed to the truth of Jin’s words. Still, she didn’t want her friend to turn away just because he was afraid.
Jin had always been fearlessly himself, not caring what others thought he should be.
It was one of the things Kira loved most about him, and she wouldn’t see it change for anything.
“Perhaps you’re right,” Kira allowed. “But I think I remember it was you who said it couldn’t hurt to learn a little more about these people before we reject them.”