Chapter 4
Caitlyn had been home for hours, and Vi was still nowhere to be found. She’d sorted the items from the store, eaten dinner with her father, and now found herself in the study room. It had been over an hour, but she couldn’t focus on anything. The silence was overwhelming. Vi would usually be here with her—reading a book, lighting the fireplace, maybe fetching them a snack.
But now, there was just the quiet hum of the room, and Caitlyn has no idea where Vi is.
With a sigh, Caitlyn stood up from the chair. She glanced at the head of the toy monkey on the shelf—a small reminder of the chaos.
The hexgates were being rebuilt, the wreckage cleaned up and stored in a bunker. Caitlyn had insisted on it. It was a mess, but maybe there were things Vi could scavenge from it.
Without another thought, Caitlyn walked down the stairs and took a seat on the living room couch. Her gaze drifted to the painting on the wall—the one of her parents, and a much younger version of herself. She stared at her mother’s face.
They’d fought so much, Caitlyn remembered. It was always a cat-and-mouse game. Her mother would provoke her, and Caitlyn would respond with biting words. A few times, her father had gotten mad at both of them for their stupid arguments. Caitlyn couldn't help but grin at the thought. She and her mother had always been like that, both too stubborn to say the nice things that needed to be said. Caitlyn still hasn't learned how to be different with Vi, either. There were things she wanted to say— also things she should have never said—but they came out anyway.
The front door slammed shut, breaking Caitlyn out of her thoughts.
Her heart skipped a beat. Vi?
She stood quickly, her mind racing. What had happened? Was Vi hurt? Or drunk?
When Vi finally walked into the room, Caitlyn’s anxiety didn’t subside. Instead, it only deepened. Vi looked… exhausted. But there was something about her expression, the way she carried herself, that worried Caitlyn.
“Vi,” she said, her voice tentative. She moved toward her, trying to read her, trying to understand what had happened. “What happened?” Vi didn’t answer, only walked past Caitlyn and into the kitchen.
Caitlyn followed her. She watched as Vi grabbed a glass and filled it with water, drinking it down in one long gulp.
“You didn’t answer my question,” Caitlyn said, her arms crossed over her chest. Her voice was more forceful this time.
Vi filled the glass up again and took another long drink before setting it down. “You’ll find out tomorrow during the briefing,” she muttered, not meeting Caitlyn’s eyes.
Caitlyn’s frustration grew. Vi was clearly trying to shut her out, and it was infuriating. Without a word, Caitlyn moved to the shelf and pulled down the med kit. She dampened a cloth and moved toward Vi, intent on helping with the fresh bruises. But as soon as Caitlyn reached out, Vi pulled away. “I can take care of myself,” she snapped, her voice sharp. “I don’t need you or your stupid enforcers watching over me.”
Caitlyn’s patience snapped. Her voice cutting. “By the look of your dirty clothes, bruised face, and busted knuckles, you don’t seem to have that covered too well.” Vi’s eyes flared.
“We decided to be back here before it got dark. But you come back hours later all bruised! By who?!” Caitlyn’s face reddened, her fists clenching. “You’re not even trying to take care of yourself! You’re just running around getting yourself into god knows what, and you don’t even—” Her voice cracked
Vi was silent for a moment before she spoke, quieter this time. “I found Sevika. Had a chat with her.”
Caitlyn scoffed, bitterly. “Yeah, I can see that,” she muttered, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
“Look, I don’t care about Sevika anymore,” Caitlyn said, her voice softer now. “All I want is to help you take care of these wounds and then go to bed.”
Caitlyn’s shoulders sagged. She reached for the cloth again, but Vi stepped back.
“Vi, please,” Caitlyn’s voice was almost pleading now.
“Just go upstairs. I’ll be there soon,” Vi said, reaching for the glass again.
Caitlyn’s temper flared. She grabbed the glass before Vi could. “So you go to bed, and I’m supposed to just let you drink yourself to sleep?”
Vi sighed, exasperated, her face hardening. “You wouldn’t understand.”
“ Understand what?!” Caitlyn shot back, her voice trembling with frustration. “You never talk about it, Vi. You think I’m too busy to notice, but I do. I see it, and I see you falling apart,"
Vi stared at her for a moment, her jaw tightening. Caitlyn took a deep breath before speaking again. “I’m doing my best, Vi. For you. For the Undercity. I’m trying to do what needs to be done.” Caitlyn’s voice faltered, her heart heavy.
“You’re doing everything on your own. You don’t have to. The other council members should be helping you, investing in the city, in the people. You shouldn’t have to carry this weight alone.” Vi took a step closer, her voice growing louder.
“You think you need to do everything yourself. Because it makes you feel better! You’re so busy with all your responsibilities so that you don’t think about your past actions,”
Caitlyn’s shoulders tensed.
“Vi—”
“You’re drowning, Caitlyn. You just don’t want to admit it. You don’t want to deal with the shame, guilt and grief.” Vi’s eyes flashed with frustration. “You’re pushing yourself so hard because you’re scared. Scared that if you stop for one second, you’ll—”
“Enough!” Caitlyn shouted, her voice trembling with raw emotion. She spun around, her arms swinging out to the side. Vi flinched. Her hand instinctively went to her stomach, as though to protect herself.
The air between them froze, thick and heavy. The seconds dragged on, stretching out painfully. Caitlyn looked at Vi, her face a mixture of guilt and frustration.
Silence filled the room. Only the ticking of the clock in the living room broke the stillness.
Caitlyn opened her mouth to say something, but the words caught in her throat. Vi, looking defeated, moves past Caitlyn.
“I’ll sleep in the guest room,” she muttered.
“Vi, wait—” Caitlyn reached for her arm, but it was shrugged off with a quiet, almost resigned, “Goodnight.”
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The guest room was a familiar, lonely place for Vi. It had become her refuge after arguments, after nightmares, after nights when sleep wouldn’t come if she had to lie beside Caitlyn.
She flopped onto the bed with a groan, the weight of the argument and the day pressing down on her. She slams the glass against the wall as she laid on the bed. She ran her hands through her hair, feeling the exhaustion creep into her bones.
She got up, walked to the bathroom, and opened the cabinet where the towels were kept. Inside, she found an unopened first aid kit.
A small smile tugged at the corner of her mouth.
The kit would do. It was a small thing, but at least for now, it was something Caitlyn had left for her.