“This is certainly not an easy situation,” she said. “I will have to be very careful how I proceed.”
“…I feel like I have only been a distraction,” Kailynn murmured. “You’ve had to handle Remus and Rayal chewing you out because of me, on top of all this shit with Caroie.”
“You have been a very welcome and necessary distraction,” Isa assured, smiling. “As difficult as it is to turn my brain off, if I don’t distract myself from time to time, I do not do my job as well.”
“Maybe that has to do with the brain damage from falling down stairs,” Kailynn tried to tease, finally swinging her leg over the Golden Elite and taking her place on her side next to Isa. The Golden Elite chuckled.
“Perhaps,” Isa agreed. She turned to Kailynn. “May I ask you something personal?”
“Uh oh…” Kailynn laughed nervously.
“Why are you trying to make money as a Significant?”
Kailynn’s entire body went rigid. She had not been expecting the question at all.
“Why do you ask?”
“I’ve noticed that you know more about me than I know about you,” Isa murmured. “If you do not want to answer, you are under no obligation. I just want to know if there is any way I can help.”
Kailynn was silent for a few moments.
“What?”
“You have done much more for me in the last few weeks than you probably realize,” Isa said. “I want to return the favor.”
“You mean you just needed to get laid?” Kailynn joked.
“Perhaps,” Isa laughed. She turned onto her side and propped her head up with her hand. “But it has also been nice to have someone here who doesn’t treat me like I’m made of glass.”
“They’re just worried about you.”
“I know,” Isa said, brushing some of Kailynn’s hair over her shoulder and gently touching the Significant’s cheek. “Why are you trying to earn money?”
“…my brother is in trouble,” Kailynn answered vaguely.
“Is he ill?”
“Yes,” Kailynn lied.
Isa nodded slowly, her eyes going distant, lost in thought.
“How much do you need?”
“No, it’s fine,” Kailynn assured quickly. “The money from this will be more than enough.” She did not know what the average cost of medical treatment was and she did not want to make Isa suspicious.
“If Remus refuses payment, for any reason, let me know and I will take care of it.”
Kailynn looked down at the sheets, feeling awkward. There were a lot of feelings coursing through her, including the dread of tomorrow, when she knew she would have to leave the Golden Elite’s home. The thought filled her with a sense of emptiness that scared her.
She leaned forward and took Isa’s face in her hands, kissing her again.
The following morning, Kailynn moved slowly, gathering her clothes and placing them in her bag. She had awoken to being alone in Isa’s bed. She did not look for the Elite. She did not want the entire morning to be a drawn-out, awkward goodbye. She felt like it was getting harder to breathe as she realized her time to go back to Companion was coming closer.
She brought her bag into the main room, where Tarah was waiting, trying to hide her tears.
“It’s going to be so quiet, now,” she said slowly.
Kailynn could not imagine how lonely Tarah was, being alone for most of the day with very little human interaction, always around Isa and the other Elites. It was no wonder the younger woman clung to Kailynn and Rayal whenever they were around.
“Are you going to be alright?” Kailynn asked.
“Yeah,” Tarah assured. “I’ll be fine. It’s just…with you gone and Isa going back to the Syndicate Building for work every day, it will be quiet.”
Kailynn hesitated. Her immediate reaction was to invite Tarah to spend time with her outside of Anon, but she knew she could not offer any place for the young woman to stay, particularly after the teenager had become accustomed to living in the luxury of the Elite’s home.
“I would say you could come spend time with me,” Kailynn offered, “but I don’t have anywhere to host you.”
“That’s alright,” Tarah said. “I don’t really like to leave the tower anyway.”
“Never?”
“If I can avoid it.”
“Why?”
“I just…it scares me, that’s all.”
“There’s nothing to be afraid of,” Kailynn said. “If you ever just want to get out and go on a walk or something, I’ll go with you.”
“Go on a walk?” Tarah chuckled. “No one does that.”
“Exactly,” Kailynn agreed. “So it will be just us. No one else to worry about.”
Tarah giggled, trying to discreetly wipe away a few tears.
“I might like that.”
“I think you should,” a voice said behind them. They both jumped and turned to the door to the guest wing. Kailynn shook her head, grinding her teeth together. When Isa saw the expression, she chuckled. “What are you going to do without me sneaking up behind you all the time?”
“I’m getting you a bell,” Kailynn said shortly.
Tarah smiled lightly and bowed her head, ducking into the kitchen, understanding that it was time for Isa to say goodbye to the Significant. Kailynn felt her body tremble when she heard Tarah leave. She stared at the Golden Elite as the door to the kitchen closed.
Isa stepped forward, pulling a card out of her pocket and extending it to Kailynn.
“What’s this?”
“It’s a small gift,” Isa said. “Fifty-thousand credits.”
Kailynn’s eyes shot wide.
“H-How much?”
“It’s just a little extra,” she continued. “To supplement what you’ll be getting for being here.”
“I can’t accept this,” Kailynn said, shaking her head and extending the card back to Isa.
“Then don’t use it,” the Golden Elite said with a shrug. “But keep that card. It will give you access to this level.”
Kailynn had to take several moments to process what that meant.
“…what?” she barely managed to breathe.
“You are welcome here whenever you please.” Isa invited. “That card will give you access to the building and to this level.”
“But…I…”
“There is no obligation for you to return,” Isa continued. “The decision is yours. But you are always welcome.”
Kailynn stared at the grey card, surprised beyond words. Isa watched the emotions that passed over the Significant’s face. Kailynn finally swallowed hard and shook her head.
“I don’t know what to say…”
“You don’t need to say anything.”
“Thank you,” Kailynn whispered.
“You’re welcome,” Isa said with a gentle smile.
Kailynn walked forward and rose up on her toes to kiss Isa, pulling away while she was still able. Isa took her hand and squeezed it.
“Thank you,” she said sincerely.
Kailynn could only nod, trying to swallow the lump in her throat. She turned and picked up her bag, casting one final look around the room as she pocketed the card Isa had given her. She turned back to Isa, trying to push down the lump forming in her throat.
“Goodbye,” she murmured.
“Goodbye, Kailynn.”
Kailynn began backing away, her eyes unable to leave Isa. After a few paces, she raised her voice.
“Bye, Tarah!” she called.
Tarah poked her head out of the kitchen, trying to mask her tears.
“Bye, Kailynn.”
“Tarah,” Isa said, motioning the caretaker to her. Tarah walked over, standing next to the Golden Elite as Isa put her hand on Tarah’s shoulder. Kailynn looked between the two of them.
“Bye.”
Knowing she was seconds away from a breakdown, she turned and half-ran out of the home. The door opened automatically for her and she went to the elevator,
waiting for it to arrive, trying to stop the shaking of her body. She forced her feet to move forward when the door to the elevator opened. The descent of the elevator car was too fast, and a type of pain that Kailynn had never known before began to seep into her bones.
When the door to the elevator opened again to let Kailynn into the lobby, she was startled to see Rayal walking toward the elevator. She was still for several seconds as the former caretaker approached. Thousands of thoughts raced through her mind.
“Leaving?” Rayal asked casually, breaking her out of her stupor. She stepped out of the elevator and walked past him.
“Yeah.”
“Kailynn,” Rayal called. She stopped, but did not turn to him. “If she invited you back, I have some advice. Don’t come back.”
Kailynn tried not to flinch at the words.
“This was already dangerous. Don’t push your luck, or hers.”
Kailynn kept walking, keeping her head up, trying to calm the storm of her mind. She left Anon Tower and felt her head spinning. She quickly hurried away from the large building, disoriented and unsure where she was going. She just knew she had to get as far away from the building as possible.
She stumbled toward the center of town, intent on returning to Companion. She could see the building of the company get larger, but she was unable to get there before her confusion overwhelmed her.
She ducked into the nearest alley and collapsed.
Leaning against the side of the building, she let confused tears overtake her.
When Rayal walked into the living room, he was alarmed at what he saw.
Isa was standing near the bar, her arms around Tarah as the younger woman cried quietly into the Elite’s chest. He walked to the both of them, his footsteps drawing Tarah’s attention.
“What happened?”
Tarah hiccupped between her sobs and turned away from both of them, walking into the kitchen quickly. Isa let out a defeated sigh.
“What’s going on?” Rayal pressed.
“She’s upset over Kailynn leaving,” Isa murmured. “I was concerned that having another person here would complicate things for her.”
Rayal turned to the kitchen, understanding what Isa meant.
“I’ll talk to her,” the former caretaker offered.
Isa nodded her thanks as he went into the kitchen. Tarah was in front of the sink, her hands wrapped around the edge of the basin as she crouched in front of it, crying.
“Tarah,” he called quietly.
“No, go away,” she snapped, her voice breaking.
Rayal walked over to her and grabbed her shoulders, pulling her up and turning her around to hug her. He smoothed over her hair as her arms went around him, her sobbing wracking her entire body. Rayal held her tight, letting her break down.
He kicked himself for not realizing how difficult the situation would become for Tarah. Tarah had thrived with Isa, and he hardly remembered the starved, bruised, terrified child that Isa had brought into the capital. But as he held her, he remembered how young Tarah was, and how much of her past she had been unable to leave behind.
“I’m sorry…” she choked, shaking as her crying slowly subsided.
“No, I apologize,” Rayal murmured. “I didn’t realize how difficult this would be for you.”
“It shouldn’t be,” Tarah hissed. “She wanted me to go out and see her, but I haven’t left this tower in years. But she…she…she can do whatever she wants, she can help Isa. But…I…”
Tarah was overwhelmed and confused, her sentences jumbled.
In those few moments that Tarah buried her face back in Rayal’s chest, the former caretaker started to see how complicated the situation was for everyone. Tarah had become attached to Kailynn, who was finally someone that the younger woman could talk to. Tarah had also been able to see that Kailynn was good for Isa. The words hurt Rayal, knowing that he had told Kailynn not to come back, even knowing that Isa had already become very fond of the Significant.
“Rayal,” Tarah breathed. She glanced up at him, swallowing hard. “I knew her from before.”
“What?” Rayal breathed. “What do you mean?”
“I remember her from when I was younger,” she continued. “She’s a Trid.”
Rayal was sure that his heart stopped beating for a few seconds as the words processed.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes,” she whispered. “We had the same Keeper.”
“But she didn’t recognize you?”
“No.”
Rayal was not sure what to think. The fact that Kailynn was actually an orphan from Trid who must have faked papers to get work as a Significant added even more weight to the situation.
“Rayal,” Tarah started, “I’m so confused.”
“We all are.”
“Will you stay?” Tarah asked. “Not for me, but for Isa?”
“Yes,” he assured. “I’ll stay for both of you.”
Chapter Fifteen
Kailynn paced anxiously by the abandoned car garage. She knew that the members of the Heart of Trid gang had likely already made their escape, but she was still terrified that something would go wrong. She had quickly taken the money from her job with the Golden Elite and paid the guards at Uren to turn away when Theo and the others escaped. It had only been four days since her return to Trid and she had quickly busied herself with the gang’s escape, trying to keep her mind off of the perfectly clear blue eyes that haunted her.
“Relax,” Raphael chuckled as she continued to pace. “The guards don’t give a shit. They’ll get out.”
“You don’t know that.”
Raphael walked over and grabbed Kailynn’s shoulders, pulling her close and kissing her. She stopped, surprised. When he pulled away, Raphael kept his arms secure around her, smiling.
“It will be alright,” he assured. “Theo’s smart. He’ll be fine.”
Kailynn was about to object but Raphael pinned her against the wall of the car garage, capturing her lips in a near-bruising kiss. She was, once again, stunned, but when Raphael’s hands went up the front of her shirt to palm her breast, she broke the kiss and pushed him away.
“Not now.”
“You have been acting weird since you came back,” Raphael said, stepping away. “Are you alright?”
“I’m worried about Theo, alright?” Kailynn groaned. “I risked my fucking life to get this much money, and I want to make sure that this works.”
For another two hours they waited, joined by a few other members of their gang. Kailynn was trying not to let herself get too worked up, but her heart was practically in her throat, choking her. She continued to look around for signs of movement, knowing that Theo and the other gang members could come from any direction, depending on how they managed to escape.
“Alright, spill it,” Alyssa finally said as she sat in the shade of the car garage, throwing pebbles and cracked pieces of concrete at one another in boredom. Kailynn turned when she did not continued, surprised to find that Alyssa was speaking to her.
“What?”
“Spill,” Alyssa repeated. “How d’ya get the money to bust ‘em out?”
“Why should I tell you?”
“Because you don’t get that kinda money whoring,” Alyssa said simply. “How d’ya get it? Stealin’ from people in the capital?”
Kailynn was about to deny the accusation, but hesitated. There were only two people in the gang who knew she was working as a Significant. Kailynn did not want anyone else to know. In Trid, pride was everything and rumors could be a death sentence. That was the reason Theo could not be broken out of Uren without others of his gang. The gossip of his failure and the possibility of bringing the Officials into Trid put a target on Theo’s head. Kailynn’s situation was different, but not drastically so. Faking papers to find work in the capital was not brave or admirable, but cowardly and selfish. If you were born a Trid, you died a Trid. A Trid was never supposed to want to become a citizen of Anon. Trids were prou
d to be Trids, proud to be rough and strong, and proud to not need the guiding hand of Anon, the Syndicate, or Venus.
Kailynn would be ridiculed for what she was doing, particularly since she was earning money to break out the most-hated gang of Trid.
“I ain’t tellin,” she said with a cocky smile, turning away. She heard Alyssa and the others chuckle behind her.
“That’s our girl.”
Raphael did not feel the same sort of relief as the others. He saw the brief hesitation that crossed Kailynn’s face. With her strange behavior the previous four days, he was sure that something more had happened that she was trying to hide. He wondered if she had gotten into even more trouble. He understood that Kailynn would do anything to help Theo. Theo was her only surviving family, but Raphael knew that Theo was far from the ideal older brother. Raphael did not understand the hold that Theo had over Kailynn.
He was about to ask Kailynn if she wanted to check if her brother had gone to her place, which would give him a chance to talk with her privately, when Viv gasped, pointing.
“There they are!”
Kailynn whirled around to see a group of men and women jogging toward them, waving.
The others of Kailynn’s gang called to them, welcoming them and congratulating them on their escape. Kailynn ignored the others, searching the faces for her older brother. When she finally saw him, he smiled and walked over to her.
She let him approach but, before she could help herself, she slapped him across the face.
As soon as he turned back to her, surprised and confused, she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly.
“I guess I deserve that,” he chuckled.
“You deserve a helluva lot more than that, you jackass,” Kailynn groaned, breaking the hug. “You cannot keep pulling stunts like that.”
Theo smiled and ruffled Kailynn’s hair playfully.
“Are you kidding? Do you know how close we were?”
“To being killed? Yes,” she said sharply. “I’m serious, Theo, lay low. More than half the gangs around here want you dead and now you’ve drawn the attention of the Syndicate. You do anything stupid now and they’re going to label you as a KOS.”
The Significant Page 16