Planetary Spin Cycle: Tales of a Former Space Janitor by Julia Huni

Author:Julia Huni [Huni, Julia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: sort1
Publisher: IPH Media
Published: 2021-06-14T22:00:00+00:00

Twenty-One

Loki barrels toward us. “Stop!” He moves fast for his size and plows into Elodie as she scrambles to her feet.

She launches at me, her hunched over body hitting me square in the chest. “Oof!” I topple backward, seeing my life flash before my eyes as I fall away from the cliff edge.

That’s a lie, I don’t see my life flash before my eyes. I see Ty with tears in his eyes and Vanti standing behind him shaking her finger at me. And the Ice Dame rolling her eyes, as if she’s always known I would end this way.

Then I hit the force shield, slamming the air out of my chest. Elodie lands on top of me like a load of bricks. “Can’t breathe,” I gasp.

Elodie rolls off me and stares down at the beach a hundred meters below. “At least we aren’t plummeting to our doom.”

“No thanks to you.”

Loki reaches down and grabs my ankle. With one hand he hoists me onto the grass. I land hard, knocking from my lungs the little air I’d managed to suck in. I gaze at the sky, gasping.

Seconds later, Elodie lands beside me. She jumps to her feet and dusts off her rear end. “That is not a polite way to greet visitors.”

“Visitors come in through the front gate.” Loki points over his shoulder.

She puts her hands on her hips. “We were pretty sure you wouldn’t let us in. I’m Elodie. And you are?”

I bite back a grin. She sounds just like the Ice Dame—obviously disappointed in his manners without saying so. It must be a mom-power.

“I’m Loki. My job is to keep people like you out.”

Elodie draws herself up to her full height—which isn’t particularly impressive against Loki’s mass. “Are you implying we’re riff-raff? Part of the hoi-polloi? Members of the great unwashed? Do you know who this is?” She points at me.

I hold up both hands. “I don’t like to advertise. But yeah, he knows who I am. We’ve met before.” I struggle to my feet and hold out my fist. “Nice to see you, Loki.”

Loki ignores my hand, staring at us as if we’re insane. Maybe we are.

“We’re here to visit Cas.” Elodie starts up the lawn as if this were a normal visit to a neighbor.

Loki blocks her with his weapon. “That’s not possible at this time.”

“Why not? He came to visit us. Twice.” She points at the wall. “We’re simply providing the opportunity for him to return the hospitality.”

“He’s not here.” Loki looks over his shoulder. “You need to go back before someone sees you. The others won’t be as accommodating as I am.”

“You call this accommodating?” Elodie waves an arm. “You make us stand out here in the yard instead of inviting us to the house?”

“Elodie, he means his coworkers won’t let us leave. We should go.” I yank at her arm. “Now.”

She shakes me off. “We’re here. Let’s find out what’s going on. Why did your friends take our friend?”

“What are you talking about?” Loki rubs his forehead as if a headache is forming.

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