Storm of Shadows (Lumineers 1)

CHAPTER 14: THE ROOFS

A sea of rooftops stretched out before Tabby—three and four story apartment flats. She surveyed the sprawling expanse of Chroma, already charting a path as her eyes flicked back and forth. "Roofs only," Midnight said. "Touch the ground and you're done." He didn't need to elaborate over what he meant by done. "How many prisms are you carrying? What colors?"

She listed them off. Two blues, an indigo, and a violet.

"And they're full?" She nodded. "Good. I'll give you a head start. Twenty seconds. Beat me to safehouse two and earn no roofs for two weeks. Lose, and we'll be doing this again next week."

She didn't groan, but she wanted to. "How about two months."

"No." His jaw flexed.

"Oh come on! I'm not sixteen anymore." These training exercises were growing more and more unnecessary.

"Four weeks. Final offer. And you know I don't like bartering. Don't test me."

"Someone's in a mood," she muttered. He didn't respond. "Fine. Four weeks. I'll do it—I can beat you."

"That so?" He crossed his arms, but there was no humor in his expression. There usually wasn't. She rarely beat him at roofs, and for some reason, today he'd picked the worst possible path. Punishment for her behavior two days ago, for not getting enough sleep. Well, she'd come prepared, fresh after a full night.

"I'm feeling confident." She shrugged. "After all, you're getting old."

"You know what?" he decided, "I changed my mind. Ten second head start instead of twenty. Try another comment like that and I'll make it five."

"Light," she muttered, scowling. Whatever had him in a sour mood wasn't doing her any favors. "Fine. Tell me when."

"Now," he answered immediately.

There wasn't time to balk, to question. She shot forward, racing across the roof. The alley between buildings loomed up. She took her first jump without the assistance of light. She needed to save her prisms for the taller roofs and her tiring muscles, or there'd be no hope of winning.

The soles of her rubber boots slammed onto the next roof and she rolled, minimizing the impact. Pain laced through her shoulder, but she ignored it—a task she'd gotten better at over the years. She was up again, sprinting for the next. Seconds later, Midnight made his first jump. She didn't need to turn to see him racing after her.

Keeping her breath even, she made two more jumps before a four story flat loomed ahead. This time, she summoned blue, her weakest option first, using her hand to push the light, to propel her up and forward. She slammed into the wall, grunting. Her gloved hands gripped the edge of the roof. She wanted to hang, to catch her breath, but she couldn't stop. Stoping was death.

Moments later, she was sprinting across the roof and jumping to the next. This one was a three story flat. She had to use more blue to slow her descent—more than she should have, to avoid rolling and save time. Midnight was closing in. He was nearly silent behind her. That was part of the exercise, after all. What good was a Spect if you heard them coming?

At the next building, she picked up her pace, pushing her legs harder, sprinting across its expanse. She took the jump at full speed, kicking as she sailed over the alley. Her feet slammed onto the rooftop and sent her rolling and upright in a flourish of trained movement.

She continued like this from roof to roof, always just ahead of Midnight. Her breathing came heavier. His did too. She could hear him now, laboring behind her. It brought a smile to her face, knowing this wasn't easy for him. His own damned fault for assigning it in the first place. She hoped he suffered as much as she did. At least she had youth on her side. But he was strong, and blessed with a male physique that left her envious. Plus, he had twelve years of physical stamina to use against her.