“It is just a little further down the road.”

  The speaker was Arian and I strolled by her side taking in the heavenly sights of the unfamiliar neighborhood. She guided me through the myriad of heavenly streets that covered the many floating islands and over bridges where I paused to take in the view far below. The clouds covered much but I occasionally managed to see the earth far below us. No wonder nobody could fly up there.

  “How come we haven’t been to this park before?” I wondered as I pushed away from the high stone railing and rejoined my companion where she stood a few feet away. The palaces on the other side of the bridge were of an older variety with unvarnished wooden beams and arches that more resembled tori gates than walkways.

  My companion’s face was a picture of eager excitement and I could hardly keep up with her pace as she kept a step ahead of me. “We are discouraged from visiting the park for two months before the fair so the grass is in its most pristine condition.”

  I grabbed onto her wrist and slowed my steps. “Then let’s not be in a hurry to see it now, or at least tell me when we’re supposed to start this sprinting race.”

  Arian blushed and slowed enough to walk by my side. “I am very sorry. I am eager to see the fair stalls.”

  I nudged her arm with my elbow and wagged my eyebrows. “And maybe eager to see a certain handsome carpenter? Jin might be working out here, right?” My companion bowed her head and turned her face away. I stretched my neck to catch her eye. “You know, I should order you to take a few days off and have some fun with him.”

  Arian’s fingers fidgeted with each other in front of her. “I. . .I could not ask that of you.”

  I grinned and stared ahead to puff out my chest. “You wouldn’t be asking. I’d be ordering you. Now that I know you want to have some fun without babysitting me then you have my permission to have the rest of the time off from here to the end of the fair.”

  Arian whipped her head about and her eyes studied my face. “You. . .are you sure you would not need me?”

  I laughed and clapped a hand on her shoulder. “Well, I can’t guarantee that but I want you to have fun. Besides, how many days left is there until the fair? Two? And it goes on for how long?”

  “Only for a single day,” she reminded me.

  I shrugged. “Then you don’t have anything to worry about. How much trouble could I get into in three days?” My own words caused an unpleasant tingle to ring at the back of my mind. These were definitely famous last words and if my time in the heavenly realm had taught me anything it was that I had a knack for finding trouble. I shook out those thoughts and lifted my chin. “Anyway, Jin wants to see you, too.”

  She faced forward but her eyes darted up to me. “Do you. . .do you really think so?”

  I lifted my chin, tightened my face, and took on an imperious air in my voice. “Of course, I know better than you. I am your mistress, after all.”

  Arian stared at me for a moment with wide eyes before she burst into laughter. “You sounded almost exactly like Lady Shian!”

  A grin ruined the effect. “Did I?” I paused and flexed my jaw. “I don’t know how she keeps that frowning face all the time. It doesn’t exactly feel nice on the muscles.”

  “I believe she has a great deal of practice,” Arian commented as something ahead of us caught her eye. “But I believe I see the opening to the park.”

  A wide gap in the houses some quarter of a mile wide signaled the opening to the grand parkland. The pristine walkway stretched into the gap like pulled taffy and glided through a perfect lawn of luxurious green grass. Huge trees dotted the skyline above the estate homes and a scent of fresh water tickled my nose.

  Unfortunately, there wasn’t much more than teasing as we reached the entrance to the park. Posts had been planted along the opening and three rows of soft velvety rope stretched between them, blocking off access.

  Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

  We stopped at the flimsy barrier and I studied the shimmering rope. “Looks like we’re not allowed in.”

  Arian’s face fell and she grasped my sleeve. “My sincerest apologies. I thought we would be allowed to enter.”

  “You’ve never been here at this time?” I guessed.

  She released me and clasped her hands in front of her before she bowed her head. “No. Lady Shian would not give us the time to see the fair during the day and I did not dare venture out at night to the park to see the work.”

  I patted her on the shoulder. “Don’t beat yourself up over it.”

  Arian whipped her head up and her large frightened eyes stared at me. “Must I do that?”

  I laughed and shook my head. “I said for you not to beat yourself up and don’t ever do that on my account, okay?” She bit her lower lip but nodded.

  I returned my attention to the park and the meandering walking path. The stones curved through the grass and descended toward a huge pond half a mile from where we stood. The path then split into two and curved around the banks of the glistening water where ducks floated lazily along the surface. The trees I had seen before grew out of the earth in various spots, providing refreshing shade between large patches of bright sun. Flowers randomly popped up out of the grass and their petals waved about in a gentle breeze.

  What really caught my attention was the space between where we stood and the pond. The pathway straightened out halfway to the glistening water and four neat rows of wooden stalls had been constructed. The booths featured a tabletop with two walls and a slanted roof over the whole thing. The carpenters were finishing up work on a few of the stalls closest to the entrance but they weren’t the only ones there.

  The vendors had also arrived, or at least I assumed they were the vendors. Their rough attire and wide variety of styles were a dead giveaway. They milled about their stalls hanging trinkets and adjusting boxes on the table.

  “I didn’t think there’d been that many stalls,” I commented.

  “There were more last year,” Arian commented. “So many that they nearly reached the entrance.”

  I furrowed my brow. “I wonder why they didn’t let in as many people.”

  “Prince Yushir may know. You might ask him,” my companion suggested.

  “I wouldn’t want to bother him,” I countered as I squinted at the stalls. “Can you see what they’re selling?”

  Arian stood on her tiptoes and shook her head. “I am afraid not.”

  I strained my neck and frowned. “I don’t see Jin anywhere, either.”

  A heavy sigh came from my friend. “Nor do I.”

  “Maybe he’s behind the stalls,” I suggested as I turned my attention to the rope. I put my hands on my hips and examined the barrier. “We’ll have to go take a peek around them.”

  My foot slipped a little on the wet grass and an evil idea slipped into my mind. I eased myself forward until my waist pressed against the rope and gingerly slid my foot across the invisible line created by the barrier.

  It may have been invisible but something was most definitely there. A static shock ran through me and tingled every nerve in my body with a jolt of sharp hot pain. I jumped back with a yelp and fell backward onto the hard stone walkway.

  “Anna!” Arian shouted as she hurried to my side and dropped to her knees. “Are you alright?”

  I sat up and looked down at my foot. A faint wisp of smoke rose out of my shoe. “I’ve been better.”

  Arian’s hands trembled and her voice wavered. Indecision ruled her as she looked ready to both bolt and dress my wound. “Can you stand? Do you want me to call the doctor?”

  I held up my hand and shook my head. “I don’t want to make his acquaintance unless I have to. Just give me a minute or two to rest and I’ll be back on my feet.”

  A laugh interrupted my self-pity and we looked up to find Lord Kang strolling toward us with his cat at his side. He stopped a few feet away and put his fisted hands on his hips. A great big toothy grin stretched his face to unbelievably happy heights.

  “So you tried to get across my barrier, huh?” he teased as he looked from one of us to the other. “Pampir told me to set the pain high.”

  “Did he?” I mumbled as I flexed my throbbing foot.

  Arian jumped to her feet and wagged a finger at him. “You might kill someone with such magic!”

  Kang held up his hands in front of him. “The spell is powerful but not that powerful The most it can do is push someone away.”

  “I think it can do a little more than that,” I spoke up as I eased myself onto my feet.

  Arian was at my side in an instant with all the care of a worried mother. “You mustn’t stand yet!”

  “I’m feeling better already,” I assured her.

  “My spell is perfectly safe,” Kang insisted as he strolled past us and stood beside his barrier. He was all grins as he stretched out his arm. “See? Perfectly-”

  I got to see the spell from a different angle as dozens of faint yellow lightning bolts shot out and into his wrist. Kang cried out and stumbled back. The scent of burning flesh filled the air again and he cradled his arm in his other hand.

  Arian caught his eye and frowned at him. “You were saying?”

  He rubbed his hand around his wrist and winced. “Maybe it is a little strong.” His cat friend bobbed its head and he scowled down at the animal. “Traitor.”

  “Is there any way you can get us into the park?” I spoke up.

  Kang shook his head. “My apologies, but no one except those given a pass are allowed into the park until the morning of the fair. The spell will not lift until then.”

  I sighed and turned to Arian. “Well, at least we got a walk out of it and I’ve seen the park.” Arian’s eyes pooled with regret but I patted her arm. “It’s alright. Let’s get home and get a nice cold icepack on my foot.”

  I limped home with my thoughts filled with hope for a fun time in two days. Little did I know how eventful that day would be.