Read Online City Of Tears by Cyndi Friberg - Free Book Online Page A

expecting us?” They exited onto a shadowed walkway. The buildings had been impressive from the air, but Saebin craned her neck, barely able to see the narrow strip of sky still visible between the towering structures.
    “I left a message. I’ll try again from the tram. Reception is terrible in the canyons.”
    She rushed to keep pace with his long stride. People hurried past them, absorbed in their own activities. Many appeared to be talking to themselves, until Saebin realized they had communication devices hooked over their ears. “Are transmissions monitored all over the city?”
    “The capability is there, but Frontine is massive. It would take the entire army to monitor every conversation.”
    “Then why won’t you tell me where we’re going?”
    His mouth curved in an enigmatic smile. “I guess I haven’t quite convinced myself that she is our only option.”
    “Who is she? What is your hesitation?”
    “She is Dro Tar Nex, and she has to be experienced to be believed.” He shrugged and released a muffled chuckle. “Maybe you won’t find her as … unreal as most Ontarians find her. She ventured to Earth eleven cycles ago, and since then she’s become obsessed with everything Earthish. You’ve only recently come to Ontariese, so she may seem like the only person on the planet who isn’t unusual.”
    Intrigued by his description, Saebin did her best to imagine what they would encounter once they arrived. The tram doors slid open, and they boarded the sleek alloy car. The interior was crowded, and Lyrik slipped his arm around her shoulders, drawing her close against his side.
    Her gaze flitted from passenger to passenger, her astonishment growing with each new face. Men . She was the only female aboard. A hush rippled through the men as they noticed her standing beside Lyrik. He moved in front of her and pulled her against his chest, wrapping both arms around her waist.
    “Is she a relation or a companion?” someone asked.
    “She is mine , until she says otherwise,” he replied without turning around.
    Muffled conversations resumed, and the palpable tension eased somewhat. Lyrik had warned her about the disproportionate population, but she’d been unable to imagine the scenario he described. If Lyrik hadn’t claimed her, what would the others have done? She’d been surrounded by females at the Center. The pendulum had just swung in the opposite direction. Anxiety made her restless. She’d only gotten a cursory glance before Lyrik had become her living shield. Were they still staring? She’d never shared a space with so many men.
    “Eye contact will only encourage them. It’s better this way.”
    She nodded and turned around, leaning back against his chest. The tram sped through the canyons created by the towering buildings. It dipped below ground for a time before emerging into the meager sunlight again. By the time Lyrik announced that they were approaching the appropriate station, Saebin was dizzy.
    “How do you know this Dro Tar Nex?” Saebin asked as they stepped off the tram.
    “She would be quick to inform you there is only one Dro Tar and I met her through Trey.” She shot him a sidelong glance filled with confusion. “Trey is Krysta’s life mate.”
    They entered one of the tall buildings and took a speed lift to the sixty-ninth floor. Lyrik chuckled as they exited the lift. “She doesn’t care where she lives, as long as her flat is on the sixty-ninth floor.”
    Saebin had no idea what he found so amusing, so she said nothing more.
    He stopped in front of an unmarked door. A discoloration in the surface indicated an apartment number might have been pried off. Lyrik activated the interior page with a voice command.
    A moment passed. Lyrik reached for the trigger again when the door slid open. A woman stood framed in the threshold. Her short brown hair was tipped in gold and stood out from her head in unruly spikes. Her only garment appeared to be an oversized black tee shirt