Invaded (Alienated, #2)(58)
Vero greeted her in the lobby and followed along to the obstacle course, chattering animatedly in his language of chirps and howls. Occasionally, he’d freeze, ears cocked on high alert, and dart into the trees to hunt another prize, but the daytime serpents were too quick for him. Cara strolled at an easy pace, enjoying the warmth of the sun and the citrusy scent of ilar leaves on the breeze. The only sounds were rhythmic percussions of insect calls and birdsongs, both foreign and familiar to her ears. While mating calls varied from one planet to another, love was universal, and it was in the air today.
“It’s beautiful here,” she said to Vero, even though he didn’t understand. “I miss the green leaves, but the bushes and trees back home are dormant now, anyway.”
She wished she had more time to enjoy the outdoors. She wanted to wander deep into the woods, where thick trees blocked the sun, and see what fuzzy wonders grew in the shadows. She wanted to shuttle over the great city wall and catch a glimpse of the beasts there, to discover whether the barrier protected the animals or if the reverse were true. It seemed criminal to overload her schedule to the point where she couldn’t explore this lush place.
The intermediate course was still and silent when she reached it. Even the spinners lay motionless, which gave her a chance to inspect them more closely. Each rotator was constructed like a record player, a round disk raised slightly above its foundation held in place by a central bolt, which turned with the apparatus instead of remaining fixed.
She crouched down and grazed the pebbled surface with her palm. Good traction, a clue that she wasn’t meant to skid from one to the other. She pushed against the outside edge, feeling it give an inch beneath her weight. Common sense told her she could use the bounce to her advantage, but she didn’t know how.
She jogged to the solar panel that powered the course’s moving elements and turned it on. In response, a soft hum arose, breaking the tranquility. Time to get down to business. She set off at a slow run and approached the first spinner, determined to crush the obstacle.
Fifteen minutes later, the only thing she’d effectively crushed was her own butt.
She rubbed her aching bottom and muttered a few swear words while the rotating disks mocked her in a steady whir that resembled demonic laughter. Why couldn’t she figure this out?
“As if I need another reason to feel like a loser here.” Glaring at the nearest spinner, she drew back and gave the base a hearty kick. It felt so good that she stomped the disk with her boot heel, not caring that the act would probably land her on her backside.
But that’s not what happened.
The impact caused the disk to stall ever so briefly…just long enough to gain purchase and leap to the next spinner, had she been standing on it.
That was it—the secret to navigating the spinners was to land as hard as possible on each disk. Cara laughed aloud, startling Vero, who’d begun to doze in a patch of sunlight.
“Eureka!” she shouted, rubbing her palms together. “Now watch me own this course.”
It took a few tries to perfect her technique, but by the fourth attempt, she had it down to a science. When she leaped from the final spinner across the finish line, she pumped her fists into the air and shouted a victory cry sweeter than any chocolate bar. She couldn’t believe the rush of adrenaline surging through her veins. If besting the intermediate course felt this good, she’d probably need to change her pants after mastering the proficient track.
Satan was going to be so impressed. She couldn’t wait to show him.
“Sweeeeeney!” Speak of the devil, she turned to find him waving to her from the courtyard. It was hard to tell from this distance, but he seemed upset. His already broad shoulders were hunched halfway up to his neck as he ran to meet her, a trio of lines creasing his typically smooth forehead.
Had she done something wrong? Maybe once the equipment had powered down for the day, students weren’t supposed to turn it back on. L’eihrs were pretty stingy with energy.
“Sorry,” she said as he approached. “I was practicing. But wait till you see—”
“Why you ignore summons?” he asked, his eyes wild. She’d never seen him so upset. “Look much bad when you refuse answer.”
“What summons?” Cara checked her tunic pocket to make sure she hadn’t lost her com-sphere. It was right there, but she hadn’t received a message. “Did you call me?”
“No.” He backed toward the Aegis, motioning for her to follow. “Headmaster and guard. Come now.”
A sick, sinking feeling settled in the pit of Cara’s stomach. If the headmaster and house guard had both summoned her, that meant bad news. Her mind flashed to Troy. She hadn’t heard from him since he’d left for Earth. What if his ship had crashed into a rogue meteor? That had happened once, years ago, when a transport’s thrusters had failed. Cold sweat collected along the back of Cara’s neck as she sprinted past her fitness instructor, across the courtyard, and up the front steps of the main dormitory.
She halted at the doors only long enough to extend her wrist for the security scanner. The doors parted and she bolted into the lobby, stopping short in time to avoid a collision with Odom and Skall, the seniors who’d fought with her brother.
They moved aside to let her pass, revealing a small crowd that had gathered in the lobby. The house guard shouted for everyone to return to their classes. When the man’s gaze landed on Cara, his eyes narrowed, mouth tight in a way that warned she was in trouble. An unexpected rush of relief washed over her. As long as Troy was safe, nothing else mattered.