Resist by Ilima Todd

Author:Ilima Todd [Todd, Ilima]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781629734125
Publisher: Shadow Mountain
Published: 2016-05-31T16:00:00+00:00

As I reach the side of the house, I hear two voices teasing each other. One of them with a distinct accent that sounds a lot like Pua’s.

“You stink.”

“I do not.” Nine’s familiar laugh echoes in the small clearing.

“You smell like crocodile pee.”

“There are no crocodiles in that river.”

A deep laugh. “This is Australia. There are crocodiles in every river.”

“Well, I’ve never seen any back there. Maybe I taste bad.”

A long, silent pause. Then, “You taste fine to me.”

“Shh!” A string of giggles.

I turn the corner and see Nine on Kai’s lap, her fingers pressed against his mouth to silence him.

Her hand falls, and she extends it toward me. “Kai, meet Theron. Theron, this is Kai.”

“We’ve met,” I say.

“Sure.” Kai’s eyes narrow into slits. “If by ‘met’ you mean slamming me to the ground while threats fall out of your mouth in a steady stream.”

I should remind him we met before that, months ago when he told me where to find Nine in the Healer building, but I’m not in the mood for another argument with Kai.

Nine shoves a finger in his chest. “Be nice.”

“I am being nice. Trust me.”

Nine stands and steps back, her hand finding a place at her hip. “You know how important this is to me.”

Kai sighs and stands, extending a hand. “Good to meet you,” he says to me. “Again. Properly.”

I shift the basket in my arms and shake his hand because Nine gives me her be nice or else look, though I don’t want to be polite to this man. More than anything I want to ask if there’s a cage in this place and have a go at him. I’d like to place a bet on that match.

Nine watches our hands break apart. “You’re right,” she tells Kai. “This is weird.”

He raises an eyebrow as though to say I told you so.

“What’s weird?” I ask.

She reaches for my hand. “My best friend and my hus—” She pauses, glancing at Kai as though wondering what to call him. “—Kai. You and Kai. Together in the same place. It feels . . .”

“Wrong?” I don’t know why I say it. Frustration. Impatience, maybe.

“No.” She shakes her head. “Having you with me never feels wrong, Theron.” Her voice lowers. “Different. It just feels different.”

I know. Because she feels different too. No matter how much I miss the Nine I once knew, I know I’ll never get her back the same way I once had her.

Nine wraps an arm around Kai’s waist. “Theron’s going to help me hang up Ivy’s laundry.” She glances at the basket in my hands then raises both brows, as though asking me if that’s okay.

I offer a small smile and nod, wondering who Ivy is.

She looks at Kai. “I’ll find you later?”

He grunts in the affirmative. “I need to help Catcher with the pulse machines anyhow.” He leans down to kiss her, and I turn away, surprised at how easily she gives in to his kiss when a few minutes ago she evaded mine.

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