“How? Do you have a safehouse with a fully charged plasma shield? Trained peacekeepers? I understand it’s hard, but we need to be realistic about this. It won’t be forever.”
“Our home has a fully charged plasma shield. I’ll keep Cassie inside if there are any threats.” Örim was fully holding her now as Cassie clung to him, the urge to harm herself growing ever stronger as everything started to spin out of control.
“Aren’t you an educator? What in the hell are you doing with a fully charged plasma shield?” Yina turned off her datapad. “Cassie, can we talk alone, please. I really think you should reconsider.”
“She said no,” S’samph interjected. “If you really believe Cassie is a person, then you believe it is her choice.”
“I’d rather not deal with this logistical nightmare, but fine. You’re ex-military. Tell me realistically if you can actually keep her safe here.”
“As long as she follows protocols, we can keep her safe.”
“Ugh. This is going to be such a paperwork shitshow.” Yina tucked the datapad back in her bag. “This is a big deal for the IA. Do not fuck it up.” She glared at S’samph as she exited the office. Cassie sat in the deafening quiet in Örim’s arms, still clutching his hand. She didn’t know if she had made the right choice, but it felt like the only choice. She couldn’t be alone again. She couldn’t leave Örim. Not now. Not when she’d only just started to find herself again.
CHAPTER 35
Örim
At home, that evening, Cassie curled up next to him on the bed while he scanned through files on his datapad. Her files. She knew they were on there, but he hadn’t opened them until recently, until she’d given him permission. Then there was the message from the institute on Brasnia Prime he still hadn’t discussed with her. Perhaps now was the right moment. They wouldn’t need to be separated, but they wouldn’t have to stay in Laurus. He paused his work, turning to her then. “There might be another option, aöseria.”
Another option for what?
“I’ve been offered a position in a research lab on Brasnia Prime. It would be in Prime Central, the capital. We could go there. You’ll be safer in a populated city with a heavy IA peacekeeper presence. We won’t have to be separated.”
Her eyes dimmed.My whole life is here.
“Brasnia Prime is a huge place. I’m sure you can make new friends, find something meaningful to do.” He came to sit next to her on the bed. “It would be safer.”
Why didn’t you tell me you were offered a job?
“It wasn’t relevant. You were here. The position wouldn’t start for another standard year, but we need to start the resettlement process now. Your refugee status gives you access to any alliance planet.”
Do you know how many Aviary clients live in Prime Central?
He didn’t. It hadn’t factored into his calculus when he applied. Since he hadn’t fully examined her voicelock records, he didn’t know any personal information about her clientele from the Aviary. “It’s a massive city, Cassie. The odds of running into anyone would be statistically improbable.”
It’s not safe!Her hands flew to her arms, but she paused, catching herself in the middle of something, and then gripping tightly around her own wrists.
“It has to be safer than here.” Örim reached for her hands. She was shaking as she let him take them. “Aöseria, why is this so distressing? It’s just a conversation. We haven’t made any decisions yet.”
They will kill me! These people have money. They have power. They will assassinate me. There is nowhere safe on Brasnia Prime. The IA didn’t send a single passeri there for a reason!Her eyes blazed in an expression he’d never seen from her. Was this anger? Had she finally found something terrible enough to make her angry? She hadn’t told him much about the Aviary. Most of his knowledge came secondhand from IA documents or the intelewave forums and the occasional offhand comments she made about it.
“Is that true?”
Why would I lie about it? The Prime Family spent a lot of time at the Aviary.
Örim went still. His electrical core crackled quietly. He didn’t want to frighten her with the depths of his rage. It wasn’t for her.It was partly for himself, for not asking sooner, but mostly for the people who had done this to her.
“Then we won’t go to Brasnia Prime.” He squeezed her hands more tightly, keeping his tone soft. Cassie let him. She didn’t pull away. If he had spoken to her sooner, including her in the decision making, none of this would have happened. It was a bleak reminder of other conversations yet unspoken, but he knew it wasn’t the right time, not when she was already so agitated.
I need to use the lavatory.Cassie pulled her hands away from his and got up from their shared bed before he could say anything else. A few minutes later, he heard the sound of the shower stall activating. She had already showered earlier. Why was she showering again? He wasn’t sure. Maybe she would explain when she returned. While she was occupied, Örim started drafting his refusal letter to the institute on Brasnia Prime.
Cassie returned nearly half a standard hour later, dressed in one of her standard long-sleeved sleeping gowns. Her hair was slightly damp, and her gaze was far away.
“Did something happen, aöseria?”
I’m sorry for yelling.
“You’re allowed to yell if something upsets you. I’m not offended by you being honest about your feelings. I just sent my refusal to the institute on Brasnia Prime.”
