Graydon couldn't let her run.
Her desperation beat at him, shredding his insides. He didn't relent. This was their best opportunity. He had to act now. Every time she looped, she'd grow weaker. Eventually, there would be no pulling her out. This had to happen now.
Their wills tangled as they fought for control.
The balance wavered before tipping back toward Kira. Jin appeared beside Graydon.
"Sorry, dearest. Time for a little tough love. You need to wake up, and this is the fastest way," Jin said with a sad smile.
The bridge disappeared, the black void of space taking its place, glittering stars caught in its depths. Below him, a moon reflected the light of a strange sun.
"Curs, rally on me. I have a plan," Kira shouted.
"There’s no time. We're not going to make it,” Elise said.
“Yes, you can,” Kira shouted. “Trust me. It’ll work.”
“I’m sorry, Phoenix. It wasn’t supposed to happen like this,” Elise said in a broken voice. “I’ve left you something. Find it. Protect it. Trust no one.”
Time skipped.
Kira's scream of denial came as the moon splintered, pieces of it shooting into space from the force of the explosion.
"Pull her out now, before she relives this," Jin ordered.
With the last dregs of his will, Graydon shattered the world around them, the sound of Kira's agony echoing in his ears.
Graydon jolted into his body, the waters of memory and dream holding their shape. They wobbled before crashing down.
Kira fell. Graydon surged forward, catching her body and lowering them both to the ground until he was kneeling in the water.
She screamed; one long, drawn-out agonized sound after another. It was painful to listen to and even more difficult to watch as he clutched her to him, making soothing sounds.
She sobbed, the sounds broken as they reached inside Graydon and twisted. He hated what he'd made her relive, even as he knew it had been utterly necessary.
Gradually, he became aware of her speaking into his chest as he rocked her back and forth.
"They're gone. They'reThey'regonethey'regonethey'regone."
Harlow met Graydon's eyes. His expression almost lost as he took in his niece. The Overlord wasn't used to helplessness. It didn't sit well.
He withdrew into himself, a mask slamming down as his attention shifted to the culprits of what happened. There was no mercy in him as he made his way toward Aeron.
"Shh, I've got you," Graydon crooned. He lifted a hand, pushing her hair away from her face. "I know, cheva nier, but you're not alone now. I'm here."
Her pain gutted him.
Jin drifted beside her.
"She sacrificed herself for you," Graydon said softly. A word crept along the edges of his mind, one he tried to ignore, knowing the ramifications of it would change everything.
It pushed forward anyway. Soul bound.
"Yes," Jin agreed. "Not all of her secrets are hers to tell."
It was a warning, one Graydon would do well to pay attention to.
As secrets go, this one was dangerous. There hadn't been a soul bound since the Tuann's escape from their merciless masters.
That there was one now would rock the very foundations of their society if it ever got out.
He was starting to understand the full ramifications of Kira's existence and the potential for danger she held.
*
Numbness spread through Kira as she clutched Graydon, nuzzling her face into his neck. Just one more minute, and then she'd pull herself together.
She needed to face the consequences of this—but not yet.
Even knowing she shouldn't, Kira's head lifted, her lips unerringly finding Graydon's.
She needed to forget, if only for a minute. All of the pain. All of the sadness. She needed to know there was more to this life than death and loss.
Graydon had come for her, dragged her scratching and clawing from the darkness. He was still here, even after he'd seen her in some of her worst moments.
Graydon's hand rose, cupping her nape. His passion matching hers. The kiss was gentle, as if he was afraid of breaking her—until he wasn't.
They sank into each other. The rest of the world faded away. The only thing of importance the way their lips clung, heated and warm. A brand that marked and claimed.
Someone cleared their voice loudly next to her.
It took several seconds before Kira could force herself to draw back, her breathing fast as arousal swam through her veins.
The brutal beauty of Graydon's face eclipsed the rest of the room. The visible battle he fought not to pull her to him and continue their interlude was reassuring. She wasn't the only one fighting not to finish what they'd started.
"As touching as this is, I'm not sure your uncle wants to see you getting busy with the commander," Jin drawled. "I second that sentiment, if you were wondering."
Kira felt drained and weak as she propped herself on one hand. "You couldn't have found another way?"
Jin darted into her chest. Her arms closed around him as his voice came, muffled. "Graydon seemed convinced this was our best option."
Kira dropped a kiss on his smooth metal. "Thank you for coming for me. I know that couldn't have been easy for you."
Jin carried his own scars from those memories.
Jin drew back. "It wasn't."
The other two were starting to recover from their immersion in Kira's mind. Devon bolted upright, landing on his hands and knees as he lost the contents of his stomach.
Finished, he scrubbed at his mouth, looking lost. "How do you bear it?"
Kira's smile was halfhearted. "What other choice is there?"
Their conversation was interrupted as the oshota forced Aeron up and onto his knees, not bothering to be gentle as they did so.
To Kira's surprise, Aeron didn't seem defeated, sitting there on his knees, oshota on either side and one behind him, en-blades unsheathed.
She frowned.
He seemed resigned, if anything.
"Why did you do this?" Harlow asked.
Aeron's head lifted, his eyes finding Kira's. "You weren't supposed to be here. He said you were done with the Tuann."
"So sorry to ruin your plans," Jin said when Kira remained silent, watching Aeron carefully.
Aeron’s smile was humorless. “Me too, but that’s why I’m here. Insurance, right? For when things go wrong.”
His gaze fell on Loudon as black crawled across Aeron's eyes, his skin darkening. “We couldn’t exactly trust a Tuann to secure such a valuable prize as Devon. He’s going to be the new you, Kira. It’s why they sent me.”
"Primus," an oshota shouted, his en-blade already swinging.
Aeron’s hand shot up, catching the blade. He bared incisors that had lengthened into fangs. Horns curled up from his head as he ripped the blade away. He swung, and the oshota flew back.
"Wrong," Aeron said, adjusting his shoulders as if trying to get comfortable in his new form.
"General," Kira whispered.
Kira’s world shifted as her preconceptions were realigned. The generals were like the Tuann; they had more than one form.
Around them, the oshota scrambled in the face of the unexpected threat.