Astral Tide (The Otherborn Series) Read Online Free PDF Page B

her world before this one, that Si’dah had been expected to give that name and identity up completely once she took her mentor’s place as Traveler. Even here, in this new body, among this new world, she felt like she was breaking a rule.
    “You don’t have to tell me,” Zen said, shrinking back. His eyes went soft as pussy willow catkins and his shoulders rounded.
    London shook her head. She had never been one to follow rules, not here anyway. Si’dah would just have to understand. “Anya,” she said quietly and the world didn’t stop spinning and the sky didn’t break open. She looked at Zen and exhaled, a smile brightening her face. “My name was Anya.”
    “Beautiful,” he whispered. “Like you.”
    London blushed. Nobody had talked to her that way since Rye. Even Rye hadn’t really talked to her that way. But he looked at her like Zen was now, all hunger and admiration. London didn’t know what was more disconcerting, getting that kind of attention from Zen, or liking it. “Your turn, cat-man,” she quipped, breaking the tension between them.
    A stirring breeze tousled his blond hair, which was long and barely curling around his face. The humidity covered his skin in a dewy sheen that made him practically glow. London tried not to notice.
    “What do you want to know?” he asked.
    “Did you live in giant cities made of scratch posts and litter boxes? Did you play with balls of yarn?” she asked laughing.
    Zen grinned and shook his head. “Has anyone ever told you that you have a wicked tongue?”
    London shrugged, playing along. “Sure. A couple of guys behind Dogma. And this hot redhead I made out with one time when I was going through a bi-curious phase.”
    Zen feigned shock. “London? Bi-curious? No!”
    They both started laughing then. “I can’t believe you even have the nerve to give me hell about Maggs and the others,” he said bumping her shoulder with his own. “After all your Dogma conquests.”
    “Hey! That was different,” London insisted.
    Zen laughed again. “Really? How?”
    “I didn’t sleep with them for one. I was just—you know—kind of a make-out whore. And that was before…” She didn’t finish. She felt the flush of their fun and the heat of the night drain out of her at once, leaving her with only the cold truth again. He was lost to her. Gone. Maybe never coming back.
    “Before Rye,” Zen finished for her.
    London nodded.
    “You deserve better than that, you know.” His voice was small as he said it, but deliberate.
    London jerked her head up, looking at Zen curiously. “What are you saying?” She wrapped her arms around her knees. “He gave his life to save mine, Zen.”
    Zen wouldn’t look at her. He scrambled to his feet. “Things aren’t always what they seem, London. Avery taught us that.”
    He held a hand out to her. “Come on, it’s late. Time to get back to the truck.”
    London stared at his hand for a long moment. What was Zen implying? What did he know about Rye that she didn’t? Rye had been her best friend, but was she his? He and Zen were tight. Were there things Rye told him that he never shared with her? Maybe about her?
    London let her dark eyes trail up the muscled definition of Zen’s arm, over his black-clad shoulder, until she looked him full in his face. Had she ever noticed how pouty his lips were? Or how solid and square his jaw? His eyes—she’d always noticed the deep, gray pools that were his eyes, like molten silver. But they’d never looked at her like this. London felt suddenly more alone than she ever had in all her life.
    “It doesn’t bite,” he said, shaking his hand. “I would never hurt you, London.”
    A chill passed over her and London shook off the swarm of feelings and uncertainties clawing at her heart. She put her hand in Zen’s and let him pull her to her feet. He didn’t let go as they started back for the truck. For a moment, she didn’t either.
    * * *
    SI’DAH PULLED HER long fingers