Redemption

Redemption Part 12

The octagonal pewter towers reflected brilliant golden gleams of morning sunlight. Cars zoomed overhead, their shadows flowing briefly over us.

"We'd better split up," said Cade. "Come on, Tan."

Tania's mouth dropped open. "But—I thought—"

"We need to cover more ground. More chance we'll catch a glimpse of Dazzle. You want to help Jet, don't you?"

"O-of course!"

"Then the best thing for him is for us to leave. It's also better for you."

"What—what do you mean?"

"What do you think?"

She gasped, blushed, and scurried out of sight beyond the Savannahs' building.

"Cade—" said Sym.

"She'll be all right. This crush is making her fall apart, you guys don't need any loose cannons."

"Yes, but she's sensitive, you shouldn't tease her about it."

"Jet's going to be staying with us; she can't be acting like a scared ikla the whole time."

"Lots of people have crushes on Jet."

"But they find better ways to deal with it."

"Give her a break. Her idol is staying at her house—of course she's going to be a little out of sorts."

"The point is, she can't be jeopardizing your mission. Besides, she's not the only person with a crush on Jet at their house...." He sauntered away in his floating elegant way, his brown hair flickering in the breeze.

I leaned toward Sym and whispered, "We probably better not talk about me staying at your house—even if no one seems to be in earshot."

She nodded. "It is quiet today—hardly even any cars out—but you're right."

We headed down the sidewalk along the edge of Desolation. I couldn't even hear Sol's footsteps. He might be a natural spy as well. Both of them were probably better than I was, despite Vy's affirmations.

I stopped in front of the force field and laid my hand on it. It shimmered like iridescent water beneath my palm, giving me small prickling shocks. A faint iridescent sheen rippled over the view of Desolation, the gray ash whipping into a whirlwind and slamming into the force field so hard that I jumped back. But the force field held as if it were made of transparent rock. We were truly in a prison city. An echo of choking claustrophobic panic gripped my throat. I'd rather be flying in the wild grainy dirt of Desolation than on the ground in this relatively clean, ordered place. In a way, I'd traded one prison for another. I'd be an effective resident of Quarantine until I could accomplish my mission.

I walked along the edge of Desolation. Sym walked silently beside me. "We'd better be on the same page," said Sym, dragging her fingers along the force field, making it pop and sizzle before it smoothed back out to perfect transparency. "Tell me about yourself."

It took a moment for me to realize she was talking about my persona. "Well..." It would do me good to repeat it; it already was slipping away, like a fading dream. "I'm...Lalaish Moregood. I was born in Mag City, but my parents are from Eclipse."

"That can't be right."

"Why not?"

"You're not delicate enough to be pure Eclipse. You'd have to be at least half reg. The purest blood Eclipse can't live here because their bones would snap under the higher gravity."