* * *
I’m dashingdown the lane, my cloak flapping behind me. I don’t bother with my hood. Leelah’s cottage is closer to the village than ours, further away from the river. I make a beeline to her front door. If she’s not home, I’ll head back to the market. I have to dosomething.
I left Ma as comfortable as possible. I made her tea, and brought up every herbal salve and tincture I thought might help. She insisted I put them beside her bed, and then ordered me to leave and bar her bedroom door. Downstairs, I paced until I couldn’t stand it anymore.
Ever since I woke up on this godforsaken planet, Ma has been there for me. She’s clothed me, fed me, promised to help me get home. I have to help her. She has to get better. The alternative doesn’t bear thinking about.
I’m hot and flustered by the time I reach Leelah’s cottage. Vines have sprouted up in her garden, too, covering her stoop and latticing up her door. What is it with these things? Does no one here own a weed-whacker? I push them out of the way so I can pound on the door. Something crunches underfoot—another greeny-black shoot, covered in thorns.
A growl behind me makes me jump.
I whirl around. An Alpha is standing at Leelah’s gate, glowering at me. He’s the same one who visited Leelah’s booth in the market.
“It’s forbidden to pluck a moonflower,” he booms. I can understand him. My translator chip must be getting better at picking up Alpha speech. Or I’m getting used to it.
“I wasn’t picking flowers.”I was kicking away the thorns.
“The curse has fallen on this house.” He eyeballs me as if looking for any signs of a rash.
I raise my chin, my cheeks burning, but not with embarrassment. With rage. “I need to speak to Leelah.”
The Alpha scowls down at me. I guess he isn’t used to peasants refusing orders. When your muscles are as big as bowling balls, you probably don’t get much backtalk. “You need to leave.”
The wind whips around the corner of the cottage, catching my cloak and making it swirl around me.
The guard inhales, his eyelids fluttering. He looks as though he’s scented something delicious. A sigh creaks out of him.
I duck my head to sniff the corner of my cloak. I smell like I’ve rolled around in a potent body spray, except I haven’t. The scent is emanating from my pores.
The soldier is still looming over me. His pupils are blown, turning his irises black.
I don't have a good feeling about this.
The Alpha sways, taking a step towards me.
“Byrol!” another soldier calls out.
The Alpha named Byrol blinks and straightens. He shakes his head a little. “Go home, little one, and pray the curse doesn’t find you.”
I duck my head and hurry down the side path so I don’t have to pass him. Vines line the way. As soon as I’m out of the soldier’s sight, I kick them aside. I’m so hot, I want to tear off this cloak, Alphas be damned.
Above my head, someone hisses, “Rose!”
It’s Leelah, sticking her head out her cottage window. A scarlet rash is creeping up her bronze skin.
“Oh no. Leelah.” I squeeze between two trimmed bushes to approach the window.
She pulls back. “Don't come any closer.” She turns her head, revealing more of the rash. The Red Death. “The curse has come for me.”
I just saw her at the market. How contagious is this thing? “What can I do?”
“Nothing.”
No. “There must be something—”
“Go home, Rose. Stay in, and bar the door.”
“I can’t. Ma—” I can’t finish the sentence.
