1269_UgliesFreeBook

402 Scott Westerfeld
stunning. Ryde and Astrix watched her silently, a bit
awestruck by her looks. They were two of Shay’s old friends
who’d run away to the Smoke the time she’d chickened out,
so it must have been months since they’d seen a pretty face.
Everyone seemed willing to let her go on complaining.
One thing about being pretty, people put up with your
annoying habits.
“Morning,” said Croy. “SwedeBalls or VegiRice?”
“Whatever’s faster.” Tally stretched her muscles. She
wanted to get to the ruins as soon as possible.
When darkness fell, Tally and Croy crept out from behind
the waterfall. There was no sign of Specials in the sky. She
doubted anyone was searching this far out. Forty minutes
from the city on a fast board was a long way.
They gave the all-clear, and everyone rode farther
upriver, to a place where the river’s course twisted closer to
the ruins. A long hike followed, the four uglies sharing the
load of boards and supplies. Shay had stopped complaining,
settling into a pouty, hungover silence. The walk
seemed easy for her. Her wiry fitness from hard work at the
Smoke hadn’t faded in two weeks, and the operation actually
firmed up a new pretty’s muscles, at least for a while.
Although Shay announced once that she wanted to go
home, heading back on her own didn’t seem to have
entered her mind.
Tally wondered what they were going to do with her.