Kayla stared at the mapping images on the screen and impatiently tapped the keys in front of her. She cycled through the diagrams so she could start rendering them in three dimensions.

Carl walked into the tech room and sat down next to her. “Kayla, we need to talk.”

“If it’s about that OmniLab crap, I’m not interested.”

“Master Tal’Vayr didn’t handle the situation well. I tried to explain it to him, but things are different in the towers. He’s not used to being questioned.”

Kayla entered some additional commands into the computer. She felt him watching her and tried to ignore him. “I know what happened just now came as a shock. It shocked me too. But there’s no denying you’re the child in that picture.”

She glanced at him briefly. “It doesn’t matter. This is who I am now.”

“It does matter. Yes, you’re still Kayla, but you’re more than that. You’re a Rath’Varein.”

She made a face. They could give her any name they wanted. It wouldn’t change anything. “That name means absolutely nothing to me.”

“Dammit, Kayla. This is so difficult because you didn’t grow up in the towers.” Carl took a deep breath, exhaling slowly. “You should know this. Dmitri Rath’Varein was one of the founders of OmniLab. He enlisted the help of Marsin Tal’Vayr and some others to build the towers.”

Kayla turned her chair to look at him. “Are you trying to tell me you think I’m related to the guy who built those ugly-ass towers?”

“Yes, but it’s more than that. OmniLab didn’t just build the towers. They built a lot of other things too. They knew our world was headed for trouble, and they wanted to save certain parts of it. Dmitri Rath’Varein was trying to save something he considered more precious than humanity.”

Kayla tapped her fingers on the desk in annoyance. “What the hell are you talking about, Carl?”

Master Tal’Vayr stepped into the room. “I think I should explain.”

Kayla scowled at him. He was the last person she wanted to see right now.

Master Tal’Vayr walked over to her, and she scrambled to her feet, preparing for a quick exit. He paused and clasped his hands in front of him, looking harmless, but she knew the effects of his zappy fingers now. “I want to apologize to you, Kayla. Trader Carl has tried to explain the way things work here on the surface. It’s much different than what I expected. I would imagine you’re as unfamiliar with our ways as I am about your life here. Do you have any memory of living with us?”

“Look, Master Tal’Vayr, or whatever the hell your name is,” Kayla began, eyeing the distance to the door. When he didn’t make any sudden movements, she relaxed. “I don’t know anything about you, and I don’t want to know anything about you. As far as I’m concerned, you can go back to your big towers and leave me the hell alone. The only reason I’m even in this trader camp right now is because I didn’t have a choice. Ramiro, another one of you Omnis, decided the planet would be a little more pleasant if I didn’t exist.”

Master Tal’Vayr frowned. “Please, call me Alec. You are a member of the Inner Circle and it’s not fitting for you to call me by my title.”

Kayla snorted and sat back down in the chair. What kind of guy insisted on people calling him Master anyway? She dismissed him with a wave of her hand. “Fine, Alec. Go away. I’m busy. I don’t want to listen to you anymore.”

Alec looked at Carl questioningly, and he motioned for him to keep talking to her. Kayla narrowed her eyes at Carl. Traitor.

“Ah, I suppose you don’t remember, but I knew you when you were young. I was several years older than you. You were extremely talented, even then. You had the ability to locate items people had lost or hidden. That’s why the High Council agreed to let you travel to the ruins. A lot of our people objected, though, because of your age.”

Kayla pretended to ignore him and continued studying the images. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Carl nod at Alec again, encouraging him to continue. She was tempted to kick him in the shins.

“I used to have a small, glass globe you were obsessed with. You would sneak it out of my quarters whenever you got a chance. You always found it, it didn’t matter where I hid it. It had little flecks of green and…”

“Gold,” Kayla whispered in surprise and looked up from the monitor. He now had her full attention. “I used to have dreams about a glass ball that flashed green and gold when it moved.”

Alec nodded. “That would be it. I still have it. I would have given it to you when we were children, but you seemed to enjoy finding it almost as much as you enjoyed playing with it.”

Kayla shook her head. The whole thing was too far-fetched to believe. “This doesn’t mean anything.”

“No? When I first entered, Trader Carl was trying to explain to you a bit of our history. A bit of your history. It was our ancestors who built the towers to protect those of us with certain distinctive traits. Specifically, those of us with unique bloodlines.”

She’d never heard that before. “Huh? I thought everyone paid their way in.”

Alec hesitated and glanced at Carl before explaining. “Some did, yes. We needed the funding, of course. But before entrance to the towers was opened to the highest bidders, certain people were targeted. OmniLab was originally a company that operated as a medical research facility, dedicated to compiling information on the millions of people populating the planet. Based on the information OmniLab obtained, we were able to determine some people carried certain markers in their DNA which set them apart from others.”

“What sort of markers?”

“Your senses are different from other people. You have a unique ancestry. I’m sure you’ve noticed you’re able to hear and see things other people are unable to sense. I would imagine with your unique skill set, you’ve been quite successful in discovering artifacts.”

“I’ve had some luck,” she admitted grudgingly.

“I’m sure that’s an understatement.” He gave her a knowing smile. “But regardless, there are several of us who share these same DNA markers. You would have trained to use your innate talents and develop others if you had grown up in the towers. As it is, there’s a great deal of raw potential within you that’s waiting to be unlocked.”

Okay, this was too bizarre, and she needed to shut him down. “Are you always this creepy?”

Carl smothered a grin and pretended to be fascinated by the wall. Alec returned her look. “Are you always this difficult?”

She shrugged, turned back to the computer, and entered in a few keystrokes to download the data to her commlink. “So I’ve been told.” Standing up, she offered them both a smile. “Well, it was interesting meeting you, but it’s time for me to head out. Carl, thanks for everything, and I’m sure I’ll see you around.”

Surprised, Carl stood. “Where are you going?”

She winked at him. “My contract is null and void. I’m a free agent again.”

“Dammit, Kayla, don’t do this. What about Veridian?”

Understanding hit her like a punch in the stomach. “Damn you and your stupid contracts. He’s not released, is he?”

“No, Master Tal’Vayr only released your contract, not his.”

Master Tal’Vayr listened to their exchange and offered, “If that’s an issue, I have a proposition.”

Kayla’s lips formed a thin line. A proposition was how she got into this mess to begin with. “Fine, I’ll bite. What is it?”

“I want you to come back with me to the towers. In exchange, I’ll release Veridian from his contract, if that’s what he wishes.”

“Like hell. I’m not going anywhere with you.”

Alec held up his hand. “I’m not asking you to come permanently, unless you decide otherwise. Instead, I would like to invite you to visit the towers. It’s my hope that some of your childhood memories may return.”

“Forget it.” Kayla shoved her commlink in her pocket and headed toward the door. She’d figure out some other way to get Veridian out of the contract. Her idea about leaving the district was beginning to look more appealing.

Alec took a step toward her and said quickly, “Wouldn’t you like to see your mother again?”

Kayla froze. Of all the things she’d expected him to say, that wasn’t one of them. She turned around slowly and narrowed her eyes at him. “My mother died in the ruins helping me escape.”

Alec shook his head. “Whoever it was, she wasn’t your mother. A team of people from OmniLab, scientists and several Inner Circle members, took you into the ruins. Your mother has never left the towers.”

“I don’t believe you,” Kayla argued, but he’d placed a niggle of doubt in her mind.

“She’s very much alive,” Alec informed her. “She’s spent the last sixteen years believing her only child was killed. It would mean a great deal to her to see you again.”

Kayla shook her head, feeling overwhelmed. The possibility she could have family had never dawned on her. It was too much for her to wrap her head around. “I… I have to go. I need some air.” Not caring what they thought, she ran out of the room toward her private area in the crew’s quarters.

She enabled the privacy setting and sat on the edge of the bed, putting her head in her hands. Realizing she was shaking, she took a deep breath and tried to calm down. Things were moving way too fast, and she felt powerless to stop them.

Screw that. I’m only powerless if I let them control me.

Kayla stood and looked around the small room, wanting to escape. She opened the locker and pulled out the empty bag Veridian had brought with him. Running away could be an option. If she scavenged enough, maybe she could pay for Veridian’s contract or pay Leo off to hide Veridian. There were other facilities out there. She didn’t know where, but they existed. Somewhere.

Possibilities ran through her mind, each more absurd than the last. She tossed the bag on the bed, ready to have a panic attack, when the door slid open. Kayla looked up to see Veridian standing in the doorway.

His gaze fell on the open bag. “Kayla, what’s going on?”

She sat on the bed, pushing the bag aside. “I don’t know anymore, V. It’s all getting away from me. That Master Whatshisface seems to think I’m an Omni and wants me to go visit the towers. He says my mother is still alive, and that she believes I’ve been dead for the past sixteen years.”

Veridian’s eyes widened, and he sat next to her. “Wow. Do you believe him?”

She shrugged. “You saw the picture. I don’t know what to believe.”

“What are you going to do?”

“I was thinking about going back to Leo’s camp,” she admitted, nudging the bag with her foot. “My contract’s been thrown out, but I didn’t realize it didn’t apply to yours too.”

Veridian put his arm around her and gave her a reassuring squeeze. “If going back to Leo’s camp is what you want to do, then go. Don’t worry about me. Staying here is temporary. Quite honestly, living in a trader camp isn’t half bad.”

Kayla gave him a weak smile. Even though it had only been a few days, she liked being here too. She wasn’t ready to admit it out loud though. But no matter how much she liked or disliked it, Kayla couldn’t imagine being somewhere without Veridian. “That Master guy said if you wanted to be released from your contract, he would do it. But I have to visit the towers with him.”

“Kayla, seeing the inside of the towers is something most ruin rats dream about. Aren’t you curious?”

“No. I’ve always hated those stupid towers. They freak me out for some reason.”

Veridian fell silent for several long moments. “I shouldn’t be the reason you go. Don’t worry about my contract. But if what he said is true, I think you should consider meeting your mother.”

Kayla felt a sudden uncontrollable fear at the thought. “Why? She’s just some woman I don’t remember. It was your mother who raised me.”

The words sounded crass even to her, and she flinched at Veridian’s disapproving look.

“Family is important, Kayla. She’s your mother and deserves to see the woman her daughter has become. It would have broken my mother’s heart if she thought she lost me.”

Kayla frowned and picked at a piece of lint on her blanket. He was right. If what Alec said were true, she could be getting a second chance. The door beeped, and Kayla glared at it in annoyance. She wasn’t ready to agree to anything yet. “If it’s that Omni guy again, tell him I’m washing my hair or something.”

Veridian chuckled and opened the door to find Carl standing in the doorway. “Sorry to interrupt, but I was hoping to speak with you, Kayla.”

Kayla looked up at him and gave a nod. He stepped inside. “Would you mind giving us a minute, Veridian?”

Veridian hesitated before nodding in agreement. “Think about what I said,” he reminded her before leaving the room.

She grumbled under her breath and stood. Needing to keep her hands busy, she picked up the bag and tossed it on the desk. No matter what she decided, she needed to pack. Carl walked up behind her and slipped his hands around her waist. She stiffened slightly, but then relaxed against him as he brushed his lips against her hair. “It’s a lot take in, I know. I don’t blame you for wanting to leave.”

She turned around to look up at him in surprise. “You don’t?”

He shook his head. “No, I don’t. I know you don’t want to be controlled or manipulated. That’s exactly what’s happening. I don’t want you to leave, but I understand if you do.”

His easy acceptance was surprising, but Carl never did anything expected. Overwhelmed with gratitude, Kayla rested her head against his chest. He seemed to understand what she needed, even when she didn’t. She inhaled his masculine scent, wanting to memorize it. “Well, it’s not like you won’t ever see me if I go back to Leo’s camp. I’m sure I’ll piss you off again before you know it.”

Carl paused for a minute and then tilted her head up to look at him. “I don’t think you understand the enormity of what’s happened, Kayla. I’m just a trader working on behalf of Omnilab. OmniLab controls the district. You’re part of that, whether or not you want to admit it. You can scavenge whatever the hell you want in whatever district you want and no one can say a damn thing to you now.”

Confused, she pulled back. “What are you talking about?”

“Tower politics. There’s a hierarchy, and the Inner Circle is at the top, right below the High Council. Many members of the Inner Circle are also part of the High Council, the governing body of the towers. I guess you could say the Inner Circle acts more as advisers to the High Council.

“Before your father died, he ran the High Council. The High Council appoints traders to act on behalf of OmniLab. In exchange, they provide generous compensation for securing artifacts and resources. All traders answer to the High Council and the Inner Circle. You’re part of the Inner Circle by right of birth.”

Kayla laughed. “Are you trying to tell me I’m your boss now?”

Carl smiled wryly. “In a strange twist of fate, yes.”

Hmm. This has possibilities. Kayla gave him a wicked smile. “So you have to do whatever I want?”

“Technically, yes,” he admitted and tucked her hair behind her ear. “But to be honest, I shouldn’t even have my hands on you. You’re… ah… quite a bit out of my league now. Members of the Inner Circle keep to themselves. They don’t usually pay much attention to us lowly traders.”

Kayla raised an eyebrow as she ran her hands across his chest. “What if I want your hands on me?”

His eyes darkened with desire. “Kayla, I don’t think there’s a man alive who could resist you, Inner Circle or not.” He bent down, his lips ravishing hers. She put her arms around him and returned his kiss with equal fervor.

They were both breathing heavily when the kiss ended. She rested her head against his chest while he threaded his fingers through her hair. His voice was low and husky as he said, “Part of me wants to say to hell with everything and run off to Leo’s camp with you.”

“Let’s go right now. We can even go start our own camp.”

He chuckled, then his smile faded as he searched her expression. “You’re serious, aren’t you?”

“I don’t like people telling me what to do or how to live my life. It seems like that’s all I’ve been getting lately.”

He considered her for a long moment. “I think you have a lot of your father in you.”

Kayla blinked, momentarily taken aback by his words. She’d occasionally wondered about her mother, but she’d never given much thought to a father. Leo was probably the closest thing she had to one, and she wasn’t convinced he’d bother with her if she weren’t consistently turning in a profit. He’d taken her in as a kid, and she’d been paying him back ever since. “What do you know about him?”

“From everything I’ve heard, he was a great man. He never backed away from a challenge and had an incredibly strong will. Everyone admired him. It was a huge blow to the High Council when he died, and things were in an uproar for a while. Master Tal’Vayr stepped in and took control of the Council. It was the first time in history the towers weren’t run by a Rath’Varein. A lot of people were upset.”

She glanced toward the closed door, thinking of the pompous Omni running around Carl’s camp. “Wait, Alec runs the High Council now?”

“No, his father does,” Carl said with a chuckle. “Alec is part of the Inner Circle though. It’s just a matter of time before he’s on the High Council. Your existence is going to upset the balance, but in a good way, I think. If you decide to visit the towers, you would definitely cause a stir.”

Kayla pulled away from him, still feeling defensive. She wasn’t ready to agree to anything. “You’re assuming I want to go there.”

“No, I’m not. I’m just speculating.” He took another step toward her and brushed his lips against her forehead. “Kayla, your life is your own. You just have more options now than you did yesterday.”

She considered his words and what Veridian had said. “Do you know my mother?”

Carl shook his head. “Not really. I’ve seen images of her, but I’ve only met her once. I didn’t realize it, but you look a bit like her. She has dark hair like yours, and she’s petite. I don’t remember much else, except that she’s quite beautiful.”

When Kayla didn’t respond, Carl continued, “She stays out of politics for the most part. I’ve heard she was much more involved with the towers before the ruin collapse. Since losing you and your father, she’s kept to herself.”

Kayla bit her lip, indecision weighing heavily upon her.

“Are you thinking about meeting her?”

She lifted a shoulder in a half-hearted shrug. “I don’t know. Maybe. V seems to think I should. I don’t have any memories of her though. I always thought my mother had been killed. Now I find out that wasn’t true, and there’s this woman who exists that I know nothing about.”

“You could always try visiting the towers for a few days,” he encouraged. “You could meet her and see if anything there resonates with you. If not, you can always leave and come back here or go to Leo’s camp.”

Kayla looked away, her gaze landing on the small table next to the bed where she’d placed the image viewer the night before. Just like Veridian, family had been important to Pretz too. Maybe they were right. If she didn’t take this opportunity, she’d always wonder. “You think they’d let me bring V? He’s always been curious about the towers.”

A thoughtful look crossed Carl’s face, and he shrugged. “I’ve never heard of a ruin rat being allowed entry into the towers, but he’s part of a trader’s crew now. I’ve taken Cruncher with me to the towers to collect supplies. Not only that, but Master Tal’Vayr seems eager for you to visit. I’m sure he’d be willing to make some rather large concessions for you.”

“What about you? You’re from the towers. Would you go too?”

“That’s a little different,” he said with a frown. “I’ve been assigned to stay here until I’m recalled or my contract expires. I’ll need to head to the towers in a few days when the High Council replaces Ramiro. As part of my trading agreement with OmniLab, I’m supposed to meet with the other traders to establish guidelines for working with the new one. If you want to go on ahead with Master Tal’Vayr, I could bring you and Veridian back in a few days.”

It was a reasonable suggestion, and she was hard-pressed to find a flaw in it, but she couldn’t shake the sense of foreboding at the idea of going to the towers. “Something about Alec bothers me,” Kayla admitted. “I don’t like the way he looks at me.”

Carl chuckled. “He looks at you the same way most men do. You’re the most beautiful, talented, and passionate woman I’ve ever met, Kayla.”

She looked up at him, her stomach fluttering as he gazed down at her. The man was dangerous. She couldn’t seem to keep her hands off him and, in return, his touch made all her concerns seem insignificant. Kayla reached up to kiss him again.

“He’s kinda pretty, in a strange sort of way,” she told him with a teasing smile. “But he doesn’t make me feel the same way you do.”

“I’m glad to hear it.” Carl laughed, then whispered huskily in her ear, “I hope you’ll keep giving me the opportunity to make you feel that way.”

Kayla shivered. Both the promise in his words and his warm breath against her skin created delicious tingles through her body. Oh, she could definitely keep giving him opportunities.

He pulled back a fraction, his expression becoming thoughtful. “So do you think you’ll go? This would give you something to do while you’re healing and not able to go into the ruins. Ramiro can’t touch you in the towers. Besides, think of all the technology you could get your hands on.”

Her eyes widened as she considered his words. Holy smokes! She’d never even considered the possibilities. “You’re right. I wonder if they’d let me see some of their prototypes?”

“I imagine they would,” he admitted with a trace of a smile. “Your name holds far more weight than you realize.”

Kayla cocked her head. “When do you think you’ll be coming to the towers?”

“I suspect things will happen fairly quickly with Ramiro now. My best guess would be two or three days at the most. They can’t leave Ramiro’s camp without a trader for long.”

She could handle that. “All right. I’ll take Veridian and go check out these towers.” She paused for a moment, glanced at the door, and frowned. “I guess I should go tell Alec he can dislodge the stick from him ass and that I’ll go.”

Carl laughed. “Having you in the towers is definitely going to liven things up. I wish I could be there to see it.”