Astra Read Free Page A

when her face was this close to Hokma’s, she felt an urge to stroke her eyepatch, especially the velvet ones. Nimma made them using material from a hoard of ancient curtains she used only for very special things, like the crazy quilt, or toy mice for toddlers, or fancy purses for the older girls when they started going to dances in New Bangor. Right now, however, Hokma was gripping her shoulders tighter until they hurt. Just as Astra was about to squeal
ow
, her Shared Shelter mother let go.
    ‘Klor and Nimma shouldn’t be scaring you with their
rainwarped
notions, Astra,’ she said firmly. ‘The off-limits woodlands are heavily patrolled, and if IMBOD didn’t catch any infiltrators, the reintroduced bears would.’
    Usually Astra loved to hear Hokma swear, but right now it was infuriating to be argued with. To be
punished
for caring about national security. How could Hokma refuse to acknowledge the ever-present dangers they all lived with? She was supposed to be
smart
.
    ‘
No
,’ she insisted, rubbing her shoulder, ‘the Non-Landers have changed tactics. They
deliberately
aren’t attacking us now. They live up high in tree nests, where the bears can’t climb. They’ve got stolen Tablettes that can hack IMBOD emails and they’re stockpiling bows and arrows throughthe tunnels and helping Asfar and the Southern Belt prepare to attack us when the global ceasefire finishes.’
    ‘What on Gaia’s good earth have they been telling you?’ Hokma snorted. ‘Klor and Nimma just aren’t used to living in peace, Astra. The tunnels are all blocked up, and Asfar is our
ally
.’
    ‘There are
new
tunnels. And Klor said the Asfarian billionaires could—’
    ‘
Enough
, Astra. There’s no such thing as a Non-Lander girl running wild in the woods. Everyone in Is-Land is registered and has a home. If you saw someone, she’s from New Bangor and her parents are close by.’
    ‘
No
.’ Astra stamped her foot. ‘She was dirty and her hydropac was really old. She lives
here
. She—’
    ‘I said
FOG FRIGGING ENOUGH
,’ Hokma bellowed.
    Astra stepped back, her heart thumping in her chest. Nimma and Klor
never
yelled like that, out of nowhere, let alone swore at her. When Nimma was angry she talked at you rapidly in a high, sharp voice, whittling you away with her rules and explanations, and behind her Klor stood solemn and sad, shaking his head and saying, ‘Nimma’s right, Astra,’ so you felt you had terribly disappointed him and eventually, half-ashamedly, accepted your punishment. This furnace blast of fury was very different. She stood quivering, not knowing what to do.
    Hokma waved her hand through the air as if to brush away a bothersome insect. ‘Astra, I’m sorry I shouted. I didn’t come here to bicker with you. I asked you to meet me so we could discuss something important. Let’s leave this discussion behind us. Now.’
    Astra kicked at a stone. Okay, Hokma had said she was sorry – but she didn’t
sound
sorry. She was being unfair and bossy and ignoring invaluable ground evidence. That was senior officers all over. Most of them, it was well known, had long forgotten what it was like to be out there, vulnerable and under fire from hostile criminals.
    Hokma turned and started down the trail back to Or, swinging her staff by her side. ‘Don’t you want to see Wise House?’ she called over her shoulder. ‘If there’s time before supper chores you can help me feed the Owleon chicks.’
    Astra stared down the path, her heart bobbing like a balloon in a sudden gust of wind.
Wise House?
Where Hokma lived alone breeding and training the Owleons, and no one was ever allowed to visit? Hokma was inviting her there to feed the chicks?
Yes way
.
    She sprang forward to catch up. A pine cone zinged over her head and hit the dirt path in front of her feet. She wheeled round and craned up at the jack pine. The top branches were waving gently but the Non-Lander girl was invisible, camouflaged by a screen of