She caught her reflection in the mirror and paused. With her faded clothes and tousled hair, she was a stark contrast to the richness of her surroundings. She bit her lip, feeling out of place. She was better suited to wielding a wrench than living amongst this luxury.
“You don’t need to thank me, Kayla. All of this belongs to you. It’s as much yours as it is mine.”
Kayla jerked her hand back and frowned. “Uh, for now, let’s just say it’s yours. This is a little overwhelming.”
“I understand,” Seara said quickly. “I don’t want to pressure you.”
Kayla slipped her hands back into her pockets to resist touching anything else. “So, what’s this thing about dinner? Why do we have to change?”
“Right. Let’s go to my room.” Seara led the way back down the hall. “We occasionally have formal dinners. This one is political and social. The High Council will be there along with most of the Inner Circle. They’re entertaining some prospective traders and will decide on one of them in the next few days. I imagine there will be more people than usual since you’ll be there. They’re going to be curious.”
“Great, more people staring at me,” Kayla muttered.
Seara smiled at her daughter. “Well, we’ll make sure we give them something to really stare at then.”
She led Kayla a few doors down the hall and stepped into a large room that was almost the size of Leo’s entire camp.
“This is your room?” Kayla asked in amazement. There was a large intricately carved canopy bed against the far wall. One wall had a large mirror with lights and a counter filled with strange bottles. Large, ornate pieces of furniture, including a seating area, were placed throughout the room. This ceiling also had one of those strange murals which seemed to reflect the outside sky.
“Yes. The closet is through here.” She pressed a button on the wall and a door slid open. Racks of clothing lined the walls with large floor-length mirrors on the back wall. Seara stepped inside and began browsing through her clothing. Kayla walked over to the closet and stared in shock.
“These all belong to you? You have a whole room for clothing? I think you have more clothes than Leo and Carl’s camp combined.”
Seara offered Kayla an apologetic look. “I’m sorry. I know this is new to you. I’ve heard some stories about what life is like outside of the tower, but most people only hear secondhand. Is it bad?”
Kayla shook her head. “Not at all. It’s not anything like this though. I suppose it’s what you’re used to. Your entire bedroom is larger than the camp where I grew up.”
“Were you…happy growing up?”
Her worried expression tugged at Kayla's sympathy. It was as though one more emotional blow would topple her. She didn't understand it but something about the woman provoked her protective instincts. “I suppose.” Kayla shrugged. “It’s not something you think about. I love scavenging and being in the ruins. I love the freedom and the feeling you get when you race your speeder across the district. There’s nothing like it.”
Seara smiled, looking relieved at her response. “You seem like you enjoy it. Veridian appears to care about you a great deal. I’m glad. I used to constantly wonder what you would look like or what you would be like as you grew up. I’m so glad to have this chance. I…”
Her voice broke as tears filled her eyes. She stepped toward Kayla and hugged her tightly. Kayla floundered, startled at the unsolicited display of affection. Not sure what else to do, she tentatively returned the embrace.
Seara stepped back, wiping her tears away. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that. I’ve just been wanting to hug you since I first saw you.”
“Uh, that’s okay,” Kayla said, not wanting Seara to feel uncomfortable. Despite the awkwardness, the hug was sort of nice. “I’m just not sure yet how to handle this.”
“I understand.” Seara took a deep breath and turned back to the clothes in the closet. She selected a dress and handed it to Kayla. “I think you would look fabulous in this one.”
Kayla cocked her head and stared at the dress, trying to figure out how she was supposed to get the thing on. “You expect me to wear this? It’s beautiful but how the hell do you guys get anything done dressed like this?”
Seara laughed. “I would imagine it’s not suitable to ride on a speeder or go scavenging in the ruins, but it works nicely for dinner. I’ll show you how to put it on and help you with your hair.”
Kayla touched her hair self-consciously.
Seara frowned at the gesture. “Oh dear. I hope I didn't offend you. You have beautiful hair, but these dinners tend to be formal affairs.”
Kayla stared at the dress with skepticism. No matter how much you polished a waste recycling canister, it wouldn't change its function. She looked up, prepared to voice her doubts but words failed her at the eager look on Seara's face. She swallowed and managed a weak shrug. “All right. I’ll give it a shot.”
“Wonderful,” Seara exclaimed. “Let’s get started.”
Chapter Twelve
Kayla looked down at the long white dress. “I feel ridiculous.”
The gown was pure white and made from some sort of impossibly soft material. It had a revealing neckline and spaghetti straps that crossed her back. Except for the two small straps, the back was open and accentuated her curves before cascading nearly to the floor. A high slit in the side reached nearly to her hip. Kayla wondered why they even bothered wearing anything at all.
Her mother had twisted Kayla’s hair into a complicated updo, leaving a few wisps to fall around her face. She'd allowed Seara to paint her face using the strange bottles on the counter. Kayla stared at herself in the mirror and had a hard time believing it was her reflection staring back at her.
Seara practically beamed. “You look exquisite. That dress looks far better on you than it ever did on me. It looks like it was made for you.”
“You guys seriously wear this stuff to eat? I’m going to end up spilling something on it or worse,” she complained, looking down at her cleavage on display. “I think my boobs are going to pop out.”
Seara laughed in delight, waving off her concerns. “You’ll be fine. If it gets ruined, I have plenty more. I can’t remember when I’ve ever had this much fun dressing for dinner.”
Kayla laughed in spite of herself at Seara's giddiness. She was wearing a long cream colored dress with intricate golden threading and her hair was pinned up in some sort of bun fastened with sparkling clips. She was absolutely breathtaking.
Seara took Kayla’s hand and Kayla noticed the strange bracelet around her wrist. She frowned, remembering the earlier conversation with Alec and his father. “Hey, is that one of those security bracelets?”
Seara’s eyes widened and she let go of Kayla’s hand, self-consciously twisting the bracelet around her wrist. “Who told you about them? Did Alec say something?”
“No,” Kayla replied, puzzled by Seara's reaction. “We ran into his father outside and he mentioned I should get one. He said it gives you access to secure areas?”
“Something like that. What did Alec say about it?”
“He said he didn’t think I needed one. He wanted me to meet you first. I’m guessing he wanted to show me around himself. Maybe I should get one though.”
A security access bracelet might come in handy. She'd like to investigate some of OmniLab's new prototypes and an all-access pass could get her into the restricted areas without too much trouble. Although, even without one, it wouldn't stop her planned exploration.
Seara touched Kayla’s arm and vehemently shook her head. She held her finger to her lips to indicate silence, then pointed to her ear and gestured to the entire room. “That’s an option. You may not need one though. Wait and see.”
Kayla's brow furrowed. They were being monitored? She looked around the room trying to figure out a likely place for listening devices. In a room this size, it would be easy to plant something. It would probably be best to play along until she could
learn more. “Uh, okay. I don’t want to wear something around my wrist anyway.”
Seara nodded emphatically and kept her finger pressed against her lips. “We can talk more about it later. Let’s go show Veridian and Alec your dress. I can’t wait to see their faces.”
Kayla let Seara lead her back down the hall to where Veridian and Alec were waiting. Both men stood as they entered, looking polished in traditional formal white suits.
Veridian’s eyes widened, looking as freaked out as she felt. “Kayla? Wow, um…wow.”
She flushed slightly and turned to look at Alec. Veridian looked uncomfortable in his suit, but Alec seemed to be perfectly at ease in his. He was exotic, elegant, and incredibly sexy all at once. He was studying her intently and Kayla noticed the heat in his eyes. “You’re absolutely stunning, Kayla.”
Oh man, an Omni shouldn't look that good.
The corners of his mouth tilted upward into a smirk. Kayla's eyes narrowed in suspicion, wondering if he could read her thoughts. Before she could ask him, Seara clapped her hands together to get everyone's attention. “We should probably head to the meeting room. Your attendance is going to cause something of a stir.”
She grimaced at the thought of parading around a bunch of Omnis. These were the same people who controlled the lives of her friends on the surface and she was about to go socialize with them wearing a borrowed dress worth more than her camp's annual income. She squared her shoulders and nodded. She could do this. If not, she'd see just how well this dress would hold up on a speeder.
“Time to show everyone what a reanimated corpse looks like,” Kayla muttered under her breath.
Veridian heard her comment and smothered a laugh.
“Veridian, would you escort me?” Seara asked, and linked her arm with his. “I’d love to hear more of the stories from when you two were growing up.”
Veridian flashed her a huge smile. As they headed out the door, he launched into a story about Kayla sneaking off into the ruins when she was ten years old.
Alec approached Kayla. “May I have the honor of escorting you?”
She looked at him in alarm. “I knew it. I told Seara these shoes were death traps. Is that why someone has to escort us? So we don’t fall on our face?”
Alec chuckled. “No, although I’m quite sure if you wanted to take them off at some point, no one would mind. They definitely won’t be looking at your feet.”
Okay, now that was definitely a flirt.
Alec’s eyes warmed and he leaned close to her. “And for the record, you’re the most beautiful reanimated corpse I’ve ever seen.”
“You weren’t supposed to hear that.”
Alec’s mouth twitched into a smile and he held out his arm for Kayla. She linked her arm in his and warned, “You better catch me if I fall on my ass. Preferably, before. With my luck, I’ll end up ripping this dress and giving the entire room a show.”
Alec laughed. “You're one of the most unusual and outspoken women I’ve ever met. It’s rather refreshing. Is it just you or because you grew up on the surface, I wonder? I never know what you’re going to say next.”
Kayla shrugged. “It’s probably me. Judging by the number of people I’ve managed to piss off over the years, yeah. It’s me.”
He smiled at her and they followed Seara and Veridian out of the Rath’Varein private quarters. They followed the pathway toward a central meeting room area. Dozens of people milled around, sipping on drinks and chatting with one another.
Seara turned to Kayla and whispered, “They usually mingle for about twenty or thirty minutes before anyone is even seated. It’s all about politics here.”
When they entered, the majority of the people fell silent and openly stared at Kayla and her companions. Kayla ignored the stares and strode into the room on Alec’s arm.
Edwin spotted them from across the room and approached the group. “Seara, you look wonderful as usual, my dear. Your daughter definitely takes after you.”
Edwin snapped his fingers and someone carrying a tray of tall slender glasses immediately came over to them. Edwin lifted two glasses and handed one to Seara and the other to Kayla.
Alec accepted a glass from the server and motioned for Veridian to take one too. Kayla studied the bubbling golden liquid. “What is this?”
“It’s called champagne. It’s a little sweet. You might enjoy it.”
Kayla sniffed the glass and decided it wasn’t too offensive. She took a cautious sip. The bubbles tickled her tongue and mouth, but it was a pleasant enough taste.
“Do you like it?” Alec asked her.
She nodded and took another sip. “Yeah, I’ve never had anything like this. I like the bubbles.”
Seara turned to look at Edwin. “I need to speak with you privately.”
“I’m sure you do. In the meantime, Alec, why don’t you take Kayla and Veridian around and introduce them to a few people? There are two potential traders here. I’m sure Kayla and Veridian can give them some unique insight as to what to expect on the surface if they’re selected.”
Alec inclined his head and led Kayla and Veridian away, while Seara and Edwin disappeared into another room. Kayla turned to watch them go, wondering about the tension between them.
“The potential traders are Milo and Rand,” Alec explained, interrupting her thoughts. “They’ve both studied the pre-war history extensively, are technical experts, and the High Council believes either one would make a suitable trader. They’ve never been to the surface though, so they’ll probably be interested in speaking with you both.”
“How do you decide who you’re going to send?”
“Becoming a trader is actually quite difficult. Usually, it requires extensive study and we test them thoroughly on their knowledge. They also have to share similar ideologies to OmniLab’s High Council and Inner Circle.”
Kayla frowned. “Then how the hell did Ramiro get in? That guy was a couple sandwiches short of a picnic.”
Alec lowered his voice and said quietly, “Occasionally, such as the case with Ramiro, bribes are accepted. Becoming a trader and fulfilling the terms of the contract boosts a family’s status considerably.”
Kayla’s eyes narrowed. “Did either of these two buy their way in?”
Alec shook his head. “No, they were selected on merit and achievements alone. An inquiry into selection status is occurring as a result of the petition against Ramiro. The High Council is being cautious with this next selection.”
Well, maybe they didn't have their heads completely up their asses. “I see. What about Carl? Why was he selected?”
Alec hesitated. “He was actually recruited, not selected. The removal of the previous trader was rather sudden. Carl's been on the fast track for an assistant director position and a few of our directors thought the experience would benefit him. He's young for it, but based on his merits and achievements, we decided he would be a good fit. So far, he’s exceeded all expectations.”
Kayla nodded in agreement. “For a trader, he’s a pretty good guy.”
Alec brought them over to a tall man in his thirties. He had short dark hair and wore slightly less ostentatious formal wear. He was considerably shorter than Alec and Kayla thought he appeared to be far more of a tech room junkie than someone who could navigate the pits. His brown eyes were intelligent and they widened considerably as he recognized them.
“Oh goodness! Mistress Kayla Rath’Varein, Master Alec Veritan, it’s truly an honor to meet you. My name is Milo Orwin.”
“Hi, Milo. Nice to meet you. But call me Kayla. I don’t get into the fancy names and crap.”
At Milo’s shocked expression, Alec added, “Kayla prefers to avoid formalities. It appears to be a trademark on the surface. And this is Veridian Levanthe.”
“This is so exciting,” Milo said with a bow, twisting his hands nervously. His words flew together in rapid succession. “I can’t express how honored I am. To meet both of you is truly a wondrous thing. Thank you for ta
king the time to speak with me.”
Holy shit. If this guy gets this easily flustered, the ruin rats are going to chew him up and spit him out.
Alec smiled at Milo and said with the barest trace of laughter in his voice, “Please be at ease, Milo. As you know, Kayla and Veridian recently arrived from the surface. The culture there is quite different than what you’re accustomed to here in the towers.”
“Yeah. We don’t dress up for dinner.”
Alec barely managed to keep a straight face. Milo looked at Kayla and Veridian eagerly. “Would it be okay if I asked you a few questions? I'd like to have some additional background. I’ve studied quite a bit about what life is like on the surface, but there's so much more to learn.”
Veridian smiled at him. “Sure. I’d be happy to answer your questions.”
Kayla finished her glass of champagne. “Uh huh. V’s better with questions than I am.”
“In that case, why don’t we let Veridian and Milo talk?” Alec suggested, sweeping her empty glass from her hand. “I’ll get you another drink and introduce you to Rand.”
“All right.” Once they were out of earshot, she asked, “You’re not really going to send that guy to the surface, are you? He won’t last a week.”
Alec chuckled and waved over a server. He took another drink off the tray and offered it to her. He leaned close, his breath warm against her ear. “You are truly a gem, Kayla.”
“Hmm,” she murmured, ignoring the goose bumps his nearness caused, and took a large sip. Too much was happening that was outside her realm of experience. She was attracted to Alec, but he was like one of the relics she discovered when scavenging. He was nice to look at but he belonged in the towers and not in her hands. She looked around the room for a distraction. “So where’s this other trader?”
“I’ll introduce you to him now,” Alec offered, and slipped his hand around her waist. She raised her eyebrows in surprise but didn’t object.