Read Online Drifters' Alliance, Book 3 by Elle Casey - Free Book Online Page B

attack with it on my person. If Macon calls it my security blanket one more time, I’m going to knock him out.
    I shove Macon’s boots in between two grow towers and walk on, expecting him to follow me. A few seconds later, I check to be sure he’s there and find him several meters behind me. I motion for him to hurry up.
    When he gets next to me, I can see the reason for his concern. His socks are brown, but I’m pretty sure they started off white. I cringe at the stink that comes wafting up. I have to hold my nose closed to keep the stench from sneaking into my skull. His boots must be specially treated or something to hold that stench inside. Damn.
    “I told you,” he whispers.
    I shake my head and move off in the direction I think is the correct one, praying we won’t run into Lucinda before I locate my knife. I keep my eyes on the ground, hoping it’ll turn up before we actually reach Papa’s sleeping pallet. I know it’s naive to think that I just dropped it out here somewhere, but that doesn’t keep me from dreaming. There is a very, very slight possibility I lost it before I got tangled in those roots or vines or whatever they were, and I’m going to hold on to that hope until there isn’t any more of it left.
    I hear someone mumbling ahead, so I jump in between a couple towers, dragging Macon with me. We’re crammed in there together with nothing but sweat, worn linen, and a flight suit between us when Lucinda walks by.
    “I hope she doesn’t expect me to feed these people like this all the time.” She’s pushing a cart loaded down with vegetables, scowling as usual.
    I hold my breath and close my eyes, worried that my stare will draw her gaze over to us. Our hiding place isn’t very good. The beans we’re drowning in don’t have very many leaves in the spot where we’re standing. Please don’t feed them beans, please don’t feed them beans!
    When the noise of the cart slowly fades out, I open my eyes, half expecting to see Lucinda there glaring at me, but the part of the aisle that’s visible is empty. I can feel a heart beating, but I’m pretty sure it’s not mine; it’s going too fast. I look up and see Macon staring down at me.
    “That was close,” he says in a tiny whisper.
    I nod.
    “Should we go out?” he asks.
    A hissing starts above me and then suddenly we’re being misted with water.
    “Yes!” I say, shoving him out of the way so I can get out.
    “Argh!”
    I want to kill him for making so much noise, but then I see why he did it and my anger disappears in a flash. Now I have to battle not to laugh. He has fallen backward into a bunch of plants, his body wedged between two towers and his legs flailing.
    “Don’t just stand there; help me!” he growls.
    I climb back into the greenery and give him a hand. He grabs it and I’m surprised by the strength I feel there. He could have probably snapped my neck about five different times by now. The knowledge that he’s chosen not to kill me when he well could have makes me go warm inside. Maybe we can be friends again.
    When he gets back to his feet, he’s right up against me again. “We have to stop meeting like this.” He grins, very happy with himself.
    I punch him in the chest. “Shut up.”
    He wheezes out some air, but follows me from the towers out to the aisle. He’s bent over, holding his chest and rubbing it a little. “Damn, you sure can pack a punch when you want to.”
    “Just shut up and follow me, would you?” I’m starting to question the brilliance behind my plan to bring him along. I thought he could function as a distraction in case I found myself in a bind, but now I’m thinking he’ll be the reason I’m caught. All the more reason to get this over with. Hurry!
    I continue toward my destination with renewed energy. I need to get out of here. I don’t want to lose my upper hand with Lucinda, and if she catches me sneaking around, or if her father does, I’ll be screwed. I don’t like being