Chapter 18 - Fall From Grace
Fall From Grace
By the time she strides away, I know Tanisira isn’t going to run errands for the ship.
She’s being shifty. I want to follow her, but I can’t miss out on spending the day with Vee.
So, burning curiosity carefully folded away, I turn all my attention to the bright grin on my son’s face and aim to keep it there for the next few hours.
We have such a lovely day traipsing around the station that it’s almost a disappointment when Vee starts to lag.
I manage to wrangle one last stop out of him so I can get a replacement ChronoSkin on Dominik’s dime.
With the patch synced, I immediately have access to all my vitals again and it feels like a great weight off my shoulders.
The interface that glows against my wrist when activated, shows me stats that—in a world where I have my meds— stop me from overdoing it and keep me in an acceptable range of functionality.
Right now, my blood pressure, balance, and fatigue levels are good because I had a shot last night. The patch is tuned to my body, the little angel on my shoulder, and I hadn’t realised just how much I missed it.
Vee and I slump on a bench in the concourse, sweating and achy. Bags wilt at our feet, and the smell of food wafts over us. Lunch in the ‘Zon was great, but I’m a little peckish again.
“I can feel my heartbeat in my legs,” Vee marvels.
“I think we visited every single store in this place.”
He looks at the evidence of our spree with an awe that would make me laugh if the soles of my feet weren’t throbbing. His father is one of the richest men in the galaxy, but he has never acknowledged that. Strangely, I think Dominik’s wealth alienates Vee more than it appeals to him.
“I can’t believe Dad can just walk into any of these stores and pick up whatever he wants without paying for it.”
“Well, no, Vee. He pays for it. Everything gets put on his account, and it’s paid for at once.”
“Oh. Well, I still think that’s kinda fun. I’m gonna play that new game as soon as we—”
“No.” I shake my head in amusement. “You’re not. You’re going to shower and eat dinner. And then, because I can see how red your eyes are, you cheeky urchin, I suspect you’re going to have an early night.”
He pleads with those eyes I love so much, but I’m not having it.
The day has been a lot. We shopped for clothes, toiletries, treats, and games.
It might be two days from Novus Junction to Red Horizon, but I don’t know what to expect once we land.
I’d rather be prepared. Plus, being able to wear clothes that actually fit me was too good an opportunity to give up.
Vee doesn’t even bother to argue, and that’s how I know he’s knackered.
A satisfied smile curls his mouth as he holds up his arm, admiring the new band encircling his wrist. It’s a beautiful, slender piece, technically plain but certainly not bland.
It’s made of the same material as the jewellery that Tanisira, Devyaan, and even the Archival brothers wear: Maritium.
Somehow, I’d never asked about it, lost in the sea of questions I had, but Vee knew all about the precious metal.
Of course. Now I know about Vahrin—the sentiment of the concept and the utter beauty of the material—and Vee has a token of his time on the Midas.
“You chose well.” I smile, taking his wrist and turning the band to the light. It was soldered on; he was adamant he’d never want to remove it.
“It’s not the same when ne-domas wear it.”
Outsiders. The term isn’t a hostile one, merely a reference to those who aren’t native to Suryavana.
“I know, baby, but I think Tanisira and Dev will appreciate it.”
His smile sends sparks through my heart.
God, I love this kid. We fall into a contented silence as Vee taps away at his game.
Beau had messaged to say they’d meet us here, and, glad for the respite, I survey the hub around us.
There are voices mingling with the continuous advertisements that pop up, station announcements, and hundreds of people milling around—yet it’s not a fast-paced environment, unlike any station I’ve seen in England.
It’s oddly calming to see leisure in everyone’s gait.
Through the bodies crisscrossing in front of me, I spot the flash of a familiar face.
It’s the first time I’ve seen Tanisira since this morning, and I’m disgusted to say that it sends my stomach into a flip.
Somehow, I’m in this place where her face just does that: makes me stupidly pleased to see her.
I’m also burning with curiosity.
If I crane my neck, I can just about make out the stall she patronises.
It’s one of the clothing booths run by small business owners, in contrast to the franchises on the upper floors.
The crowds are too thick for me to see more without actively getting up.
I’m tempted to nose around, but I have a suspicion Tanisira will immediately catch me out. She’s like a fucking ninja.
“Hey, gorgeous. Little man.”
Beau pops up in front of me, blocking my view of our sneaky captain. Their cheeks are flushed, eyes bright. Vee bumps a fist against Beau’s and stands, eager to leave the bustling concourse, and I’m struck by a sudden decision.
“You sure made use of those accounts, huh?” Beau whistles, taking in all the bags. “You know, you could have had these brought to the ship? Dominik is like... royalty here.”
“I said that!” Vee cried. “But Mum said Tanisira’s warning had spooked her.”
“Whoops. Maybe she overdid it, but it’s very safe in here. It’s out there that’s dangerous.” Beau laughs. “Ready to go?”
“Actually, can I ask you a favour?” I tilt my head.
I wouldn’t say I’m turning on the charm, but a smile goes a long way. Beau’s flirted shamelessly with me from the beginning; I might as well use that a little.
They grin. “You can ask me anything.”
Standing so that I catch glimmers of Tanisira in my peripheral vision, I lean in. “Could you please take Vee back with you? I have some errands to run that I didn’t want to do with him.”
“Ah.” Uncertainty tinges their expression. “I don’t know... I really should stay with you until you’re ready to head back. The cap—”
“Beau, I’ll be fine. I promise. Besides, Vee’s so tired, and I don’t know how long I’ll be. I’ll head straight back once I’m done, and I’ll let you know when I’m on the way.”
It’s shitty of me, and I’m not proud of it, but I lie through my damn teeth. Beau mulls over it, glancing at Vee, then at all the bags before coming back to me. Finally, they nod, following up with a finger pointed right at me.
“Straight back, please, or Cap will have my guts for garters.”
I stand on tiptoes and press a kiss to their cheek, itching to get going before my quarry disappears. “You have my word.”
It’s endearing to watch the flush that had adorned their cheeks slowly course down their neck.
At heart, Beau is a little darling. In the corner of my eye, Tanisira starts to edge away from the stall.
My pulse picks up. In a last-second dash of brilliance, I turn back to Beau as I snatch up one of the bags, remove all of the outfits minus one and swing it onto my shoulder.
“Hey, uh, just so I don’t accidentally get you in trouble by bumping into her, do you know where Tanisira will be?”
“Oh.” They wave a hand dismissively. “Don’t worry. She had me book her a room at The Tower tonight, she’ll be long gone by now.”
Bingo.
Beau orders a courier bot to take the bags back to the ship and heads after it with Vee in tow.
I kiss my boy goodnight and speed off in the direction I saw Tanisira head.
With my height, it’s not easy to make my way through the throng of bodies and maintain my compass.
By the time I reach the other side of the hub, Tanisira is nowhere to be seen.
But, with a grim sort of satisfaction, I know where she’ll be.
I have a vague understanding of the hub’s layout after hours of manoeuvring it, but I still have to research The Tower.
It’s a hotel at the very edge of the hub, located right on the boundary between Inner Novus and Greater Novus.
According to its marketing, the hotel is a soaring marvel of architecture with a blend of both Tellurian and Suryavan influences.
Now knowing what it looks like, I recognise the building reaching into the horizon and set off towards it.
I can’t help wondering why Tanisira needed to book a hotel room. My mind is tugged in many directions, but I find myself sliding back to one thing, dredging up one name: Samiran.
Is Tanisira meeting up with her tonight?
My guts twist as I slip through groups of people, occasionally looking up to mark my position.
When the spire of the hotel disappears behind other lofty buildings, I follow the signs that arise at intervals, seeming to anticipate my needs.
Billboards flash against the sky, the nature of holos meaning that companies can cram more and more into smaller spaces.
It’s certainly more hectic than back home.
I choose to walk instead of catching a maglev just in case I catch sight of Tanisira on the way.
She might not check in until much later, but the smartest thing to do is wait at the hotel until she does.
And if she’s already there, well... I’ll figure it out.
As I pass stall after stall, it’s easy to ignore the calls of vendors and the delicious aroma of food I don’t recognise because my mind is stuffed with thoughts.
I shouldn’t even care. Tanisira has every right to meet up with whoever the fuck she likes and do whatever the fuck she wants.
It’s none. Of my. Business. Jealousy is stupid, and we barely know each other.