Your dead meat. Watch your back.
–G
☼ ☼ ☼
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv1GqfGUCXH
Unbelievable.
Well, no, Talitha believed it. The words were typical, too, considering the source.
Gracie Finnegan scrawled that threat on a ragged slip of paper and handed it to Fatima Chalmers, who dumped the message on Talitha’s desk in Old-World History. That exchange happened behind Professor Blitman’s back, forcing Talitha to stare at it for an entire hour.
Today, she examined that note at least once during each school period and mouthed the words to herself, assessing the blonde’s risk level. Gracie was taller, sure, and meaner, but Talitha, well—she could run fast. She’d done that enough on Cloverland’s athletic track, so running was something of a solution.
None of Talitha’s classmates commented on the exchange, since none of them wanted to become Gracie’s next target. However, they still whispered that they wanted to see the fight. Brawls, with real hits and blood, were rare after the Time. A battle between two girls was another spectacle.
Talitha stared at Gracie’s note as she sat across from Unifaith priestess Kalum Khelot in Cloverland’s rest hall. Kalum observed her gloom as Ipir’s sun beamed through the trees, casting textured patterns over them. A grimace formed on Kalum’s face when Talitha’s lips formed Gracie’s threat another countless time—watch your back. Kalum snatched the note from her hands.
“Trash.” Kalum flipped a lock of pitch-black hair over her shoulder. Tawny-skinned and dark-eyed, she carried herself with the poise of a practiced performer even when she was angered. She jabbed a manicured finger against the note, creating a striking tableau in her red Cloverland uniform. “Spilled ink everywhere like a toddler. What a stupid bitch.” She smoothed the note against the table. “YOU’RE is a contraction of YOU-ARE, it’s not ‘YOUR.’ Sounds like she’s presenting you with rotting meat. Ugh. So dumb. Her writing’s worse than her art.”
“Oh, fuck the spelling and fuck the art. Fuck Gracie, too. She’s going to murder me.” Talitha’s fingertips whitened as she pressed them against the table with force, her face strained. “Fatima followed me as I was talking to Adam earlier, to let me know Gracie’s here on campus. That’s to intimidate me. She’s insane.”
Kalum’s face screwed. “Obsessed.”
“Yes.”
“Not just with Adam, either. She’s livid you defended me in front of the dean. That sent her over the edge.” Kalum’s piercing gaze locked with Talitha’s. “You put yourself at risk—for me.”
“What was I supposed to do? You cried.” Talitha stared at the note. The stained off-white shade glared more than the brilliant foliage of Cloverland’s gardens. “That picture hurt you.”
“It shocked me more than anything. So much red. Looked like blood.” Kalum sipped her tea. “Horrible that this happened in Altir. We’re supposed to be better. Trendster’s flashing the slogan for the new millennium: Y-One-K—It’s A New Day.”
“Well, to Gracie, we’re the same as any cultist. Doesn’t matter if we were born into Ipir’s chaos without a choice, like everyone else.” Talitha fought the urge to seize the note from Kalum. “Somehow we carry all this alien world’s problems in our veins.”
“Forget her. That attitude’s a relic. Obsolete. We’re here to evolve with this planet, and Unity’s the only way. No more war.” Kalum held up two fingers, her cheeks flushed, the way she always looked when she talked about her faith. “Two moons, twins Sin-Dar and Sin-Mut. Two sects, Sisem and Sinum. Sun and moon. Two sides to Ipir, human and native. It’s so obvious to us in Unifaith.” She sniffed. “Gracie’s part of an ugly, stunted past.”
“Gracie’s stunted. Fine. That doesn’t stop her havoc.” Talitha sunk in her seat. “She painted you being fucked by a goa—oh, I won’t say it.” Her lids narrowed as Gracie’s crude illustration of a crowned desert beast mounting Kalum flitted through her mind. Above the awful piece, Gracie had smeared HAPPY HARVEST.
Kalum’s face turned downcast, as if remembering too. “Look at the bright side—we’re graduating in half a year. Gracie will go wherever future criminals and silly bitches go.”
“I still see her smug face laughing when I close my eyes.” Talitha clenched her teeth, fingers curling into a fist as if she were a threat. She’d do it, too, she thought, though only in her fantasies would Gracie not hit back. “Makes no difference. Being angry won’t stop Gracie from tearing me apart.”
“You’re right, so let it go.” Kalum took another sip of tea. “I thought about asking Daddy to escalate this to a criminal level. Gracie would get reprimanded by CDPD and have to answer to cops that work for her father.” A mischievous smile tugged at Kalum’s lips. “They’ll make her shovel pony shit. If Daddy says she threatened the future Queen of Bhet—oh, that’s global.” She snickered, touching her lips. “Trouble from here to the wildlands. Idi ipussu bit mati—go build a house in the river!”
“No.” Talitha’s focus darted toward Kalum. “Don’t talk to Daddy. Don’t make Gracie shovel horse shit. I can handle this.”
“Let me help.”
“Kala, I don’t want your father involved. Influence can’t fix everything.” Talitha laid her cheek on her palm, the scent of blossoms from the garden smelling cheerier than she felt. “Your family does sneaky things to get their way, and so does Commissioner Finnegan. It’s what everyone does for everyone in Altir. What makes things unfair.”
Kalum frowned. “Don’t be rude. I didn’t ask for benefits to be piled in my favor. I share with you because I know we’re not the same.”
“More charity.”
“Enough.” Kalum folded her arms. “I’m being generous. Ever consider that?”
Talitha curled further into herself. “You won’t get it because you haven't lived what I have. I’m not being fair, anyway. You never make me feel bad about our differences.”
“That’s right, I don’t. I’ll never understand your life in solitary either, or your time in RedSect. But I listen.” Kalum’s voice lowered. “I don’t think about your past. Only you.”
“I know.”
“Then don’t beat yourself up. What happened to your mother isn’t your fault.”
Unwanted memories clouded Talitha. Always did at the mention of a dead woman she’d never known. In her mind, she saw her mother sharp-fanged and gnashing for blood, uncontrolled in frenzy before Union’s termination. Coldness overtook her as her mother crumbled to ash; becoming dust the way the natives expired.
“Her problems aren’t mine. I wasn’t born with her sickness.” Talitha’s lids narrowed to slits. “Don’t bring her up.”
Kalum held up a hand. “Yes. It’s not your burden. I hate how people link you with what happened.”
“You’re doing it now.”
“Oh.” Kalum winced. “Sorry.”
“Drop it.” Talitha touched her forehead. Kalum’s lips pursed.
“Okay. Dropped.”
The pair fell to silence.
Talitha listened to chatter from the other students at the tables surrounding theirs. From every corner, the crowd discussed one topic—Harvest. She scanned the wash of seniors gathered in white shirts and loose ties, their uniform jackets discarded on the backs of their chairs. “Sounds like everyone’s got plans for the holiday,” she remarked. “Wonder if something’s brewing.”
Kalum heightened in her seat and smoothed her mane as she examined the bustle. “I’ll find out, and we’ll also have something to do. I bet Julieta or Cass or Florence know what’s-what.”
“Ah.” Talitha’s attention returned to Gracie’s note. “I’m in no rush to party.”
Kalum planted the tumbler over the note, blocking Talitha’s view. “I won’t let you hide from life. Don’t invite problems, but don’t die before your time either.”
“No. Harvest’s ruined.”
“It’s not. Forget Gracie, forget Spencer. We’ll have fun.” Kalum’s hand enveloped Talitha’s with a squeeze. “If you’re worried about Gracie and won’t let me escalate, talk to Adam.”
“Oh.” Talitha smiled. “Him.”
“What’s wrong with Adam?”
“He’s sore with me because I asked to meet his brother. I’m sorry for bringing up the topic. Won’t bother him with something else.” She rubbed her eyelids. “I’ve leaned on our friendship too much, and I’m embarrassed. Even Spencer said we’re too close a few times.”
“Whatever. Spencer wanted to see issues because of that silly gossip about you two. You showed Adam how to hold a baby that belonged to a former ward. The two of you were promoting the orphanage, like always. That’s what happened.” Kalum sighed. “Spencer wanted you to wallow with him in RedSect.”
“I’m not asking Adam.”
“He’s not angry. Trust me.”
“No.”
“Fine. One possible solution.” Kalum’s thumb traced over the back of Talitha’s hand, dark focus piercing through Talitha. “By the way, are you still quartering with me after the fundraiser? You never said yes or no.”
“Aye.” Talitha nodded, glancing at Kalum’s touch. “You told your parents we’re holding kispu, right? Some deep meditation.”
A small smile flashed on Kalum’s face. “Yes. I booked the main room. We’ll have plenty of space and time until early service. I nicked Mama’s Eriluan extracts. You’ll love it. So mellow.”
“Ace.”
“Yeah.” Kalum interlaced their fingers together. “Ace.”
Their connection broke when a figure greeted the other students with loud laughs. Talitha squinted, making out the identity of a crimson-clad senior, and Kalum looked aside too.
“What’s going on?”
“Hm.” Talitha peered closer. “Ivan. He made eye contact with me.”
“Oh.” Kalum withdrew her hands. “Perfect.”
“Wonder what he wants.”
“To be awful.”
Ivan Rodinsky, one of Adam Pendergast’s two best mates, reached their table with cunning grin beaming. He slid into the bench beside Kalum and winked, running a hand over his buzzed hair. His steel-gray gaze scanned her.
“Hey, babe,” he rumbled. “Looking good.”
Kalum’s palm streaked up to block Ivan’s advance. Her face puckered as she coiled away. “Rodinsky, please. Not now. Actually, not ever.”
“Feisty,” Ivan nudged his jaw at her. “Do that with your mouth again, like you’re sucking on a lemon.”
“Quit it, Ivan.” Talitha bristled at the start of another barbed exchange. “She’s taken.”
“Taken. Sure.” Ivan snorted, sprawling on the bench seat. “Taken by King Goatfucker Al-Trashbag. Taken by a fucking beast.”
“Crown Prince Malek Al-Bheti,” Kalum corrected. “You wouldn’t dare say that to his face.”
“Sure I would. Fuck him. He can suck my cock—royally.” Ivan sneered. “Face it, starlight. You want out of that arranged marriage garbage, and being queen isn’t that great. You’re 100% Union, part of our high as a kite society. Get off that loser family plan and tell your parents to kiss your ass.”
“Hey, wonder why your last two girlfriends dumped you publicly? Remember this moment.” Kalum’s face colored as she scooted farther from Ivan. “Don’t worry about my family plan. Worry about your career path. Do you have one? No!”
Ivan stroked his jaw. “That’s all you care about. Ranks and money. I did say you were society.”
“Stop it.” Talitha scowled. “Stay away if you hate each other.”
Ivan shrugged. “Never said I hated the crazy witch.”
“Ivan, if you’re here to insult, get lost. You’re not welcome.”
“No, no.” Ivan raised his arms in surrender. “I came to give you good news. I’m inviting you lovely ladies to the biggest party of the year. Hope you haven’t locked in plans for Eve, since this one’ll be a real killer.”
“Party on Eve?” Kalum’s irritation melted into vivid interest. “That’s why everyone’s stirred.”
Ivan flashed his wide grin. “Another word you like. Party.”
Kalum stroked her hair, studying Ivan. “I haven’t heard of a major happening. This is short notice. A girl needs time to get ready for a party.”
“Hold on, your majesty. I’ll show you.” Ivan reached into his rucksack to pull out two translucent polymer cards, handing one to both Talitha and Kalum. “Scan that with your COM. Password’s BLOODFEAST, current date and hour in all caps, no spaces. Fuck up twice and it’ll wipe. You’re on your own after that.”
Talitha held the card over her COM’s sensors, entering the password when prompted. Foreign symbols hovered above the device’s faceplate, glowing red as animated blood trickled over the digits. Her eyes widened as she manipulated the projection to read the text.
“Blood Fang. Wow. That native group. They’re huge right now with that single and album, Taste For Blood. I’ve seen that band leader Jackal wearing fanged getup in promos. He’s Vangrali, like me—and that always caught my eye.” Talitha glanced at Ivan before returning to the flyer. “Party’s called Zero Hour Blast, and Fang’s playing…in Central Sector? How?” She frowned. “Union banned them after all their blood theatrics.”
“Banned last year. Not this year.” Ivan gestured at the projection. “Keep scrolling.”
Talitha continued, reaching a map that highlighted the path to the venue. The route cut through the mountains of Kidish Pass near East Central, where the mountains separated RedSect from Altir as a natural border. Native-born people lived in RedSect without residency; Blood Fang’s chosen location was near the zone where Talitha completed solitary quarantine. The town was also the exact place Union rescued her infected mother from Sinum cultists during the Time.
“This can’t be right.” She paused her inspection, nausea stirring at the reminder of her unseen past. “They’re playing in Temple Westmont. Westmont’s gone. Awful things happened there, and the zone’s not shifting from red to green until Central demolishes what’s left. There are security shields everywhere to protect the equipment.”
Ivan shook his head. “Westmont’s still with us—for now—and we found a way past security. That won’t be an issue.”
Talitha’s expression tightened. “Blood Fang’s catchy, but this is mad.”
“I don’t know.” Kalum chimed in as she peered at the invitation. “Jackal blends Sisem and Sinum chants together in his songs. That creates a united view. We do that too in Unifaith, for Isten Dar and the Earth faiths.” She tucked her hair behind her ear with a shrug. “My parents worked with him years ago on wildland issues before he started Blood Fang. Mama liked him. Even suggested we use his music to bring in a younger crowd. I bet he’s paying tribute.”
“Exactly right, sweet thing.” Ivan lowered his voice, leaning closer. “He’s holding a giant tribute and cares about RedSect’s future. Wants progress for the natives living in Union. This’ll be a special night.”
“He’ll get banned for this.” Kalum closed the projection. “He shouldn’t risk his freedom for a party.”
“He’s fine with another penalty. He’ll do what’s necessary to communicate.”
“Wow.”
Talitha turned to Kalum. “I can’t go there.”
“Why not?” Ivan’s nostrils flared in derision as he interrupted her. “They cut you out of your mom’s belly after they evacuated her. You weren’t even around when people were dying. You can’t have painful memories.”
Kalum snorted. “Real sensitive, shithead.”
“I’m not sensitive, but I’m right.”
“Hm.” Talitha hummed to herself, reviewing Ivan’s offer. “A crooked method to enter a condemned zone with contraband flying everywhere. Partying with a host who keeps getting booted out of Union.” She grimaced, and turned to Kalum. “What do you think?”
Kalum tapped her fingers against the table, her dark attention circling Talitha. “You like dancing to night-electro, and I’ve seen you listen to Fang. The Vangrali connection matters to you.”
“Aye.” Talitha assented with a nod. “It’s only because I don’t know anything about that part of myself. I’d love to ask him what my ancestral home’s like.”
“Great, so this is something to do. A night of fun.”
“Sounds dangerous.”
“A little.”
“Come on.” Ivan prodded the pair when a lull formed. “Nobody will care about Westmont until after New Year, so if we’re quiet, we won’t get busted. Bet there’s gold in those tunnels.” He gestured at Kalum with a flick of his finger. “You like gold, right princess?”
Kalum sniffed like she were bracing great pain. “Subsolar seashells have veins of gold in them. You can pick one right up on the beach. Gold’s pretty, but I prefer Ipirian diamonds. They flicker when the ether’s high.”
“Ipirian diamonds.” Ivan’s mouth formed an ‘O’ of surprise. He nodded. “Fancy. You’d squeeze a man dry with that diamond kind of pressure.”
“Only a loser thinks a dirty mine would impress a girl because it sparkles.”
Ivan surveyed Kalum from the bench. “You wear plenty of gold for being above it all. Ears, nose, hair—everywhere. Wonder where else.” His attention skirted over her uniform. “It’s like, your culture, right?”
Kalum’s glare narrowed. “Shut up.”
“Looks good.”
“Whatever.”
Ivan turned his head, still smirking. “Whatever.” He heightened in his seat and looked in the distance, craning his head. “Oh, here comes Spence. He’ll get worked up if you mention the party. You’ll see.”
Talitha looked in the same direction, and a sharp pang struck her. Tall and wiry and bronzed from the everlasting sun, a young man from RedSect walked toward them. He ran long fingers through his ragged mess of hair and flashed the table a crooked grin. Talitha uttered his name in a breath, and her heart stopped for a long few seconds.
Spencer.
He wore a crimson Cloverland senior uniform, though he didn’t attend their school. He’d traded drugs with someone to get the disguise. Talitha tensed as he sat beside her, and old feelings resurfaced in his presence until she looked away. An uncomfortable silence passed, and Ivan sighed.
“This is fun.”
“Li’s nervous.” Kalum broke the tension, and Spencer’s attention moved to her.
“Why?”
“Gracie threatened to beat her up.”
“Kala!” Talitha surged from her seat. “Don’t say that!”
Kalum’s stare fixed on Talitha. “Everyone needs to know.”
Spencer forced himself between them, and a harsh edge crisped his tone.
“Tell me what’s going on.”
“Gracie vandalized my quarter, and Li stood up for me.” Kalum avoided Talitha’s glare as she replied. “Gracie’s angry.”
Spencer’s face furrowed. “Finnegan? She’s fine for what she comes from—those CDPD jerks. Pays fast. Treats me fair.”
“Because you give her what she wants.”
“Does she have a problem with me?”
Kalum nodded. “With RedSect, natives, the planet in general—though she’s got a trace of native in her, too. Everyone does these days. Must kill her to know.”
Spencer turned to Talitha. “Wish you’d told me you two had issues. I’d have one, too.”
Talitha averted her gaze. “I was trying to avoid that.”
“Gracie’s fine until things don’t go her way.” Ivan leaned back in the bench seat, closing his eyes in the warm sun. “She’s coming out for Blood Fang, though, so I doubt she’ll fight before then.”
Spencer jolted from his seat. Talitha reared in surprise at his side at his sudden aggression. “Listen, fuckhead—I told you not to mention that party!”
“Moron.” Ivan snorted. “Look at the size of this. Every senior’s talking about it. Li was bound to find out. I didn’t take you seriously when you said not to invite her.”
Talitha pushed herself in front of Spencer, drawing his glare to her. Her face warmed as her voice rose. “You told him not to invite me? Are you that angry you’d interfere with my life?”
“This isn’t about our relationship.” Spencer’s tone steeled. “You shouldn’t go.”
“Why not?”
“It’s not your scene.”
Talitha rattled a laugh. “Please.”
“Don’t tell her what to do, Spencer.” Kalum examined her nails and intervened. “Leave her alone.”
“Stay out of this, Priestess,” Spencer grunted back. “None of your damn business.”
Ivan smiled. “I agree, mate. Li wants to party—with us.”
“Fuck off, shithead. You’re trying to impress that one but stay away from mine.”
“Yours?" Talitha chortled at Spencer’s flash of a boundary they no longer shared. "I’m not yours anymore.” She swatted her palm on the table. “That’s it. I decided. I’m going.”
“Really?” Spencer’s hollow stare circled Talitha’s.
“Yes.”
“I don’t want to argue. We’re over. I get it.” He rustled his fingers through his hair. “This is different in a serious way, and we need to talk—alone.”
Talitha gazed at Spencer’s earnest face, which reflected a desperation she’d seen before that rang true and pleading. She snatched her jacket from the back of her seat, smoothing her skirt.
“Fine. Let’s talk.”
“Great. Thank you.”
“This’ll be constructive.” Ivan called out as Spencer steered Talitha away. “Atta boy. Good luck.”
Spencer glared at Ivan a final time before turning. Kalum’s piercing attention followed as Talitha left with Spencer.
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