“I cannot do more without harming him. More than anything, the human body needs time to heal.”
Jason helped his sister to her feet. Kayla approached them, unable to tear her eyes away from Leo. The older ruin rat now appeared to be resting more comfortably. “He’ll be okay?”
Ariana nodded. “Yes. He’ll be much as he was before.”
Hope welled up inside Kayla as she looked down at the man who had raised her. Leo was stubborn, pig-headed, and infuriating, but she loved him. If it weren’t for him, she would have died in the ruins along with everyone else. The thought of losing him now was crippling. He’d probably tell her to toughen up and remind her that everyone has their time, but that was a lesson she was willing to wait to learn. She swallowed, trying to suppress her emotions, and lifted her head to look at Ariana.
The young woman’s eyes were filled with understanding. She stepped forward and embraced Kayla. In a soft voice, too low for anyone to hear, she murmured, “He loves you too, Kayla. You’ve always been the child of his heart.”
Kayla blinked back the tears threatening to fall. She didn’t know how Ariana knew how Leo felt, but her words had the ring of truth. In an uncharacteristic move, she hugged Ariana tightly. “Thank you for helping him.”
A moment later, the door opened and Seara walked inside with Trenon and Miranda, the former exiles. Veridian, Cruncher, Rand, and several others from the trading camps also entered. Relief flooded through Kayla, and she rushed over to Veridian. She threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly. Even though Carl had told her they were fine, seeing them whole and unharmed eased her lingering worries. They were safe. They were all safe. Veridian laughed and returned her hug.
Alec stepped forward and welcomed them. “I’m glad you’re all here. We’ve got a dangerous situation going on, and we’re going to need everyone’s help to make sure we can get everyone out safely.”
Kayla listened to Alec detail the plan. Carl would be overseeing the members of the trading camps. Since they couldn’t be sure which security forces had been compromised, the trading camps would be acting as technical support.
Alec would take a small force of Inner Circle members and ruin rats to the security wing. Since the Shadows were part of the security forces, it was critical they were removed from the equation. The plan was to use the Inner Circle to draw the Shadows out from the security offices and then rely on the ruin rats to disable them. After seeing Leo’s miraculous healing, the ruin rats were both awestruck and a little envious.
Every one of them had seen friends or family members die on the surface from ailments that weren’t nearly as severe as Leo’s injuries. If there was a chance they could prevent these needless deaths from happening in the future, they were willing to throw a few punches and create a little havoc. A few of them high-fived, and Mack cracked his knuckles, not bothering to hide his glee.
The only part of the plan Kayla didn’t like was that Seara and Trenon would be going into the council room to confront the renegade Shadows face to face. Seara insisted Alec remain behind because both co-leaders couldn’t risk themselves. Alec wasn’t happy about this, but Seara had put her foot down. There was no changing her mind.
Kayla disagreed with the whole thing. No one had ever died from negotiating via commlink, but Seara was convinced this needed a more personal touch. This plan was a disaster waiting to happen.
“This is a mistake,” Kayla insisted for the second time. “If you give Felix a bit more time, he can hack into the audio. Once we get more information, you can make a decision. If you guys go walking in there, there’s no guarantee you’ll come back out. They’ve already taken the rest of the High Council hostage, why would they stop with you?”
Seara reached out and touched her arm. “Kayla, I understand your concerns, but we’re running out of time. The Shadows have been holding the High Council for hours. We don’t know if they need medical attention or even why they’re being held. If I show up as co-leader of the towers, it will let the Shadows know we’re willing to listen to their complaints and take them seriously. Besides, Trenon is a skilled orator. I’m sure he can help us convince the Shadows to release the councilors.”
Trenon puffed out his chest at the praise. Kayla scowled, crossing her arms over her chest. For such an amazing negotiator, Trenon hadn’t done that great of a job at convincing her to switch sides. She fell silent and listened as Alec continued detailing the plan.
Brant was frowning too, but he hadn’t raised any objections. Kayla carefully moved away from the group, heading toward where he was standing. She bumped his arm and whispered, “You don’t like this plan either?”
He hesitated and then shook his head. She sighed, considering the alternatives. Brant knew better than anyone whether his brethren would stand down. If he thought the plan was crap, it probably was. She couldn’t let Seara walk into that room. There was too much at stake.
Kayla nodded toward the door and said in a low voice, “Come with me.”
Brant raised an eyebrow but followed her toward the exit. As she passed Sergei, Kayla touched his arm and motioned toward the door.
The moment she was outside, she addressed both men. “We need eyes in that room. I intend to buy Felix some time until he finishes hacking the comms. If Seara goes into that room, she’ll end up as another hostage.”
Brant frowned. “What’s your plan, Kayla?”
She looked over at Sergei, remembering the first time they’d met. “That day you brought me the vodka, you attached a tracker to my shirt. It had audio capabilities too, didn’t it?”
Sergei paused, considering her question for a long moment. “Yes.”
Kayla nodded. She’d guessed as much when they’d raided the camp the next morning, but it was nice to have it confirmed. Lisia had confessed to letting the Coalition know she had returned, but only a select few had known Brant’s position as a security officer or that OmniLab was increasing camp security the following afternoon.
“I tried to bug Carl’s camp back when he was trying to recruit me. Afterward, he installed detectors at the entrance to prevent that from ever happening again. Your bug never set off any alarms though. You have technology that OmniLab can’t trace, don’t you?”
The corner of Sergei’s mouth curved up into the hint of a smile. “You are correct.”
She grinned at him. “I seem to have lost the last one you gave me. Any chance I can get a replacement? After all, I am a friend to the Coalition and all that.”
He chuckled. “That can be arranged.”
Brant looked skeptical, and Kayla knew he’d be much harder to convince. “Look, I know it’s not a great plan, but it’s better than the one they’re hatching in there. If you have another suggestion, I’m open to it. I know you don’t want anything to happen to Alec or Seara either. If we can open communication lines with the Shadows, they can negotiate from a distance. This will protect them. You know that.”
“I’m not disagreeing,” Brant admitted. “Your presence will intrigue them enough to get them to listen, but I don’t think it’s wise to put yourself at risk either. I can go without you.”
Kayla cocked her head. “Do you really think they’ll listen to you?”
When he hesitated, she sighed. “You already heard what Lars said about why they didn’t approach you. If you show up, there’s no incentive to keep you alive. You don’t have anything to offer them on your own. They know about my connection to Alec and Seara though. Plus, I have an advantage with my abilities that Alec and Seara can’t duplicate.”
Brant frowned. “There’s no guarantee they’ll listen to either of us.”
“There’s a better chance of them listening to us rather than more Inner Circle members,” Kayla pointed out. “You hated the Inner Circle when we met. You probably still do, and quite frankly, I don’t blame you. Most of them are pompous assholes.”
When he didn’t disagree, she plowed ahead. “You know the Shadows. You’ve worked with them most o
f your life. You can appeal to that side of them. As for me, no one knows better what it’s like to live between worlds. I can act as Alec and Seara’s representative while keeping them safe from harm. At the very least, it’ll get comms in that room so they can figure out what the hell is going on.”
“I had a feeling you’d figure out another way to try to get me killed,” Brant muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose. “All right. Let’s do it.”
Pleased she’d gotten him to agree, she turned back to Sergei. “Will you escort us to the council chambers? If your men see you, they’ll stand down. I don’t want anyone to know what we’re doing until it’s too late to stop us.”
Sergei arched an eyebrow. “And if you are killed by these Shadows?”
Kayla shrugged. “I’d rather not die, but at least your agreement with Alec still stands. If he and Seara are killed, who’s going to enforce your treaty?”
“Very well. One of my men will bring transponder,” Sergei agreed and then paused, considering her for a long moment. “I will be disappointed if you die. I have come to admire you more than most.” Without waiting for a response, he turned away and began speaking into his commlink.
A voice sounded behind her. “Kayla, I’m not letting you do this without me.”
She spun around. Carl’s dark eyes glittered with anger as he strode toward her. Kayla took a half-step backward, surprised by the intensity in his expression. Carl grabbed her arms, holding her in place.
“Carl, I have to—”
“No,” he argued. “I know better than to try to stop you, but I’ll be damned if you do this without me. I almost lost you the last time you went into that room. It’s not happening again.”
She shook her head. “You can’t. We need you here to coordinate with the ruin rats and the trading camps. They won’t trust anyone else.”
“Bullshit,” Carl declared, his eyes narrowing. “Rand can handle the trading camps. Your friends know and trust Felix. Both he and Rand already have a working relationship. They can handle it.” His gaze softened slightly, and his grip loosened. “Don’t ask me to walk away from you, Kayla. If you were in my shoes, you wouldn’t do it either.”
Kayla swallowed, pressing her hands against his chest. His heart beat a steady rhythm beneath her fingertips. He was right. If their situations were reversed, she’d move hell and earth to get to him. She already had and would do it again in a second.
“Your shoes not being on your feet is part of the reason we’re in this mess in the first place,” she muttered.
At Carl’s questioning look, she shook her head. “Never mind. It’s not important.” She lifted her hands to cup his face, not caring that Brant was witnessing this intimate moment. Hopefully, they’d have many more moments together, but just in case things went bad, she wouldn’t waste another second.
“Carl, I wanted you to stay behind because I can’t stand the thought of something happening to you. I still can’t, but you’re right. I won’t ask you to let me do this without you.” She brushed her fingers along the edge of his unshaven jaw, feeling the rough texture under her fingertips. “You’ve shown me in a thousand different ways that I can always count on you. I hope you know I’ll always do the same for you.”
“Sweetheart…” Carl began, his voice deepening.
Kayla shook her head, pressing her fingertips against his lips to silence him. She needed to get this out or she’d lose her nerve. “I’ll probably keep screwing up and making mistakes. I’ve had a long time to be on my own, thinking I was better off not needing anyone. Leo warned me about protecting my heart and not getting too attached, but Ariana made me realize something. Leo didn’t really believe that either. It might make things easier in the short term, but our ability to love makes us stronger. I’ve always been stronger with you by my side. You give me something to fight for and something to believe in. I can’t lose that. I can’t risk losing you.”
Carl wrapped his arm around her and pulled her against him. “Are you finished?”
When she nodded, he lowered his head and kissed her as though she was the very breath he needed to survive. She melted against him, her body molding perfectly against his. They both fit together—two people no longer belonging to either world but straddling the chasm merging both. It didn’t matter that there wasn’t an energy connection between them. The depth of love she felt for this man was stronger than any metaphysical bond. They needed each other, and together, they made each other stronger.
Brant cleared his throat.
Carl broke the kiss but didn’t release her. “I’m not willing to risk losing you either, sweetheart. No matter what happens, we’re in this together.”
“Together,” she agreed, smiling up at him. “Now, let’s go kick some Shadow ass.”
Kayla stood outside the council chamber and hesitated before the imposing doors. The last time she’d been in this room was when Edwin had held her on trial. Alec had saved her then, in more ways than one. It was now her turn to do the same for him.
Brant glanced down at her. “If you’re not sure about this…” His voice trailed off, but his meaning was clear.
She shook her head, determination filling her, and pounded on the door with her fist. “Try again, Fluffy. You’re not getting out of this.”
Brant grimaced at the nickname but didn’t reply. Brant and Carl stood on opposite sides of her, like sentry guards guarding a treasure. She didn’t feel like much of a treasure though. If anything, she felt decidedly short sandwiched between the two giants overshadowing her.
Sergei had disappeared down an adjacent hall, out of sight from the doors. After attaching the transponder to Carl’s stolen uniform to better blend in, he’d warned them it would take at least ten minutes for them to finish configuring the device. The device was an upgraded design and had both audio and video capabilities, but there would be no way to communicate with them once they were inside.
He’d also reminded them that the Coalition needed to remain a neutral third party. Once they walked through the doors and into the council room, they were on their own. Although the Coalition wouldn’t offer any aid to the Shadows, they wouldn’t help her or OmniLab either. The pin, he explained, was simply a replacement for the one she’d already been given. Nothing more.
She suspected if Sergei really had a say in things, he would have helped them. But from what Lars had indicated earlier, Sergei was operating under someone else’s authority. The only way Sergei or the Coalition could intervene was if the new treaty with OmniLab were threatened or if Kayla could assure them of victory. It wasn’t the first time she’d managed the impossible.
Kayla blew out a breath, feeling naked without any weapons. At Brant’s insistence, all three of them had disarmed. He claimed the Shadows would search them before allowing entry and they’d just be providing them with more weapons. She’d argued about keeping her knife, but apparently, the tower security forces knew about the hidden blade in her belt. Fortunately, improvisation was her way of life.
If they managed to get out of this, though, she was going to wipe her OmniLab file clean. The thought of everyone knowing her business or where she hid her weapons was becoming rather inconvenient.
When the occupants didn’t respond, Brant banged on the door. The door rattled from the reverberations of his fist. “It’s Brant. Open the damn door. I’m out here with Kayla Rath’Varein and Trader Carl Grayson. We need to talk to you.”
Kayla could barely make out some muffled noises within the room. She shifted her weight and glanced behind her, worried that Alec would come charging in any second. They needed to hurry. The council room wasn’t showing up on the security feeds, but the antechamber they were in was still being monitored. Felix probably already knew what she was doing.
“Any suggestions?” Brant remarked dryly. “They don’t seem receptive to talking.”
Kayla scowled, wishing they could just blast open the door. Wait. Could she? She cocked her head, studying the door and it
s design.
Carl frowned. “Kayla? What are you thinking?”
“It’s time to try my own brand of finger wiggling,” she explained and shoved her energy toward the door. It was inelegant, more raw power than anything else, but something happened. The movement was slight, but the door didn’t seem quite as secure.
“I can keep flinging energy at this door until it blows apart,” she shouted. “Or you can open the door. Come on, don’t you want three more hostages?”
“Are you insane?” Brant hissed, grabbing her arm.
She pulled away from him, wiggling her fingers in Brant’s direction. “We’ve already played the energy game today. Let your friends have a turn.”
“Kayla, maybe you should listen to him,” Carl suggested. “We don’t know what’s going on inside that room. The council members could be in danger.”
“Yeah, and I’m not going to let anyone else join them. If they don’t open the door for us, they won’t open it for anyone.” She flung more energy at the door. There was a loud crack as something splintered, but the door still didn’t open. Raising her voice again, she shouted, “Do you hear that? A couple more good energy pulls and we’ll have some firewood.”
“Enough,” a muffled voice sounded from the other side of the door.
Kayla could sense small tendrils of shadow energy wrap around her, shackling the energy threads coating the air. It wasn’t as potent as Brant’s shadow energy, but it was noticeable. She wasn’t sure if this other Shadow simply wasn’t as strong as Brant or if it was because they were also suppressing other people.
There were more noises, as though barricades were being moved away from the door, and it finally opened a fraction. A weapon poked out, pointed directly at her. She stared into the barrel, hoping the person on the other end didn’t have an itchy trigger finger. She slowly raised her hands and lifted her head to meet the owner’s gaze. A tall, dark-haired man with flinty eyes stared down at Kayla.
Tremors of the Past Page 27