"We could always test it out," Jin said, brightening.
"Maybe later." The last thing she needed was him poking holes in her right before the trial.
Especially when she was already running behind.
Kira tapped the mirror, turning it invisible before heading to the door.
Jin zipped in front of her. "What do you say I tag along?"
"Isn't that what the lizard is for?"
Jin bobbed in front of her. "My spawn is amazing, but he isn't me. With the Tsavitee presence on this world confirmed, I think it would be best if you had backup."
"I really wish you'd stop calling him that." It sent chills down her spine every time he referred to the lizard as spawn.
"What else would I call him?" Jin asked, sounding baffled. Before Kira could answer, he pressed his argument, "I know he's great, but he lacks my sleek, debonair air. Most important, he doesn't have my offensive weapons. Face it, you need me."
Kira couldn't help poking at his pride. "That sounds like a design flaw to me."
Jin growled. "I was on a time limit. Don't worry, the next spawn will be even better."
What a dreadful thought.
Kira sidestepped Jin, scooping up the lizard and draping him around her neck. The lizard responded automatically, clasping his tail with his paws to create a necklace.
"Don't let him hear you say that. You might hurt his feelings," Kira said, cupping her hand over the lizard's ears as she stepped past her friend.
Jin whirled. "You know he doesn't have feelings, right? He's a machine."
Kira shook her head. The irony in that statement.
She opened the door, waving over her shoulder. "I'll be back soon."
Finn was already there waiting, as he'd been every single time she opened the door. Kira started toward him.
"I would like to go on record and say this is a mistake," the lizard said in Jin's voice.
Kira pursed her lips to hide her smile. "Noted. I'll file it with the advisory board next time we meet."
"Also, you'd better not grow to like him better than me," Jin snapped. "I'll see that you never have a warm shower again if you do."
Kira cupped the lizard, warming his strange metallic skin with her hand. "Don't worry, Jin. You'll always be first in my heart."
The lizard bussed her hand before settling with an irritated grumble.
"Ready?" Finn asked.
Kira nodded. "Any advice?"
He started toward the stairs. "Be true to yourself and focus on your task."
That wasn't enigmatic or anything.
Finn led her through the fortress, their path to the Hall of Ancestors a direct one. There were to be no detours this time.
Despite that, they found the halls crowded with Tuann. Some were in the synth armor of warriors and oshota. Each of them lifted their chins in a sign of respect as Kira passed. Interspersed throughout their ranks were those wearing clothing similar to Kira's. The artisans or those among Roake who had chosen a path not lined with violence.
They cradled bundles of flowers similar to the type she'd seen her uncle place in front of the memorial. As she passed, they bowed and set the flowers at their feet, lining the path behind her on either side with a riot of color.
"What are they doing?" Kira asked.
Her pace slowed as she watched the Tuann acknowledge her passage with reverence and a hushed appreciation, more than one of them touching their chest and then their forehead before offering their hands in her direction.
Finn remained facing forward as he padded down the corridor. "The Trial of the Broken is dangerous. Initiates have died in the undertaking. They're paying their respects to your courage, and asking you to come back alive."
Kira waited for several seconds, taking in the faces of those present. They didn't know her. Not really. Why then had they gone through the trouble? They would have had to take time out of their day to do this. The flowers said this had taken preparation and thought.
"Why?" Kira found herself asking, feeling overwhelmed.
Finn paused, glancing at her. "Because you're a daughter of our House. You're family."
Kira had no response to that, instead choosing to keep her own counsel as they continued. This was much more than she had expected. More than she had prepared for.
"It's kind of nice, if you think about it," Jin said quietly.
Kira didn't answer. She couldn't. Her throat felt thick with emotion.
Finally, they reached the familiar doors to the Hall of Ancestors. Finn stopped in front of them as Kira peered inside. The room was empty. Each initiate would take the trial alone, the rest waiting until the previous had passed or failed—whichever fate and their talent decided.
"I await your success," Finn said.
She didn't answer for several seconds, oddly intimidated. There was something about it all. She'd flown countless missions, faced death numerous times, yet standing here on the precipice, she found herself nervous.
"You've done much harder things," Finn assured her.
She nodded. He was right. She had. Just because the stakes felt high, her entire future resting on the outcome, that was no reason to stress.
"Finn," she said, stopping him. She waited until he looked at her. "In case I didn't say it before—thank you. It was nice to have someone watching my back again."
Even if she hadn't always let him do his job to the fullest extent of his abilities. That didn't mean she didn't appreciate his efforts.
"And I will again," he promised.
Her smile was crooked. "No talking you out of it?"
He shook his head, not bothering to answer as he walked away.
Yeah, she hadn't thought so either.
Kira stepped into the Hall of Ancestors, the statues lining either side of the walkway watching as she marched toward the wall Graydon had shown her the last time she stood here.
She stopped in front of it, her gaze tracing the lines and circles that still reminded her of a stylized version of a solar system's orbit.
"Looks like you're the only thing standing in my way," she told the wall.
Kira settled into wait.
Last night, Rheya had explained how the test worked. Each initiate stepped past the wall on their own. Only once they had passed or failed would the doorway appear again.
The soft fall of footsteps alerted Kira to the fact she wasn't alone. Wren joined her at the wall, studying it in the same way she had.
"I thought Loudon would be the one to see me off," Kira said.
"Normally, yes, but I asked him if I could be the one to prepare you for your trial."
Kira waited, knowing he'd likely reveal his reason soon enough.
"You should reconsider this path," Wren finally said.
Kira sighed. There it was.
She’d been half-expecting this.
She cast a glance at Wren, wondering how he had ended up being the one to broach this topic with her. She could see Graydon—even Harlow—undertaking this task. But Wren?
It wasn't like they were close. He had been clear in his interactions with the initiates. He wasn't their friend and probably didn't care one way or another about their success.
His teachings were amazing—astoundingly so given his cold manner—but he wasn't the type to sit you down and offer advice. No, orders were more his speed.