Excerpt: Beckoning

“The horses? Seriously, Slayden?” Derek laughed derisively. “What’s wrong, couldn’t afford the rental rate for the speeders?”

Robie smiled, but refused to answer. That did not hold the same for Ari.

“What is your problem?” she snapped, earning a stare from Derek. A small rush of adrenaline swept through her; she hadn’t been this free to disrespect since Meckam. “Do you have some kind of pathetic superiority complex that—”

“I’m sure your brother must be wondering where you are.” Robie gripped her elbow tightly, steering her away from Derek and towards the plant-covered buildings. Ari could feel Derek’s glare burning into her back as they walked along the path, and frowned at Robie.

“What is your problem?” she hissed.

“Excuse me?”

“Why do you have to be so damn nice to jerks like that? Don’t you have any sense of pride?”

Robie shrugged. “What good would it do? So I taunt someone who’s already being punished for being a jerk. All that leads to is a fist fight and a trip to the Dean’s office, which I don’t need anymore of.” He grinned. “Besides, it turns out kindness has a sharper sting.”

Ari scowled at Robie’s good-natured outlook. If it weren’t for his quickness to help in the fight back at town, or his careful protection of her during their journey through the woods, she might actually start to think less of him as a person. Of course, there was that blasted horse still…

She nearly froze in her steps. “There were speeders.”

“What?”

“There were speeders and you took me through the woods on a horse?” she screeched, hitting his shoulder with her fist out of impulse.

Robie grinned sheepishly. “Let’s just get you to Trevon, okay?”