Bastial Explosion (The Rhythm of Rivalry: Book 3) Read Online Free PDF Page B

way.
     
    In the morning, Gabby asked if she could use the bathhouse before she left. Effie didn’t see the harm. There were no showers in Oakshen, where her family was from. Access to the aqueducts was one of the treats of living in the Academy.
    “Yes, but you need to go home right after because Father will be worried,” Effie said. And the last thing Steffen needs is you sticking around and distracting him.
    Gabby reluctantly agreed with a grunt that Effie was quite familiar with by now.
    Effie had taken a shower yesterday when she got back from the long trip home from the Slugari colony. And now, not even the threat of war could ruin her appetite for a hot meal from the dining hall. Her body was overdue for one.
    Effie gave her sister her towel and left the room. Gabby followed, holding the towel out in front of her to inspect it.
    “Thanks,” she muttered. “It actually looks clean—” She interrupted herself to scream. Zoke had startled her, ending up in the hallway just in front of Gabby when she’d lowered the towel.
    Like Effie, her younger sister had a bad habit of becoming furious when startled. She lashed out at the Krepp, pounding her fist into his chest and cursing him.
    A scowl formed on Zoke’s face, and he shoved her hard. Gabby bounced off the wall, falling to her knees, tears immediately moistening her eyes. She jumped up and hid behind Effie like a scared puppy.
    For a frightful moment, Effie couldn’t tell if Zoke had intentions of coming after Gabby. He stared at her, his yellow eyes menacing.
    Steffen and Reela bolted out of their rooms.
    “What was that?” Steffen asked.
    Effie wasn’t sure how to explain it, but something needed to be said. “Zoke startled Gabby, so she hit him. Then he shoved her into the wall.”
    “Zoke!” Reela scolded. “Apologize to Gabby.”
    “Why does everything require an apology?” Zoke muttered, a mix between frustration and confusion making his mouth twist.
    “Not everything,” Reela explained. “But many things, so you’d better get used to it.”
    Effie gulped as she watched her friend point at the Krepp in a chastising manner. Zoke easily could draw the knife on his belt. Effie even expected it to happen. Why else would he come into the hall equipped with it unless he meant to use it?
    But to her surprise, Zoke grumbled, “Sorry.”
    Gabby came around Effie. “I’m sorry, too.”
    Zoke’s entire face twisted to match his mouth. “Why are you also apologizing? I don’t understand.”
    “Because I’m sorry as well, just like you,” Gabby said.
    Zoke shook his head and muttered something in Kreppen, turning his back on them to walk to the front of the house where his dirty bag rested against a table. He squatted down and stuffed stale bread into his mouth, his sharp teeth crunching into it loudly. The sound reminded Effie of a dog chewing on a bone.
    “Don’t eat that,” Steffen said. “It’s old. Get some fresh food from the dining hall.”
    The Krepp continued chewing loudly, crumbs spewing as he spoke. “But I have nothing to trade.”
    Effie sighed. She knew it was going to take some effort to get used to Zoke being in the school, but she didn’t imagine it would be this hard.
    “You don’t need to trade anything,” she said. “Come with me and I’ll explain everything as we walk there.”
    “There will be food for me?” Zoke was skeptical.
    “Yes.” Effie started toward the door, but Zoke didn’t budge.
    From down the hall, Reela said, “I’m going back to bed. It’s still early.”
    “I am as well,” Steffen added. “I haven’t slept in a bed in too long.”
    Effie couldn’t help but notice her sister following Steffen into his room, but she was too hungry and busy with Zoke to worry about it.
    “Are you coming?” Effie tried to wave the Krepp forward.
    “Are you certain they’ll feed me?” Zoke clearly didn’t believe her. “Even though I have nothing to offer?”
    “You fight for us now. That means