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)
“And spark is what gives that extra push?”
I shrug. “It’s a theory. The only one I have. But spark has to be a part of it. Why else is it here?”
Clara smiles and holds up her hand, twiddling her fingers. They’re glowing blue. “Well, it looks like I’m the key.”
2 - CLARA
Tyse is staring at my glowing fingers—a bit of concern, a bit of wonder. After a couple of moments, his eyes glide up to meet mine. “You’ve got a read out when you glow now.”
“What?”
He points to his eyes. “On the overlay. Your glow has a label that says, ‘BOOST’.”
I make a face. “Boost? Like I’m a charge?”
“Well, you kinda are.”
“Yeah. I am. But why is it labeling me like that? This is new?”
He nods. “You weren’t glowing before. But the moment it spilled out of your fingertips, your spark started registering as part of my data.”
As part of his data. I let out a sigh. “I’m sick of all this science talk.”
He smiles. “Me too. Should we give it a try?”
“How?”
“I’ve got the frequency. I can see the other world. 702. It pretty much looks just like this one. Before you started glowing, I was thinking that somehow I could take your spark and use it to boost the frequency—”
“With resonance.”
“Exactly. To create resonance, which might interfere with the veil and push us through. But now that you’re glowing, it’s more than a guess. I feel like this is how it’s done.”
“OK.” I’m nodding my head. Data is a cold word and gives off a weird vibe. But I’m necessary. That’s the important part. He needs me. And I need him. This is how our true partnership starts. It’s exciting. And I’m not just talking myself into this, I really feel this way. “Tell me what to do.”
“Probably just… spark me.”
“Like that time back in the tower when I scared you.”
His grin starts small, but grows. “Exactly like that time.”
“OK.” I psych myself up by rubbing my hands together. Little glowing pieces fly off, like embers rising from a nighttime fire. It was a metaphorical gesture, but it actually seems to kind of… power me up. I reach out for Tyse, almost losing my nerve because what if I hurt him? But then I remember he’s Tyse. Not much can hurt him. But it’s a good thing I did hesitate, because this gave Tyse time to raise his hand, palm towards me with fingers outstretched. As if to offer me a target.
The perfect target. So I’m smiling when I press my palm against his and the room… blinks.
“Was that it?” I ask. “Did we cross?”
“No,” Tyse says, “but it did make the worlds flicker. Both of them, but at different times.”
“The frequencies are off,” I say.
He points at me. “You’re smart.” Which makes me smile. “We need to align them somehow. Any ideas?”
Aside from his hot, muscly, scarred and tattooed body, as well as his capable and protective manner, and not to mention his loyalty and forthrightness—this is my favorite thing about Tyse Saarinen. He asks for my opinion on things. Very important things that he probably doesn’t need my opinion on, but asks anyway.
“If we need to align them, and this frequency stuff is important, then maybe we need to lower the frequency of this 1440 world down to that 702 one?”
He’s grinning at me the whole time I’m talking. “I was thinking the same thing. But there are actually two choices. Should we raise 702 up to this world’s frequency? Or lower this one down?”
“Well, I’m no expert—” which makes him chuckle. “But I think we should lower this one. Raising up a world we’re not even in feels like a lot of work. And would require a lot more spark.”
“Agreed. So how does one lower the frequency of a world?”
“If there’s a reading labeled ‘boost’ shouldn’t there be something called… diminish?”
His smile is wild now, and so are his eyes. “Just so happens I have one of those. After you pressed your hand into mine, it popped right up.”
I cock my hip and shoot him a fake look of aggravation. “So you knew all along how to do it? Why did you ask me then?”
“Clara, I’m not gonna just go around and start pushing buttons to use up your spark without talkin’ it through first. I saw it, but I couldn’t be sure that’s what it meant. You just confirmed.”
“I think you’re giving me too much credit. I’m just guessing.”
He reaches out, pulling me forward. And suddenly his arms are wrapped around me like a cloak. He kisses me. It’s soft and a little bit lingering. And through this kiss comes a whisper. “The whole world is guessin’, Clara. No one’s got any fuckin’ idea what’s happening. Never forget that.”
Then he pulls back, mischievous smile on his face. “I’m sorry about this next science-y part, but you should know. I don’t know how many times I’ll have to activate the diminish button, I don’t know what it’s gonna do to you, and I’m not sure how to take care of you if something happens. But know this for a fact, I will take care of you.”