Invaded (Alienated, #2)(49)

“Right,” Cara said with a snort. “And I’ll ride a unicorn back to my gingerbread dorm.”

“I swear it on my abuela’s grave.” Tori raised one hand in oath. “He said the L’*s have more to offer than he thought. We should still be careful, but no more protests or he’ll disband our chapters.”

“You’re serious?”

“As cancer.” Tori bit her lip and considered for a moment. “Guess that’s not really serious anymore, since the L’eihrs cured it, but still. Yeah, totes serious.”

“Huh.” Maybe someone had filled in Isaac on the water crisis. “Did he say what?”

Tori shrugged. “Technology, cures for more diseases. Stuff like that.” When Troy approached and took a knee by Cara’s side, Tori offered a quick wave. “Anyway, after Aelyx confessed to that stuff with the crops—”

The silvery band around Troy’s wrist buzzed loudly, startling them all. “What the hell?” he asked as he stared into his palms.

Cara understood what it meant—she had less than five minutes with her brother. “We’ve got to go,” she told Tori. “Try back tomorrow, okay?”

When Tori’s image vanished, Cara took her brother’s wrist and explained the boarding notification system. “You get two warnings. After the third buzz, it’ll start to burn, and it won’t stop until you cross the gate around that corner.” She nodded into the distance at the metal ramp that led to the main transport. “It’s sadistic, but you’re guaranteed not to miss your flight.”

He glared at his wrist and then back at her. “Another example of why we don’t belong here.”

Instead of arguing, Cara used a method of redirection she’d learned in the nursery: linking their arms, towing him toward the gate, and changing the subject. “Thanks for staying the extra couple of weeks. I hope I didn’t get you in too much trouble.”

He eyed her suspiciously but played along. “I’ll live.”

“Do you know where you’re stationed next?” She hoped the military would keep him stateside this year. Mom missed Troy something fierce when he was away, and a German-Malty-Doodle-Poo was no substitute for a son. Or a daughter, she thought with a pang of guilt.

“No.” He steered them around a cart of luggage. “My orders are to report to the L’eihr guard unit in Manhattan. No telling where they’ll send me after that.”

“Manhattan?” Cara squeezed his arm and bounced on her toes. “You might get to see Aelyx when he’s done with his tour.”

Troy rolled his eyes and faked a giddy voice. “I’m all tingly in my pants just thinking about it.”

She laughed and poked at him some more. “Make sure you give him a big hug from me.”

“Okay, shut up.” They’d reached the base of the boarding ramp, so Troy dropped his duffel and shook free of Cara’s grasp.

Her shoulder cooled at the hasty separation, so she rubbed her upper arms, resisting the urge to force a hug on her brother. She knew what he was doing—pulling away and preparing for the inevitable.

“When will I see you again?” she asked.

He dropped his gaze to the tips of his boots, which meant he didn’t know.

Maybe in April, when she returned home for the big signing. “They have to let you come to the alliance ceremony, right?”

“The Marines don’t have to let me do anything, Pepper. That’s not how it works.”

“Oh.” She didn’t know what else to say. This was it—the end of the line. The tears she’d fought so hard to block started to push back. A slow pressure built inside her chest while her eyes began to tingle, but she dug a thumbnail into her palm. No crying! She would not leave her brother with a depressing mental image to replay while he sat alone inside his ship’s chamber.

Troy looked as if he was struggling for the right words, too. He opened and closed his mouth three times before offering a broken, “Uh, listen…I just wanna—”

The travel band cut him short with a threatening buzz.

“That’s your last warning.” Cara straightened her spine and faked her best smile, not too bright but warm enough to seem genuine. “You should go.”

Troy didn’t move.

“Really,” she said. “If you see Mom and Dad, tell them I’m fine and I’m having fun. Don’t mention the electric shock thing I wear for PE. They won’t understand.” She nudged him and joked, “And tell our baby brother, Linus, I can’t wait to meet him.”

Troy still didn’t move. Instead, he swallowed hard, his body rigid and his feet glued to the platform.

Cara had to focus like mad to keep her voice steady. “It’s okay. I’ll be fine, promise.”

He gave a slow nod but remained in place. “You’re tough. I know that. But it’s not—”

Before he could get another word out, his eyes flew wide and he shook his wrist while howling in pain. “Son of a bitch!” He jumped in place, then turned and bolted toward the transport without another glance in her direction. His boots rattled the metal grating, obscenities trailing behind him like a noxious cloud as he turned the corner and ran out of sight.

Leave it to Troy to say good-bye in style.