“Don’t be an ass! Just because I don’t like you doesn’t mean I wish you dead.”
“The way you’re glowering at me suggests otherwise.”
“You are such a jerk!” Why did he have to be so disagreeable? She turned away to take in the suite. The massive room contained two huge sofas, either of which would be quite comfy. He had a bar, a desk area, and a “mini” holographic theater platform. Uncovered floor-to-ceiling windows ran the length of the room. Outside, thunderbolts lit up the sky like a nightclub under a strobe light.
“You can have this bedroom over here.” He marched to one of two side-by-side doors.
“I get my own room?”
“You may as well. I have two of them.”
He remained outside while she checked out her room. The bed was huge, and she had her own bath. She was relieved to see a full set of toiletries—and a robe hanging on a hook.I can wear that.Stupidly, she’d left her luggage in the disabled hovercar.
There was no window—a good thing. She’d never be able to sleep with the light show outside.
She rejoined the prince in the sitting area. “Thank you,” she said, a little ashamed of her earlier churlishness. He had more than ample space, so she wouldn’t inconvenience him too much, but given their ongoing animosity, it had been courteous of himto extend the offer. She doubted she would have been as gracious if the situation had been reversed. She considered herself to be a nice person, but he inspired the worst in her.I should try to be nicer.
A jagged bolt of blinding light streaked across the sky, followed by a crash of thunder so loud, she jumped. “Does the window open? Can we go outside?” The furniture on the balcony seemed to indicate they could.
He pushed a button, the wall of windows slid open, and she stepped into crackling air smelling like burning electronics. She could almost feel her hair frizz. She gripped the rail and raised her face. Brilliant white light spread like a spiderweb across the night. Then a thunderbolt streaked out of a darkened cloud to split the sky in half. “This is like a fireworks show or a laser light show,” she commented.
“The Gods of Kaldor are tempestuous,” he said.
“What do you mean?”
“According to our theology, lightning occurs when the gods fight. Our deities are a male-female pair. When they clash, thunderbolts result.”
“They must be having a hellacious fight,” she joked. “It’s an entertaining myth.”
He shrugged.
“You don’t really believe two deities sparring in the sky cause lightning, do you? Lightning results from a buildup of static electricity.”
“Why can’t I believe in both?”
“Because only one is true.”
“Says the adherent of all things mystical. Who believes the movement of the planets can predict the future.”
Was he mocking her?So much for him being Mr. Nice Guy. I should have known we couldn’t have a civil conversation.
She flounced inside. Not everything real could be seen, heard, or touched. She didn’ttotallybuy into tarot cards, the runes, and tea leaves, but it couldn’t hurt to hedge your bets, could it? They’d been right many times. Wrong sometimes, too, but readings were open to interpretation. The answer wasn’t set in stone. Although,runeswere stone.
He would be unfamiliar with Earth tools of prognostication—so he must have been talking with someone. The servants? She’d given a couple a tarot reading. They’d been curious, if skeptical.
Her pragmatic, had-to-see-it-to-believe-it twin gave no credence to tarot or runes or astrology, but she’d never openly mocked her. They agreed to disagree.
Not so, the smirking prince. Of course, she’d kind of dissed his beliefs. She shouldn’t have done that.But he started it. Why does he have to be so mean to me?
Tears pricked her eyes, and she blinked them away before he noticed. This disagreement shouldn’t upset her. Compared to their other quarrels, it hardly amounted to a ripple.
Falkor closed the window.
Keeping her voice steady, she announced, “I’m going to bed!” She stomped away and let the bedroom door close behind her.
* * * *
Hekkel.He’d caught a glimpse of tears before she stormed away. They’d been sparring again—as usual—but this time, he’d somehow overstepped. He didn’t like feeling like he’d hurt her.
