Ventus by Karl Schroeder

Karl Schroeder / Ventus / Page 419
25
“Where is she?” Marya strained to see through the
darkness. She and Axel were crouching in damp weeds, while
Calandria snuck up on some horses in a nearby paddock.
“She’s nearly there,” whispered Axel. “Pipe down, or
the dogs will hear you.”
Marya started to sit back, remembered they were on a
planet covered with foul dirt, and recovered her crouching
position. She shook her head. Calandria May seemed to take it
for granted that her ways were the best. She had insisted on
being the one to steal these horses.
“As soon as they discover they’re gone, there’ll be a
posse out after us,” she said, for what felt like the tenth time.
“We’ll be long gone by the time that happens,” he
repeated back. “Trust us.”
“My plan was better.”
“We’ve been over this. Your unitard wouldn’t fit
Calandria.”
“So what? I―“
The dogs started barking. Marya Mounce cursed under
her breath. Calandria had been approaching downwind and
with almost supernatural quiet, but the damn animals had
sensed her anyway. She wasn’t even to the paddock gate yet.