The Significant

by Kyra Anderson

  “I leave you alone for one day and you get into trouble,” he tried to tease. A small smile took Isa’s lips, but she was also nervous about the conversation with Rayal.

  “What can I say?” Isa tried to play along.

  Rayal leaned on the railing next to Isa, looking out over the city.

  “I should have said something to you yesterday.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I saw this coming,” Rayal murmured, shaking his head, his eyes dropping to his feet. “I saw the way she was looking at you.”

  “Kailynn isn’t responsible for last night.”

  “No, you both are,” Rayal agreed with a nod. “But I still should have said something.”

  “I don’t think I would have listened…”

  Rayal studied Isa’s expression, trying to discern what the Golden Elite was thinking. After several long moments, Rayal closed his eyes, his expression pained.

  “Then you’re doing even worse than everyone believes,” he murmured.

  Isa closed her eyes as well, shaking her head.

  “I wish everyone would stop obsessing over my health,” she said coldly. “I am capable of taking care of myself. I know the last few years have not been easy on anyone, but I assure you, I am doing far better than before.”

  “Yet you were upset enough yesterday to risk your life again, and Kailynn’s life,” Rayal said. “I know that this is because of Gihron’s involvement in—”

  “Rayal,” Isa interrupted, turning to her former caretaker, “we both know the reason for my actions. Yes, I was upset yesterday. Being with Kailynn felt natural and it helped me. I know the risks, I’ve dealt with them before.”

  “And it led to disaster before,” Rayal said coldly.

  “Don’t say that.”

  “It did,” Rayal insisted. “You pushed your luck with Venus’ mercy then. She will not be as lenient now. When she finds out, she’ll immediately kill Kailynn and likely have you removed from power.” Rayal’s voice went quiet. “Which means you’ll be executed, as well.”

  Isa lowered her eyes to the railing under her hands.

  “You said when, not if.”

  “You know she’ll find out eventually,” Rayal said. He heaved a sigh and shook his head. “I will do my best to keep the information from reaching her mainframe, should any evidence of this get out.” Rayal hesitated for a brief moment. “However, Venus is not the only one that concerns me.”

  Isa dropped her gaze further.

  “Remus will find out, and probably very soon,” Rayal said. He turned to Isa. “What will you say to him?”

  Isa took a deep breath, thinking.

  “I don’t know.”

  “You should send Kailynn home,” Rayal said seriously. “This is far too dangerous.” Rayal’s eyes turned pleading. “I know you, Isa. The longer she’s around, the more you’ll start to care for her, and it’s going to hurt more to let her go. But for your safety, and for hers, you must send her home.”

  “I gave her the option this morning,” Isa said. “She refused.”

  Rayal closed his eyes, trying to hide the immediate bolt of fear that went through him at the statement.

  “What do you want me to do?”

  “Nothing,” Isa said, shaking her head. “This is something I must do myself.”

  Rayal’s heart dropped.

  “Okay,” he murmured.

  Rayal returned inside, leaving Isa on the balcony. The Golden Elite closed her eyes and let out a heavy sigh, deciding to stay outside to collect her thoughts.

  When Rayal approached Kailynn and Tarah, Kailynn stopped trying to get the caretaker to talk about Isa’s previous relationship. Rayal nodded once to Kailynn.

  “You and I should talk.”

  Kailynn, who had worked herself up into a frenzy, tried to calm down. She glanced at Tarah once before following the former caretaker into the guest hallway. When the door closed behind both of them, Rayal turned to her, his expression conflicted.

  “Isa said that you wanted to stay here for the rest of the agreed time.”

  “Yes.”

  “And do you plan to have sex with her again?” Rayal asked bluntly.

  Kailynn faltered for a moment.

  “I don’t see how that’s any of your business.”

  Rayal took a deep breath, lowering his head.

  “You know Isa far too little to understand the severity of the situation,” Rayal murmured. “Isa is the Golden Elite.”

  “I know that,” Kailynn bit.

  “Yes, but you do not know who Isa is when she is not Golden Elite,” Rayal told her sharply. “It took five years to get Isa back to this point. She was very sick for a very long time, and we were sure we were going to lose her. Now that she’s healthier again, I have been doing my best to make sure she stays healthy, both mentally and physically.”

  “If you’re worried, I am clean,” Kailynn snarled.

  “I’m not worried about that,” Rayal assured. “Her physical health is easier to care for than her mental health. As an Elite, she processes things differently, and this could end up being a very dangerous situation for the both of you because of that.”

  “What does that even mean? It’s already dangerous.”

  “It’s worse than you think,” Rayal said. “I’ll tell you the truth. We have had past relations with Gihron that went horribly wrong. They have no qualms about taking the loved one of a leader to bully them into unfair negotiations. If Gihron really is behind this attack on Caroie, then you are a danger to Isa.”

  Kailynn blinked at the former caretaker, not expecting the explanation.

  “Isa is the best Elite this planet has had in hundreds of years. She is actually turning things around in the Altereye System. I cannot allow you to bring her to her knees.”

  “How dare you say something like that?” Kailynn growled. “Yeah, okay, I don’t know her as well as you do and I don’t have any clue what she does for this planet or the system, but to think that I could, let alone would, find a way to manipulate Isa—”

  “You already have,” Rayal snapped. He rubbed his forehead, exasperated. “She’s already willing to risk her life, and yours, for this fling.”

  Kailynn ground her teeth together. “Shut up,” she snarled. “Yes, she’s risking her life, but I am risking mine. I take responsibility for my part last night. I came onto her. She gave me every opportunity to stop, but I didn’t. So if anyone is responsible for last night, it’s me.”

  “And now you understand why you are in a position to manipulate Isa,” Rayal said darkly. “She should have been the one to stop you. Instead, she put everything in your hands. She gave control of her life to you.”

  “I have known her for three weeks. Like hell she’s handed her life over to me. It’s not like Venus already knows.”

  “Venus is not the only one you have to worry about,” Rayal warned. “I am very protective of Isa, but I am not as protective as Remus. If he discovers what happened, there’s no telling what he will do.”

  “He’s the one paying for me to be here,” Kailynn growled. “What did he think would happen? Clearly you guys haven’t been paying close enough attention to her, because she is obviously in pain and she needs someone to talk to.”

  “Don’t you dare accuse me of not watching out for her,” Rayal snarled, leaning forward. “You only know a fraction of the situation. You haven’t the slightest fucking clue about how to help her.”

  “And you do?” Kailynn retorted. “I’m here for her now. I was there for her last night when she was drinking herself into a coma.” Kailynn glared at Rayal. “You’re right. I don’t know everything, clearly, but that’s probably why she wants to be with me. You guys are treating her like she’s fragile and thinking that every little thing is going to make her pain worse, but do you really think she would do anything like that? She’s not that stupid.”

  Rayal hesitated, staring at the Significant, the words slowly processing in his brain
.

  “I mean, fuck, why are you jumping down her throat about this? She knows how much shit we’re in. She doesn’t need you to tell her. And yeah, she’s in pain. But it seems to me like she’s trying to hide it because she doesn’t want you worrying over her because that makes her feel worse.”

  Rayal could do nothing but blink at Kailynn in surprise.

  He studied the look in Kailynn’s eyes. He had been worried when he heard of the plan to have Isa spend time with a Significant. However, staring at Kailynn, and recalling the way Isa had kissed the younger woman’s forehead earlier, had Rayal nervous for a different kind of reason.

  Rayal lowered his eyes.

  “This is even worse than I thought…”

  “How?”

  “Because I can see why Isa turned to you,” Rayal murmured. “You’re right. She wouldn’t come to me or Remus. We’ve spent five years treating her like she’s made of glass. I know she’s still not healed. And she knows that too, but she would never admit it.” The former caretaker looked at Kailynn. “But you don’t even need her to tell you that she’s in pain. You know it. And you seem to know how to help it.”

  It was Kailynn’s turn to blink in surprise.

  “There is nothing I can do to change Isa’s mind on the situation. If she wants you to stay, nothing I say or do will change that,” he continued. “It would be better for you to leave. She has given you control of the entire situation. You should take it and change things before it gets worse. If you don’t, I understand. You’re being paid a lot. But Kailynn,” Rayal’s eyes hardened, “if you do anything to hurt Isa, I will kill you.”

  Kailynn retreated a step.

  “I won’t,” she said quickly.

  The two returned to the living room. Tarah was anxiously waiting for someone to walk back in. Isa was still outside, looking over the city. Rayal smiled thinly at Tarah and nodded once.

  “I’m going to take over your kitchen,” he said. “I need to distract myself.”

  Tarah nodded quickly, her eyes dropping to the ground after her gaze met Kailynn’s.

  Kailynn stood awkwardly where she was, throwing a glance out to the balcony, wondering if she should talk to Isa.

  “Kailynn,” Tarah said suddenly, causing the Significant to turn back to her. “I’m really sorry,” she murmured.

  “I know,” Kailynn said, sighing. “I get it. You didn’t know what to do.”

  “I really didn’t,” Tarah admitted. “I just…I’m scared. I had to tell someone.”

  “It’s alright, Tarah,” Kailynn assured, trying to force a smile, though she was not sure it was convincing. She was not angry with the young caretaker. She understood why Tarah had told Rayal. But so much had changed in her life in the previous day that she was disoriented.

  Kailynn was about to press Tarah more about Isa’s previous relationship, but the balcony doors opened and Isa walked back into the room. The caretaker immediately turned to her and bowed her head.

  “Miss, I apologize. I am so sorry.”

  “There is no need for apologies, Tarah,” Isa assured, walking to the bar and placing her empty water glass in the sink. “I understand that what happened last night was a great deal to process.”

  “I still wish to apologize,” Tarah insisted.

  “I accept your apology,” Isa said. “I apologize as well, for putting you in this difficult position.” She glanced around the living room. “Where is Rayal?”

  “In the kitchen, Miss,” Tarah answered. She bowed her head and turned, knowing that Isa was discreetly asking her to leave the room. She ducked into the kitchen obediently.

  Isa’s eyes turned to Kailynn, who found herself lost in the blue color more so than she had been before. The color seemed even more stunning that morning.

  “Are you alright?” Isa murmured, a comforting smile touching her lips.

  “Yeah,” Kailynn said too quickly. Isa’s smile widened and Kailynn chuckled nervously. “I mean…a lot has happened really suddenly.”

  “It has.”

  Kailynn looked at her feet, trying to think of something to say.

  “Isa…I—”

  The gentle tone of Isa’s phone cut Kailynn off. Isa reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone, using the earpiece.

  “Remus,” she answered. Kailynn’s stomach dropped in fear, even though she knew there was no way the Silver Elite could know what had happened the previous night. “Yes, I know, my apologies. Rayal came to see me and I got caught up.” Kailynn stood awkwardly, waiting for the conversation to be over. “Thank you,” Isa continued. “No, no, I’ll do it now. It’s alright.” Isa nodded. “Very well. Thank you, Remus.”

  She hung up the phone and removed the earpiece.

  Isa glanced at Kailynn.

  “I must work,” she said quietly.

  “Okay.”

  Isa started toward the guest hall door to go to her office. Even knowing where the Elite was going, Kailynn’s heart began racing as Isa drew closer. The Elite passed her and walked to the door that opened automatically. However, she stopped.

  “Kailynn.”

  The Significant turned around quickly.

  “No matter what Rayal said, and no matter what I say, the choice is yours.”

  Kailynn blinked stupidly at the Elite for a moment.

  “But doesn’t what he say have a lot to do with my decision?” Kailynn pressed.

  “If it makes sense to you,” she agreed. “But in the end, no one can make the decision for you. You choose what you want to do and what is right for you.”

  Isa turned to go through the door when Kailynn stopped her.

  “Isa,” she started nervously, “when do I have to make the decision by?”

  Isa smiled. “There is no timeline,” she said. “You make the decision whenever you are ready.”

  Kailynn had spent much of the day in silence, wandering around the level of Anon Tower, trying to sort her thoughts. Words and emotions were ricocheting in her head, confusing her. She wanted to go and sit with Isa and discuss everything, but the thought of being in such close proximity to the Golden Elite again made her mind go blank. She was sure she would be unable to communicate anything she wanted to the Golden Elite.

  She wanted to stay. She was unsure why she wanted to stay. She was trying to convince herself that it was for the money, but she knew that, if that was truly the case, she would have taken Isa’s offer to pay her in full even if she left early. There was some other reason that she wanted to stay. Some deep, dark part of her knew that she needed to stay, because the thought of leaving Isa without knowing more about her was too painful.

  But that was not something she was willing to acknowledge.

  She began to remember that she would be returning to real life in just over a week. She would be back to working as a Significant to raise more money for her brother’s release.

  Kailynn was a Trid. She was a non-citizen with fake papers working to release the man who had tried to shut down Venus and kill the Elites several times in his life. And she was earning most of the money spending time with the Golden Elite herself.

  Rayal’s words began to haunt her in that moment.

  She knew that, from a Trid perspective, she could be a hero. She had the Golden Elite in an extremely delicate situation. She had only to expose the Elite and that could bring down Isa’s entire regime. Venus would be compromised with her Golden Elite having to be replaced so suddenly and it could cause enough upheaval in the people to overthrow the super-computer.

  However, Kailynn knew that it was far more complicated than that.

  She had always been taught, as a Trid, that the Elites were the enemy. She never really understood why the Elites were the enemy. All she knew was that she had to struggle to eat and stay warm and the Elites never had to struggle. She had been told that she struggled because the Elites made it so. That was enough to fuel her hatred toward the Elite Syndicate.

  But the previous night had changed that
perspective entirely. She had seen how upset Isa was at the attack on Caroie. Isa had been trying to repair the damage that the previous Golden Elites had dealt. Rayal explained that Isa was the best Elite the planet had had in a very long time. Somehow, even without knowing what Isa had done and how the planet had been before Isa took over the Syndicate, Kailynn understood that Isa was very special, even among the Elites.

  The sudden change in beliefs, and remembering how she had felt before about Elites, was causing her head to spin.

  She did not know what she was supposed to do.

  But Isa had given her the decision. She was letting Kailynn choose how she wanted to proceed.

  Kailynn was unsure if she was smart enough to make that decision.

  Over dinner, both Isa and Kailynn hardly ate, lost in different thoughts. Kailynn was trying to determine her next step while Isa was trying to understand her current situation with the other planets after more information about the attack on Caroie had been uncovered.

  Tarah cleaned up the plates, feeling helpless, watching both of them struggle silently.

  Isa stood.

  “I’m going to bed,” she murmured.

  “Oh…okay…” Kailynn said, startled out of her thoughts.

  Isa walked over to her and placed a hand on hers, squeezing it gently with a knowing smile before walking to her room. Kailynn watched her disappear and the door close behind her.

  For over an hour, Kailynn sat at the table, staring at her hands, trying to figure out the tangled mess of her thoughts. Tarah went to bed, worried. There was a part of her that hoped Kailynn would decide to go home so that there was no more danger to either of them. However, there was another part of her that wanted the Significant to stay because of how much happier Isa seemed to be with Kailynn around.

  Finally, Kailynn stood, feeling her heart race with every step she took toward the door. When the door opened, Isa sat up, clearly surprised that Kailynn had come into her room. The younger woman walked over to the bed and stood next to it for three long seconds before Isa lifted the covers, inviting her in.

  Kailynn shimmied out of her pants and shirt and climbed into bed with the Elite, her arms wrapping around Isa. She closed her eyes and tightened the hug, pressing her face into Isa’s neck. The Golden Elite held her, her hand gently stroking Kailynn’s hair until they both fell asleep.