chiseled lines into that once familiar face. Her eyes were haunted, and even when smiling, she seemed sad.
"E-Elise." Tears squeezed out of the corner of her eyes.
Elise stroked Kira's forehead. "Yes."
"You're really you," Kira managed to get out.
Elise's eyes glistened. "In the flesh, pippy bunny."
A broken sound came from Kira.
The third code.
It was really her.
"Wh-where have you been?"
Elise continued to brush her fingers across Kira's forehead, the movement soothing some of the agony currently splitting Kira apart.
"Here and there." Elise shook her head at Kira. "Don't ask. I won't explain."
Kira's back bowed at a new surge of agony.
Elise reached for the inhibitor cuff, ignoring Kira’s moan of warning. "I've never deserved you, my dearest."
The cuff unlocked under her fingers, falling away from Kira's wrist.
The barrier that had kept the weight of her ki from crushing her as she recuperated on Ta Da'an disappeared.
Kira screamed as soul’s breath surged up from her core, burning a fiery path through her ki channels.
"Shh," Elise soothed. "Your body is adjusting to the sudden influx. This'll pass soon. Ride the wave, little sister."
A man's legs moved into view behind Elise. "You can't stay. They'll be here soon. We have to go before that."
Her thoughts swamped with a pain that threatened to incinerate her, Kira barely registered the fact he spoke in Tsavitee.
Elise looked to the side and nodded. "I know."
The tendons in Kira's neck strained as her body was pulled tight, her muscles clenching so hard she feared they'd snap her bones.
Cold spread from where Elise touched her, taking away some of the pain and letting Kira think again.
"Stay,” Kira begged.
"I can't," Elise confided. "They need me."
There were people here who needed her too.
Elena. Raider. Kira.
Elise leaned forward, pressing her forehead against Kira's. "I can't abandon them. They remind me too much of us."
"Time is up," the man said in an emotionless voice.
Elise straightened, her gaze going distant. A misty smile touched her face. "Don't worry, Kira. You won't be alone long. He's coming for you. By the way, I approve of him.”
Elise picked up the object she'd set aside and placed it against Kira's chest.
"Jin will wake up soon," Elise promised.
If Kira hadn’t recognized that round shape as Jin, she never would have known it was him. His spot in her mind was unnervingly quiet.
Elise dropped a kiss on Kira's forehead. "My daughter is so beautiful. Thank you for protecting her."
Kira sobbed as Elise rose. "Don't. Please."
The prospect of being abandoned by her again was more than she could bear.
Kira had never begged before—but for Elise, for Elena, there wasn’t a lot she wouldn’t do.
Elise paused; her expression pained.
Finally catching sight of Elise's companion, Kira’s breath caught. The man towered over Elise, dwarfing her with his massive frame. His skin was as dark as the void and there were symbols etched in red on his face and arms. Horns curled up proudly from his head.
He'd be considered handsome if one was willing to overlook the fact that he was a Tsavitee general.
Vivid yellow eyes watched Kira dispassionately. To him, she was of no more significance than a bug trying to survive.
"I have to, Kira. I made a promise," Elise said as the man took her hand to draw her away. "You can't save me but you can help me. Just keep your promise to the changeling."
Summoning the strength from somewhere, Kira flipped onto her stomach to crawl after Elise. The motion caused Jin to roll off her.
Reflexively, Kira caught him before he could fall over the edge of the walkway.
When she looked up again, Elise and the general were already gone.
She was alone. Again.
Despair crashed over Kira. She didn't try to stop the tears or the grief as she sank onto the deck, her strength deserting her.
She was alone again.
*
A long time later, Odin's repeated hails brought her back to herself.
"Kira, answer me. Damn it, Kira, the kid is going crazy."
"I'm here."
Kira's throat felt raw and dry as if the outpouring of emotion had sucked the energy out of her.
"Finally," Odin said in relief. "Did you get Jin?"
The walkway under her body vibrated.
Kira turned her head, watching as a Tsavitee war party stamped toward her. Infantry drones, not so affectionately nicknamed demons, made up the ranks.
They spotted her.
The big one in the center barked several guttural commands in Tsavitee.
Would you look at that? The lambs had delivered themselves to the slaughter.
"Kira?" Odin asked.
Kira didn't answer, pulling herself to her feet. Runes wrote themselves on her skin as she raised her face to the ceiling.
She