Kayla looked down at the 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 almost to her hip. Kayla wondered why these Omnis even bothered wearing anything at all.

Her mother had twisted Kayla’s hair into a complicated up-do, 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. Her mother 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 reached up to adjust Kayla’s hair, and she noticed the strange bracelet around her mother’s wrist. Kayla frowned, remembering the earlier conversation with Alec and his father. “Hey, is that one of those security bracelets?”

Seara’s eyes widened, and she pulled back, 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 I didn’t need 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. 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. Deciding it would probably be best to play along until she could learn more, she said, “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 formal suits.

Veridian’s eyes widened as he tugged at his collar, looking as freaked out as she felt. “Kayla? Wow, um… wow.”

She flushed. 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 studied 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 was reading her thoughts again. 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.”

Kayla 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 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 he’s definitely flirting with me.

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 headed out of the Rath’Varein private quarters. They followed Seara and Veridian down 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.”

At the sight of their group, 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. “Seara, you look wonderful as usual, my dear. Your daughter definitely takes after you.”

Without waiting for a response, Edwin snapped his fingers at someone. They immediately came over carrying a tray of tall, slender glasses. 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, decided it wasn’t too offensive, and took a cautious sip. The bubbles tickled her tongue and mouth, but it was a pleasant enough taste.

Alec’s mouth twitched in a hint of a smile. “Do you like it?”

She nodded and took another sip. “Yeah, I’ve never had anything like this. I like the bubbles.”

Seara turned to 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. “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 don’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 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 Tal’Vayr, 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 taking the time to speak with me.”

Holy shit. If this guy gets flustered this easily, the ruin rats are going to chew him up and spit him out.

Alec smiled at Milo and said with a 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,” Kayla muttered. “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 blew out a breath and shook her head. “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. Taking another drink off the tray, he offered it to her and 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 pressed his hand against the small of her back. A shiver went through her at the contact, but she didn’t pull away.

He led her across the room and stopped in front of a tall man who didn’t look like he spent all his time in the tech room. His blond hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and he had an air of confidence about him.

“Master Tal’Vayr and Mistress Rath’Varein,” he acknowledged with a polite smile.

“Kayla,” she said firmly. “Just Kayla. You must be Rand?”

He bowed briefly. “Yes. I’ve been looking forward to meeting you. I understand you’re familiar with the district I’m hoping to oversee?”

Okay, this one has potential. A little formal, but he’ll get over that. Not bad to look at either.

“You could say that.”

Rand studied her for a moment, his curiosity evident. “Are there many surface camps in that area? Our data is sketchy since they seem to move around frequently.”

“Surface camps? I think you mean ruin rats.” She laughed at the polite description. “There are some. Ramiro wasn’t good at what he did so it was easy to scavenge under his nose. His prices sucked though. A lot of the camps scavenged in his district and then sold to Warig or Carl.”

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If Rand was surprised at her candor, he hid it well. She got the impression he was filing away her observations for later. He gave a thoughtful nod and mused, “I’m surprised they wouldn’t feel some loyalty toward the trader in the district they scavenged from.”

Kayla smirked at him. “If you become a trader, you’re going to learn one thing real quick. Ruin rats don’t like traders or Omnis. You’re a necessary evil, and the less contact with you, the better.”

Alec looked at her in surprise. “All ruin rats feel this way?”

Kayla sipped her drink. “Pretty much. Sure, there are a few exceptions. But generally speaking? Oh yeah. Most traders tend to screw over ruin rats every chance they get. There’s no loyalty on either side. Don’t expect to be welcomed with open arms.”

“I see. It sounds like this will be more challenging than I anticipated.” Rand turned to Alec. “I look forward to meeting with the High Council and Inner Circle representatives when I present my final bid for the trader position.”

Alec inclined his head. Rand turned to Kayla and bowed low to her. “It was truly a pleasure to meet you. I hope I’ll be given the opportunity to try to repair the rift between the surface camps and the traders.”

Kayla looked at him in surprise. “You sound like Carl.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Trader Carl Grayson?”

When she nodded, he chuckled and admitted, “We know each other well. We studied together before he was recruited for his current position.”

She smiled, beginning to like the trader recruit even more. “It figures. He’s one of the only decent traders I’ve ever known. Sneaky bastard, but fair. Most ruin rats don’t like him simply because he’s a trader, but he’s respected.”

Rand nodded thoughtfully. “I’ll be interested in speaking with him when he comes to the meeting.”

A soft chime echoed throughout the room. Alec put his arm around her waist. “That’s our cue, dear.” He offered a polite nod to Rand and led her away.

“I take it you approve of him?” Alec asked her quietly as they stepped into the large banquet hall area.

“Yeah, he’s better than the other idiot.” Kayla looked around at all the tables decorated with white tablecloths covered with strange dishes and flowers. “What the hell is this? It’s supposed to be dinner. You sit, you eat, and you’re done.”

He gave her an encouraging smile. “It’s not too bad. You might even enjoy yourself. I’ll show you to your seat and then go check on Veridian.”

Alec led her to a large table at the far end of the room. The table was situated near a strange glass wall that had water droplets falling in artistic patterns. Once she was seated in the chair he held out for her, he briefly rested his hands on her bare shoulders. His touch sent warm tingles over her skin. Leaning close to her ear, he whispered, “I’ll be right back.”

Kayla studied the table in front of her. There were several silver eating utensils and crystal glasses at every place setting. She picked up a fork, wondering how many credits it was worth. With a sigh, she replaced it and shook her head at the opulence.

Wow, I can’t believe people actually live like this.

She finished her champagne while watching people stroll into the room and find their seats. The moment she put the empty glass in front of her, a woman approached her. “Would you care for another glass of champagne, Mistress Rath’Varein? Or could I interest you in a glass of wine?”

Before Kayla could reply, Alec reappeared with Veridian. “Another glass of champagne for now. The wine tends to be more suitable with dinner.” The server nodded and quickly walked away.

Veridian leaned down to Kayla. “Hey, do you mind if I sit with Milo? He’s studied ancient pre-war societies, and he’s been telling me about them. We’ve been comparing them to the culture of ruin rats and traders.”

Kayla stared at him for a moment and then burst out laughing. She shooed him away and teased, “Go play with your new friend. It figures that a freaking Omni shares your obsession.”

He grinned at her and headed over to another table. Alec sat down next to her and casually rested his arm across the back of her chair. “Veridian enjoys studying history?”

Kayla nodded. “Yeah, he loves that kind of stuff. It isn’t very helpful in the ruins, but he’s into it.”

The server reappeared and placed another glass of champagne in front of her.

“Thanks.”

The woman looked startled at her appreciation. Her eyes darted between Kayla and Alec. She swallowed nervously and stammered, “You’re welcome, Mistress Rath’Varein.”

“I need a damn sign with my name on it,” Kayla muttered, annoyed with the whole title nonsense. Alec smiled in amusement. He leaned close to her, lifting one of the loose tendrils of hair around her face and rubbing it between his fingers. “You make the servers nervous. They aren’t used to us acknowledging them.”

“That’s weird,” she returned and sipped her drink. She leaned back in her chair, enjoying his attention. “Why wouldn’t you acknowledge them?”

Alec shrugged and continued to play with her hair. “In part, we’re different. We usually keep to ourselves, and they seem to prefer it that way.”

Kayla’s mother and Alec’s father appeared at the table. Edwin held out Seara’s chair for her while she took a seat. “Would you care for another glass of champagne, Seara?”

“No, thank you,” she said softly and turned to her daughter. “Did you have a chance to meet the potential traders, Kayla?”

“Yeah, Veridian’s talking shop with one of them right now.”

Seara smiled and placed her napkin in her lap. Kayla looked at the napkin and followed suit, earning a look of approval from Seara. “I’m glad he’s enjoying himself.”

Edwin took his seat, his gaze falling on Alec’s arm still resting on her chair. He nodded, looking pleased, and then said, “Ah, there’s Keith and Marcus. They decided to join us after all.”

Kayla sat up, pulling away from Alec. Even though she’d been comfortable, she wasn’t inclined to do anything to make Edwin happy. Something about him rubbed her the wrong way.

Two older men approached, and Edwin stood and shook hands with them. After making their introductions, they sat at the table.

“Kayla, you’re as lovely as your mother,” Keith said. “It’s our great fortune you survived all these years.”

Marcus nodded and added, “It’s nice to know the Rath’Varein line continues. We still mourn the loss of your father.”

Before she could think of an appropriate response, the servers appeared and began placing plates in front of them. Kayla stared at the food. It was unlike anything she’d seen before. The colors were vibrant, and the smells were incredible.

“What is this?” she whispered to Alec.

He smiled at her. “Grilled vegetables and pasta with a basil sauce.”

She watched him lift his fork and place it in his mouth. Curious, she picked up her fork and took a bite. Her eyes widened as she chewed her food.

“Holy shit! This is freaking unbelievable.”

Alec burst into laughter, and Seara’s hand flew to her mouth to suppress a laugh. Marcus and Keith exchanged amused glances, but Edwin frowned at her outburst.

“This is what you guys normally eat?”

Alec nodded. “I’m glad you like it. Our chefs are always coming up with new dishes.”

She took another bite and then a sip of the wine. Her senses were in overload.

“The flavors are amazing. I never thought food could taste like this. What did you do to it?”

“We grow our own vegetables here,” Seara explained. “We have extensive laboratories and greenhouses to grow our own food.”

“I’d love to see that.”

“I’d be happy to take you on a tour tomorrow,” Alec offered.

She nodded eagerly. Edwin leaned forward. “So, Kayla, what do you think of our potential traders?”

Kayla shrugged, still enraptured by the meal. “They both seem nice enough, but Rand is probably better suited for the job.”

“You were able to make a judgment like that without seeing their qualifications?”

Kayla looked up from her plate to find Edwin looking down his nose at her. He was the quintessential Omni—pompous and condescending.

“I don’t need to see their qualifications. It comes down to a matter of will, drive, and confidence. There won’t be a ruin rat in your entire territory that won’t take advantage of someone who has their head up their ass or jumps when you say boo.”

“You don’t think having knowledge or expertise is important when it comes to collecting artifacts?”

“Some, sure,” she agreed, “but do you think ruin rats have had any sort of formal training? From what I’ve seen, most traders don’t crawl through the ruins anyway. They run their camps and negotiate with the rest of us who do the actual work. That’s why Ramiro sucked. He didn’t give a shit about his crew, and he took advantage of the ruin rats whenever he could. He wasn’t exactly bright, though, so that didn’t happen often.”

“I see. You seem to have strong opinions on the matter,” Edwin observed.

Keith leaned forward, looking interested in the discussion. “She may have a point, Edwin. Ramiro’s profit margins were low, and he had trouble keeping people under contract. Tell me, Kayla, what are your thoughts of our current traders?”

“Warig is okay,” she admitted, taking a liking to the other council member. “He’s not as easy to take advantage of as Ramiro was. His prices are average, but he’s a little too cautious. His crew seems to respect him though. Most ruin rats prefer dealing with him rather than Ramiro simply because Ramiro was a jerk.”

“Warig’s profits have been stable but nothing spectacular,” Keith mused. “What about Henkel and Carl?”

Kayla took a sip of her wine and considered the question. She didn’t think he’d be interested in hearing Carl was as delicious as the pasta thing.

“Henkel’s an idiot. His crew thinks he’s an idiot too. Negotiating with him is a pain in the ass. He takes forever to figure out his numbers and what he wants to spend. His district is crowded with ruin rats since it’s so easy to scavenge under his nose. Carl’s about the only trader you’ve got that’s worth a damn. He runs a tight crew, and they respect him. He’s sneaky, devious, and it’s hard as hell to scavenge in his district without getting caught. He takes it in stride when you get away with it, though, and he’s fair. His prices are better, too, so more people come to him to trade.”

“Interesting. Carl’s profits have been substantially higher than the other traders,” Keith observed. He turned to Edwin. “Perhaps we’ve been approaching this the wrong way. It seems we may need to look at different qualifications in our traders.”

“Perhaps,” Edwin conceded.

The servers reappeared and removed their empty plates, replacing them with small bowls of colorful fruit.

Kayla looked at it in surprise. “What’s this?”

“It’s a fruit medley,” Alec informed her. “But just a moment. There’s something else I think you should try.”

He waved over one of the servers and whispered in her ear. She nodded and disappeared.

Kayla looked at him curiously, and he said, “Go ahead and try the fruit. It’s a light and refreshing dessert. But I suspect you may enjoy this other one a bit more.”

She took an experimental bite. “Wow, this is amazing. I’ve had fruit substitutes before, but this is completely different.”

A moment later, the server reappeared holding a small plate with a slice of a dark cake drizzled with some sort of red liquid. At Kayla’s questioning look, Alec took a small forkful and leaned over toward her.

She hesitated for a moment and then opened her mouth to taste it. “This is chocolate cake with a raspberry sauce,” he explained as her lips closed around the fork.

Her eyes widened, and she looked down at the dessert in amazement. She swallowed and murmured under her breath, “I think my mouth just had an orgasm.”

Alec dropped the fork on the table and turned away laughing. Kayla grinned and pulled the plate closer to take another bite.

“Kayla, your reactions are priceless.”

She closed her eyes and waved Alec away. “Shh. I’m savoring this moment.”

He chuckled. “When you’re finished, I have something I’d like to show you.”

She opened her eyes and put her hand on her stomach. “I hope it’s not more food. I’ve eaten way too much tonight.”

Alec turned to Seara. “Do you mind if I borrow your daughter for a few minutes? I have a small gift I’d like to give her.”

At Seara’s hesitation, Kayla looked up. Tension radiated from Seara, and she darted a quick glance at Edwin. Alec shook his head and placed his hand over Kayla’s. Even though he’d been somewhat flirtatious toward her all evening, the gesture seemed almost protective.

“It’s something from her childhood, Seara. It may bring back some of her memories.”

The older woman looked relieved. “Of course, Alec. I trust you’ll act in Kayla’s best interest.”

Edwin cleared his throat. “While our children are off dallying, I’ll escort you back to your quarters, Seara.”

Seara turned to Kayla. “Don’t worry about your charming friend. I’ll bring Veridian back to our family’s quarters when he’s finished. Go ahead and enjoy yourself.”

Kayla agreed, thankful to get away from the table. There were things going on and politics at play she didn’t understand. Alec said goodnight to everyone and held out his arm for Kayla. She put her arm through his and let him lead her out of the room. She was acutely aware of the looks and comments the two of them were generating.

Although she wasn’t sure about Alec’s motives, Kayla was confident in her ability to handle him. She had doubts about the zapping thing he’d done to her, but he seemed genuinely remorseful about upsetting her. Seara also seemed to trust him, and Kayla liked—even admired—the older woman.

When they left the dining area, Kayla stopped. “Okay, these shoes are coming off. I feel like I’m about to fall over.”

She sat on a nearby bench, and he knelt in front of her. His eyes held hers as he lifted the hem of her dress above her ankles. His hands were gentle, brushing against her skin as he removed her shoes. His touch sent those strange little tingles through her, and she couldn’t decide if she wanted him to keep touching her or ask him to stop.

Once he had removed her shoes, Alec stood up. With one hand holding her shoes, he offered his other hand and helped her to her feet. She swallowed, feeling strangely off-balance. Trying to lighten the mood, she teased, “So is shoe removal part of a Master’s job?”

Alec put his hand around her waist and looked down into her eyes. “If I remember correctly, you instructed me not to let you fall earlier. I’m merely honoring your request.”

“Thanks,” Kayla whispered, caught by his gaze. His eyes were an almost impossible shade of blue with shimmering gold flecks.

“My pleasure,” he replied, taking her hand. He led her down the path and brought her to another ornate door. It was similar to the design outside of her family’s quarters. He pressed his palm against the panel, and the door slid open.

The colors inside the Tal’Vayr family quarters were much bolder than Seara’s living area. Instead of the flowering arrangements Seara preferred, there were several abstract and geometrical pieces of art hanging on the walls. Kayla was surprised at the style. It didn’t seem to represent Alec well.

“The decor is my father’s personal taste. My private quarters are through here.” He pressed a button, and another door opened.

This area appeared to suit Alec better. The colors were softer and more muted. There was a large seating area in the front room and a small food preparation area off to the side. There were several other doors down another hallway.

“Wow, this place is huge.”

Alec looked around, and Kayla got the impression he was trying to see the room through her eyes. “It gives me a bit of privacy since families tend to share living quarters.”

“So what did you want to show me?”

Alec dropped her shoes on the floor and took both of her hands in his. “Think of this as a memory exercise. I want you to close your eyes and imagine the glass globe from your dreams.”

It was a strange request, but she was intrigued enough to play along. She closed her eyes and imagined the sparkling gold and green globe.

“Do you see it?”

She nodded. “Yes, I can see it.”

“Now, hold it in your mind and think beyond the globe. Imagine its location. Is it on top of something? Is it inside something?”

She frowned in concentration as he released her hands. “It’s in a box of some sort.”

“Can you tell where the box is located?”

She reached out with her hand as though trying to touch it, feeling a slight tingle ripple through her.

Kayla’s eyes flew open. She pointed across the room. “It’s there!”

She headed toward a desk in the corner and opened up a small chest. There, on a velvet cushion, sat the strange glass globe from her dreams.

Kayla stared at her hands in disbelief, wondering about the tingle she’d felt. She’d have thought it was some sort of elaborate trick if she hadn’t experienced it. “How is this possible?”

“This is only one of your abilities, Kayla. You’re extraordinarily talented.”

She carefully lifted the glass globe. It was identical to the one from memory. Green and gold flecks swirled inside it. “It’s beautiful.”

“I want you to have it. I should have given it to you years ago.”

Kayla jerked her head up, shocked he was trying to give her such an expensive gift. She put it back in the chest, feeling a twinge of regret, but she couldn’t take it. “I can’t accept this. You’ve kept it all these years. It must mean a lot to you.”

Alec put his hand on hers. “Kayla, it would mean a lot more to me if you accepted it.”

She hesitated but looked at the globe with longing. “Are you sure?”

“Yes,” he insisted and stepped closer to her. “I’d like you to have it. It belongs with you.”

She pulled the box toward her and trailed her fingers over the globe once more. She’d never owned anything so beautiful. “Thank you.”

“Kayla,” he murmured. She looked up at him, and he lifted his hand to stroke her cheek. “You’re exquisite.”

He tilted her head back and pressed his lips against hers. She closed her eyes and leaned into the kiss. Her senses went into overload. Everything felt sharper and clearer. His touch sent energy flowing through her.

But he’s not Carl.

She pulled away. “I’m sorry, Alec. I can’t do this.”

He looked at her in surprise. “Because of Carl? Kayla, he’s just a trader.”

“How did you…” her voice trailed off and her eyes narrowed. She’d had her suspicions, but she hadn’t been sure until now. She took a step back. “Are you listening to my thoughts?”

He hesitated for a moment before admitting, “Yes. Not all of them, but I can hear some. You haven’t learned to think quietly yet.”

“All this time?” she accused angrily, mentally kicking herself for letting down her guard. She’d been so focused on all these strange new experiences that she hadn’t been paying enough attention to what was right in front of her. How much had he been manipulating her by listening to her thoughts? For all she knew, he had been directing her like some mindless puppet.

“Kayla, I was waiting for the right time to teach you. Most people can’t communicate with thought. I usually have to be touching someone for them to hear me. You’re one of the rare exceptions.”

Well, didn’t she feel lucky.

“You sick and twisted bastard.” Her hand clenched into a fist and she swung.

He caught her hand easily. “You don’t want to do that.”

She snatched her hand away from him and hissed, “Everyone deserves the right to be a jackass, but you abuse the privilege.”

Alec followed her as she stormed out of the room. “Wait a minute, Kayla.”

She ignored him and headed straight for the door, walking right into Master Edwin Tal’Vayr.

The older man glanced back at Alec. “Is there a problem, Kayla?”

She scowled at him. “Yeah, your son. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m done with this. I’m beginning to see why my subconscious wanted to avoid the towers all these years. At least things make sense on the surface and there isn’t any of this woo-woo crap.”

“You’re planning on leaving the towers?” Edwin’s eyes narrowed.

“I’m definitely thinking about it.”

“Kayla, wait a minute,” Alec protested. “This was just a misunderstanding.”

Edwin gave Alec a hard look and grabbed Kayla’s wrist. “You had your chance, Alec.”

“What are you doing? Get your hands off me!”

She tried to pull away from him, but his grip was ironclad. Suddenly, Kayla felt a sharp, piercing energy flow through her. She gasped and struggled against him.

More energy poured through her, and Kayla started feeling dizzy. She desperately searched for the calm oasis she’d found before. Relief flooded through her when she found it. Gathering as much of the energy as she could, she flung it back toward Edwin.

He relaxed his grip slightly, and his eyes widened in surprise. There was admiration in his voice as he said, “You said she was strong, but I had no idea.”

“Let her go,” Alec demanded angrily. “She was upset because of a misunderstanding. This isn’t necessary.”

“Forget it,” Edwin snarled. “She’s an untapped resource. I’m not risking her leaving the tower. I had no idea she was this powerful.”

His words didn’t make complete sense to Kayla, but she was having trouble focusing on both the energy and their argument. If she could clear her head of the energy rush, she could think and get out of this mess. She pushed more energy back toward Edwin. He tightened his grip on her wrist, and she cried out as her senses were once again flooded.

The assault continued to increase in intensity until Kayla finally closed herself off in the dark abyss of her mind.