Dissonance by Erica O’Rourke Read Free Book Online Page A

wasn’t jealousy, exactly, that zinged through me. More like annoyance that he’d fallen under her spell so quickly, like he was any other guy. Worry, too. I knew how much experience he had with girls, and none of it was enough for him to deal with Bree. She’d have him for a midmorning snack and forget about him by lunch.
    â€œLongest sixteen measures of your life,” I said, and froze as Simon twisted around to face me again.
    â€œHey,” he said, friendly despite the tension swirling around the four of us.
    â€œHey,” I said, feeling stupid and obvious. I stared at the scar at the corner of his mouth, the one I’d seen in another world.
    Ms. Powell spoke. “Now that you have your partners, take afew minutes to get acquainted, and we’ll—” The bell rang, off-key enough that Eliot and I both winced. “Never mind. We’ll pick this up tomorrow.”
    â€œSee you tomorrow, partner,” Simon said, and turned to gather up his books.
    â€œToday,” I said, and he swiveled back, looking confused. “We have history together? Last period?”
    He nodded slowly, but it was clear he’d never noticed. Heat rose in my cheeks.
    â€œCan you believe Powell?” Bree said, tugging him toward the door. “This class is such a waste.” He didn’t give me a second glance. As usual.
    I shoved everything into my backpack and followed Eliot into the hallway. “She actually split us up.”
    Eliot looked up from his phone and blinked. “Huh? Yeah, it sucks. Why’d your mom send you and Addie to that Echo?”
    â€œShe didn’t. The assignment was to pick the Echo ourselves, remember? And it wasn’t supposed to be Addie. My dad bailed at the last minute.”
    â€œBut why did she approve it? I’ve been looking at the data you brought back, and those breaks were way outside acceptable stability parameters. She should have noticed when she ran the map.”
    â€œThe map was fine when she ran it.” My training Walks had to be analyzed by a licensed Walker before I could go out. Years ago that meant a navigator had to check each Echo in person. These days they ran the proposed route through a computer, andan algorithm would determine if it was safe to visit. My mom was one of the best navigators around; if she said a world was stable enough for a homework assignment, it was. “Echoes go bad all the time.”
    â€œA branch that big should take weeks to degrade. Yours changed in hours.” He shook his head. “Maybe your mom screwed up. If the world was damaged before you arrived, you’re not to blame. She is.”
    The Consort would be a lot tougher on a full-fledged Walker. She could lose her position—or worse. “My mom doesn’t make those kinds of mistakes.”
    â€œNeither do I,” he said. “This wasn’t your fault, Del.”
    I remembered the sensation of the strings, knotted and straining against my fingertips, and wondered if, for once, Eliot was wrong.
    The day did not improve. “Delaney,” Bree called out with forced cheer on my way to ninth hour. I kept walking.
    â€œDelaney.” She tapped my shoulder sharply. “I was calling you.”
    â€œDelancey,” I said. “Not Delaney.”
    Bree waved a hand. “Whatever. Can you believe Powell?”
    I should have known she wasn’t going to let the assignment go. We weren’t friends. I didn’t have any Original friends, and if I did, she wouldn’t be one of them. I folded my arms and waited.
    â€œWe should be allowed to switch partners,” she said, oozing chumminess. “Don’t you think? It’s not fair that we have to depend on someone we don’t even know for a grade. What ifwe don’t get along? What if they’re a complete idiot?”
    I bristled, but kept my tone syrupy. “Eliot won’t hold that against you. He’s very