The Lord of the Plains (57 page)

Riley didn’t head to the Blocks library
until after the morning demonstration was over. After the fighting
the Blocks emptied quickly of submariners. Mostly, she wasn’t
bothered in the library.

Vann had been right. The library was very
interesting. There were details of attacks on Coastside that just
weren’t available in Astar.

What she found was also frustrating. If the
records were correct, there was no way she was going to be teaching
any Coastsiders to fear gemengs. They already had enough gemengs
around them that were a lot scarier than her.

She found pictures of the leapers. Just
thinking about leapers was enough to bring Vann to her mind.

But the attraction was purely physical. She
didn’t know him. She didn’t want to, couldn’t. So it couldn’t be
anything more than physical. It was distracting, but it was
manageable. If she had known him… she didn’t allow her mind to go
down that track. Though perhaps, she thought, if he turned out to
be a creep knowing him would probably help.

She made sure to leave the library a few
hours before the submariners usually arrived back. Mostly, they
didn’t approach her any more. Aside from Vann. But she didn’t want
to risk it, so she timed her departures from her room around the
submariner’s schedules.

She had not been safely ensconced in her
room for long when a knock came at her door.

Vann
.

A tumult of mixed feelings enveloped her.
She pushed them away and prepared a glare as she opened the
door.

It was not Vann. It was a tall, blue eyed
blonde.

The glare vanished.

‘Hello.’ Riley said. The woman wasn’t
dressed like a submariner. What could she possibly want?

‘Hi.’ she smiled. She had a pleasant smile,
her eyes twinkled when she smiled. ‘I’m Lillia. You must be
Riley.’

‘I am.’

‘I’m a friend of Vann’s, I came to
apologise.’

‘O-oh.’ Riley didn’t want an apology.

‘I understand the submariners haven’t been
very friendly.’

‘No, that’s not it-’ More like
too
friendly.

Lillia waved her objections away. ‘Oh, don’t
worry about it. You’re from Astar, but I’m sure things will change.
In the meantime, why don’t you let me rescue you from that stuffy
little room?’

‘I don’t know…’

‘Oh, don’t worry. It’ll be just us girls.
Come on, let me show you around. You needn’t be stuck in the Blocks
the whole time.’

‘No, it’s ok, thank-’

‘And we can have a little chat about
Vann.’

Riley hesitated.

‘Is there any reason not to come?’ Lillia
asked, her blue eyes fixed on Riley.

She was unsettled by the determination she
saw there. She hesitated.

‘I don’t want to see any submariners…’

‘That’s fine.’ Lillia smiled.

Cautiously, Riley stepped from the room.
When the door shut behind her, her resolve firmed. Riley wasn’t
used to spending so much time locked up in one place. She was
getting bored and fidgety. She practiced her movements during the
day but she needed to stretch her legs. A good walk would help.

Lillia was nearly running to keep up with
the dark haired girl. And the gemeng was just walking! Every now
and then she’d glance behind, see Lillia was a ways behind and
she’d slow for a few seconds. Then she’d start powering off
again.

And they were going up the damn hill!

Lillia had thought somewhere by the bay
would be nice but the gemeng had wanted to go up the hill!

Whenever she looked back Lillia made sure to
smile brightly. As soon as she turned around again Lillia glared in
annoyance at the girl’s back. Astarians! No manners!

Riley glanced back again. Lillia smiled
brightly. This time Riley turned back and came to walk beside
her.

‘Is there anything at the top of the hill?’
she asked.

‘You want to go to the top.’ Lillia
stated.

Riley nodded. Her eyes lit up eagerly. For a
moment Lillia forgot how out of breath she was. For a moment, the
gemeng’s eyes were the green of new leaves. They held spring, the
promise of new life. And then it faded.

Riley was beaming. ‘Can we go to the top?
And maybe you can show me something down here later.’

‘Why don’t we explore down here now then?’
Lillia demanded.

‘Do you live up the hill? Afterwards I can
walk you home.’

‘How many times do you want to go up and
down this thing?!’ Lillia snapped.

She shrugged. ‘What’s it like at night here?
Are there lots of people around?’

‘It depends what time.’ Lillia huffed. They
were still walking up the hill, at least the pace was more
reasonable now. ‘And what part. Near the theatre there are usually
people out late. Why?’

Riley became oddly shy for a moment. Then
she glanced at Lillia and confided, ‘I’d like to go running.’

‘Up the hill?’

Riley nodded. She was beaming again. And
spring came back to her eyes. Once again Lillia forgot where she
was as she got lost in those eyes.

‘Ok,’ she sighed as it faded. She took
Riley’s arm in hers. ‘Ok, I see I should have come and rescued you
earlier.’ As long as she had a hold of the girl she couldn’t run
off. ‘I guess you don’t want to run into any submariners while
you’re running.’

Riley shook her head.

‘And definitely not Vann.’

Riley nodded in agreement.

‘Alright. Well, I’d stay away from the side
beach. Vann goes there often, besides, it’s dangerous. The shopping
district is too crowded and submariners are always visiting the
Square. Hmm, I suppose you could run near the residences. There are
less people outside at night there.’

‘Will you show me?’ she asked eagerly.

‘Certainly, I’ll show you. But first, we’ll
go to
View
and have something to eat, alright?’

Her face fell.

‘Don’t worry, it’s the highest restaurant in
Coastside. That’s why it’s called
View
.’

Her face lit up again.

Sitting down, having a refreshing drink and
enjoying the view of Coastside from up high improved Lillia’s mood.
She looked over at Riley.

The girl was riveting in a strange kind of
way, but Coastside was full of beautiful women. Vann’s obsession
was more than a little unsettling.

Lillia didn’t bring up Vann until they’d
finished eating. ‘So, Vann.’ Lillia began.

Riley’s green eyes were instantly on her.
She said nothing.

‘You’re not interested?’

Riley shook her head. Her eyes darkened.
‘No.’ she said firmly.

‘I understand.’ Lillia said. From that look
Lillia suspected Vann didn’t have a chance. ‘Can you tell me why?
If I can explain to Vann perhaps he’d leave you alone.’

Riley shrugged and looked away for a moment,
out towards Coastside. ‘I’m not staying here. I want to leave.’

Lillia didn’t understand why she couldn’t
enjoy Coastside while she was here. Lillia herself enjoyed having
swift and sweet affairs with the submariners. She couldn’t quite
see why the length of time she’d be in Coastside could be a
problem.

‘So it’s not Vann?’

Riley shook her head.

‘It’s not his cast?’ Lillia asked. She
didn’t think it could possibly be that, but she needed a ‘no’. Vann
was very good at ferreting out her lies. The man was
impossible.

‘What?’ Riley replied, stunned.

When Lillia didn’t respond Riley said, ‘no.’
and she gave Lillia a funny look.

Lillia smiled, a small knot unravelling
inside. But there were so many. ‘And is it how he looks?’

‘What?!’

Lillia was quietly amused to see her turn
red. ‘You don’t like how he looks?’

‘N-no, that’s not it. It’s not him.’ Riley
visibly controlled herself. Her cheeks were still burning but she
gave Lillia an unsettlingly unyielding look. ‘It doesn’t matter how
he looks. I’m leaving this place, I’m not starting something
now.’

Lillia had a feeling that wasn’t all. Those
words meant something different to Riley than to her, and she
didn’t seem about to elaborate. ‘I see. So it’s not Vann then, you
just don’t want a relationship right now.’

Riley nodded. ‘Not with anyone.’

Lillia dearly hoped that would calm Vann.
Then she asked ‘And you couldn’t be friends?’

She went red again. ‘No.’ it came out like a
squeak.

Lillia smiled and put a hand on her
shoulder. ‘Riley, Vann and I used to be lovers, but we’re friends
now. He
is
capable of being friends with a woman.’

Riley gave her an unreadable look. She
turned away without responding.

‘Just think about it.’

The server came over and gathered their
plates. Lillia paid him for the meal.

When he was gone Riley looked back over at
Lillia. There was an accusing look in her eyes. ‘Is he with many
girls?’ she demanded.

‘I think that’s something you should ask
Vann.’ Lillia smiled. ‘Shall I show you where you could run
now?’

Riley nodded. She didn’t smile.

When they were walking back down the hill
Riley wordlessly handed her some money. She seemed moodily
distracted.

Chapter 45

That night Riley crept out of the Blocks to
go running where Lillia had showed her. It was the part of the city
where most of the non-military personnel lived, although people
often lived above their shops, so really the living and shopping
spaces were not completely separate.

As she ran she thought moodily about
Vann.

He was just like Peitar! She was angry and
disgusted with herself for even
thinking
he had nice eyes!
She was angry with him too. How dare he pursue her like he had!

She was ambivalent towards Lillia. Getting
out had been a good idea. She needed to move.

As predictable as the sun, Vann approached
her the next morning after fighting.

She knew he was coming. This time she didn’t
wait. She stalked over to him.

‘How dare you!’ she shouted at him before he
could get a word out. ‘Stay away from me! Don’t
ever
talk to
me again!’ and she marched off.