The Lofties (The Echelon Book 2) by Ramona Finn (no david read aloud .txt) 📕

some doors. And you will get inside, just—” He glanced at his watch. “My shift’s about to start. But look out for an invitation. There’ll be a party—well, you’ll see. Meet me back here again, same time next week.”

I blinked, head spinning. “Wait, a party? What—?”

“I’m sorry. I’ll have to run. Oh, but first—” He dug out his phone, tapped the screen, and mine chirped on my wrist. “I’ve sent you my number. But don’t call unless it’s an emergency. Lazrad does random call monitoring, so...” Reyland was already beating his retreat, reaching behind him for the door.

“Hold on.”

“What is it?”

“Why are you doing this?” I looked him up and down, taking in his attire. His watch looked expensive, and so did his suit. His nails were painted like Prium’s, a delicate silver-mauve. “I mean, why you? You’re a Lofty with a good job, trusted, comfortable. Why would you risk all that?”

Reyland faltered mid-step, and his eyes went sad and distant. “That’s a long story,” he said. “Now, I really must go.”

I waited till the elevator pinged and thumbed my phone to life. A notification popped up—CONTACT REQUEST: A. REYLAND. I tapped accept and felt grateful, and a little less alone.

At long last, I had an ally.

Chapter Twelve

By the time I got home, I’d decided to keep Reyland my secret. Lock would just worry, and Ona... who knew what she’d do? She’d joyfully and wholeheartedly embraced the Sky lifestyle like she was born to it. She loved everything about it, the food and the shopping, the music, her phone. I wanted to trust her, but I couldn’t, not with this. She seemed wary of me lately, of my ties to the Outside. Of where my loyalties might lie, and what that could mean for her. She might squeal on Reyland just to keep what she had.

Elli was out front when I arrived, leaning in the doorway with her hair hanging loose. She looked graceful as always in her green brocade tunic and her flared sky-blue skirt—like the willows in the park. She was pointing two workmen upstairs. They looked dowdy in her shadow, in their faded brown overalls. Four kids to a bedroom, Reyland had said, maybe a fifth on the way. You think that’s their dream?

I wondered about Elli’s dreams, if she had any at all. Maybe she didn’t need them. Up here, life was a dream, at least for people like her.

I trotted up to join Elli as the workmen trudged upstairs. “What’s with the grease squad?”

“A little fetching and carrying. Nothing to worry about.” She steered me through the atrium out to the yard. “Did you need something? I’m free all afternoon.”

“No, just...” I peered past her, into the house. One of the workmen had left a bootprint, dark and toad-shaped. For some reason, it struck me as threatening, a warning written in dirt. When I turned back to Elli, she was frowning. “Sorry,” I said. “I was going to ask, uh... what else is fun up here? What would you do on a night out?”

Elli’s frown evaporated like it had never existed. “I’m a club girl,” she said. She thumbed her phone and a beat struck up, a fast, driving pulse that set my blood pounding. It sounded like the Dirt, but with violins over top. Elli reached for my hand. “Dance with me.”

“What?”

She pulled me into a sunbeam. “Come on. Dance.”

“I don’t know how.”

“It’s easy. Just—” Elli did a slow spin, and her skirt floated around her. She had bracelets on her ankles, silver ones that tinkled as she swayed. She bobbed her head to the beat and swung her hips. I tried doing the same, but I jerked where she glided, off my rhythm. My hands were in the way, so I tucked them up my sleeves.

“Lightpulse is good,” said Elli. “Mostly old-school beatpop, but it has a nice mellow vibe. Or the Rivet Room. The guys there are choice, but you can barely hear yourself think.” Elli shut off the music and leaned against the wall. “I think you’d like Ether, though. It’s more of a meeting place—you can dance if you want to, or you can just have a drink.” She shot me a critical look. “You should learn to dance, though. At least before the ball.”

“The ball?” I perked up at that, thinking of Reyland. That party he’d mentioned—

Elli’s frown was back. “Didn’t Ona tell you? I was sure she’d have said. It’s two weeks from now, for new Decemites. Like a big ‘welcome home.’” She did another spin and clapped her hands. “You’ll love it. It’s amazing. You’ll meet—”

“Where is that?”

“Mm?” Elli stared for a moment, confused, maybe angry. “I was getting to that,” she said. “It’s at Lazrad Corp. Everyone comes—Prium and Lady Lazrad, the Council, even musicians and TV stars. If you’re looking to meet people, it’s a great place to start.”

“Sounds fun.”

“Oh, it is. But you will want to dance. It’s tradition. And you’ll be so gorgeous, with that hair under the lights...” She took hold of my hair and twirled it around her finger. “You should curl it. Little ringlets down the sides. You’ve a heart-shaped face, so you’ll definitely want to frame it.”

“Mm-hmm.” I edged around her, wanting our conversation to be over. Elli’s enthusiasm felt stifling, now I’d learned all I could. “I think I’ll go look for Ona,” I said. “Find out what she’s wearing to this thing.”

“Well, she’ll be...” Elli trailed off as I dodged her and kept walking, straight up the stairs like I hadn’t heard her. I stopped on the third floor, smelling cheap cigarettes.

“Hey, Myla.”

“Huh?” I spotted Jack in the living room, sprawled out on the couch. He beckoned me over, and I plopped down across from him. Sonia’s door was open, and I could see the workmen moving inside, packing her things into boxes and sealing them with tape.

“What are they doing?”

“Sonia moved out.” Jack sighed. He looked lethargic, like it’d been a while since he’d slept.