Total pages in book: 146
Estimated words: 144277 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 721(@200wpm)___ 577(@250wpm)___ 481(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 144277 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 721(@200wpm)___ 577(@250wpm)___ 481(@300wpm)
I’m about to shoo them away, my hand raised in the air, when I notice that the tip of my pointer finger is glowing bright cyan-blue. In fact, there’s so much spark condensed into the tip of this finger, little bits of static are crackling off it, reaching into the air.
Power.
I look at the door. At the lock. Then at the tip of my finger.
Power.
On instinct only, I reach out and touch the brass plate of the door handle with the tip of my sparking finger. Instantly, the blue static transfers from my fingertip to the metal and I hear a small click.
My laugh comes quick with the realization of what’s just happened.
Well. Would you look at that. Power.
A knocking at the door startles me backwards and instantly, the spark that was all around me is gone. I blink at the door, confused.
“Miss Bell.” Immediately, I recognize the muffled voice from the other side of the door. Xi.
“Yes?” I say.
“I have a delivery for you as well as a message. May I come in.”
I open the door and find the god wearing a small smile and holding a large garment bag. I pull myself together, straightening my shoulders and tipping up my chin. “Hello. What can I do for you… Xi.” It feels weird to call him by his name, but he hasn’t told me to call him, ‘His Lordship,’ or anything like that, so first name it is.
His smile remains exactly in place while he holds the garment bag higher. “I have brought you a dress.”
I peek around the god. “Where’s Finn?”
“He’s busy at the moment, which is why I’m making this delivery in person.” He shakes the bag now, trying to lure my attention to it.
I don’t even nibble at that bait. How cheap does he think I am? “Do you have a time when he’ll be finished? I’d like to talk to him.”
“This is why I’m here,” Xi says. “I’ve arranged a date for the two of you.”
I cock a hip, cross my arms, and roll my eyes. “I’m sure you have.”
His response is a quizzical look. “Have I done something to annoy you?”
I nearly snort. “Stop playing with me like a mouse. You know perfectly well what you’re doing.”
He has the nerve to place a hand over his heart as if he’s aghast. “Please explain. I don’t understand.”
“Oh, cut the shit, OK? I know what you’re doing.” I point at the garment bag. “This is a dress, you’ve arranged a date, this fancy room.”
Now he furrows his brow in confusion. But it’s one of those you-might-actually-be-crazy furrowed-brow looks. “I’m confused. You don’t like the room?”
“This isn’t about the room. It’s about your manipulation of me.”
“Jasina, I’m not manipulating you.”
“Bullshit. You made me walk up and down all those stairs, physically exhausting me to the point of needing rest, for the sole purpose of getting Finn’s full attention away from my influence.”
He has the nerve to grin now. “I take it you are rested now? Your spunk is certainly on display.” This comes out as a chuckle. Like I’m an adorable, harmless child throwing a little tantrum. I’m surprised he doesn’t try to pat me on the head and hand me a sucker.
“This dress is a bribe. Whatever date you have planned is a bribe. And I’m just going to nip this whole thing in the bud. I’m not falling for it. While I am not in charge of Finn’s decisions, he will ask for my opinion and there’s no way in hell that I’m gonna tell him that this augmentation procedure is a good idea.” I blow out a breath. “So save it, OK? I don’t want your dress, especially after you locked me in the room so I couldn’t leave.”
His head juts back in surprise. “That’s ridiculous. You were never locked in.”
“Wrong. I was locked in. I tried the handle and it didn’t move.”
His eyebrows go stern with consternation. “You literally just opened the door and let me in.”
“Yeah, but—” Holy shit, Jasina! Get ahold of yourself! You almost spilled the secret. Which wasn’t a secret just a few moments ago, but decidedly is now. Being able to unlock doors with my spark is not something I should share with this god.
“Jasina?” he asks.
I let out a breath and cross my arms again. “Well, maybe you’re right about the door. But I’m right about the dress.”
He sighs. “Fine. You’re very astute. I’m bribing you. I want to show you what your options are.”
“What options?”
“If you and Finn decide to stay, there is a life for you here. Your date is in the upper dimension, you see.”
I blink. Several times. “What?”
“The upper dimension. The other world. The one you haven’t seen? The one that doesn’t have factories filled with Spark Maidens?”
I point to myself. “You’re going to take me there?” I must look really confused because he laughs. And it’s a nice laugh. Deep, and rugged, and his eyes do this twinkling thing. And while I do realize he’s not real—he’s made of tricks and lights, or whatever. He’s attractive. I mean, he is a god so why wouldn’t he be?