Free Mortal by Kim Richardson Page B

She’s
not truly one of us—and she’ll never be. She’s tainted. She’ll let
you down—and bring you all down with her. You’re going to fail.
Ariel can’t trust her. No one can. We’re your replacements. We’re
the backup team."
    Jenny stood by Kara’s side. "Don’t
listen to her, Kara—she’s full of it. She’s just jealous because
you’re nice and pretty, and she looks like a Pug."
    "She’s right," said Peter, "she
probably envies you, that’s why she’s being so nasty."
    But it was too late. Ashley’s words
stung. Did Ariel not trust her? Were Ashley and her team here in
case she went schizo? Was she meant to fail?
    "If you’re not back in three hours,
we’re instructed to go in," said Ashley.
    She smiled at Kara. "Good luck,
freak." She snapped her fingers and walked away with her goons
trotting behind her looking very proud and important.
    "That’s it," said Jenny.
"It’s official—I hate her." She stuck out her tongue and made a face.
    Peter shook his head. "Let’s not give
her reason to gloat. We need to get a move on."
    David eyed Kara carefully. "He’s
right, we’ve got to split. Peter, do you know how to get us to
Boscastle from here?"
    Peter pulled a flat square device that
looked like a cell phone from his jacket pocket. He slid his finger
across the screen and a small holographic version of a map appeared
and hovered in front of him. He waved his hand, and the map
disappeared. "Yup. Let’s find a cab and get out of here." He
pocketed his contraption.
    "Forget Ashley," said David, as he
watched Kara’s face. "It’s not true what she said, you know. She’s
just trying to break you. She wants you to fail. Don’t believe her
lies."
    Kara avoided his eyes. "I don’t think
all of what she said was lies. Part of me believes her. I see how
the other GAs look at me. I’m not blind. I know most of them want
me gone."
    "We want you with us."
    David reached out to take Kara’s hand,
and she flinched at the sting of current from his touch. "You,
Jenny, Peter and me—we’re a team. You’re one of us."
    "No, I’m not—I’m different. I’ll never
be like you." Kara turned away from David, but not before she saw
the pain in his face.
     
    Kara didn’t utter a single word during
the twenty-minute cab drive to Boscastle village. She sat in the
back seat of the dark blue minivan, glaring at her reflection in
the window, angry with herself for looking like such a fool in
front of Ashley and her entourage. The nosebleed didn’t help—but
worse was how David was watching her now—like she was about to have
a major breakdown at any minute. No one tried to speak to her, and
she was very glad, for fear that she might actually have a
meltdown.
    The drive passed like a blur, and the
next thing Kara knew, the minivan had stopped. David paid the
driver and everyone climbed out of the car.
    They stood in a large parking area
overlooking a quaint village with houses painted in every color of
the rainbow. The village of Boscastle lay at the foot of three
great valleys. To the south, in a deep cleft on the coast, where
two deep and steep valleys met the sea, was the harbor. It wended
through the valley in the shape of a Z on its way to join the sea.
Picturesque boats bobbed on the sheltered water, and a few
villagers strolled the streets. A young couple held a map and
pointed to one of the houses. Other than that, the village was
nearly empty.
    Kara’s long ponytail flapped in the
cool wind, and she was glad of her goose-down coat. Her breath came
out in spirals of white steam. The distant smell of fish and
seaweed drifted off the ocean.
    Jenny pulled her bow from the trunk
and swung it over her shoulder. She caught Kara staring. "I know
Ariel said our weapons would be useless. I could have been more
incognito with just a blade—but I feel naked without my bow, like
something’s missing. I feel safe and complete with it. And by that
look in your eye—you think I’m as crazy as my hair,