Read Dark Realm, The for Free Online Page A

and went over a fence that smeared her white shirt with grime. Sweat prickled on her skin, but she couldn’t lose sight of him. She had to see him play.
    Maybe he wasn’t all that good. But even if he was poor and lived in a bad part of town, at least he wasn’t a complete idiot like that guy Fernald. And she was out of options.
    The buildings around her were increasingly run-down, and the air smelled like old garbage. Were there rats here? Tam dodged down an alleyway and she followed, watching where she stepped. When she looked up again, he was gone.
    The air felt colder, darker, and a shiver raked across the back of her neck. A rustling noise sounded behind her and she whirled, heartbeat spiking.
    Nothing there.
    Okay. Relax. She pulled in a breath of rot-flavored air. He’d be around the next corner. Surely he would. The shaky feeling taking over her legs didn’t believe her, but she forced herself to move. One step, then another.
    The alley intersected a deserted street. There was no sign of Tam. She swallowed. Time to call George. He’d come with the grav-car to get her right away, no matter where she was. There’d be some explaining to do, since she’d told him she was staying after school for a study club - but staying lost in the outskirts of the Exe seemed like a really bad idea.
    She backed into an alcove and fished around in her satchel, trying to ignore the things squishing under her feet.
    From out of nowhere, a hand grabbed her arm. She shrieked and tried to pull away, punching wildly with her free fist, while fear opened a dark hole under her feet.
    “Shh.” It was Tam. He grasped her other arm, keeping her from connecting with his face. “Calm down.”
    She took a gasping breath. “Tam - you scared me!”
    “Why’d you follow me? That’s a stupid thing to do. Especially here.” He kept hold of her arms, but she didn’t feel threatened by how close he was. Despite the fear still echoing through her, she felt oddly safe.
    “I told you,” she said. “I need to see you game - see if you’re good enough to play Feyland.”
    He let go of her and took a step back. “And if I’m not?”
    “I think you are.”
    He had to be. He was the best chance she had. Her last chance to get back in-game and win free of the Dark Queen.
    For a long minute they stood there, the smell of garbage wafting around them. Tam stared past her at the crumbling, graffiti-etched wall. Then he shook his head.
    “No,” he said. “Come on, I’ll take you back to school. You don’t belong here.”
    “I’m not going anywhere.” She glared at him. “Except your place.”
    “Damn it, I’m not—” He broke off and held up one hand, his whole body going tense.
    His nostrils flared and he cocked his head, listening. To what? Fear shivered through her.
    He leaned forward and spoke in a barely audible voice. “We need to get out of here. Now. No questions. Follow close.”
    “Okay,” she whispered. Her skin prickled, like somebody was watching them.
    Tam led them down the alley. He moved silently, carefully, like some wild creature used to danger. She stayed right behind him, doing her best to be quiet. But despite her care, her shoe knocked against an old can. It teetered for one tense second, then tipped, clanging and rolling along the cracked pavement.
    Calls erupted behind them, yips and crazy laughter. Tam grabbed her arm and hauled her forward. “Run!”
    Panic powered her steps and her breath rasped in her throat. She didn’t dare look behind them. Tam dodged and turned, leading her through a series of broken-down buildings, cutting through weedy lots. The noise of pursuit faded, and finally he slowed.
    “I… have to… rest,” she panted. She felt like a knife was stabbing into her side, sliding between her ribs, over and over.
    He slanted a look around the dingy street they were on, then led her toward an abandoned building.
    “Alright. In here.” He ducked beneath a door hanging crookedly by one