Intermix Nation Read Free Page A

haven’t seen him in weeks!” Nazirah
rants, ignoring Cato. “He didn’t even ask me in person! He sent
Sergeant Patch to tell me.”
    “Sergeant … Patch?”
    “I don’t know his real name, Cato,
obviously.” Nazirah throws up her hands. “It’s Nikolaus’s lackey
strategist. You know,” Nazirah gestures conspicuously to her face,
“the guy with the eye patch.”
    Cato’s expression is a mixture of amusement
and reproach. “You call him Patch?”
    “Not to his face.”
    “It’s actually Aldrik.” Lumi Grigori sits
down gracefully across from Cato. She tosses her long golden hair
over one shoulder, an effortless motion that Nazirah thinks must be
practiced. Lumi is tall and leggy, with paper-white skin and icy
blue eyes. She’s a prime example of pure Ziman blood. Her frosty
personality fits her well. Nazirah is about to tell Lumi exactly
where she can go, but Cato shoots her a sideways look and kicks her
under the table.
    “Thanks, Lu,” he says.
    Cato is a true Eridian gentleman. He is
always nice to everyone – not because he has to be, but because he
wants to be.
    Nazirah mimics Cato in her sweetest tone.
“Yeah, thanks Lu.”
    “Of course, Cato,” Lumi says, ignoring
Nazirah. She flashes Cato a toothy smile, flicking her hair to her
other shoulder. Nazirah inwardly groans. It’s painfully obvious
that Lumi has a thing for him. But since Cato is the densest boy on
the planet, Nazirah will have to deal with Lumi’s
self-aggrandizing, preening mating rituals until he gets the
point.
    Lumi is the eldest of three snowy Grigori
daughters. Her mother died in childbirth, when Lumi’s youngest
sister, Yuki, was born. Yuki is now twelve, Aneira fifteen, and
Lumi eighteen. Her father was once the most powerful Lord in Zima.
Lumi was raised like royalty in a stone manor overlooking the icy
mountains of the North, and wanted for nothing her entire life.
    A few months ago, civil unrest erupted
throughout Zima. Lumi’s uncle, her father’s younger brother, took
it as an opportunity to stake his claim over the Grigori land. With
Medi soldiers backing him, he attempted to assassinate Lumi’s
family. A close confidante tipped them off in the nick of time and
the Grigoris fled. They left all of their possessions behind and
traveled as far south as possible to Eridies. Lumi’s father
enlisted in the rebellion, in return for the insurgents’ help
restoring his power after the war.
    On one hand, Nazirah sympathizes with Lumi
and her loss. On the other hand, she wants to reach into Lumi’s
throat and rip out her vocal cords.
    “Anyway,” Nazirah says, returning to their
previous line of conversation, “Aldrik cornered me today, demanding
that I go see Nikolaus.”
    “Do you have any idea what he wants?”
    Nazirah doesn’t have a chance to answer
Cato, as they are interrupted for a second time. Lumi’s younger
sister, Aneira, their friend Taj, and a few other recruits sit down
at their table. Cato shrugs at Nazirah sympathetically, dropping
the subject.
    Normally, Nazirah doesn’t mind Aneira’s
company. She is by far Nazirah’s favorite Grigori. Aneira has an
innate sadness Nazirah empathizes with. But Nazirah really wanted
to discuss her reservations with Cato before seeing Niko. Not that
she would have known the answer to Cato’s question, because Niko
never tells her anything.
    Nazirah finishes her lunch in silence.
     

Chapter Two
    Nazirah lies in an overgrown meadow, a ways
behind headquarters. The weeds, wild flowers, and long reeds hide
her in plain sight. Head resting comfortably in the crook of her
arm, one ankle crossed lazily over the other, Nazirah stares at the
sky for hours. The clouds roll in, expand, change shape, and roll
out again. The sun slowly trails across the heavens, afternoon
light dimming, fading to dusk, and then turning deep blue. The
stars come out, blinking themselves awake after their day of
slumber.
    This field is Nazirah’s secret hiding place,
accessible through