Cracking the Sky Read Online Free Page A

together. It melted in my mouth.
    I looked back at the girl, who nodded at me, her humorless eyes fixed on my face. She reminded me of a doll. I wanted—needed—to see her smile. “I’m sorry if we upset you. We didn’t mean to.” I paused, and when she didn’t say anything, I asked, “Would you tell us your name?”
    She closed her mouth and glanced back at Roberto, and then at Ruby.
    Apparently neither of the robots were willing or able to guide her here. She looked down at the table and mumbled, “Caroline.”
    “Pleased to meet you, Caroline. Would you like to try one of Aliss’s cookies? They are my favorites.”
    She shook her head. “I can’t eat things that strangers make.” She stood up, raising her voice for the first time. “Go now, please. Please go.”
    Aliss flinched, as if Caroline’s words were little darts.
    I stood and took her hand, whispering, “It’s okay.” Then I looked at Caroline and said, “We would very much like to talk with you again soon. We don’t mean any harm, we’re just used to knowing our neighbors.” A flat-out lie, but how would she know?
    Caroline nodded and spoke to Roberto in a quite commanding voice. “Please see them out.” She turned again, her back to us, gliding gracefully out of the room and down the stairs, while Aliss and I watched her, openmouthed.
    Ruby followed her.
    Roberto nodded at us. “I will lead you to the door.”
    Aliss picked up her teacup and mine and walked to the sink very deliberately, setting the cups down. She turned and said, “Thank you for your hospitality.” Then she smiled very sweetly at Roberto and winked at me. “Can I leave her a few cookies? I can leave an extra one so you can test it for poison.”
    “That really won’t be necessary.”
    Aliss sounded human and hurt, a little snitty, and Roberto sounded even and quite sane; not human at all. I picked up the plate of cookies, shocked silent and deep in thought. As Roberto opened the door and stood to the side, clearly waiting for us to pass through, I asked him, “Were you hoping we would be good for her, or that she would chase us off herself?”
    His silver mouth stayed in a tight, firm line, but then he winked at me. Because he had seen Aliss wink? Because he meant yes to one of my questions? Because he had something in his eye? I didn’t think we’d get back here easily, but I also clearly didn’t speak robot, so I led Aliss out and we walked carefully down the stairs. Even though I turned to look at the banisters and the corners, to get one more glimpse of the art and the too-perfect warmth of the place, there was no evidence of Caroline at all. Outside, we passed all three of the ugly little gray guard-bots with too many feet. I finally got a count—seven legs each. Not quite spiderlike.
    As soon as we returned safely to our own property, Aliss sagged against me. I had expected her to be spitting mad, but instead she had tears on her cheeks and she whispered, “Poor kid” a few times before letting me kiss the tears away and lead her up to the house. We stayed in our room that night, polishing off two bottles of Syrah and then making rather intense and distracted love that left us tangled in a sweaty mess on the big bed.
    Near dawn, I woke up to find her sitting upright and naked, with her back to me, staring out the dark window, the only light a thin sliver of moon that hung between two tree branches. Her chest and shoulders heaved as she sobbed softly. When I reached for her, she wouldn’t turn over and face me. I rubbed my thumb and forefinger along the sides of her spine, making small circles on her back until I fell asleep again.
    The next morning, I woke to the smell of fresh coffee. Aliss sat at the kitchen table scowling. “Now I feel like I can’t even go out on our own deck, and like I need to—to make sure Caroline’s all right.”
    I poured my own cup of dark delight and stared out the window. We couldn’t see the robot’s house from