Equinox by Lara Morgan Read Free Book Online

doors swished open and he jumped out, giving her a salute as the shuttle pulled away. Rosie watched him go, the shuttle moving so fast she didn’t have time to wave back. What had just happened? Had Dalton Curtis, prince of the Academy, been flirting with her? It seemed like it, but then also not. She didn’t think of herself as ugly but she was hardly in his league, and in Central things like that mattered. A lot. Rosie twisted the strap of her bag between her hands. Weird.

    Greenview Centre had its own shuttle stop and Rosie was so wrapped up in her thoughts about Dalton, she almost missed it. She scrambled out and the scent of eucalypts and dry, baked earth hit her like a virtual memory slap.
    Juli had lived in these hills. But Juli was dead, killed by Helios. It got to her every time she came here. She had to make herself not think about it. She was here for her dad. She had to find her happy face for him – if he recognised her.
    She was late for visiting hours, but the nurse on duty let her in. Her dad was in a room that overlooked a rocky valley of dry scrub and trees. Riley had insisted on taking over the payments for his care, so now he had a room of his own, instead of being in a ward.
    The furnishing tried to emulate a home, with a large bed, and lounge chairs around a coffee table near the window, but nothing could disguise the medibot in the corner or the smell of antiseptic.
    Rosie opened the door quietly. Her dad was sitting in one of the chairs, staring out of the window, a digi book on his lap. He looked so tired. His hair was brushed back to reveal his receding hairline, the black streaked with grey. He hadn’t had any grey a year ago. Rosie’s chest tightened. She still found it hard to see how frail he’d become. He was over two metres tall but looked smaller because he was always curled slightly in on himself. Lines radiated out from his eyes and there was a pallor in his cheeks that a man his age shouldn’t have. He was only forty-two but looked like he was in his late fifties. The sound of clinking dishes came from the communal dining room and she shut the door to block it out. He didn’t move.
    “Dad?” Rosie tried to inject some lightness in her voice. She dropped her bag on the end of his bed. “Hey, you sleeping with your eyes open?” She put a hand on his shoulder and he exploded out of the chair with a shout, the digi book clattering to the floor.
    She flinched back. “It’s okay. It’s me, Rosie.”
    His eyes were red-rimmed, wide with fear, and he held his hands up as if he was trying to fend her off, but then he seemed to focus and see her. He dropped his hands to his heaving chest. “Rosie, love, don’t surprise me like that.”
    “Sorry.” She tried to sound normal. “I thought you were asleep.”
    “Right, no, that’s okay.” His smile was tremulous. “Shouldn’t you be in school?”
    “It’s finished for today.” She picked up the book and put it on the table.
    “It is?” He frowned. “It must be later than I thought.”
    “Probably. Sit down, Dad.” Rosie sat in the chair near his and he slowly sank back down.
    “How are you, love, and Essie?”
    Rosie’s paused for a moment before she answered. He was lucid today. “I’m good. So is Aunt Essie. I started at the Academy today.”
    “Good. That’s good.” A sad light came into his eyes. He looked out the window and she saw the glistening brightness of unshed tears. He was lucid enough to remember his wife was dead.
    When Rosie spoke she was fighting not to cry herself. “I did really well in flight class.”
    “That’s great.” He turned back to her. “Maybe by the end of the year we can celebrate together. I’m sure I’ll be out by then.” He tried for a smile, but the fear behind his eyes was painful.
    She nodded. “I’m sure you will; you’re doing really well.” It was a lie. This was the first time in weeks he’d known who she was. He kept slipping backwards, slipping away, and