“Put it on, Allie. Hold onto me.”
Feeling sick already, I tugged my hair out of my face before stuffing the padding over my head. Arranging my bangs so I could see, I fumbled with the straps under my chin.
I considered trying again with him, then gave up, realizing I’d have to focus at least half of my energy on not throwing up while riding with him anyway.
Finishing with the helmet, I slid my arms around him, gripping tighter as he shifted his weight back to center.
The nausea didn’t get worse. In fact, it was nowhere near as bad as I’d feared in gearing up for this. Realizing it must be something he was doing, I went into the Barrier slightly and stretched out my light towards his. Carefully, I felt over the edges of a curved glass-like surface around him...until he used some part of his aleimi to shove me off.
It wasn’t subtle.
I kept my light off his as best as I could after that.
I watched him slide a handgun into a holster in his boot, covering it with his pant leg.
Ullysa approached the bike, laying a hand on his arm.
“Be careful, Revi',” she said as he holstered another gun under his jacket. I knew she spoke aloud for my benefit. “My people will meet you at the airport, but you are alone until then.” She looked at me, pointed at the space between my eyes. “Do not go into the Barrier, sister. Do what Revi’ tells you...this is his job.”
I nodded, biting back annoyance at being spoken to like a child.
They’d been over this with me a hundred times.
Ullysa kissed Revik’s palm in goodbye before he started putting on gloves. I focused on the line of seers standing outside in robes and shawls, a thin veil of moisture on each face.
I recognized Yarli, the African-looking woman with the kind eyes, and Mika under her hood. Then I saw Kat walking towards the bike, wearing nothing but a gold kimono and bamboo clogs. I watched her light brown eyes slide over Revik. A swell of pain hit me; my fingers clenched the thick leather of his jacket. The woman only smiled wider, walking up to him and throwing her arms around his neck.
I barely had time to back away.
I slid to the rear of the long seat, not looking at them or at the line of seers watching as he returned Kat’s kiss. I felt pain waft off him as he fell into it, saw Kat press her body into his, her hand between his legs. Once I saw that much, I turned, staring at the brick of the alley wall until they finished. It seemed to take a long time.
Finally, Kat walked away, but not before she grinned over her shoulder at me.
“See you, cub. Thanks for the loan.”
I bit my lip. I felt Revik watching me, his light cautious. When he didn’t look away, I faced him directly.
“Don’t worry, Revi’,” I said bitingly. “...I’m sure they have plenty of whores in Canada, too.”
That time, there was no question as to whether he had heard. Something rose in his eyes, a kind of furious disbelief, but it disappeared as soon I saw it.
By the time I thought about it enough to regret speaking, he’d already shoved a helmet over his head and locked the strap.
Revving the motor a last time, he took his feet off the ground, forcing me to make a grab at his jacket to stay on the bike as he accelerated out of the alley.
I clung to his waist, feeling like my skull might vibrate out of my skin...or simply break apart like sandstone, leaving a pool of wet dust inside the helmet.
Resting my bulky head on his back, I watched the sun begin its descent into the water through a bug-speckled visor, feeling another rush of gratitude towards Ullysa for forcing the down jacket and scarf on me, in addition to the gloves.
Revik only stopped the bike once, and as angry as he might have been at me, I suspected it was for my benefit. After using the cement-block restroom and washing my face, I’d stood in the picnic area swinging my arms while he walked a wide circle on the grass, ignoring me studiously.
Normally, the ride to Vancouver took only three or so hours from Seattle. Because we took back roads for a border crossing further east, it took us closer to seven.
I raised my head as the bike slowed.
He came to a stop, placing his feet on the ground at the end of one of several lines of vehicles. RVs, trailers and cars started and stopped before a widened section of road bridged with glass booths.
Seeing the Canadian flag snapping overhead, I felt a jump in my stomach. Revik lifted his feet, hitting the gas to roll us forward when the line shifted another spot.
He glanced back at me for the first time since we’d left.
“If we encounter a problem,” he said through the helmet. “It will be here.”
I adjusted my arms around him. “How likely is that?”
“They won’t be watching from the physical.” He paused, thinking. “Well. It is unlikely. Canada is too obvious.”