My lips quivered as I sucked in a deep breath, my mind a whirl of thoughts concerning the alien behind the sealed door. Now wasn’t the time to be swept away by the whirlwind. I swallowed hard, pushing Ky’rn’s magnetic presence to the back of my mind.
His well-being had to take priority over our connection.
I forced a nod. “I’m fine, Dr. Violet. But Ky’rn…He’s not doing well.”
Her brows knitted together. “What do you mean?”
My voice quivered. “His hue has shifted, his energy seems to be waning. He needs the live fish he requested. We can’t risk his health.”
Her expression softened, her earlier alarm morphing into determination. “We’ll make sure he gets what he needs. We can’t afford to have him deteriorate under our watch.”
A sigh of relief escaped me. “Can you accompany me to the kitchens? We need the head chef to arrange a constant supply.”
She offered a nod and gently let go of my hands. “We can go now, if you want.” She motioned. “I bet you’re famished. You missed dinner.”
I bit my lip, gratitude flooding me. Her offer wasn’t just professional between two scientists—it was personal, an unspoken bond between two people who understood the weight of their responsibilities.
I hadn’t even noticed my hunger until she mentioned it. A pang of emptiness hit my stomach, and I swayed slightly, light-headedness creeping in.
“Thank you, that means a lot.”
Dr. Violet’s gaze sharpened, shifting to my still damp hair. “Why is your hair wet?”
The memory of the water, the way Ky’rn’s skin had felt against mine, surged to the forefront. I pushed it away with a casual shrug. “Oh, just felt like taking a relaxing swim with him.”
She folded her arms across her chest, unimpressed. “And that wouldn’t have anything to do with the chamber surveillance mysteriously going offline?”
I shrugged, feigning ignorance. “Couldn’t tell you.”
Dr. Violet’s usually stoic face twisted with a mix of compassion and regret as she took a moment to gather herself, taking a deep breath.
The fluorescent lights of the lab cast a harsh glow, making the clinical surroundings seem even colder. Dr. Violet’s voice trembled with emotion, something I had seldom seen in the composed scientist. “You were right about your grandfather. He wasn’t just content with exploiting Ky’rn once he found him. He…he actually orchestrated his capture.”
Shock rippled through me, a cold fury surging up in its wake. I had suspected many things of my grandfather, but not this level of cruelty.
“So, you’re telling me he put a bounty on Ky’rn? That Grandfather not only knew about him but was the reason he was captured? The reason he’s here, in this…” I waved around, the unnatural environment we’d caged him in. “…prison?”
Dr. Violet winced, nodding slowly. “Yes, but it wasn’t just Ky’rn,” she admitted; her gaze was heavy with regret. “He placed bounties on Sam and Rose that night, too. He was desperate for control, to undo anything that threatened both his position and yours. Your grandfather believes they’ll come out of hiding once news of your impending wedding spreads, and the ceremony has been designed to flush them out, if they don’t show up beforehand.”
I felt bile rise in my throat, the weight of betrayal stinging sharp.
“All this time I thought Ky’rn was just a victim of circumstance. I never imagined my own family was responsible for his capture.”
Violet’s expression softened, and she reached out, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder. “Isla, I, too, wish things were different, but you can’t dwell on the past,” she began, her voice filled with the wisdom of her years. “We can’t change what’s been done. But now that you know, you have the power to change the future. To right the wrongs.”
Frustration bubbled up within me, my voice edged with bitterness. “I’m just one person. I don’t even know the first thing about running a conglomerate.”
A smile played on her lips, tinged with a hint of mischief. “Well, you have a fiancé, don’t you? One who’s quite familiar with leadership and power. Perhaps he could be of assistance?”
I scowled. “A fiancé I never asked for,” I muttered bitterly.
She tilted her head, her gaze sharp. “I know how you feel, Isla. Your grandfather has cornered me into many decisions I’ve regretted too. But I believe in change, and I believe in you. With new leadership, things can change. You can shape the future.”
The dimmed artificial lighting of the lab created long shadows as the weight of her words sank in. The hushed silence felt almost suffocating.
I took a moment to study Dr. Violet, her face worn from years under my grandfather’s oppressive influence. The creases around her eyes, the lines of stress across her forehead, all hinted at the weight of the guilt she carried. Her weary eyes spoke of countless sleepless nights and confrontations with a man neither of us could defy. Her gaze was sincere, pleading almost. It reminded me of Ky’rn’s eyes when he looked at me, filled with longing for a life of freedom.
Maybe I couldn’t undo my grandfather’s sins, but I could ensure they weren’t repeated.
