Chapter 7 New Roommates, Old Rules
Sunrise breaks crimson and gold over the town. Zephyra stands outside Kairo's penthouse with one suitcase. She takes three deep breaths. None of them help.
The door opens before she knocks.
Kairo appears dangerously informal. Gray sweatpants. Black t-blouse. Hair nonetheless damp from a bath. She hates that she notices.
"You're late, " he says.
"It's six in the morning."
"I said five-thirty."
She pushes beyond him together with her suitcase. "Forgive me for not being punctual to my forced relocation."
He catches her wrist. She freezes.
"This is not a shaggy dog story," he says quietly. "those humans ultimate night—"
"I recognise." She pulls unfastened. "Are we able to just... now not to communicate about it?"
He studies her face. Nods as soon as.
They stand in his huge living room. Glass partitions display the town waking up. The entirety is steel and leather-based and has sharp edges. It seems like a magazine unfolds. cold. Untouchable.
Like him.
"Guidelines," Kairo says.
"Of direction there are rules."
He ignores her tone. "Separate rooms. No touching until we are in public. No personal questions."
"Rules"
"No bringing human beings again right here."
Her eyebrows shoot up. "Excuse me?"
"We are engaged, recall? keep your affairs discreet."
"My affairs?" heat floods her cheeks. "You boastful—"
"Do you agree or not?"
She desires to throw her suitcase at his head. "Fine. Same goes for you."
"Glaringly." He chooses her bag like it weighs nothing. "Your room's this way."
The visitor room is stunning and soulless. White partitions. White bedding. White curtains. A prison manufactured from high priced thread counts.
"There's a lavatory attached." He units her suitcase down. "live out of the east wing. this is mine."
"would not dream of invading your castle."
Something glints in his eyes. Then it is long past.
He leaves without another phrase.
Hours later, Zephyra unpacked. She wanders to the dwelling room along with her design sketches. The space needs warmth. shade. existence.
She arranges her fashion drawings at the espresso desk. vibrant fabric samples throughout the sofa. Her temper board propped in opposition to the bookshelf.
It looks higher already.
She's making coffee whilst Kairo emerges from his wing. He stops lifeless.
"What is this?"
"Redecorating."
"Remove it."
"It's only some sketches."
"That is my home." His voice could cut glass. "hold your chaos contained in your room."
"Chaos?" She slams her mug down. "it's called having a persona."
"It is referred to as disrespecting Boundaries."
They glare at each other. The air among them crackles.
"Fine." She gathers her things with shaking arms. "God forbid whatever human touches your best, empty space."
She storms to her room. Slams the door.
On the alternative side, she hears him exhale slowly.
An hour passes. She's sketching aggressively when lamplight catches something atypical.
There. within the base of the bedside lamp.
A tiny purple dot. Blinking.
Her blood turns to ice.
She alternates the lamp carefully. Examine it nearer.
It is a device. Small. professional. Someone planted it right here.
Her hands start shaking so hard she almost drops the lamp.
She finds Kairo in his office. would not knock.
"We've a problem."
He seems up, annoyed. Then he sees her face.
"What is incorrect?"
She holds out the lamp. points to the blinking tool.
His expression is going dark as a typhoon.
"Where did you find this?"
"My room. The lamp."
He is already shifting. He is taking the lamp. studies the device with cautious hands.
"It's live," he says quietly. "Broadcasting."
The room tilts. "Someone’s watching us?"
"Right now." His jaw clenches. "We need to locate the others."
"Others?"
"Since they planted one, they planted more."
They search together. moving through the penthouse like soldiers clearing a building.
Kairo examines the dwelling room. She takes the kitchen. They paint in aggravating silence.
"Here." She reveals one in the back of a photo body.
" More." He locates them in air vents.
They meet within the hallway. His eyes are sharp with anger. She feels violated right down to her bones.
"Who could do that?" Her voice shakes.
"I do not know. But we're going to find out."
They circulate to his bedroom. She hesitates at the edge.
"it's pleasant," he says. "Come on."
His room surprises her. Books anywhere. Sketches at the walls—architectural drawings, fashion designs. there is warmth right here he would not display the world.
She would not have time to procedure it.
"Check the table," he says. "i'll take the closet."
They paintings side by side. She's reaching for an ornamental box while her hand touches his. both achieving the identical spot.
Neither pulls away without delay.
heat shoots up her arm. His palms are warm. sturdy. She feels his pulse matching hers.
Their eyes meet.
"Zephyra—"
"Do not." She pulls lower back. focuses on the field.
internal, any other device blinks.
"Someone's watching us," he says quietly. "the entirety. every moment we're here."
the burden of it crashes over her. No privacy. No protection. Everything exposed.
"How long?" she whispers.
"I don't know."
They discover six devices overall. Kairo disables each one with methodical precision. His hands are constant but his jaw remains clenched.
The final one is inside the kitchen. Hidden in the coffee maker.
He crushes it underneath his heel.
"It truly is all," he says.
She sinks onto the couch. Her complete frame feels like a cord pulled too tight.
Kairo's phone rings. He answers the speaker.
"Sir, it's safe." The man sounds grim. "We swept Ms. Lione's old apartment like you requested."
"And?"
"We located the equal gadgets. Seven of them. They've been lively for weeks."
The room spins. Zephyra's imaginative and prescient tunnels.
"Weeks?" Her voice sounds distant. "they've been watching me for weeks?"
"every room," safety confirms. "Sitting room, kitchen, bedroom, rest room—"
She stops listening to it. Her rest room. Her bedroom. every personal second for weeks.
Kairo's face is going white with rage. "discover who planted them. I need names with the aid of morning."
"Sir, there's something else."
The silence stretches like a scream.
"What?"
"The feeds weren't simply recording. They were streaming. Someone was looking live. And sir?" the
man pauses. "in line with the information logs, they may be nonetheless looking. distinctive vicinity now. We assume they've access to other cameras we haven't determined yet."
Kairo's eyes meet Zephyra's across the room.