Read Online Titans by Victoria Scott - Free Book Online

you’ll have to form a connection. And the first step in that process is acknowledging that he’s not simply parts and pieces and coded instructions. He has … he has understanding .”
    Because I don’t want to lose this opportunity, I keep my remarks to a minimum. Instead I say, “Can’t I just turn off the autopilot like you did today?”
    “That doesn’t shut off the Titan’s emotions. Nothing can do that. Not with the EvoBox Rags designed functioning inside him,” Barney chimes in. “Besides, only using manual transmission means he’s not operating at his full potential. It’s like a human on allergy medicine. The kind that makes you drowsy, ya know?”
    Rags straightens to his full height. “Can you learn to trust this creature, Astrid? I mean really trust him? Because if you can’t, this will never work.”
    I glance down at the hunk of metal and ask myself if I could. The answer comes swiftly—no. I trusted others once before, and it was the worst mistake I ever made. But I trust myself enough to know I can operate any piece of machinery if it means staying off the streets.
    “I can,” I reply softly.
    “Okay, then.” Rags puts his hands on his bony hips. “Then give him a name.”
    “Ooh, ooh!” Magnolia hops from one foot to the other. “Let me. I’ll name it. Prince! Or, no, how about Channing Tatum … Tatum for short? Or, oh, let’s call him Sparkle Foot.”
    All three of us look at Magnolia after hearing the last one.
    “Because of his silver hooves,” she explains meekly. “No?”
    Rags sighs. “Name him, kid. Take ownership. Show me you’ll treat him as a partner, and not as a means to an end.”
    I bite my lip. This should be easy. Just pick a name. Any name. Who cares as long as Rags buys that I’m playing along? But when I open my mouth, what comes out is a defiant “Horse.”
    Rags points to the truck, and this time, I march toward it. I need a break from the old man anyway, and if we stay much longer, our parents will wonder where we’ve gone off to. So I climb inside the vehicle. Magnolia waves good-bye to Barney and follows after me. Then my best friend and I are alone in the front seat as Rags rounds the truck.
    “Why couldn’t you just name it?” she asks.
    I tongue the inside of my cheek and look back at the Titan. “Because it’s stupid.”
    But that’s not the real reason, and we both know it. It’s just that I don’t want to open myself up to anything or anyone again. There’s also the simple fact that I don’t need a relationship with the dang thing to win, regardless of what Rags and Barney believe.
    When Rags gets in, I turn back and look at the Titan.
    “You’re just leaving it here?” I ask.
    But Rags doesn’t respond. I don’t blame him, I suppose. Still, I watch the Titan as we leave, and so I see when the horse clambers to his feet and tosses his head in agitation as we pull away.
    As if it knows that it’s being left.

As we drive home from Barney’s place, Magnolia lays her head against the window. It isn’t long before her breathing deepens. It’s awkward being the only conscious one in the truck with Rags, so I break the silence, despite our earlier head-butting.
    “Can I ask you a question?” I say quietly.
    Rags adjusts his weight in the seat, which is the closest I’ll probably get to him saying, Sure! Fire away, pal .
    “Why me? You must have had that Titan for a while. Why didn’t you race it before now?”
    The truck accelerates, as if Rags is eager to get home. “It was the right time.”
    “Why?”
    “Because I know some things about Arvin Gambini and his dealings. And because I’m tired of watching and waiting.”
    “You don’t like Arvin, do you?”
    Rags grips the steering wheel so tightly I’m afraid we’ll careen off the road. I elect to move past that subject and revisit my original question. “You haven’t said why you chose me to ride the Titan.”
    “Because you were in the right place at the right