At the sight of Prospero shaking, Ellie wanted to be the strong one, the hero, anything it took to put this back on the path Ellie thought itwas going. “I swear I don’t usually shake and fall over after a kiss—even when the kiss is from someone who looks like you.”
Prospero gave her what looked like a sad smile. “I thought there were no lines I wouldn’t cross. You’ve proven me wrong.”
Ellie had questions, confusions, but as she pushed herself upward, trying for a more dignified position than fainted-at-a-kiss, all she could say was, “Can I see you sometime?”
Prospero leveled her a look that Ellie suspected was meant to be intimidating, but she also saw the hint of a smile that Prospero tried to hide. “Why would youwantto? I’ve left you a jumble on the floor, Miss Brandeau.”
“I kissed you,” Ellie said, marveling at her own audacity. “I never do things like that, you know. Maybe that’s why I panicked. I won’t pass out if you kiss me. I’m safe.”
“Unfortunately, I’m not safe, Miss Brandeau.” Prospero gathered up her hat and stood.
Ellie was a sensible woman, one who didn’t blurt out feelings and such, but she knew with a certainty that Prospero would not flinch away when she said, “I get this feeling ofrightnessor a knot in my stomach when I meet people. You feelrightto me.”
Prospero stared down at her. “Our kiss left you crumpled on the floor, Miss Brandeau. That’s the very opposite of right.”
“Fair. I felt faint, but I’m sure there’s a good reason. I was overwhelmed, or my blood sugar is low or something.” Ellie watched the beautiful woman wrestle with some thought or misgiving, and for a flicker of a moment, she thought she might get an answer.
“See your healer, please.” Prospero straightened her hat, tugging the veil over her face more fully now.
“Over a panic attack?”
“Hopefully, one day we will share a meal and some truths, Miss Brandeau.” Then Prospero swept away, leaving her teacup there like it was discardable.
See myhealer? Who says “healer”?
Ellie stared after the mysterious Prospero, admiring the arrogant stride and the measured clackity-click-clack of her footsteps. Then Ellie looked at the underside of her wrist; fingerprints bruised the skin and tiny lines radiated out like bolts of electricity had been traced there.Had that been arealshock, not just a panic attack?
Ellie looked around. There were no loose wires in the library stacks. No lightning sparking through walls or shattered light fixtures.
That left the kiss.
But such things were impossible. Kisses couldn’t be deadly. There was a rational answer. There must be. All questions had rational answers.
Had Prospero pressed too hard on my skin and caught a nerve under her fingertips in the process?
Ellie heart still thundered in her chest, but panic attacks and bruises notwithstanding, she couldn’t help wishing Prospero would return. Meeting her was the single most interesting thing that had happened.
She mademefeel interesting.
4Dan
Maybe it was the backpack that caused all the problems. Honestly, it weighed almost as much as Dan did, but he neededthings. Food. Dishes for the food. Soap for the dishes. Clothes. First aid. Sleeping bag. Fire starter.
And books. He had to have books.
Of course, pondering the contents of his bag as he fell arse over teakettle—he’d always liked that phrase—through the air, branches, and general end-of-life doom was silly. He ought to have had flashbacks. Dan expected a highlights reel of his life. Moments that mattered. Longing for the things undone.
“Are you broken?” a man prompted.
Dan looked up at the robed man. Taller than average with the sort of muscular form that made him seem menacing. Piercing ice-blue eyes. A black tattoo that barely showed on his throat. The only soft thing about him was a 1950s-retro hairstyle.
There very clearly was an afterlife, and Dan decided that all the years of lousy jobs and mocking coworkers were just fine if this was the reward.
“Hellllooo, nurse.” Dan rubbed his mouth, as he felt like he was drooling embarrassingly. What he found was blood.
Dead people don’t bleed.
The man murmured a word that Dan couldn’t hear, and then sighed before saying, “Many of your ribs broke. Try not to—”
