The Silent: Irin Chronicles Book Five(62)

“My house understands duty.”

Niran nodded. “Very well. Call your brothers and sisters then. Tell them to follow us north. We will free those under Arindam’s control and put them under the protection of the Irin house before we go after our sister. You can do with them what you will.”

Sura spoke sharply to Niran, but Niran only raised a hand. “I’m not going to argue, brother. If the Irin want the responsibility, they can take it. I have no love for Arindam’s sons. They had a chance to gain their freedom, and they chose safety instead.”

Leo said, “So we have a plan then? We’ll follow Kyra’s direction to the first compound and take out the Grigori there, free the women and children before we move to the next compound?”

Sura nodded. “I know where he’s likely to take her next, especially if they were afraid of her. There is another compound, even more isolated than the first. With Kyra’s range, she should be able to listen for it once we get past the first.”



They didn’t wait for Kyra to wake. With the prospect of a Grigori skirmish on the horizon, none of them wanted to sit idle. Leo packed up their things and loaded them into the van before he put Kyra in the back seat. They rode north over the border with little trouble. The guards were too excited about the prospect of meeting famous fighters from the US and Hong Kong to give them much scrutiny. Leo took a number of pictures with them before they drove deeper into the mysterious countryside of Myanmar.

They rode for hours, winding their way through river valleys and over mountains to a country inn where Sura was greeted by familiar hosts. Kyra was just waking as the van stopped, and Leo, Niran, and Alyah jumped out to unload their luggage.

Leo saw her blinking in the back seat.

“We’re over the border?” she asked.

He nodded.

Kyra took a deep breath, closed her eyes. “We’re close.”

“Sura knew where he was going.”

“Are they going after the women and children?” she asked in Greek, knowing they could speak anonymously in her native language.

Leo nodded.

Kyra frowned. “Are Niran and Sura—”

“Alyah has called the Bangkok house. The Irin are going to take responsibility for them.”

“It’s a risk. We don’t know where their minds are. Their father is still living.”

“Niran and I explained the danger, but Alyah wouldn’t change her mind. Ginny is already on her way north with a few scribes.”

“Singers would be better. The women would be more likely to trust other women. Unknown males will intimidate them.”

“There’s not enough,” Leo said. “Ginny and Alyah will have to do.”

She held out her hand, and Leo helped her from the van.

“What can I do?”

“How are you feeling?”

“Fine,” she said, the corner of her mouth turning up. “I wasn’t expecting company.”

“Malachi can do that with Ava,” he said. “See what she sees when she’s having a vision.”

Kyra said, “Did you think it would happen with us?”

He shook his head. “I wasn’t even thinking of it, to be honest. I just remember feeling concerned because you were somewhere I couldn’t protect you. Then I put my hands against yours and… boom.”

“I felt you,” she said. “When you arrived, I felt you. I was surprised. But you heard what I heard?”

“Probably not as clearly as you did. It was confusing.”

“Human thoughts always are. You speak the Old Language,” she said with a smile. “That means you can translate.”

“I’ll have to practice.”

“So we’ll practice.” She took his hand. “Where are we?”

“An inn that Sura knows. He says the owners are discreet.”

“And when will you go to the compound?”

Leo dropped his voice. “We’ll do some reconnaissance tonight. We might even go first thing in the morning if it looks like a straightforward raid.”

“The Grigori thoughts were unguarded,” she said. “They’ll be no match for Irin and free Grigori warriors.”

“Let’s hope not.” Leo put an arm around her shoulders. “If we can scatter them and take their charges, that will be enough for me.”





Chapter Seventeen





They didn’t want to leave her at the inn alone, but they weren’t expecting her to fight.

Their loss, Kyra decided. She could fight, especially against the scared boys who populated the compound in the hills. She’d seen the pictures Niran and Leo had brought back. She’d seen the small houses and the women, two with small children and one heavily pregnant.

“I can help with the women,” she said. “I’ve fought before. I’m not helpless.”

“Do you speak Shan or Burmese?” Alyah asked.

“No.”

“Then you won’t be much help,” the Irina said, strapping on various knives and a small pistol. “Stay with the van and keep your head down. Don’t attract attention if you can help it. Leo will be distracted enough as it is.”

Kyra suppressed the urge to hit something. Unlike Leo, who could learn languages with a few looks, Kyra didn’t have that gift. Though she was fluent in English, Greek, Bulgarian, Serbian, Turkish, and French, she had no knowledge of Asian languages. She’d never had any reason to think she would need them.