The Pearl Wars by Nick James Read Free Book Online Page B

something to eat.”
    Without waiting for him to change his mind, I jump out of my seat and head for the door. He doesn’t call after me, thank god. Forcing me to listen to old war stories is punishment enough.
    I head out into the hallway, traveling double speed. Trying-to-be-nice Captain Alkine is ten times scarier than normal Captain Alkine and the fact that I’m on his radar at all is yet another thing to add to my list of reasons why I’m getting out of here as soon as I turn eighteen.

5
    Cassius’s eyes parted to see Madame’s flawless face staring down at him.
    She perched over his bed, her lips forming a grim frown that took a few seconds to fade into something less disconcerting.
    “Cassius.” She smiled. “You’re awake. Thank goodness.”
    He blinked several times to make sure it wasn’t a dream. His skin felt tingly and raw, like he’d been submerged in a bath of ice for the past week.
    He sat up in the bed and analyzed the spare white room. A counter ran along the wall beside him. A chair stood vacant in the opposite corner with a freshly pressed uniform han ging over the armrest.
    An infirmary recovery room.
    “We were very worried,” Madame continued. “A couple hours longer and you may have required serious medical attention. It’s lucky you’re such a strong boy.”
    “What happened?” He hardly recognized his groggy voice. He looked down to see a hospital gown tied tightly around him. “What time is it?”
    “You were unresponsive all evening after the accident.”
    “Accident?” The ceiling lights above the bed forced him to squint.
    Madame smiled. “You mean you don’t remember? Your room’s gone, Cassius. We’re lucky you didn’t take out the entire second floor while you were at it.”
    “I don’t … ” He trailed off, trying to remember the events of the afternoon. Sneaking out into the Fringes, finding the Pearl, heading back to the Lodg e.
    “Fire.” The word spilled from his mouth almost automatically. “There was a fire.”
    “Yes.” She nodded. “There certainly was.”
    “A blown circuit?”
    “No.”
    He stared up in confusion, waiting for her to continue.
    “It was you, Cassius.”
    “I’m sorry,” he stammered, realizing how mad she must be. Yet she didn’t seem mad.
    “I don’t think you’re understanding me.” She laid her hand on his leg. “ You started the fire. It came from inside of you.”
    He stifled a laugh. He’d heard urban legends about people spontaneously combusting, but that’s all they were. Legends.
    She frowned. “It’s really not a laughing matter.”
    He searched her face for any hint of a joke. Then he remembered. Madame never joked.
    “The damage is extensive,” she said.
    He looked down at his still-tingling hands. His skin was abnormally smooth. Gone were the scrapes and sores from the day before. He was paler than usual, too. “That’s impossible. I caused the fire?”
    Madame nodded, squeezing his knee.
    “I … I don’t understand. I remember feeling sick when I left your office but everything after that’s a blur.”
    She eased her grip. “I’m sure your body was struggling to keep control. Perception … things of that nature fall by the wayside during traumas such as these. After all, it was the first time.”
    “Wait,” he started, “did you know this was going to happen?”
    She sighed and moved to the counter to pour a glass of water. “There are things we don’t talk about, Cassius. I’m sure you’ve noticed. And the truth is, I’m still not confident that I’m ready to address them.” She paused a moment in thought. “But you’ve forced my hand.”
    “I didn’t do anything.”
    Her eyes narrowed as she handed him the glass. “You went outside the Net, Cassius.”
    “Plenty of people live outside the Bio-Nets.”
    “You met a boy.”
    “What? Who?”
    She sat down at the edge of the bed “His name is Jesse Fisher, and he complicates things.”
    “Jesse Fisher,” he whispered,