Trapped

"Oh, Ms. Khan can help too." He smiled at Annah. "Opal says you're musical. Do you happen to play violin? I love the violin. In fact, I have an uncanny fondness for male and female assistants who know science and play the violin." He gave a sly look at Opal, then turned back quickly to us. "Ignore me-I'll explain some other time. The question is, are you interested?"

I looked at Annah. She returned the look and shrugged. The shrug turned into a smile-a lovely smile.

Impervia gave a loud sniff. "Stop that," she said. "If I have to go to Spark Royal, you both do too. Do you think I want to drink tea alone on Friday nights?"

I whispered to Rashid, "Do you have bar brawls in Spark Royal?"

"Not in Spark Royal," he said. "But when you work for the Sparks, you'll get plunged into brawls all over the world. I pretty well guarantee it."

I winked at Impervia. She gave another loud sniff.

Annah put her hand in mine and kissed me on the cheek. "We can do this," she said softly. "What is there for us back at the school?"

"Nothing," I answered. Not Myoko or Pelinor or the Caryatid. Not Gretchen either. I'd cry for them in the days to come; but the past must yield to the future.

The future was Spark Royal, Lord Rashid, and Annah. I smiled at her.

"Oh for heaven's sake," Impervia groaned. "Just kiss each other and be done with it!"

Laughing, Annah and I kissed… but I hoped we'd never be done with it, ever.

JAMES ALAN GARDNER

JAMES ALAN GARDNER is a graduate of the Clarion West Fiction Writers Workshop and has published numerous works of short fiction in leading genre publications. He is the author of five previous novels-Expendable, Commitment Hour, Vigilant, Hunted, and Ascending-and was a Grand Prize winner of the Writers of the Future contest. He lives with his wife, Linda Carson, in Canada. His website address is http://www.thinkage.ca/~jim and he can be reached by e-mail at [email protected].

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