16. AURORA #2
“And what then? Get delivered straight to that monster’s door?” I try to pull my hand away, but he holds fast. “I’d rather rot in here than let that creep touch me again.”
“No, babe,” Tally mutters, his golden eyes searching mine. “In here, there’s no hope. But out there? You’ve still a chance to change your future. I’m sorry, Rory, but I stand by it. I’m glad his blood isn’t on your hands.”
I turn away feeling hurt and misunderstood. “Whatever.”
All the talk of Crankshawe has made my mood even worse. Add to that, finding out my "win" against Hector was staged?
I hate being weak, vulnerable.
Fuck! I’m done being a liability.
As soon as the yard bell rings, I hurry to catch up with Sky, Imran and Lay on the way to the yard.
“I’ve got to kick it up a notch,” I tell them as we step outside.
The gray drizzle is slowing, and there appears to be a break in the cloud cover forming.
The hint of a sunbeam pokes through the clouds.
“Stretching makes me flexible, but it doesn’t make me fast. It doesn’t give me the stamina to outrun a pack of no-men. ”
“Running away is always good,” Sky smiles shyly at me. “I recommend it, hundred percent.”
I look up to the high concrete bleachers. “Does anyone want to run some stairs with me?”
Layla just smirks. “Have at it Princess, I’m out.” She disappears into the sea of Diggers.
Imran grimaces then coughs. “Don’t think so, but I’ll sit at the top and cheer you on.”
“What about you, Sky?”
She makes a face. “People will stare.”
“Let them,” I say, tightening the laces on my too big sneakers. “I’ve got to do something that makes me feel less like a statistic waiting to happen.”
“Fine,” she groans. “But only because I like you.”
We start fast but quickly slow. Holy shit, this is hard. Just running up and then down twice has us both puffing. I start singing the Rocky tune between gasps. A couple of clever-dicks catcall and mock, but fuck them.
We are wobbling down a fifth set, my legs feeling like jello, when I stumble on a chipped piece of concrete. I go down hard, but luckily it’s only a couple of steps until I bounce onto the yard floor.
Before I can even catch my breath, a dirty bare foot slams down, pinning my hair to the concrete with agonizing pressure.
It’s the crooked-nose no-man. He’s missing a couple more teeth since Tally and Clay went to town on him. And now his eyes are simmering with hatred.
“You’re going to pay,” he hisses. “Don’t think you’re safe. Soon I’ll finish what we started.”
Fuck. I don’t think he’ll attack right here, that would be suicide, but the threat still freezes me for a second.
No. Don’t let him win.
As he sneers and moves to turn away, my hand flies to my pocket. Grasping the handle of my shiv, I roll over and in one fluid motion, drive the hard plastic spike straight through the top of his foot.
As he howls in agony, I jump to my feet, grabbing a horrified Sky by the hand. “Move!”
Before the guards on the catwalk can even turn their rifles toward the source of the scream, Sky and I are back among the Diggers. We slam down onto a mid-section bleacher. The men don’t comment, just shift aside so we can sit unnoticed.
After crook-nose is dragged away, and my breathing has returned to normal, Sky and I make our way back up to the top. Sky sits next to Imran, and I plonk down next to Lay.
“Girl, we need to celebrate,” she snickers. “Baby drew her first blood!”
I grin back, feeling pretty pleased with myself, then look around at Tally. His face is frowning and impassive, but after a beat the side of his mouth quirks. “Nicely done.”
Shit. My heart swells more at the praise than applause I’ve received for a perfectly played sonata.
The moment is interrupted as Clay joins us. “Hey, Boss. I just heard we’ve got a new fish coming in.”
Layla nudges me. “What’s your money on, Barbie? Fresh fish is gonna swim around in the no-men forever, or will they make it into the ranks?”
“What do we bet with?” I ask. I’ve heard Dot and some of the other laundry guys betting, but never been invited to be involved.
She grins and leans in. “Well, what have you got that someone else might want?”
Hmm. That’s a very good question. I’m certainly not gambling with the last square of chocolate I’ve hoarded—that’s for next month. “What about my portion of bread from dinner?”
“Weak, but it’ll do. Your dinner-rolls for a week. Now, for our little fishies?” Layla smirks, her gaze drifting toward the intake gates. “I’ll put two smokes to your bread, that none of them will get out of the no-man zone today.”
I think about it. “Sure, I’ll take that bet. I can’t believe they’ll all be wimps.”
“Oh, Barbie, I’m going to be getting fat and happy on your rolls this week! Did you forget that Hector is our newest Digger, so they’ll have to fight him!”
Fuck.
Oh well, it’s not like I wanted cigarettes anyway, it’s just nice to be included. “Don’t count me too soon, Lay. It might be a giant coming through those doors!”
As Sky giggles, I scoot along to be closer to Tally.
For the first time in my seventeen years, I have friends, I have laughter, and I have someone looking out for me. Here in Quo, I’ve found a freedom I never thought I’d experience.
I catch myself looking at Taliesin’s shoulders, wide in his coveralls. His tattooed forearms, veined and muscly are undeniably hot. Even his frowning face is beautiful in a rough way. Fuck.
Time to face facts.
I’m attracted to Taliesin Bevan. I like him.
Like him, like him, as Sky would say.
“What are you smiling about?” Clay asks me.
“The sun’s out,” I reply. “Who can’t feel happy when the sun is shining.” What I don’t add is in a strange way, I feel content.
I close my eyes and let the winter sunshine warm my face. There’s not a gust of the usually bitter north wind, and though the air temperature is low, this feels like bliss.
Then the klaxon sounds.
“Get ready, Barbie!” Layla calls out to me. “Time for you to read ’em and weep.”
I grin at her. “You’re not going to be so smug when the Gogmagog strides through those doors.”
“What the fuck is a Gogmagog?” Lay laughs. Is she serious?
“The giant in Jack and the Beanstalk,” I tell her.
She rolls her eyes. “Fucking Elites.”
“Here we go,” Clay says.
I turn to see the double doors open.
A single figure steps out.
I blink.
No.
It can’t be.
His eyes scan the bleachers. First the Guild, then he turns in the direction of the Diggers.
Fuck.
Fuck.
His eyes meet mine, and he gives a slight bow.
I huddle back as far as I can, trying to hide behind Taliesin.
There are monsters inside Quo, sure, but I thought the very worst of them were outside.
I was wrong.
Now one is looking directly at me.