Page 139 of Tethered

That makes me jerk around. “What? No. My drama’s only a recent thing.” I grimace. “Yesterday was a mess, but Tanisira really came through for me.”

“You should know my sister has something of a saviour complex.”

Kiran’s sweet, open face has shuttered into something more disapproving. Oh, we’re havingthattalk. Isn’t it supposed to be the older sibling who does this?

“I know—”

“So I hope you’re not the kind of woman who constantly needs saving, because Tani can’t help herself. Even if you tell her not to, she thinks she has to sacrifice herself for the people she loves.”

My brain skips over the idea of Tanisira loving me, but I can see the truth in Kiran’s words. Maybe in Tanisira’s mind, she’ll never be able to shrug off the mantle that was draped over her shoulders.

“I would never want to put that burden on her.”

“It’s not about want.” Kiran raises her eyebrows. “MyNayyadidn’t want to rely on Tani, but she did anyway. I did too. It cemented something in her. She would never say so, but I think she resents us just as much as she loves us.”

Guilt riddles her and she makes no attempt to hide it.

Have Kiran and Yimirisé ever tried to talk to Tanisira about what happened? Have they even contemplated it, or have they just let the years pass, waiting for her to bring it up? God, they’vetried, right?

I open my mouth to reply, but Kiran makes a slashing motion in the air as if she doesn’t need to hear anymore. I get it; in a situation like this, actions speak louder than words.

She searches my face as if she’s looking for a modicum of deceit. When she can’t find it, she springs off the bed and reaches into the closet. She gently hands me the beaded jumpsuit, the material softer than it looks.

“You should wear this. It suits your skin tone.”

“Thank you,” I say, folding it over my arm.

“You’ll have to roll the legs so it doesn’t drag,” she chuckles. “But you’re thicker than me, and your curves should take care of some of that excess material.”

I’m not dying to face Dominik looking my best, but it certainly couldn’t hurt, could it?

“Tani’s going to run errands for myNayya,but I could use your help if you have time?”

I wasn’t planning on going to the manor until later—if the police can spare someone—so I do, in fact, have time.

“Help with what?”

Kiran whips out her slate and an unfamiliar app loads on the screen. She’s grinning as it’s replaced with a very familiar layout. Apparently, dating apps translate across the galaxy. I’mdying to see if Suryavans also write unhinged shit on their profiles.

“I don’t want you to think I’m crazy,” she says, waving the slate in the air. “But you remember how I said my ex is a piece of shit?”

I nod—a little slowly, a little worried for where this is going.

“Well, I made a profile pretending to be someone else, matched with her, and now I don’t know what to say.”

My jaw drops. “You’re catfishing your ex?”

Kiran’s eyes narrow. “Are you judging me?”

“Yes!”

Her expression immediately lightens and she grins, grabbing me by the elbow and towing me to her bed. “Good. Two crazy people is bad for business.”

Cornucopia

Tanisira drops me off outside the small, local police station where I meet both Hina and an officer called Ell. He drives us to the manor in a department hovercar while I try to wrangle my nerves. Though I only called Hina to keep her in the loop, she insisted on coming with me. When Dominik answers the door, I’m doubly glad she’s by my side.

I tighten my hands in the pockets of the jumpsuit and lift my head high. The station called ahead to let him know about the visit; the result of that is a crisp white shirt tucked into pleated trousers, and perfectly laid hair. He looks fresh from the barbers, and his public face is on.