Terra Read Online Free Page A

her father, her jet-black hair tied up in a tight topknot on the crown of her head. Our eyes meet and she starts toward me, her open jacket flapping violently, revealing a stomach-baring cropped top underneath. Arc Coal clucks disapprovingly, but makes no motion to stop his daughter.
    “Take the hint, Terror ,” she says as she gets close to me, breathing so hard that I can see her stomach muscles flexing under her caramel skin. “Why don’t you and your precious little bro take that undeserved payout and use it to get out of our lives?”
    “Mind your own damn business, Yttria,” I say quietly. There are far too many ears listening for me to say what I really want to. Maybe that’s a good thing, though. Holding my tongue is still something I’m working on. Had I been smart enough to do so when I caught my father sneaking around with Yttria’s mother, maybe she wouldn’t hate me so much.
    “Oh, I will, when you finally keep your cheating scav paws out of our business so the rest of us can make a living too.” She storms back to her father. I shake my head, turning to leave, but not before I see Arc place his arm reassuringly around his daughter’s shoulders as she sidles up to him.
    Not everyone eyes me with hostility as I head home. I’ve barely made it back across the road when I am greeted by an old acquaintance of Gran’s, an elderly woman I have seen maybe twice before in my life.
    “Ah, Terra, my dear!” she cries, a wide, toothy grin decorating her wrinkled face. “You look wonderful, darling, simply wonderful! You certainly have grown up well. A little skinny, perhaps, but you are becoming more of a beauty each day!”
    “Er, thank you, Mrs…” I trail off, having vaguely recognized the face but fully blanking on the name. She is hunched over slightly, hobbling as she falls into step with me. I slow my stride so she can keep up as I continue down the road. Her white hair is tied back in a wispy bun, and she has a purple scarf draped over her clean blue dress. Around her neck hangs a fine silver necklace that is suspiciously lacking in tarnish.
    “Why, it’s Gem Kuipers, child! Surely you haven’t forgotten me? I was the very closest of friends with your old Gran.” She flashes another smile. “Oh yes, I was there when you were just a tiny little thing.”
    “Of course, Mrs. Kuipers,” I reply politely. “How are you?”
    “Oh, my sweet girl,” she says, her face falling dramatically into a frown. “You’re so sweet to ask, but I’m afraid I’m not very well at all. My Frankie—well, you remember my son Frankie, of course!—he’s laid up at home with a broken leg. He can’t make it twenty feet outside the wall these days, and with my stall not doing very well these past months…”
    She continues on for another few minutes as I sympathetically nod along. I use the time to prepare myself for the question I know she—and everybody else—will be asking.
    “So you see,” she says finally, eyeing me cautiously, “all we really need is a bit of steel to tide us over until he’s all healed up and the spring sales have begun. And when I heard that you had the good fortune to come into a little extra—why, it’s just the talk of the whole town, you know!—I just knew that you would be more than happy to help out your Gran’s dear old friend!”
    “Oh, Mrs. Kuipers…” I begin awkwardly.
    “Please, my dear, call me Gem.”
    I respond with a hard smile. “Mrs. K—er, Gem. I really am sorry to hear about your troubles.” She stares at me eagerly. “It’s just that I think there’s been a little confusion with my credit balance, so I’m afraid I’m not really in a position to help right now.” I brace myself for the backlash.
    Her filmy eyes narrow and I grimace at the look that flashes across her face. It only lasts a moment, though, and before I know it, her kindly mask is back.
    “Well, of course, my dear,” she says, her voice alarmingly chipper. “I completely