Total pages in book: 210
Estimated words: 200837 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1004(@200wpm)___ 803(@250wpm)___ 669(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 200837 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1004(@200wpm)___ 803(@250wpm)___ 669(@300wpm)
“What?”
“Would you please stop saying that! You sound like an imbecile. I sincerely hope you are not an imbecile, Jasina. Because if you are, let me know right now and I’ll choose one of your friends to replace you.”
I scoff, offended. “No. I’m not an imbecile. I’m confused, OK? I have no access to the Extraction Master. I haven’t even been Chosen yet. I don’t understand what is happening here.”
“Because you’re not listening. The god is dying. This is our chance to finish him off once and for all. Why do you think he’s calling all those Maidens in?” Thankfully, she doesn’t wait for me to answer, because I have no fucking clue. “His spark is weak! He uses them for their spark. He steals it and uses it. Everything you know about the world, Jasina, is a lie. All of it. There is not one thing that you’ve been told that is true. The Rebellion aims to shatter the illusion these lies have created. We’re going to set Tau City free!”
I’m not sure she’s done yet, and I don’t want to interrupt—or risk sounding like an imbecile again—so I wait.
“Well? Don’t you have anything to say to that?”
“Umm… well… what does all that have to do with this room?” I want to stab myself with a fork as soon as these words come out, but oddly enough, this answer seems to please my aunt.
“This room is what we’re looking for. This is what we need from you.”
“But… don’t you have it already?” I pan my hand to the table of knobs and the tele-things.
“No. Not this room. Something like it.”
“Ooooookay. I’m not sure I understand.”
“This room is called a Looking Glass. And inside the Extraction Tower there is another one. This one here no longer functions. It’s hundreds of years out of date. But the one in the Extraction Tower should be in prime condition. We think this Looking Glass contains a message from the previous Extraction Master to his son. We need this message. He must not see it. We have it on good authority that he hasn’t seen it yet. But the more time passes, the more chances he has to find it. If you were to find it first and perhaps… get rid of it. Well, there would be a place in the history books for your name, niece.”
Her stern mouth grows into something that resembles a smile. Except it’s not comforting or happy. It’s slightly horrifying. “Because something that important at this stage of the game would change everything.” Her eyes dart back and forth, searching mine. “It would eliminate a lot of problems. It would give us… more choices. But if you fail.” Her smile drops, her mouth grows stern again, and her eyes narrow down into slits. “If you fail, you will compound our problems. Jasina. You will make everything worse. And that too, will go into the history books.”
I actually scoff in response. It’s kinda loud too. “Auntie, this is a ridiculous task. I am nobody. Not even a Spark Maiden. How the hell am I supposed to get into the freaking Extraction Tower, find a room, find a message, and change the future? I mean… that’s setting me up to fail.”
She does not like my reaction or my negativity, because she growls at me. “Are we supposed to hold your hand? Are you an infant?”
“No, but—”
“Are you incapable? Shall we call on one of your friends for this job? Which one should I choose?” She taps her forefinger to her chin as her eyes slide up, like she’s trying to decide.
“I’m just saying—”
“You’re just saying what?” She looms over me like a threat. “That we can’t trust you? That you have no ambition? You think this is a joke? You’re on the side of the god?”
“No. I don’t think that, I’m not on the god’s side, and I’m very, very serious about the Rebellion and my part in it. I’m here, aren’t I?”
“If you’re so serious, then why are you trying to talk me out of assigning you this task? Have you switched sides?”
“What?” I’m shocked that she would even say such a thing. “Absolutely not.”
Auntie presses her lips together, humming a little. “You’re acting suspicious. You feign bravery. You say you want to be a rebel. But here I am presenting you with an opportunity to make history—an opportunity one of your peers would jump at, and you’re trying to talk me out of it. Like you’re on their side, maybe?”
This is stupid. She’s not even listening to me. It’s like I’m not in the room. She’s only hearing what she wants to hear. Or she’s baiting me, or something.
“Are you a traitor, Jasina?”
“Absolutely not. I already told you.”
“What is that girl’s name? The one in your group? Ceela, is it?”