"Barbara Karmazin - Blackbird 2 - Out of the Dark" - читать интересную книгу автора (Karmazin Barbara)

Poor kid. All she knew was that they'd hadn't had a proper wedding ceremony yet.

тАЬMy family will have a big party to formally recognize our marriage andтАжтАЭ Cait let her voice trail off into
a tantalizing promise.
Socorro bounced on her heels with excitement. тАЬAnd what?тАЭ

тАЬDo you know what the word cater-corner means?тАЭ

Socorro frowned and wrinkled up her forehead with concentration, then lifted her finger in the air and
traced a diagonal line. тАЬIt's the corner at the end of a slanted line.тАЭ

Cait touched Socorro's cheek and sent the child a burst of reassurance. тАЬIn my family, we have a special
relationship called caterkinship. There's a ceremony that goes with it. We fast for one day and go out into
the forest. While we wait for the night to turn to day, we pledge catermorf with moonlight, starlight and
silver. Would you like to become my caterdaughter?тАЭ

Socorro's pupils grew larger and changed her green eyes to almost black. Wonder filled her face and
flowed into Cait. тАЬYes, I would like that very much.тАЭ

Cait smiled. Socorro would be the first daughter of her sisterline. тАЬI want this too. When we arrive at my
home in North Carolina, we will take this oath.тАЭ

Happy anticipation brightened Socorro's face. The ceiling soared above them while the ped-walk
carried them into an underground parking garage. Cait sucked in her breath. The cavernous space
clawed at her senses.

It felt wrong.All wrong.She'd let her instincts overrule her common sense. Safety was above.Not here.
She studied the ped-walk. There weren't any controls for her to reverse it. She gnawed at her lip. There
should be another exit.

The sudden clang of metal on metal reverberated throughout the garage. Cait whirled around and shoved
Socorro behind her. A stout woman with short, white hair stood in front of a recycling bin about fifteen
feet away from them.

Dirt smeared rags covered the woman's stocky frame. She dumped a load of old computer wafers from
her motorized shopping cart into the container and the machine spat a credit chip into her hands.

They approached the woman. тАЬExcuse me, ma'am.тАЭ Cait said softly. тАЬWe've lost our way. Can you tell
us how to get back upstairs?тАЭ

The woman straightened the grimy rag on her shoulders. тАЬSuch lovely hair you have, dearie. My name's
Rachel. What's your name?тАЭ

Cait tightened her grip on Socorro's shoulder. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to ask this woman for
directions.

Rachel pointed to the right. тАЬKeep going that way. The exit's behind the sign that says Rest Rooms.тАЭ

Socorro bobbed her head in a quick nod and shifted the pet carrier in her hands. тАЬThank you, ma'am.тАЭ