Page 37 of Dark Shaman: Eternal Hope
After Magnus left, Tim sat in the living room for a while, staring at the paused image of a bird of paradise mid-display on the TV screen. The male bird had its wings spread, showing off spectacular plumage in an elaborate dance designed to attract a mate. It looked ridiculous and magnificent at the same time.
He heard Hildegard's door open and her soft footsteps coming down the hall.
"Did Magnus leave already?" she asked.
She'd changed into pajamas that he was well familiar with by now. The fleece pants had cartoon sheep on them, the pink tank top had a white fluffy sheep on its front, and it always made him smile.
"Yeah, just now."
She sat back on the couch in the same spot as before. "Want to finish the episode?"
"Actually," Tim said, his heart suddenly pounding, "can I ask you something?"
She turned to face him, pulling one knee up on the couch. "Sure."
"Have you ever tried a Perfect Match virtual adventure?"
"I did. Solo sky diving. It was much more terrifying than I expected. Going in, I knew it wasn't real, but once you are inside, you don't know that it only happens in your head, and I nearly peed my pants."
"No, you didn't. You are the brave Hildegard, and you would never pee your pants. That's more up my alley."
She tilted her head. "Why the sudden interest in Perfect Match?"
This was it—the moment where he either took the leap or retreated into safe, comfortable limbo. "Magnus mentioned it, and then I remembered what you said about wanting to see the Northern Lights and wine tasting in France, and I thought that we might do that together inside a Perfect Match adventure. That way, I don't have to wait until my transition is complete so that I can leave the village."
She grinned at him. "Are you asking me on a romantic fantasy adventure in France, Tim?"
There was no point dissembling now. "Yes?"
She was quiet for a moment that stretched like eternity. Then she laughed—not mockingly, but with what sounded like genuine delight.
"It took you long enough," she said.
"What?"
"I was starting to think that the transition changed you in more ways than one. After all that talk about me being a fifteen on your scale of hotness, I was expecting more initiative."
"I didn't know if you..." He stopped, processing what she'd said. "You've been waiting for me?"
She rolled her eyes. "I invited you to live with me. I spend my evenings watching TV with you instead of going out with friends. I go on walks with you every day, and I supervise your physical rehabilitation. What did you think was happening here?"
"I thought you were just doing your job and being super nice about it."
She shifted closer on the couch, close enough that he could smell her shampoo. "I'm not that nice, Tim. In fact, I'm quite naughty."
15
KALUGAL
Kalugal set down his phone and stared at it for a moment. The summons from the Clan Mother worried him. She rarely did that unless it was an urgent matter, but he'd known better than to ask her the reason for the summons over the phone.
Protocol was important to Annani, and she was perfectly entitled to be treated with the utmost respect as befitting her station. He could contain his curiosity for the few moments it would take him to walk over to her place.
Hopefully, nothing had happened to his mother.
It was Wednesday, which was when she usually called her sister, but Areana hadn't done so for the past month because she and the other harem ladies had been evacuated to his father's mansion.
Were they back in the harem?
