Total pages in book: 142
Estimated words: 135522 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 678(@200wpm)___ 542(@250wpm)___ 452(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 135522 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 678(@200wpm)___ 542(@250wpm)___ 452(@300wpm)
The paladin presses his sword to the young sorcerer’s throat. Their faces draw close. “I won’t hear another one of your lies,” the righteous paladin insists, his voice shaking. “Not one more.”
Emotion swells in the young sorcerer’s deep green eyes. “You can kill me if it so pleases you,” he chokes, sweat on his brow, “but then you’ll never learn the truth about Janyyra.”
The paladin clenches his jaw, shaking. “How dare you utter my sister’s name.”
“I am the only one who can save her.” There is pleading in the sorcerer’s sweet voice. “You once told me you could see the truth if you stared into someone’s eyes long enough. Look into my eyes, you stubborn man. Look and see the truth for yourself.”
The hunky paladin glares into his eyes, teeth bared.
The young sorcerer stares back, his plush lips parted, ready.
And the second their faces rush toward each other, the whole theater goes dark, aisle lighting included, and a resounding and alarming pop noise ejects from the speakers.
I clench up at once as everyone and everything around me is cast into darkness. Pitch black. Nothingness.
My heart gallops. “What’s … What’s going on?” I whisper.
Cole’s arm comes around me protectively. “Don’t worry, we’re all okay, everything’s fine.”
“D-Did the projector break?”
“I’m guessing it’s the power, since the lights went out, too.” I feel Cole’s other hand shuffle around inside his pocket, and then there’s a glow from his phone, bringing his face into existence. He looks at me, then gently rubs my back. “See? We’re okay.”
I glance down and realize I’ve clutched his legs with my hands like bird talons. I quickly let them go. “Uh … s-sorry.”
He chuckles, as if finding it cute. “You can grab on to me all you want, Noah. Doesn’t bother me one bit.”
I stare into his eyes, catching the glint of light from his phone. After a moment, his phone goes dark, and he quickly taps on it to wake it up again, bringing his smile back to life.
The murmuring throughout the theater around us indicates the handful of others who were similarly glued to the edges of their seats, waiting for that timely kiss between the leading men that never quite came.
The doors behind us are thrust open abruptly. The beam of a flashlight cuts through the dark like the beacon of a UFO. “Sorry, everyone!” calls out the familiar voice of Vince. “Unfortunately, we’re experiencing a technical difficulty with the power. It may take ten or fifteen to fix. Or possibly an hour. If you’re unable to wait, my box office attendant will be happy to give you a refund or rain check. I apologize for the inconvenience, guys.”
Cole takes my hand and gives it an apologetic squeeze.
As tense as I am, I make myself smile back.
As it turns out, the issue is more complicated than expected, resulting in the whole block losing power. So Cole and I opt to take a rain check each and make our way out of the theater with the other guests in the dark.
“What a bummer,” says Cole as we head out the doors of the building into the street. “I’m sorry that didn’t work out.”
“It’s okay,” I assure him. “I’m just glad to be out of that dark and creepy theater.”
“I know.”
I peer at him, curious.
It’s then that we pass by the same trio of girls from before, out front near the parking lot, only this time, they’re more confident in unabashedly ogling Cole. It doesn’t seem to faze him. He just gives them a polite nod as we pass. I’m not acknowledged at all.
But with Cole walking by my side, I feel anything but invisible. The way he put his arm around me in the theater the moment the lights went out. The way he walks by my side right now, as if he’s still guiding me through the dark, caring for me.
How does he know what I need the moment I need it?
Less than an hour later finds the pair of us occupying a table at a local favorite restaurant called Country Lovin’. Even here, I spot seven different people turn their heads and watch Cole walk by as if he’s made of diamonds. I don’t know if he actually knows any of them personally, but he is nothing but respectful to them as we pass by and are sat in a booth by the front windows. Though occasionally I catch one or two people still glancing our way after we place our order, I follow Cole’s lead and try not to mind them—even if one happens to be our own server, glancing at us from the opened kitchen door and whispering to one of the cooks.
It turns out to be no matter, because my attention becomes completely occupied the instant we’re brought our food.
I guess I sorely underestimated how hungry I am.