***
Bathepresent
"Reya,you''''''''reoutinthewindagaindressedlikethat.Ifyoucatchacold,Idon''''''''thavetimetotakeyoutothehospital."
Adeep,metallicvoice,roughenedbyyearsbutsoftehaffe,driftedupfromthecourtyardbelow.
Reyaleanedoverthewrought-ironbalyrailingandpeereddown.
TherestoodLu,hiswhiteathletiktopgingtohissweat-slickedskin,thefabricsheerwhereitg,outliningthehardridgesofhischestandshoulders.
Evenatforty,themanwasstilcatch,thoughnooneseemediedincatghim.
Reya''''''''slipscurvedintoadimpledsmileasshewaved."Go,Dad."
Lu''''''''sthinlipsquirkedupwardashetookinthesightofher—longhairtossinglikeseaweedinthewind,makingherlooklikeasirenpoisedonhercliff,luringsailorstotheirdoom.Hecouldalmostheartheuhlysong.
"Gobasideadressed.We''''''''rehavingbreakfasttogethertoday."
"Okay,Dad!"Shebouncedawayfromthebalyrail,vanishingintotheroomwithlight,eagersteps.
Lately,Luhadbeenedbyanothermajorcase,leavingnotimefordaysoff.Mostms,Reyafriedherowneggs,thoughtheyurquiteright—neverasgoldenandcrispattheedgesasLu''''''''s,htheyolkperfectlyroundlikeafullmoon.Heneverhadtimetoteachher,andshenevermaomastertheheat.
Evenmonstersaren''''''''tbornknowihing.
Likehumans,theyneededuidethem.
Before,Reyahadsurvivedoninstinct.Afterward,shelearolivebyhumahelittletrickssheknew,shediscoveredonherown,practigi.
Shenevermanagedsilk-spittingthoughshecouldspitsalivaimpressivelyfar,aelekinesishadlimits.Shecouldonlymovethingsthatheldnaturalenergy,likethetimeshemadeacrystalspleoffitsbluedispystandinashopwindow.Butacheapgssvase?Shecouldn''''''''tevewobble.
Atfir
st,shethoughtshewasjustahumanwithpeculiarabilities.
Thencameherfirstperiod.
Thatwaswhensherealized—shewasn''''''''thuman.
Thediscoverywasthrilling,thoughtheprocesswasfarfrompleasant.
Theifouryearsago,whenshewaseen,hadtaughtherthatwell.
***
Fouryearsago
LuandMoxihadbeensofocusedonprovidingforReya''''''''smaterialhattheyhadfottentowarnheraboutthedangersoftheworld.
Asahomicidecaptain,Luhadgiventlesssafetylectures,yetitneveroccurredtohimtogiveooReya.
Shewasjusttoowell-behaved.Unshakableinthefaceoftrouble,alwaysfindingherownsolutions.Itmadehimpt.
Sowhewomenpulledoverandcalledouttoher,askingfordires,Reyafeltnoarm.
Theywerehandsome,dressedinexpehes,polishedinmannersandfriendlysmiles.Booksalwayssaidvilinswereugly,whileprinceswerevishandcharming.
Shedidn''''''''tknowthatsometimes,uglinessfesteredinside—andthatitcouldhidebehiifulmask.
Themanwhoyankedherintothecarhadartist''''''''shands.Slenderfingersadorhastrangesilverring.Theycmpedaroundherdelicatewrists,dragginghereffortlesslyintothebackseatbeforeshecouldevenscream.
"Whatareyoudoing?"sheasked.
Thesilverringgleamedasthemansmirked.
"Takingyousomewherefun."
Themaninthedriver''''''''sseatstartedthedorderedSilverRing,"Don''''''''tlethertalk.Blindfoldher."
Hedidn''''''''tturnaround,butReyacaughtaglimpseofhisstrikingbckeyesintherearviewmirror.Shifty,restless.Asmallhodangledfromoneear,givinghimacool,celebrity-likeaura.
ThoseeleganthandstiedahandkerchiefoverReya''''''''seyes,thenstuffedaballgagintohermouth,segittightlyatthebackofherhead.Herlipswereforcedwideopen,leavingonlymuffledwhimpers.Herarmswereyankedbehindherbadbound,pressedunfortablyagainsttheseat.
Blindfolded,Reyaspeirerideligthegag,itspstickytastestrangeandfn.Bythetimehertonumb,thecarfinallystopped.
Shedidn''''''''tknowwhatawaitedher,butshewasn''''''''tafraid.
Reyacouldn''''''''tdie.Atleast,notfromphysicalharher,thiswasjustahrillingadventure.
Someoedherinabridalcarry.ShewonderedifitwasSilverRingorCo.
Adoorcreakedopen.Thepersoncarryiurnedafewersbeforetossioasoft,bouncybed.
"Littlegirl,we''''''''rehome,"Co''''''''svoicechimed.
Herwristswerefreed,andtheblindfoldremoved,butthegagstayed.
Blinking,shetookinthemessybedroom:clothesstrewnacrossthefloor,tippedliquorbottlesoable,thickcurtainsblogthewindow.
SilverRingloungedonaredlip-shapedsofa,fiddlingwithasmalldigitalcamera.Cocrouchedbythebed,armsbraeithersides,staringather.
SilverRingloweredthecamera,"Bro...shelooksunderage."
apped,"Doesn''''''''tmatter.heothers''''''''parentsdaredreportus.Theycareabouttheirdaughters''''''''reputations.Eveniftheydid,theoldmanwouldha.Whatareyouscaredof?"
ReyawatchedSilverRingraisethecamera,lenspoiher.Shetuggedatthegagandwhimpered.
"Takeitout.Thesoundproofinghereisperfeoonewillhearherscream,"Cosaid.
SilverRiated,thenlooseheknot.
"Howoldareyou,littlegirl?"Co''''''''stonedrippedwithsicklysweetness.
Reyastretchedhertongue,slurring,"eeeen."
"Areyoulyingtous?"SilverRingaskedskeptically.
Reyamethisgazewithoutfling."Ineverlie."
Coflickedopenaswitchbde,pressingitnearReya''''''''sface."Beagoodgirl,andbigbrotherswilltreatyouwell.Ifyoumisbehave..."Hestabbedthekoatatteredteddybear."...you''''''''llenduplikethis.Uand?"
Thebearwasalreadyriddledwithholes.Reyadidn''''''''twantthoseinherbody.Shewouldn'''
'''''tdie,butshe''''''''dfeelthepain,aedpain.
Shenodded.
Copattedherhead,smiling."Goodgirl."
He''''''''sprettierwhenhesmiles,Reyathought.
"What''''''''syourname?"
"ReyaLu."
"Prettyname,"hemused.
"Thankyou."shewhispered.Dadhadtaughtheralwaystobepolite.
Thetwomenexgedamusedgnces.
"Lookslikewepickedupsomeohafewscrewsloose."SilverRingcooed.
Reyadidn''''''''tgetit.Shewasn''''''''tarobot.Therewerenoscrewsinherbody.
"Doyouknhtyouhere?"Coasked.
Reyashookherhead.
"We''''''''regoingtopyafungame.You''''''''llfeelsogood...sohappy."
"Willyoufeelgoodandhappytoo?"
Copaused,thenchuckled."Yes,ifyoubehave...Now,takeoffyourclothes."
SilverRingstood,cameraangleddownatReyalikesheeunderobservation.Theredreclightblieadilyintheer.
"Why?"Reyatiltedherhead,hereyessharpandunafraid.
"Becausethat''''''''stherule."Co''''''''sgazeflickedtotheteddybear,stabbedandriddledwithholes."Begood.Uand?"