Threshold of Annihilation (The Firebird Chronicles #3) - T.A. White Page 0,55

be remembered long after the planet's visitors headed home.

Kira stopped in front of a shop's window, using the reflection to check the path behind her. So far, so good. There was no sign of followers.

Finn studied their surroundings with an alert gaze. He'd know the second they procured a tail.

It was now or never. She couldn't keep wandering around the city with no destination. Eventually she'd run into someone who would recognize her even with the wig she wore.

"You sure about this, Kira? She did say no Tuann. Taking Finn could cause problems for us," Jin said as if sensing her thoughts.

"He won't reveal their secrets."

"You and I know that, but do you think she'll believe that?"

Kira was thinking no.

That person was even more paranoid than Kira and Jin. That was saying something.

"If she didn't want an extra party, she shouldn't have let Elena gallivant across the universe," Kira retorted.

"I'm so glad you're going to be the one who explains that the reason you're bringing a Tuann to the meet is because she didn't keep a close enough eye on your niece. I wonder if they sell popcorn on this planet."

"You couldn't taste it anyway," Kira told him.

"You could eat it while you're showing her the error of her ways, and I'll ride your senses. Best of both worlds."

Kira stepped away from the window, heading into the part of the city often referred to by the locals as the refugee quarter. When the Haldeel had allowed those humans displaced by the war to immigrate, they hadn't placed any restrictions on where they could settle on Jettie.

Humans, however, were creatures of habit and often preferred to be surrounded by the familiar. That first wave had stuck together even after reaching the planet, settling within blocks of each other. When the next waves came, they settled around the humans who'd already started their new lives.

Since then, the refugee quarter had grown to encompass a small slice of the various human cultures. From the spicy cuisine of Galileo, to the creamy desserts of Merit and the smart fashion of New Lexington, all of it mixing into a melting pot and emerging as something entirely new.

As soon as you passed into the quarter, you knew. There was a certain atmosphere to the buildings marking their inhabitants as human. It wasn’t that the area looked rundown or dirty—the Haldeel were fanatical about such things.

There was a certain charm to the quarter. It was filled with warmth and vitality. This was a place where people lived and loved and laughed.

It was perhaps one of Kira's favorite things about humans. They brought their personality into any space they occupied. Even a Haldeel city. The buildings were as beautiful as the rest of the city, the gardens still plentiful, but everything felt different.

"I'm noticing a theme in this scenario," Kira said as she made her way through the quarter. "I take all the risks while you reap the reward."

"That's how our relationship works. I thought you knew."

A tension in Finn grew as Kira made turn after turn. It was a countersurveillance method designed to expose any potential watchers. Following their meandering path would give the person up.

"We're being watched," Finn said softly.

He was good. She hadn't known if he'd realize or not.

Finn's gaze moved over a pair of children sitting on the edge of a balcony. To a casual bystander, they would appear to be enjoying the ice ball treat they each held.

Only someone as skilled in picking up surveillance as Finn would realize that their vantage point allowed them to see anyone entering or exiting the quarter.

Furthermore, they seemed preoccupied with Kira and her party. Nor were they the first or even second instance of children a little too engrossed in her passage.

"Spare some change, lady?" a young boy asked from the shadows of a porch.

Had he not drawn attention to himself, he and the girl by his side would likely have gone unnoticed.

His hair was even more shaggy than yesterday, a cowlick sticking up like a bird's nest on his head. Clear eyes regarded Kira with a demand.

Next to him, the girl tucked in close as if too shy to interact with strangers.

Finn's hand on Kira’s arm stalled her approach. She looked up to find his expression cautious as he stared at the children.

"I've never heard of beggars on any planet belonging to the Haldeel," he warned.

There was good reason for that. The Haldeel had strict rules about employment. To stay on a planet—especially those who