Interesting.
“It will give any man a raging HARD-ON if you can master that.” She looks at me, eyes sparkling. I need to get used to her surprise death metal voice.
“It’s really all about the hard-on. Hard-ons don’t lie,” she holds up a finger, “and they don’t play games. Did the Warden tell you about your position? Sister, you got such a cool position.”
“Warden?”
“Pierce.”
“Oh, a bit,” I say, looking at all the rips in her jeans, held together by clothespins.
She leans in close, looking severe. “Soooo, all of your life, you have been hidden at a monk sanctuary. You know, they kept you hidden from that crazy bitch with the mirror. Your brother is the King of freaking Xilleth.”
She gives me a look like that is so cool. “Xilleth and Petra hate each other—so a bargain was struck. YOU. You are a princess aaaaand an Aekos, sooo to settle the bad blood, King Tedros wants you as a peace offering!”
I take a minute to process this. “Do they know I can pull the sword out of the stone?”
“No,” Kyitt says and eyes me, excitement radiating off of her. “Sister friend, if they did, they would not give you to Petra. I mean, you are pretty bitchin’ important.
“But everyone thinks it’s a male who will have the power, not a female.” She rolls her eyes. “Typical, am I right?”
I nod—so much to understand. I’m starting to get nervous for the first time, my body humming. “What could give it away? I mean, how can they tell? I don’t want them to break off the engagement.”
“I’m not sure.” Kyitt pauses, running a tattooed hand through her pink hair. “Well, having pure blood will make you even better at Sheka-Bo.
“And your eye color is a sign, but no one knows this is a pure bloodline sign, thankfully. I think it’s like yellowy-green eyes—can’t remember.”
I nod. “This is… a lot!”
So much excitement and nerves are coursing through me.
“Okay, two more wishes, sister!” She looks at me, eyeing me from head to toe. “You are gonna make the man’s pee-pee harrrrd.” She giggles in her high-pitched voice. “You are bangin’ hot, sister friend.”
I laugh, loving her excited smile. “Please don’t call a man’s penis a pee-pee,” I get out. “What else can I have?”
“Do you want to change anything physical?” Kyitt asks. “MONSTER boobs?!”
I love my boobs. Not too big to where they get in the way and not too small—a healthy handful. “How many talents can I have?”
“In this world, two combat talents.”
“Okay, give me another talent.”
“The Ken bow? It’s a bitch to master, but super deadly.”
My eyes widen. “Yes! I love the bow!”
Being a Master at both will be unreal.
“Now, come on, pick something a man would like.” Kyitt raises her brows.
I give her a dry look, poking her side. “I’m not picking being a Master at blow jobs.”
“Super flexible!” she yells, eyes wide. “Dudes love that, trust me.”
“No,” I say and tap my chin. “What about horse riding? Do they have horses?”
“Sister, you’re gonna freak! They ride gigantic polar bears and black wolves. No horses in this world—just weird beasts!”
Amazing.
I think, wanting to give myself the best chance. “What about intuition? Like being able to sense danger and that sort of thing? If I’m going to be hunted like crazy, that might come in handy.”
“Nice. Okay, let me see...” She flips through her book, and after a few minutes, yells, “Awareness/intuition! Rock on, sister!” She turns and waves her hands like a lunatic.
“PIERCE!” She yells in her death metal voice. Kyitt turns toward me. “They’re always late, so I’m letting him know we’re done.”
“He’s watching us?”
As if on cue, Pierce opens the door and claps his hands. “Hiro! Into the pod!”
“Into the pod?” I repeat, standing.
He claps his hands, and the machine in the middle of the room comes to life with pink and blue lights. “Step right inside, please.” Pierce nods toward it. “Don’t worry. This is completely safe.”
Right.
I walk into it and look out the small window, hearing the door pressurize shut.
“Uh—Master at Sheka-Bo.”
That’s good to know!
I’m excited.
“Uh—the Ken Bow,” I say, wondering how in the hell they will just make me a badass in this thing. Does it zap me?
“Awareness. Intuition,” I get out.
I find my inner calm—exhaling.
Calm.
I remember shrieking with the white light. It left me dazed, my body humming and tingling.
“Holy shit!” I breathe. “That hurt!”
The door opens, and I stumble out, Pierce grabbing me. “You will be fine. Walk it off.”
I’m breathing hard, looking at my hands in awe.
“I know so much…” I trail off, seeing so many fighting movements flashing through my mind’s eye. “Wow.”
“Sister friend! Look in the mirror!”
I look in the mirror to my left.
My skin is radiant—my EYE COLOR!
“What did you do to me!”
Pierce chuckles. “FGI airbrushing—and being a pureblood has changed your eye color.” His blue gaze traces over my face. “Now, Hiro, for the last step. Your royal Aekos dress that I designed all last week. Spin in a circle.”
This is unreal.
I start to spin and feel my body tingle even more.
White light.
I gasp again, looking down at myself, then feel my hair. “Ahhh!” I look in the mirror. “Are you kidding me!?”
“Sister friend! You look bitchin’!”
I stand in the most beautiful golden and red gown I have ever seen. The corset is tight with oriental designs, and the glorious golden and red coat shimmers and sparkles, ending in black fur at the bottom.
I can tell this elaborate coat is very warm, lined with some very insulating material.
I open the coat to see a sexy gown with slits on either side clear up to my hip. My thigh-high fur boots are lightweight and impressive. My eyes widen.
“This is stunning!” I feel like I’m wearing a real-life cosplay outfit! “Won’t I freeze in this!?”
Pierce gives me a look. “No, they put on a natural lotion that repels cold, amazing stuff. All the plant life and trees contain the same elements and don’t freeze,” Pierce says, placing his hands in his pockets.
“Something I’m thankful for, letting my design team do more creative pieces.”
“Wow,” I breathe, then feel my hair.
It’s up in an elaborate, oriental configuration, glimmering with golden jewels and long dangling gems. The headdress is stunning, making me feel like royalty from the Ming Dynasty.
“Kyitt,” Pierce says. “You are her lady’s maid—shapeshift into a nondescript Gaelin.”
“Rock and ROLL!” I gasp, seeing her now look like a plain young woman with short silver hair. She wears warm clothing with fur, but nothing outstanding.
Kyitt looks in the mirror and laughs, pointing at herself. “Look at me! I look so BORING!”
Pierce touches his ear. “Kyitt will be briefed, and we all monitor every agent,” he says to me. “She will guide you.” Then, “Extraction is ready!”
My heart dips.
Exhale.
He is talking to someone as he turns his head to the left. “It would be weird if we were on time, right?” he smiles, looking dashing. “Countdown, please.”
“Oh, wow, I just got really nervous,” I get out, and see plain Kyitt clap.
“IN 5!”
I suck in a breath.
“4!”
“3!”
“...2!”
Before I can think anything, my vision goes black.
Sweet blackness.
