Page 138 of Tethered

I don’t know how long we stand there, but I do eventually stop crying. She strokes a hand down my spine, and I tilt my head back to meet her eyes. They’re warm and understanding, and I can’t believe I ever thought she was the bad guy.

“I know you’d rather not stay here,” I say. “We can go to your ship instead. I feel much better after that nap and the police know Vee’s with us.”

Tanisira breathes out slowly. “I actually like seeing you two around my family. For so long, I couldn’t imagine coming home—not with those memories. This is implanting new ones.”

Oh. I try my hardest not to grin at her stupidly. “Do you think you could ever live here again?”

There’s a pause whilst Tanisira contemplates this. “Maybe. I wouldn’t bet on it, but it’s no longer inconceivable.”

“YourNayya’s really good with Vee. She’s lovely, and so is Kiran.”

She hums, and the sound vibrates through me. “They’re good people. After everything that happened with theRaat-Sarpa, I almost felt too... tainted... to come back home.”

I pat her cheek gently. “It was a good excuse, anyway.”

Tanisira sputters. Her hair is back in its customary bun, but I wish it were still loose down her back so I could sink my hands into it. Instead, I take hold of her hand and interlace our fingers.

“I don’t know how long the investigation will take. The police told me not to leave the planet for now, though.”

“Hmm,” Tanisira purses her mouth briefly. “Law enforcement here is more efficient than you’re used to; we just don’t have the same amount of crime to tie everything up into knots. Plus, considering who they’re investigating, they’ll want to wrap it up quickly. I imagine it shouldn’t take more than a few days.”

I chew on my lip. A few days, and all our things are at the Gryphon Manor—not that I had much—but Vee will want his stuff, and I can grab all the RIND shots I know Dominik has stashed.

Tanisira must read my mind because she kisses my temple and says, “If you ask, they’ll send an officer to escort you so you can pick up your belongings.”

I bury my face into her neck again, just so overcome with the need to feel close to her after the past few days.

“Then what? I come back here?” I ask.

“If you want to.”

I push at her chest. “Doyouwant me to?”

She quirks that eyebrow at me, but her eyes are sparkling. She looks so much like Yimirisé, it’s uncanny. I wonder if, when Yimirisé looks at Tanisira, she sees all the pain and the guilt that lives in her.

“Yes, you come back here. Vee can stay behind if you don’t want to take him with you.”

“That’d be best. I wish you could, but you can’t come either.”

“I know. You’ve got this.”

The memories of my earlier breakdowns come to mind, but I ignore them. Idohave this.

The kitchen looks like a flour bomb has exploded, and Vee has spinach in his hair. Yimirisé only waves me away when I offer to clean up, mortified at the sheer amount of mess my kid can make in half an hour. Laughing so hard she cries, Kiran steers me out of the room and into hers, where she makes me pick a new outfit from her overflowing wardrobe.

I’m flipping through the most eclectic closet I’ve ever seen when she pounces.

“Did you two kiss and make up?”

I glance at her over my shoulder. “She told you?”

“She didn’t have to.” Kiran snorts. “Not that she would have. Tanisira and I used to be close, but something changed. Now she keeps her distance.”

I did wonder why she’d called Tanisira emotionally constipated earlier when my experience with her has been anything but. Honestly, at times, Tanisira could stand to belesstruthful. Then again, the Suryavans have a different view of honesty, so maybe in Kiran’s world Tanisiraisclosed off. I inspect a beaded jumpsuit and consider my response.

“I think she just has a lot going on.”

I can practically feel Kiran’s gaze burning a hole into my shoulder blades. “Because she’s seeing you now?”