Read The Sphere Chronicles: A Holding Kate Series Book Online

Authors: LaDonna Cole

Tags: #sci-fi, #Romance, #teens, #action, #fantasy, #heroinne, #strong female, #teen fiction, #ghosts, #young adult, #quantum, #young adult fiction, #adventure, #quantum physics, #warriors, #hero, #YA, #teen heroes, #YA Fiction, #heroes, #wasps, #strong girl

The Sphere Chronicles: A Holding Kate Series Book (16 page)

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I turned, my attention riveted on the trees and my heart distracted at the abrupt goodbye. I scanned for the carriage with Pinky’s flash of fuchsia hair, and started toward it, wiping my tears. I glanced back to see Mom already heading toward the car.

SLAM!!

I hit a wall of flesh and ricocheted back losing my balance.

“Whoa.” A strong arm wrapped around my waist and kept me from falling.

“Sorry.” I quickly swiped at a traitorous tear and ducked my face.

He cut me a sympathetic expression. “No problem. Hey, you okay?” He touched my chin and turned my face toward him.

I chanced a glance at his face and felt warmth seep into the parts of me that his hands touched. His emotive brown eyes brimmed with concern, topped by a prominent furrowed brow. He had dark brown hair that swooped across his forehead and peaked in a point at his temple bringing Japanese anime characters to my mind. His chiseled angular face was softened with tender expression, a perfect balance of masculinity and gentleness.

“Yeah, I’m good.” I breathed, suddenly very aware of his hand on my body.

“Okay, then.” He suddenly seemed aware of it too and jerked his arm up awkwardly, then touched the point his bangs. “I’m Trip. What’s your name?”

“Katie Ly… Kate. Just call me Kate.”

“Okay, Kate it is.” He smiled and reached out to tuck a stray strand of my hair behind my ear. His hand lingered on my cheek. I think my heart stopped.

His smile was contagious. I was shocked when my face responded to mimic his. Smiling was not in the plan for the day. It was a nice surprise.

“Yo, Trip! We got you a seat.”

I glanced over to see a group of boys gesturing for him to join them. They were in a flatbed trailer drowning in hay and hitched to a team of mules.

“I guess I’ll see you around,” he quirked his left eyebrow. “Eyes forward, Kate, I wouldn’t want you to have any more fateful encounters.”

He leaned forward and lowered his voice as he spoke behind his hand. “Gives me an edge over the competition.” He chuckled then ran off toward the mules.

I wasn’t at all sure what that was supposed to mean, but I followed his advice and kept my face pointing in the direction I wanted to go. My heart felt lighter, like maybe this summer wouldn’t be so bad after all.

I climbed into the carriage with Pinky and Caitlyn. “Ooohhh, I like the way you play, chica!” Caitlyn bobbed her head in opposition to her shoulders. “Definitely, the cutest boy so far, mmmm….es muy guapo.”

“And solid as a wall.” I grinned and cocked an eyebrow.

Pinky and Caitlyn ogled at me and broke out in a chorus of “My heart beat is dancing for you, boy!” Pinky dangled out of the back of the carriage singing “bumbump, badabump whew!” while Caitlyn wiggled her hips, salsa style, until the carriage lurched forward and she slammed into her seat. I laughed and sang along as the boys in the hayride hooted and hollered at us. Kim shook her head and giggled.

Another girl rode in the carriage and she was gorgeous, top model stuff, for sure. Her long blond hair was wrapped around to rest on one well defined shoulder. Her shorts revealed strong long and lean legs. She was perfectly tanned a honey golden color and I swear she had periwinkle eyes that sparkled. She didn’t sing with us, she cast a glance at me then looked the other way. I was glad. She made me feel invisible and ugly at the same time.

The carriages jolted and toggled us into our seats as they began their lumbering pace down a forest enclosed lane. Our song died on our lips as the hush of the woods demanded reverence. The minute the carriage rumbled into the shadows, my heart flopped. I scanned the thicket wondering who—or what—had made that screeching sound.

“What the…” Pinky slapped her cell phone. “No reception.”

“Oh, yeah, none of your electronic devices will work here at Heartwork Village,” Kim interjected. “Right Charlie?” She called to the driver of our carriage.

“That’s right,” he chortled.

We frantically dug out our cells and iPods, tapped them and groaned.

“This is just great.” Caitlyn slammed her back against the red leather cushion and shoved her phone into her bag.

“Don’t worry. You’ll be too busy to notice,” Kim said mysteriously.

As if to punctuate her words, another screeching sound ripped out of the woods to the left.

“What is that?” I rasped out.

“Already?” Kim cocked her head to the side. She glanced around to take in all of our startled expressions. “Wow, that has got to be a record or something. It usually doesn’t start until after orientation.”

She stood up in the carriage and called out to Dirk. “Hey, did you get an early jump requisite?”

“Nope.” He turned to the cowboy slapping reins on the backs of the mules. “Did you, Chaps?”

He shook his head, too busy munching on a straw of hay to speak.

“Weird.” She sat back down, pursed her lips, and furrowed her brow in concentration.

I gawked at Pinky and Caitlyn and we all turned to scan the shadowed woods with astonished faces.

End Preview

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A special thank you to my launch team for cheering me on and giving me advice along the way.

To my editor, J., thanks for teaching me the difference between blonde and blond (who knew!?) and being patient and willing to wade into the mess and knock some fishy parts on the head.

Thank you to the team at
Blue Harvest Creative
for excellence and professionalism with the cover design and internal design, marketing advice, and so much more. Get ready for big Atlanta hugs!

Thanks to the Musers at
ReadWriteMuse.com
for daily support, truth, and excellent writing advice through the years. Thanks for loaning me your muses!