Total pages in book: 53
Estimated words: 51038 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 255(@200wpm)___ 204(@250wpm)___ 170(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 51038 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 255(@200wpm)___ 204(@250wpm)___ 170(@300wpm)
I shrug. “No clue. Maybe we’re… fate, or something? Not sure. But it’s definitely my song. You’re just attached to it for some reason. But there’s more. Because when we came back to the room, it was the past, remember?”
She nods. “How though?”
“Oh!” Declan snaps his fingers. “I think I understand! Star is Pleiades Eight! An actual Star! Which means, she’s a timekeeper.”
“Hmm,” Quaid says. “Now that is interesting.”
“Why’s that?” I ask.
“Because it makes sense,” Quaid says. “Stars keep the time. They are predictable. Their movements can be calculated. Somehow, she controls time.”
I look over at Star and find her making one of those ‘what-do-know’ expressions as she nods. “That does kinda makes sense.”
“So she controls time.” I point to the floor. “In here, at least. And my song took us backwards.”
“I’m not sure how that’s helpful,” Declan says.
He’s kinda right, but I have an idea. “I don’t know the way out now, but I did back then. After leaving here, I tried to block it all out. I would not be able to find my way out of here. Not easily. I’m too far removed from it. But if we went back in time—”
“You’d know the route!” Star says.
I make a shrug with my hands. “I think I could do it. The song is a record of all my attempts and those glowing symbols—although I’ve never seen them before now, I think that’s how this place kept track of me. Basically, they’re like an exit sign. So all we gotta do is make this place sing and I’ll be able to follow the signs.”
“So how do we fit in?” Quaid asks.
“You and those glasses of yours are gonna help me. I mean, there’s a lot of symbols, right? We need computation power. Otherwise, the Minotaur will get us before we can figure it out.”
“What about Paradise?” Star asks. “Why the hell did Quaid and I end up in Paradise?”
I smile. “It’s our destination, of course. This maze exists in some kind of… I dunno, magical space. Dimensional space, if you wanna get all scientific and shit. When I finally won, I ended up in a dark space made of nothingness. And then, a moment later, I was back in my bed at home. Only I was five years older.”
“Well, we don’t want to end up there,” Declan laughs. “That would not go over well with your father.”
“No shit,” I say.
“But it wasn’t real,” Quaid says. “Paradise, I mean. It was very dreamlike, don’t you agree, Star?”
Star is nodding. “It was. I don’t think it was real either.”
“It was a possibility,” Declan says.
“Exactly,” I say, looking straight at him. “Which leads us to you, Declan. The only one of us who hasn’t unlocked a power yet by getting Star off. You’re our ride, friend. You’re gonna get us all out. You’re gonna turn that dream into reality.”
21 - DECLAN
You’re gonna get us all out.
“Nothing like a little bit of pressure, am I right?”
Star smiles at me. “No pressure. No pressure at all, Declan. All you have to do is what you do best. That’s it.” She turns to look at Quaid and Aric. “That’s the theme here, don’t you think? That you’re just doing what you do best.”
Both of them agree, not looking concerned at all. But they’re they beginning and middle of this little escape plan. I’m the actual ‘get it done’ guy.
Still, I am the messenger of the gods. Well, not exactly. But I’m the son of that guy, which should count for something. Besides, the preliminary step in this little drama that’s playing out is sex with the missing Pleiades Eight. In the beginning of this adventure I was hoping to make out and feel her up a little. But she’s had sex with both Aric and Quaid—and she’s already naked—so as far as I’m concerned, that’s my prize whether we get out of this stupid maze or not.
No pressure, Declan, you got this.
Star is smiling at me with a twinkle in her eye that I interpret as a mischievous invitation. I extend my hand, beckoning her to reach for it. She steps forward with her chin high and her breasts all perky and tight. She’s sexy with clothes on, pretty as well, but naked, she could give Venus a run for her money. Her curvy hips sway as she approaches me and places her hand in him. “Take me away,” she says. “Sweep me off my feet and show me what I’m missing out on, Declan.”
I pull her towards me, only marginally aware that Quaid and Aric are watching, but I already know what happens the moment I kiss her from their perspective because I’ve witnessed it twice now. Star and I are gonna disappear, and end up somewhere cool, and we’re gonna fuck. And then, at the moment of climax, we’re gonna have a transcendent experience.