Fire Maiden by Terri Farley Page A

fun to lead the Boy Scouts through the lava tube with my dad,” Megan was saying, but Darby couldn’t concentrate on anything but her horse.
    â€œDo you think Hoku stayed with the other horses?” she interrupted.
    Megan looked a little miffed.
    â€œSorry,” Darby said, but Megan understood her worry.
    â€œShe was pretty scared, but there are older horses out there, which must be comforting to her.”
    Darby nodded, picturing Hoku rubbing noses over her corral fence with Judge and the way, just yesterday, that Hoku had ignored the strangeness of the round pen to coax Navigator into some social scratching.
    â€œHere comes Kimo!” Megan shrugged out of her backpack as the faded maroon Ram Charger swooped in to pick them up.
    â€œHey, girls.” Kimo leaned down to peer through the passenger-side window, then leaned across to open the door decorated with the ‘Iolani Ranch owl, so that they could climb in. “Been waitin’ long?”
    Megan slid in first, and Darby was surprised when she kissed Kimo on each cheek, until she remembered that was exactly how Kimo had greeted her at the Hapuna Airport.
    â€œEverything’s okay over at your place, then?” Megan asked as she fastened her seat belt, then cleared a clutter of CDs off the seat so that Darby could settle in.
    â€œA few things cracked and snapped,” Kimo said, steering them back to the highway. “Mother Nature just helpin’ us with housekeeping.”
    Megan sucked in a breath. “I never thought ofthat. Wow, I hope my mom stayed out of my stuff. She’s always saying, ‘That’s got to go.’ This could be her big excuse to throw things away.”
    â€œSo hey,” Kimo said, glancing at Darby. “When you two going holoholo with crazy Ann?”
    Going holoholo meant “taking a pleasure trip,” so Darby pretended to be insulted.
    â€œWe’re going on our research trip.”
    â€œMonday morning, early,” Megan told him. “The Potters are bringing a horse van to take us partway.” Megan danced to imaginary music, despite her seat belt and cramped position. Then she turned to Darby. “This is going to be so cool. And you’ll like Ann’s parents.”
    â€œGood people,” Kimo agreed.
    â€œI bet they are,” Darby said, but she still felt a little shy about meeting them.
    Besides helping with the Ecology project, Ann’s dad had offered to start picking Darby up after school when he picked up Ann, on days that Megan had soccer practice. That way Darby could get right to the ranch.
    Apparently the music in Megan’s head had come to an end, because she slouched back against her seat. After a few minutes, she turned to Kimo.
    â€œYou know who Darby met today? One of your neighbors.”
    Was she talking about Tyson? Darby gave Megan a warning poke with her elbow.
    â€œTy?” Kimo asked. “He’s not a bad kid, but…”
    â€œYou’re the third person who’s said that!” Darby told him.
    â€œSaid…?” Kimo glanced away from the road at Darby.
    â€œâ€˜Tyson’s not a bad kid, but …’”
    â€œMo bettah I say however ?” Kimo asked, straight-faced.
    Darby laughed, then settled back in her seat. She hoped it was the end of the conversation. Megan had already made it too much of a big deal by yelling at the guy that morning.
    But still she couldn’t let it go.
    â€œHe called her a haole crab,” Megan said.
    Kimo made a disgusted sound.
    â€œHow bad is that?” Darby asked.
    â€œDepends,” Kimo said. “There is such a thing, you know, a white crab. But Ty’s just got no sense. His parents are afraid he’s gonna get hurt.”
    â€œHe’s ambushing people all the time,” Megan explained to Darby. “Tourists who go hiking down into the valley or snorkling in kapu places.”
    â€œForbidden?” Darby asked.
    â€œNot