Page 19 of The Void

The sundress was extremely comfortable and a little sexy. She hardly wore dresses at home. Not that she didn’t like to, but her job at the coffee shop didn’t exactly require she wear them. Nor did her personal life. Hell, the last time she’d dated anyone had been in high school. Being a djinn really did cut into your personal life. She knew for a fact that the last six djinn in the Li family had all died lonely and unwed.

She had been determined after hitting her teens to break that pattern. Then she’d gone on her first date and realized how hard her powers made it for her to fit into real life.

Not only had it been impossible to hide what she was, but after a while she’d grown bitter about how she’d been treated and judged by others at the slightest hint that she was special. Until she’d met Selene and Scott, and then Lucas. She glanced towards the bathroom door and smiled. Damn. She was thankful he was the one who had come to rescue her.

She wondered just how he planned on doing that. Frowning, she sat on the edge of the bed.

He had no powers. She was supposed to give his powers back to him, but she didn’t know how to do that either.

Elpis and Pandora hadn’t mentioned how she was to achieve that task. Nor had they offered up any real advice as to what was to come after.

When Lucas walked out of the bathroom, dressed in the clothes she’d provided for him, she was deep in thought. So many questions ran through her mind that she had a slight headache.

“Just how, exactly, were you planning on rescuing me?” she asked him.

He frowned and then sat down in a chair opposite the bed.

His dark hair was still wet from the shower and several days’ worth of stubble was still on his face. She really liked it and was thankful she’d forgotten to conjure up something so that he could shave. It made him look more… dangerous.

“I haven’t figured that out yet. I had expected to have my abilities still.” He looked down at his hands.

“They told me that I’m supposed to give them back to you,” she said, and he frowned at her.

“Who told you?” he asked. “And how are you supposed to do that?”

“I don’t know, but I can try.” She poured everything she had into the task.

When Lucas frowned and shook his head, she relaxed.

“Elpis and Pandora are the ones who told me that I’d be able to return your powers,” she said.

“They were here?” he asked, sitting up a little, sounding excited.

“They’re gone. They disappeared last night. I gather that they were the guardians of this place until I was made official last night when I was given that.” Mia motioned to the crown.

“Elpis is the essence of hope and Moros’s sister. Pandora is supposed to unleash Elpis so she can fight her brother,” he said in a tone that told her he was replaying the information.

Mia nodded. “They claimed to be sisters.”

Lucas was quiet for a moment, as if he was taking it all in, trying to figure things out, much like she had the night before. He leaned back and looked relaxed and very tired. “So you’re what around here, queen?”

She shrugged. “I suppose. They don’t treat me like one, though. More like a…” She frowned as she thought about it. “Hero or protector. They follow me around like I’m a freaking rock star.”

“I noticed that. Does anyone else have abilities here?”

She shook her head. “There aren’t any children either. When I asked, it was as if no one knew what I was talking about.”

“Strange.” He shifted slightly.

“They never leave the city. No one has ever. Nor has anyone besides us ever been able to pass in.”

“How did you get here? If you didn’t cross the Kri?” he asked.

“Elpis and Pandora flew me here,” she said with a shrug.

“But they didn’t tell you how to give me back my abilities?”

She shook her head and leaned back on the bed. “Nope.”