Total pages in book: 161
Estimated words: 154882 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 774(@200wpm)___ 620(@250wpm)___ 516(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 154882 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 774(@200wpm)___ 620(@250wpm)___ 516(@300wpm)
Two kids ran in front of me—giggling at their balloons flying behind, desperate to reach the skies but anchored to their wrists.
Years ago, this was me and Sienna on Founder’s Day. Weaving through Cinconites, collecting free kiddie favors, and counting the hours till the sun fell and fireworks lit the sky. It was one of my favorite days of the year.
Now Founder’s Day was a convenience. It brought out enough people with their tents, stalls, blankets, and picnics that our little unpermitted psychic setup went unnoticed by the park security that usually chased us away.
Blondie laid a hand on my shoulder. “What else comes with these psychic readings?” He offered a sip from the bottle.
“Insight,” I said, ignoring the alcohol. My response set off another round of guffaws.
“And after the reading?” one of them asked. “Say we pay fifty? Each.”
My concave stomach tightened at all the meals three hundred dollars would pay for. Enough that there’d be some left over for new shoes and blankets that weren’t mere scraps. Winter was coming to Cinco City.
“Is that enough for us to take the party back to our place?”
Blondie slid down my front, fingers grazing over the hollow of my collarbone. Up ahead, our tent and Sienna came into view. She held up the bag of monkey bread triumphantly.
I plucked his hand off with two fingers and flung it away. “Nope.”
The group didn’t laugh.
“Shame.” Blondie passed off the bottle. “Because Digger’s really been looking forward to seeing you.”
A roaring filled my ears, blocking out the gleeful squeals and laughing parkgoers.
“And he’s paying us ten times that to bring you and that crazy bitch back to him in one piece, but two pieces will do if you want to put up a fight.”
Four hands gripped my jacket, wrist, and back of the neck. The fifth pressed something hard between my wrists.
“Both of you come quiet and we won’t have to—”
My scream shattered the peaceful evening. A woman passing beside us stumbled, dropping her churro in the dirt. Wide eyes flew to us.
“Help,” I screamed. “Someone help me. He’s got a gun!”
The declaration sounded the bell for chaos. Screams erupted through the crowd. Parents snatched up their balloon-wielding children—the grinning faces of cartoon Junto Trapp marked their escape route as they fled.
The hands on my neck and wrist released me immediately. As fast as that hard object disappeared. I shot through the bodies.
“Hey,” Blondie bellowed. “Get after her! Don’t let them get away.”
I snatched Sienna’s arm. The monkey bread fell and crushed beneath our feet. I spared a glance back to mourn the last of our food, and to see where those guys were. Gripping Sienna tight enough to shatter her arm, I ran.
Lungs burning, my weakened body crying out for rest prematurely, I pushed myself faster—dodging sweaty tourists dampened by sun, then terror.
We broke free near the food stalls, hitting the paved path. It would take us to Market Street and the rush of noon-day traffic and pedestrians. All we had to do was dart across the street and blend in. They’d lose us around a corner before they knew what happened.
“Come on, Sienna.” The street loomed ahead. “Almost—”
She cried out and slipped from my grip. I skidded to a stop, whipping around to Blondie hauling her back by the hair. He threw her into the arms of the russet-haired pretty boy. So far, they were the only two to catch up to us. The other four were coming through the crowd. One with a gun.
“Just for that, we’re going to have some fun with you two before we turn you over!” Blood coated Blondie’s lips, from where his nose caught an elbow. “We’re not letting three thousand dollars get away.” He pressed a blade to Sienna’s throat. “Come with us or I fuck up this pretty face.”
“No, stop!” People were blind to my fight as they raced to get away as fast as possible. “We’ll come!”
I approached them, hands raised.
Blondie dropped the knife a fraction, smiling a terrible red smile. “Good. See? This doesn’t have to be difficult.”
I flicked behind him as the cane came down, cracking Blondie across the skull. He spun around, missing me as I ran up and punched him in the jaw. Sienna and I took off running.
“Thanks,” I shouted over my shoulder.
“This counts as a favor!”
A favor he’d make me repay and then some, but he wasn’t the worst person to owe, and for my sister I’d make good.
Sienna and I didn’t stop running as the sounds of screams, carnival music, and sirens faded. We caught our breath outside an abandoned firehouse, sharing grave looks as we clung to the bars.
“That answers the question of if Digger has his guys out looking for us,” I said.
“And if there’s a reward. Three thousand dollars. Our own grandmother would sell us out for three thou. What are we going to do, Kenzie?”