“I know how to shake a tail. Don’t worry.”
A robotic voice announced that they had arrived in Monora.
“I’ll be back,” Yassen said, and he strode through the doors.
Passengers rushed in. They carried a rancid smell; for a moment, Elena thought they were day workers bringing the scent of the city, but then she saw the look on their faces, and she realized it was the stench of fear. She twisted in her seat to catch a glimpse of Yassen, but he was already lost in the crowd. Faces of reporters floated along the platform. She could not hear them, but she froze when she saw the headlines.
The Arohassin have claimed Palace Hill.
Someone tapped her shoulder, and Elena glanced up to see a woman with a green visor and pudgy cheeks.
“Is this seat taken?”
Behind her visor, Elena began to sweat. She spread her arm on the seat beside her. “My friend just jumped out, but he’s coming back.”
The woman scowled. A man dressed in black slacks bumped into her.
“Grab a seat,” he said.
“Girl said it’s taken,” the woman snapped.
“Hey, lady, you can’t save seats,” the man said. He winced as someone poked him in the side. “It’s too crowded for that shit.”
“I—I—” Elena stammered.Where is Yassen?
The woman in the green visor glowered as the man pushed into her again. “Leave her alone.”
“I’m just saying, there’s an open spot—”
“She said it’s for her friend—”
“—it’s too hot for this mess,” the worker finished. He jostled forward, teetering as the hovertrain hissed.
“Hey, back up,” the woman growled.
“Lady, I’ve been on my feet all day,” the man said. “Can you move on over—”
“Isaidback up—”
“I’m just talking to the girl—”
“Is there a problem?” Yassen’s voice cut through the air, silencing the two workers as he pushed to where they stood.
His face was hidden behind a visor, his dirty clothes beneath a new cloak.
“We don’t want no trouble. There’s already enough coming our way,” the woman in the green visor grumbled.
“You can’t save seats,” the worker said indignantly. He scowled at Elena, but Yassen slid neatly in front of her.
“There isn’t any rule against saving seats,” Yassen said. He stood a head taller than the worker, and the man seemed to consider this before shaking his head and mumbling something about his legs. Then he moved away in search of an unclaimed seat.
The Claws unlatched, and the hovertrain took to the sky. Elena sighed as Yassen sank down beside her. The sign of Monora winked goodbye as they hurtled past. The sun broke through, and for a moment it was as if the city were on fire, each bronze building lighting up like forks of a flame. She tightened her visor as Yassen handed her a thin folded jacket.
“So you’ll look less like a beggar,” he said.
She snorted. “It’ll take more than that,” she said and gestured to her ripped skirts.
“Hey, it’s the best I could do. It’s not like they have a runway of the latest lightning suits and lehengas,” he said, and despite herself, Elena managed a smile.
