Free Myopia (Young Adult Zombie Paranormal Romance) (Wisteria Series) by Bisi Leyton

touched them again. “You’re probably just allergic to something or a side effect of the flu, since you’ve never had it before.”
    “Are you sure?”
    “No, but I’ll talk to Sabine, and if she’s worried, then we’ll do something. Right now, lay down in my bed and I’ll sort this room for you.”
    Getting into her mother’s bed, she fell asleep, but was awoken to the sound of Coles and her mother speaking in hushed tones to Sabine. There were other voices, too. She was sure she heard Jason Webb and, strangely, Thomas Clarkson, the rat catcher.
    She wanted to go to the door to listen to what they were saying, but she was still in agony over her other symptoms. Lying back down, she hoped to feel better in the morning.

    *****

    Bach hadn’t been allowed to leave Jarthan until the Sen had decided on the empirics. To pass the time alone, he wandered over the bridge that led toward the courtyard of the First Pillar. From the bridge, he could see Lluc standing on the Astolat Bridge miles below with his three favorite Thayns, Nia, Nizzar and Nular. He couldn’t make out what his older brother was doing, but he saw Nular leave the group and run inside.
    Listening to the waves beating against the shore below, he was glad to be here; the water really helped him relax and so did being among his own people. With his father’s entourage, Jarthan was bustling full of Family and had a real sense of home, his home near the Jade Ocean. Feeling homesick, he questioned for the hundredth time his choice to remain on Earth.
    The empirics wouldn’t need him once they’d arrived and settled. Perhaps then he could return home. Imagining the journey through the threshold and arriving on the black ship in the middle of the green waters of the Jade Ocean, he could almost smell the salt in the sea air.
    After that, they’d sail home together to the Sable Mountains where the Third Pillar lived. Wisteria would be speechless when she saw the ash mountain ranges or the waterfalls that went on forever. It’d be like nothing she’d ever dreamt of and she wouldn’t believe it. Grinning to himself, he considered blindfolding her until they reached the first mountain city.
    Soon, reality dawned on him. His people would kill her long before she reached his home. He’d have to live among the humans forever or leave her for good. Bach sighed deeply. Neither option seemed tenable.
    Glancing back down at the Astolat Bridge, he saw his brother was gone.
    “What is going on with you and him?” Lord Rafel approached him. “Since your Great Walk ended, it is as if you two barely speak.”
    “My Great Walk is not over,” Bach answered.
    “You cannot blame him for interrupting your 1,000 day journey, because your father has given you early leave.”
    “Lord Rafel, this is not about the Great Walk. We disagree on the principle.”
    “Really? We found the Terrans have obsidian crystal. They could be planning to destroy us. That is a good reason to leave your walk early.”
    “You…” He halted. He knew he couldn’t discuss the details of the differences him and Lluc were having with Lord Rafel.
    The man was still Family and to make matters worse, he’d never lived among free Terrans at all. Bach wasn’t even sure Lord Rafel had ever met one, so there was no way he could even begin to understand what Bach was going through. If Lord Rafel learned what was happening, he’d mostly likely go straight to Sen Aleix and Yordi. Yordi would probably kill her himself. A cold chill ran down Bach’s spine.
    “You and Lluc have always been rivals, I guess it is because you are so close in age,” Rafel said as they reached the main doors of the First Pillar’s palace within the castle.
    The sentinel at the large stone doors stopped them. As a member of the Third Pillar, Bach needed an invitation from an Ino of another Pillar before entering one of their palaces. Lord Rafel didn’t require this because he was the Lord of Jarthan Castle and had free