A large hand landed on her neck, cool and reassuring. She knew without looking it belonged to Graydon. "No, the process has already started. Removing her now would make her next experience that much more painful."
Kira grunted. "I'm fine with never returning to this place again."
Screw any sense of connection she felt. It wasn't worth whatever this was. She wanted out. Her skin damn near felt like it was about to burst.
"Sorry, coli. You're not getting off that easily," Graydon said.
Strangely, he didn't sound sorry in the least, Kira noted.
She dug her nails into his wrist in wordless retaliation. His chuckle was warm.
"Steady. I'll help you through this," Graydon said soothingly.
Kira would prefer not to be in this at all, but if he was going to help, he needed to do it soon.
The current running through her was powerful and could turn dangerous. Memories of another time when she'd set that current free swamped her. If that happened, she doubted anybody on the shuttle would be landing safely.
"I've never felt such a strong reaction from the Mea'Ave," Amila said in a hushed voice.
"She's been gone a long time," Graydon said. "It seems the Mea'Ave knows it and is trying to make up for lost time."
"It's too much." Amila's voice sounded strained. "Her mind will break if this continues."
"Let me in, coli," Graydon said soothingly, his thumb caressing the side of her throat.
"Someone had better do something, or I'm lighting this place up," Jin snarled. He sounded like he was two seconds from doing exactly that.
"Noor, get him away from us," Graydon rumbled.
There were sounds of a brief struggle and then Graydon's warm presence returned. He scooped her up and suddenly Kira was sitting in his lap. He tucked her head under his chin, making a strange rumbling sound in his chest that sounded like a purr.
"You're holding onto the ki. You need to redirect it," Graydon said in her ear.
"I don't know how to do that," Kira panted.
By now, the power was sending painful prickles throughout her skin. She would have given it back if she could.
"Relax, I will help you," Graydon said.
He pressed his cheek against hers. A connection sprung to life between the two of them, strong and radiant. A line snapped taut. Kira fought against it, trying to push it away. No, she didn't want this.
"Stop it," he growled. "You're going to hurt yourself. It's temporary."
Kira stopped pushing, relaxing enough to analyze what was happening.
"Feel what I'm doing," he instructed.
Sure enough, she could feel the push and pull of the energy in his body as it collected the ki and then pushed it out, giving as much as taking. There was a limitless well of it inside him, deep and vast, an ocean to rival the one beneath them on the planet.
"Do you understand now?" he asked.
Kira didn't need to voice her assent, knowing the connection currently binding them meant he would know already.
Her attempts were fumbling at first but gradually she got the hang of it, cycling the planet's energy through her body before returning it. After the first few successes, the line of energy from the planet abruptly abated, as if now that it knew Kira had the capability, it didn't need to push the energy on her anymore.
Her breathing eased as the taut line relaxed, leaving Kira able to process something beyond the incredible energy.
Graydon's presence eased up, the connection between them thinning.
Kira straightened in his lap, her gaze meeting his for one tension-filled moment. Her body shook as she eased her body off of his lap. She collapsed into a chair beside him.
"What the hell was that?" she finally rallied herself enough to ask.
Graydon twitched with amusement. "That was the Mea'Ave, the mother of the planet."
Kira watched him blankly. That told her nothing.
He seemed to understand. "Your people have a name for us, don't they? Wizards, I believe."
Kira didn't confirm or deny. It was unclear whether he found the name insulting or not.
"They're not far off," he admitted. "Our home is capable of filling us with the Mea'Ave. We can manipulate its energy, turn it to other uses to fit our needs. Other societies have often misinterpreted this as magic."
Kira kept her reaction to that under control.
"What you experienced was the planet feeling your plight and offering itself up to heal you."
"I'm not injured," Kira pointed out.
Graydon rubbed his neck. "You've been separated from her for decades. All Tuann exist off her energy in part; it's what renews us. The Mea'Ave must have interpreted your low reserves as dangerous and tried to adjust them for you."
And Kira's body would have viewed that as an attack after what amounted to years of starvation and tried to hold onto what it had gathered.
"I see." She did, but only in part. "You said you were afraid of this. Why wasn't I warned beforehand?"
"It shouldn't have been this severe," Graydon said, his expression contemplative. A hint of trouble pulled at his mouth. "It reacted like you were near death's door. Why is that?"
Kira didn't like the question. "It's your crazy planet, you tell me."
Graydon's head tilted as he studied her. "You're keeping secrets, coli."
She snorted, not letting his seriousness intimidate her. "Who isn't?"
The smile that took over his face took Kira by surprise. It was the first unguarded expression she'd seen on him. It spoke of a joy edged with ruthlessness, breathtaking while hinting at the brutality inside.
There was a slight hum and then the smallest of jolts.
Graydon looked up, his expression turning serious, but not before she caught a glimpse of a fierce anticipation. "We've landed. It's time."
CHAPTER TEN
Kira stood on the edge of the field, nerves churning in her stomach and the shuttle a comforting presence behind her. She visualized walking inside it, commandeering the pilot chair and flying away from this place.
She sighed. Tempting as that would be, running away now would only create problems down the road. Besides, if she truly wanted to disappear, her best option was light years away, waiting for her at O'Riley.
Men and women dressed in synth armor of the darkest green, gold detailing on their crests, marched out of the woods. As they neared, Kira saw the symbol on their armor was remarkably similar to the one on her forearm.
Guess Graydon hadn't been lying when he said she bore their mark. Not that she really doubted him at this point. The encounter with the planet's energy had cleared up any reservations she had.
The men and women approached, their gazes dark and flinty, grim masks meant to intimate and cow.
Strangely enough, the sight steadied Kira. She'd always been the rebellious type. Give her an ounce of disapproval and she'd do everything in her power to prove you right. It was a flaw, but one that came in handy right about now.
The leader of these new guards strode toward Graydon, a gold cape flapping in the wind. He looked like a holo actor from a period drama of a time in Earth's history when they fought battles with swords and arrows, a hero come to rescue the princess from the dragon.