Light glimmered in its depths, reflecting off hundreds of standing sheets of mirrors that reminded Kira of liquid water.
She paused, taking in the impossible scene before her gaze snagged on Devon, his expression startled as he glanced over his shoulder from where he kneeled like a supplicant in front of one of the mirrors, water seeping into his pants. His chest was bare, as were his feet.
"Kira? What are you doing here?" he asked.
Kira started toward him. "Devon, I don't have time to explain, but we need to get out of here."
He rose. "I can't leave yet. I'm still in the trial."
Kira struggled with her impatience. "That'll have to wait. There are people who want to kill you in here. That's a little bit more important."
Life first. Passing the trial came second.
Devon took a step away, frowning in suspicion.
Kira jolted forward, before forcing herself to remain where she was. If she scared him and he ran, it would delay them further.
"I know you have no reason to trust me, but I won't hurt you." Kira held out her hand.
Devon stared at her, those familiar eyes that tugged at her memories shadowed and distrusting.
Kira held still, wrestling with impatience. Loudon and Aeron had left before her. It was a miracle she'd made it here first—one she didn't trust.
Devon's lips parted, and he looked on the verge of reclaiming that step he'd taken away from her when a voice intruded.
"You really should have listened to her," Aeron said, stalking into the room.
Kira placed herself between him and Devon. "Where's your little buddy?"
"He'll be along shortly. His arrogance with you cost him. That explosion you made caused damage." The cheerful smile Aeron always seemed to have ready, was vaguely threatening, no hint of friendliness to it.
"You know who I am?" Devon asked in a low voice meant only for her ears.
"Not a clue. I just don't like letting the bad guys have what they want."
Technically, it was true. Right now, she had theories and suppositions. No confirmation.
Regardless of if he was who she suspected or not, she likely would have placed herself in the same position. Devon wasn't an innocent, but that didn't mean she was going to let him die.
"Come on, Devon, don't you want to take primus form again? It was so much fun last time," Aeron taunted.
Devon went still behind her, his limbs stiff and set. "I knew you had something to do with that."
Aeron's lips quirked. "Should have listened to your instincts." He looked around. "I know why you didn't, though. You Tuann think it's impossible to force another's primus to the surface."
His gaze to Kira. "The iffli knows intimately how that feels."
Kira saw Devon look at her out of the corner of her eye, his surprise impossible to conceal. "You have a primus form?"
Kira ignored him, keeping her attention on the real enemy.
"Sure, she does. It's why she interfered. She knows what it’s like to kill your allies by accident," Aeron said, tilting his head. "Couldn't stand to see someone else face the same fate, could you?"
Kira held her silence.
Loudon limped into the room, blood trailing him from wounds in his leg and side.
"What are you doing here?" Devon asked.
"He's a traitor. Don't you wish you'd left when I asked?" Kira said, inching toward him.
Things had gotten worse if that was possible. It had taken both Wren and Kira to force Aeron onto the defensive. Alone, facing Aeron and Loudon—even with one of them injured—Kira wasn't confident of her ability to win.
She would have much preferred to run. An option that was no longer available.
"I'm beginning to see your point," Devon said.
Her snicker was quick. He was funny. If he hadn't had a propensity to be an ass or let ambition blind him, she might have even found him moderately likable.
"What do we do?" he murmured.
Kira's gaze flicked between Aeron and Loudon.
"Kira?"
"I'm thinking."
An image shifted in the water. The long, sleek form of a lu-ong snaked along the surface, rippling over the water underneath and across the mirrors like an echo. Almost ghostly in how he moved.
"What is this place?" Kira asked.
"It's the final test. Designed to offer you your greatest desire, it can be difficult distinguishing between reality and a fantastical dream," he said.
Kira's head cocked.
"What about memories? Can it show you them?"
Devon hesitated. "Yes. That’s part of it. Those with pasts are forced to confront them by reliving the most difficult pieces."
Kira bared her teeth. Good enough.
She had plenty of those moments to relive.
"You choose the depth to which you lose yourself," he said. "Most only peer into the surface. That is difficult enough to survive."
Kira straightened and stretched out her hands, tendrils of ki reaching out. Droplets of water lifted from the mirrors and puddles around her to stream toward her. Faster and faster until rivulets turned into airborne rivers.
Loudon's eyes widened. "Stop her. She’s trying to pull us into her mind."
Kira grinned. That was the hope anyway.
"Devon, I'm sorry about this," she said over her shoulder.
The water surged before he could finish his question, encasing the four of them. Kira looked up, finding the wizened face of the baby lu-ong peering at her.
I really hope you're right, she thought at it.
As a plan, it was a shoddy one at best. Here's hoping Graydon did his part.
Kira floated as a voice greeted her. "Yo, Phoenix, are you done lollygagging, or can we go kick some Tsavitee ass?"
*
Harlow's blade whistled past Graydon's nose, centimeters separating Graydon from death as he leaned back the barest bit. Had Harlow's blade connected, it likely would have split Graydon’s skull.
"Feeling a little enthusiastic this morning, are we?" Graydon lunged, his blade flicking up.
Harlow blocked, barely preventing himself from being skewered in the side.
Now that their greeting was over, the real fight could begin.
The older Tuann bared his teeth, whipping his en-blade around. Graydon evaded, parrying as Harlow pressed his attack. Faster and faster until their blades were a blur—fluid and graceful in a beautiful dance as they tried their utmost to kill each other.
Graydon raised his blade, blocking the Overlord's downward strike. The blades screamed as the combatants locked together
"You've gotten old," Graydon said through gritted teeth, his shoulder and biceps screaming as the Overlord bore down.
"Did I train you to talk or fight?" Harlow aimed a vicious kick at Graydon's knee.
A toothy smile spread across Graydon's face, ki flooding him as he strengthened his body. The strike stung, but it failed to break the knee as Harlow intended.
Graydon shoved the Overlord's sword away. He didn't give the Overlord time to recover, stepping into his space and hammering a punch into the other man's exposed side before ducking out of range.
"That's how you trained me," Graydon said with no small amount of satisfaction.