Read Schism: Part One of Triad for Free Online Page B

an argument about who could swim faster.” For good measure, she glared at him.
    “You’ve never seen yourself mad.” His lashes lowered halfway over his eyes, sensually sleepy. “It makes you look like a goddess on fire.”
    She wished he would quit looking at her like that. He made it hard to think straight. “Listen, Ari, I can’t—I mean, it’s not that I don’t want to be with you. But I may be going away soon.”
    His expression cooled. “Right.”
    Soz knew she was bumbling this. If she hadn’t been so uncertain about the rest of her life, she would have liked to go back with him to Blue Potter’s Lake. They could swim in the secluded hollows formed by blue glasswood trunks in the water and lie together where no one would find them. Then they could explore this kissing business more.
    She had to explain, make it clear she hadn’t meant to reject him.
    Conversations about emotions had never been her strong point, though. She didn’t have the words. She couldn’t tell Ari about going to the academy yet, not when she hadn’t told her parents. It wouldn’t be right to let him know first, besides which, he had never been any good at keeping secrets.
     
    Instead of trying to talk, she took his hand. He regarded her warily, but he didn’t pull away. She tugged him until they were nose to nose. Then she kissed him, once, uncertain and awkward.
    “Ah, Soz.” He put his arms around her waist and pulled her forward. “That knocks me out, too.” Then he kissed her more deeply, making tingles start in her stomach.
    “See,” he murmured against her lips. “It’s not so bad.”
    Their first kiss had been nice, but these second and third ones were even better. “Not bad at all.”
    He kissed her again. “We could go swimming.”
    Soz wanted to say yes, but she couldn’t. Besides, if her father caught her swimming at night with a boy, he would dirow Ari in die dungeon and lock Soz up in her room for fifty years. Not that the castle had a real dungeon anymore, just storerooms underground, but she had no doubt the Dalvador Bard would make one in honor of any boy who snuck off with his daughter to Blue Potter’s Lake.
    “I can’t, Ari. Not tonight. I have to talk to my parents.”
    “You can talk to your parents anytime.”
    “It’s important.”
    His face stiffened and he let her go. “Sure, Soz. Fine. Go talk to your parents.”
    “Ari, don’t”
    “Go on. Go away.”
    “This is important.”
    He shrugged and made a show of not looking at her.
    Soz regarded him with exasperation. He always acted like this when he didn’t get his way. It reminded her of why she had been uncertain about tiieir friendship. “You really want me to go away?”
    “You’re the one who said you had to go.”
    “Let’s not argue.”
    Finally he looked at her. “I think you should go away. I can’t take all this, T don’t know what I want’ from you.”
    “You know, a little patience never hurt anyone.”
    “Go on. Go home.”
    “Fine. I’ll go home.” She stayed put, though.
     
    “Aren’t you going? He hadn’t moved either.
    “Ari—”
    “Yes?’
    “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
    He regarded her warily. “You want?”
    “Yes. I do.” Tomorrow, after she had told her parents, she could explain more.
    Maybe she and Ari weren’t all that compatible, but he was the first boy who had ever kissed her and she had known him for years. That counted for a lot He grinned, wicked now instead of sulking. “I’ll be around.”
    “Me, too.” She could think of nothing clever to say, so she just added, “I better go.”
    “Sure.” He touched her cheek, and his finger lingered. “See you.” Then he sauntered off as if nothing ever bothered him. Part of that was a cover, she knew, so she wouldn’t see how he felt But she had known him long enough to realize he really did see life in those terms. You worked in the fields in the day, spent time with friends in the evening, had fun, and avoided anything that