Read Online Preda's Voice (Guardians of Vaka Book 1) by Carolyn Gross - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Carolyn Gross
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was silent in the backseat. She hoped never to be on the wrong end of that anger. After another period of awkward silence, Foxy’s phone beeped twice with a soft tone. That seemed to be the signal. Suddenly the doors were unlocked, and he got out of the car and moved to open the door for her. Preda grabbed Fiver and awkwardly squeezed out with her feline burden.
Foxy was quick to grab their bags, and they started to make their way through the parking lot. Once again Preda had to skip every fifth step to keep up with his long strides.
When they were inside the airport, Foxy leaned down. As though it was a secret, he said in a low voice, “We’re going to Buenos Aires, Argentina.”
After that he was quick to utilize his faux badge, and they were ushered through check-in and security. Before she knew it, they were sitting with Al in a first-class lounge and waiting for their flight. Preda wondered if perhaps that badge might actually be real.
No one had asked about her feline passenger, and while they were waiting, a woman walked by to take the cat to a back room at Al’s request. He was to be fed and allowed to use a litter box. Preda was reluctant to see him taken away, but she trusted Al. Fiver was brought back after ten minutes. There was at least another thirty minutes until boarding, and Preda needed to use the restroom herself. When she excused herself to go, she was met with resistance.
“Can you wait until we are on the plane?” Foxy asked with what she thought was a slight degree of annoyance.
“Fiver wasn’t asked to wait,” she replied.
“I’ll go and stand guard,” said Al in a placating tone.
Stand guard? Preda didn’t know whether the precaution was amusing or terrifying. As they were walking to the bathroom, she asked Al, “Whom are we hiding from?”
“I wouldn’t call it hiding so much as avoiding. You are going to be a very strong young Vozia. Sooner than you think. Until that time, though, you are vulnerable. Unfortunately the events of yesterday might have alerted them to your presence here. They look no different from you or me from the outside, so you can’t trust anyone, Preda. Promise me.”
His words’ gravity weighed heavily on her mind. As she rubbed her hands over her thin arms, she doubted she could ever be strong enough to fight against anyone. She looked up at Al while they walked. “I promise,” she said.
10
W hen Preda entered the bathroom, she sighed in relief at seeing how crowded it was. She gratefully moved to stand in line. Being another face in a crowd was comforting, and she smiled to herself at her own paranoia. Then she suddenly felt something cold and sharp press against the small of her back.
Preda jerked straight and almost knocked over the person in front of her. She had gotten so used to using her voice that she almost cried out. The woman in front of her grunted and said rudely under her breath, “Excuse me.”
Preda started to turn around, but a phone was pressed to her left ear. A sweet, feminine voice spoke softly. “Don’t move. Above all else don’t make a sound. If you speak, these people will suffer as a result. You wouldn’t want that, would you?”
Preda stiffly shook her head and remained still. She assumed the phone was being used so no one else in the bathroom could hear what was being said. The voice continued on the other end of the phone. “When it is your turn, go to the next open stall. Close the door behind you without looking back.”
Preda considered her options, but what she assumed was a knife was digging sharply into her back. She didn’t know what to say that wouldn’t harm the other women in the busy bathroom. Screaming was certainly not an option. She wished she could get a good look at the person behind her.
When her turn came, Preda walked forward to the next stall and glanced behind her before shutting the door. It was only a glance but enough to see the woman holding a knife hidden behind a large leather
Foxy was quick to grab their bags, and they started to make their way through the parking lot. Once again Preda had to skip every fifth step to keep up with his long strides.
When they were inside the airport, Foxy leaned down. As though it was a secret, he said in a low voice, “We’re going to Buenos Aires, Argentina.”
After that he was quick to utilize his faux badge, and they were ushered through check-in and security. Before she knew it, they were sitting with Al in a first-class lounge and waiting for their flight. Preda wondered if perhaps that badge might actually be real.
No one had asked about her feline passenger, and while they were waiting, a woman walked by to take the cat to a back room at Al’s request. He was to be fed and allowed to use a litter box. Preda was reluctant to see him taken away, but she trusted Al. Fiver was brought back after ten minutes. There was at least another thirty minutes until boarding, and Preda needed to use the restroom herself. When she excused herself to go, she was met with resistance.
“Can you wait until we are on the plane?” Foxy asked with what she thought was a slight degree of annoyance.
“Fiver wasn’t asked to wait,” she replied.
“I’ll go and stand guard,” said Al in a placating tone.
Stand guard? Preda didn’t know whether the precaution was amusing or terrifying. As they were walking to the bathroom, she asked Al, “Whom are we hiding from?”
“I wouldn’t call it hiding so much as avoiding. You are going to be a very strong young Vozia. Sooner than you think. Until that time, though, you are vulnerable. Unfortunately the events of yesterday might have alerted them to your presence here. They look no different from you or me from the outside, so you can’t trust anyone, Preda. Promise me.”
His words’ gravity weighed heavily on her mind. As she rubbed her hands over her thin arms, she doubted she could ever be strong enough to fight against anyone. She looked up at Al while they walked. “I promise,” she said.
10
W hen Preda entered the bathroom, she sighed in relief at seeing how crowded it was. She gratefully moved to stand in line. Being another face in a crowd was comforting, and she smiled to herself at her own paranoia. Then she suddenly felt something cold and sharp press against the small of her back.
Preda jerked straight and almost knocked over the person in front of her. She had gotten so used to using her voice that she almost cried out. The woman in front of her grunted and said rudely under her breath, “Excuse me.”
Preda started to turn around, but a phone was pressed to her left ear. A sweet, feminine voice spoke softly. “Don’t move. Above all else don’t make a sound. If you speak, these people will suffer as a result. You wouldn’t want that, would you?”
Preda stiffly shook her head and remained still. She assumed the phone was being used so no one else in the bathroom could hear what was being said. The voice continued on the other end of the phone. “When it is your turn, go to the next open stall. Close the door behind you without looking back.”
Preda considered her options, but what she assumed was a knife was digging sharply into her back. She didn’t know what to say that wouldn’t harm the other women in the busy bathroom. Screaming was certainly not an option. She wished she could get a good look at the person behind her.
When her turn came, Preda walked forward to the next stall and glanced behind her before shutting the door. It was only a glance but enough to see the woman holding a knife hidden behind a large leather
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