Chapter 19
"I got her," Kiara said as she laid Arla down on the bed gently.
Hayden held most of the weight as Kiara fixed the pillowed and made the bed for the unconscious girl. Killian had stayed back in the office with Clare and Adeline while they spoke to the medical team about running tests on Arla. Kiara had begun to feel restless, the room was beginning to close around her. When she saw the opportunity, she took it and jumped at the chance to escape while helping Hayden.
"Hold her head," Hayden said as he passed Arla over to Kiara.
Just as he moved his hand away from the back of her neck, Kiara's charm bracelet caught on a clump of blonde hair. She still, not wanting to pull at Arla's hair and cause her any pain. She looked up at Hayden, wanting him to assist her.
"I need you to come back," Kiara laughed. "I'm stuck."
Hayden kneeled back on the side of the bed and lifted Arla's shoulders. Her head immediately fell forward as Kiara rose up to untangle the strand of hair from her bracelet.
"I have to hurry before Killian thinks I was trying to fight her or something," she muttered under her breath.
"Everything okay?" Hayden raised a brow. "Between the two of you?"
"I don't know," Kiara tugged at the last few pieces. "I'm hoping everyth-"
As she pushed back the hair from the back of Arla's neck, a small black mark, almost like a letter, caught her eyes. It was hidden beneath her shirt and sat right over her backbone. Curious and intrigued, Kiara freed her bracelet and carefully pulled the back of Arla's shirt down a bit.
"What are you doing?" Hayden asked.
"She has a tattoo," Kiara observed the letters. "Qi ren you tian."
"Is that what it says?" Hayden leaned around to see.
"Yeah, look," Kiara lifted all of Arla's hair and pulled down her shirt slightly.
The letters were as clear as ink on snow. They were delicate and light, but they stood out against the canvas of Arla's back. The four simple words ran down her backbone, taking up no more than two inches of space.
"What language is that?" Kiara wondered aloud.
"We shouldn't be doing this," Hayden tugged Arla forward a bit and urged Kiara to get off the bed.
"Why not?" Kiara asked.
"It feels wrong," Hayden said as if it should have been very clear. "We're invading her privacy."
"Clare wants to run tests on her and do a whole blood work," Kiara reminded him. "I'm sure that is an invasion of privacy."
"Well, let's not add to it."
As Hayden laid the girl down on the bed, Kiara climbed off the bed and pulled the sheets over Arla. She tucked her in just as her mother used to back home and pulled down the shade on the window beside the bed.
"What do you think Qi ren you tian means?" Kiara wanted to know as she followed Hayden out of the room. "What language is it?"
"Maybe Chinese?"
"I'm surprised she has a tattoo," Kiara found the whole ordeal puzzling.
"Why?" Hayden asked.
"She's so.....young?"
Hayden snorted, "I got my first tattoo at fifteen."
"That's different," Kiara rolled her eyes. "Your dad has a lot of tattoos so I can see why it was easier for you."
