The monolith's traps weren't the only surprise the forest held. During one of her runs, Kira had stumbled across an obstacle course, much like the one on Luatha. It had taken some quick thinking to escape a swarm of drones and make it back over the fence with no one but Finn the wiser.
Since then, Kira had been careful to mark the edges of the course, delineated by the nearly invisible energy fence around its perimeter.
Finished with her run for the day, Kira headed for the arched gate she’d grown familiar with, the evening shadows deepening as she made her way through the forest.
Today, unlike other days, a small figure crouched at the base of the gate, nearly hidden where he sat.
Kira slowed as she and Finn traded a long look.
"I'll handle this," Kira said.
"As you wish." Finn paced a few steps away, giving them the illusion of privacy.
"Joule, I could be wrong, but your session with Maida finished hours ago," Kira said in greeting.
Kira had made it a point to keep track of when others were in the forest. Some of the things she was attempting would likely get her in trouble if others found out.
She’d learned early on that Roake wasn't the only House who used the forest. Other Houses sent people to train there as well.
Kira had gotten quite good at slipping through the trees unseen. It had become a sort of game, one Finn was happy to oblige her in, teaching her techniques to conceal her presence both physically and on the ki level.
Which was why Joule's presence was so startling. It wasn’t the norm.
A pair of morose eyes met hers.
Kira knew that look. Things weren't going the way someone had thought they would.
"That's an awfully long face for someone who got everything they wanted. Things not working out like you hoped?" Kira asked.
Joule's jaw tightened, an angry kind of misery radiating from him.
That was a yes then.
Spotting a bottle of water in his hand, Kira nodded to it. "Is that for me?"
He looked at the water as if surprised before handing it over to Kira.
She took several sips, the water cool and refreshing. Only once she'd drunk half of it, did she nod at the gate. "Let's go. You don't want to be in these woods after dark."
It had only taken one late day for Kira to realize the danger. Nocturnal predators hunted here after sunset. They were big and deadly enough to consider even a Tuann fair game.
Joule started. "How do you know that?"
Kira scratched her cheek, her eyes sliding away.
"Someone just got caught doing something they're not supposed to," Jin said gleefully.
Kira pointed at Finn. "Sometimes, it's helpful to have a source of information who refuses to leave your side."
Finn was expressionless as he stared at the two of them, giving nothing away. Sometimes her unwelcome guard had his uses, like now when he made the perfect fall guy.
He hadn't told her anything about the forest, letting her experience its dangers for herself.
Joule didn't question her further, standing and dusting off his pants before touching the gate. His forehead furrowed as the runes shifted, and a path opened.
Since her arrival, Kira had learned the archways acted like a network. You could go anywhere as long as there was a corresponding archway on the other side that you had permission to access. Your ki had to be encoded into the archway before use, otherwise, the connection would fail to establish.
A sheen of color rolled over the middle of the archway, radiating a slight haze, similar to what you got when very hot rays of light hit a surface like sand or blacktop and reflected a shimmer.
Joule stepped through, Kira and Finn following.
The sound of the sea greeted her as the ocean stretched into the distance. Kira glanced behind them, unsurprised to find the hulking form of the fortress.
Joule didn’t wait, continuing along the small dirt path, lined with long grasses on either side. Kira followed.
"What did you want to talk about?" she asked.
It was obvious something was on his mind.
His eyes remained trained on the horizon as they made their way to the cliff's edge, the chilly wind drying any lingering sweat on Kira's skin.
It was colder here, much colder than the forest, and not necessarily comfortable. Hopefully, whatever Joule had to say wouldn't take long. Kira already longed to retreat to the warmth of her room.
"I heard them talking," Joule finally confessed. "They called you an abomination and a coward. They said Roake should never have allowed you to become an initiate."
Kira took a slow sip of the water as she considered Joule. "That's it? That's why you look like the rug has been pulled out from under you?"
Confusion descended on his face.
Kira waved a hand. "Earth saying. It means you've had the balance knocked out of you."
Joule neared, his expression earnest. "You don't understand. If they think you shouldn't be here, they'll challenge you. The seon’yers won't be able to stop a challenge for those who haven't passed their adva ka unless it becomes life threatening."
Kira whistled. "Sounds scary." She glanced at Finn. "Anything to add?"
Finn's gaze was steady as he regarded her. "Initiates cannot kick someone out of the program. Officially."
Kira waited, knowing there was more.
"However, they can make life very difficult for someone they deem unworthy." Finn's lips twitched as if he was amused at the prospect they might try. "Unrelenting challenges are one method to obtain that goal."
Kira studied the water bottle. "Humans do something similar."
It was never pretty when it happened, but the training cadre usually turned a blind eye. People who were too different might not survive the sustained efforts of their peers to force them out. Things could easily get out of hand, which was why it was technically against military regulations to haze a fellow soldier. Despite that, it still happened.
"I'm surprised they haven't tried that with Raider and Blue." The other initiates, with Devon leading the charge, had made no qualms about voicing their dislike of the humans' presence.
Joule's eyes dropped.
Finn looked uncomfortable as he said, "I believe they've faced some difficulty. However, the other initiates underestimated the humans' stubbornness and ingenuity. I don't have all the information, but it appears the blue-haired one's retaliation was decisive—and impressive."
That surprised a snort out of Kira. "That sounds like Blue."
She was always resourceful and never willing to turn the other cheek.
"And Raider?" she asked.
"He's held his own so far," Finn said.
That was good. And unsurprising.
Kira gazed unseeing at the horizon, contemplating what Joule and Finn had shared. A lot had happened while she'd focused on herself. None of it could be helped. Blue and Raider had to establish respect for themselves, and it sounded like they were doing that.
Kira nodded. "Sounds like it's handled."
Done with the conversation, Kira started toward the castle. Joule jolted, hand upraised as if to stop her. "Wait, we need to talk about this."
Kira grabbed his outstretched arm, jerking him toward her as she swept his leg out from under him. He tumbled, jolting to a stop when she caught the collar of his light armor, one that was little better than leather strips over his vital area, likely the best he could afford given the state of his House.