Chapter 20 Heat, Shadows, and Unwelcome Attention
Kiara was still lost in self–reflection when Joy spoke, and she couldn’t help but laugh.
Finished
The reason she’d repeated herself over and over earlier wasn’t just for Yara’s benefit–it was for any eavesdroppers hiding in the shadows, plotting to get their hands on her money.
She hadn’t expected Joy to take it literally.
Frankly, Kiara would rather be seen as a reckless gambler than a millionaire heiress. She gave a vague reply. “If I’m ever strapped for cash, I’ll borrow from you.”
On the drive back from the supermarket, the streets beyond the glow of the solar–powered streetlamps were drowned in darkness.
The city lay silent and still, as if the entire place had fallen asleep.
Kiara remembered exactly why the blackout had struck this time. Weeks of brutal heat had pushed the power grid to its limits, and when a fire gutted half the equipment at the power plant, the city went dark for good.
And once the lights went out, the rest began to crumble.
She didn’t linger on the road. Before long, she pulled into Skyhaven’s underground garage.
Across town. Yara was muttering curses under her breath as she stalked back to her car–only to freeze.
Several tattooed men were leaning against the hood, the kind of men whose faces said trouble was a day job. Her mind went blank, and she instinctively took a step back. “W–who are you? What do you want?”
One of them rubbed at the stubble along his jaw, a pair of nunchucks swinging lazily from his hand. He closed the distance in long strides, shoved her against the car, and growled, “What’s your connection to Kiara?”
The fierce glare in his eyes made her stomach drop; her mind went blank.
She didn’t know what they were after, but she knew enough to realize these weren’t people you
Her first thought was Kiara. Had Kiara sent them after her?
argued with.
Yes, that had to be it. Lately, every time they met, Kiara had looked at her like she’d happily strangle her.
Yara opened her mouth to deny knowing her, but the man cut in, “Kiara sold three buildings recently, right? You know where the money is?”
Not Kiara’s men, then,
Her eyes darted, and she came up with a scheme. “She keeps gold bars and cash at her place. If you go there, you’ll find plenty. And her grandma made her fortune in gemstone gambling–they’ve got antique jewelry and rare stones. I promise, it’ll be worth your time.”
A man with a deep scar across his cheek crushed out his cigarette with his bare fingers, his eyes lighting up. “You have a key to Kiara’s Skyhaven condo?”
So Kiara i living in Skyhaven now.
Yara’s gaze narrowed. Two could play this game.
Herched high on the hill, Skyhaven glimmered faintly in the black night like a lone island.
Kiara and Joy returned empty–handed, their grocery trip had been a bust…
Joy’s usual cheerfulness was gone; her face was pale, her steps heavy, as if she’d left her spirit behind somewhere in the supermarket.
On the seventh floor, she caught Kiara’s sleeve.
Kiara turned.
Chapter 20 Heat, Shadows, and Unwelcome Attention
“Do you think… this heat will ever end?” Joy’s voice shook. The chaos they’d witnessed earlier still clung to her.
Kiara shook her head. “I don’t know.”
Then, after a pause. she asked. “We starting lessons tomorrow?”
It took Joy a moment to remember she’d promised to teach Kiara some medical basics.
Having something to do helped push back the creeping dread. She nodded.
9 a.m. I’ll get the materials ready tonight.”
Kiara agreed, and they sealed the plan with that simple exchange.
Finished
Back on the tenth floor, Kiara dug out a remote from her storage, shut off the main power, and stepped inside. Honey hobbled toward her, dragging an injured leg, restless and panting.
Even at night, the air was sweltering–about 108 F. Without air conditioning, even animals were suffering.
She went up to the roof, where her solar generator finally proved its worth.
With blackout curtains blocking any outside view, she could run the lights and the AC without advertising it to the world. After cleaning up Honey’s mess and changing the bandage on his leg, she played with him for a few minutes before heading to the gym for strength training.
Things were only going to get worse. If she didn’t want to end up as someone else’s easy prey, she had to be stronger.
In her past life, the blackout had thrown the city into weeks of chaos–arson, looting, and gangs running wild. The looting craze had been everywhere.
In the end, it took a military crackdown to wipe out the worst of it.
This time, Kiara intended to keep her head down. She’d stay holed up in Skyhaven for a while, learn some basic medicine. and quietly watch for anyone who might be circling her.
The next morning, after breakfast, she headed to Joy’s.
The moment she stepped outside, a wall of heat slammed into her, nearly roasting her alive.
Going from a comfortable 75 F indoors to 167 F outside was a test of endurance.
Skyhaven was upscale, sure–but it didn’t have an independent power grid. Only a few residents had the foresight to install, solar generators. Most hadn’t.
