Luc prompted, straightfaced.
“Well, not actually tattle-telling, ’cause most grownups can’t hear her or see her like we kids can. They just sorta feel her or something. Mom came runnin’ and made me climb back down. She was really mad and sent me to my room. I hate it when I’m grounded. It’s so boring! Except when Captain Jack comes to hang out with me.”
“That would certainly be less boring.”
“He tells the best stories.” Excitement shone in AJ’s blue eyes. “About being a ship cap’n. And sea battles. And fighting off pirates. Real pirates.”
“I see.” Luc wondered if Chloe found the kid as amusing as he did.
“So, I wanna be Captain Jack.”
“Okay, we’ll pretend Blade is Jack for this game.”
“But he doesn’t look like Jack,” AJ complained.
“Use your imagination,” Luc suggested, since the kid obviously had a good one.
“Okay.” AJ sighed, then took up the hand controls. “Let’s do this!”
Chapter 8
Male screams greeted Chloe as she left the gift shop. Allison had just finished helping her put the dolls on display and headed for the kitchen to see if Aurora needed help, leaving Chloe free for the rest of the day. Hoping Luc hadn’t grown bored while waiting, she’d checked her makeup, then hurried from the gift shop only to draw up short at the metallic clashing sound of an epic battle.
What on earth? Alarmed, she hurried toward the music room, then stopped at the sight of AJ playing a game on Luc’s laptop. Both of them seemed completely wrapped up in the game, muttering under their breath as their bodies jerked and swayed along with the action on the screen.
Vortal, she realized, instantly curious. They had to be playing Vortal.
Not wanting to interrupt, she moved quietly closer so she could watch the battle being waged. The scene looked like a movie. No, like being the star of a movie, seeing everything through the actor’s eyes. The visual trick made her feel as if her arms were holding the sword, parrying and thrusting against a vicious pirate. Dark, dirty hair hung down the sides of his ugly, scarred face. Rips in the tattered shirt revealed thin red scratches, letting her know that she—well, AJ—had already scored some hits.
With a frightening growl, the pirate lunged. She flinched as the cutlass came straight toward her stomach. AJ’s fingers worked the hand control to block and thrust, scoring a hit on the opponent’s arm.
Even though the sword left no more than a scratch, the pirate stumbled back, breathing hard as he faced her. The break in action let her take in the rest of the scene: a cave, with water dripping down the walls. A shaft of light pierced the darkness behind the pirate to illuminate a pile of jewelry, gems, and gold doubloons heaped on a rock surrounded by lapping water. A battered sea chest rested on top of the pile, strapped shut with massive black chains.
Her attention went back to the pirate as AJ circled the sword tauntingly before his chest.
“Ah-ha, I have you now, you scum,” AJ growled. To her surprise, the computer amplified his voice, giving it deadly menace.
“Go ahead, Captain Blade,” the pirate sneered back as if he’d heard. “Do yer worst. The treasure’ll do ye no good if you can’t break the Curse of the Black Chains.”
Leaning closer to Luc, AJ whispered just loudly enough for her to hear, “What do I say?”
Luc cupped a hand and spoke in AJ’s ear.
“I have the secret to break the curse,” AJ said, his voice coming from the computer in stereo. “The treasure is as good as mine.”
“No!” With a cry, the pirate attacked, sword swinging. AJ as Captain Blade blocked again, then plunged his sword deep into the pirate’s chest. With enough drama to thrill a Hollywood director, the pirate staggered back, clutching his chest. Making ghastly sounds, he tumbled over, landing half in, half out of the water. After one impressive gasp for air, he deflated and went
“Well, not actually tattle-telling, ’cause most grownups can’t hear her or see her like we kids can. They just sorta feel her or something. Mom came runnin’ and made me climb back down. She was really mad and sent me to my room. I hate it when I’m grounded. It’s so boring! Except when Captain Jack comes to hang out with me.”
“That would certainly be less boring.”
“He tells the best stories.” Excitement shone in AJ’s blue eyes. “About being a ship cap’n. And sea battles. And fighting off pirates. Real pirates.”
“I see.” Luc wondered if Chloe found the kid as amusing as he did.
“So, I wanna be Captain Jack.”
“Okay, we’ll pretend Blade is Jack for this game.”
“But he doesn’t look like Jack,” AJ complained.
“Use your imagination,” Luc suggested, since the kid obviously had a good one.
“Okay.” AJ sighed, then took up the hand controls. “Let’s do this!”
Chapter 8
Male screams greeted Chloe as she left the gift shop. Allison had just finished helping her put the dolls on display and headed for the kitchen to see if Aurora needed help, leaving Chloe free for the rest of the day. Hoping Luc hadn’t grown bored while waiting, she’d checked her makeup, then hurried from the gift shop only to draw up short at the metallic clashing sound of an epic battle.
What on earth? Alarmed, she hurried toward the music room, then stopped at the sight of AJ playing a game on Luc’s laptop. Both of them seemed completely wrapped up in the game, muttering under their breath as their bodies jerked and swayed along with the action on the screen.
Vortal, she realized, instantly curious. They had to be playing Vortal.
Not wanting to interrupt, she moved quietly closer so she could watch the battle being waged. The scene looked like a movie. No, like being the star of a movie, seeing everything through the actor’s eyes. The visual trick made her feel as if her arms were holding the sword, parrying and thrusting against a vicious pirate. Dark, dirty hair hung down the sides of his ugly, scarred face. Rips in the tattered shirt revealed thin red scratches, letting her know that she—well, AJ—had already scored some hits.
With a frightening growl, the pirate lunged. She flinched as the cutlass came straight toward her stomach. AJ’s fingers worked the hand control to block and thrust, scoring a hit on the opponent’s arm.
Even though the sword left no more than a scratch, the pirate stumbled back, breathing hard as he faced her. The break in action let her take in the rest of the scene: a cave, with water dripping down the walls. A shaft of light pierced the darkness behind the pirate to illuminate a pile of jewelry, gems, and gold doubloons heaped on a rock surrounded by lapping water. A battered sea chest rested on top of the pile, strapped shut with massive black chains.
Her attention went back to the pirate as AJ circled the sword tauntingly before his chest.
“Ah-ha, I have you now, you scum,” AJ growled. To her surprise, the computer amplified his voice, giving it deadly menace.
“Go ahead, Captain Blade,” the pirate sneered back as if he’d heard. “Do yer worst. The treasure’ll do ye no good if you can’t break the Curse of the Black Chains.”
Leaning closer to Luc, AJ whispered just loudly enough for her to hear, “What do I say?”
Luc cupped a hand and spoke in AJ’s ear.
“I have the secret to break the curse,” AJ said, his voice coming from the computer in stereo. “The treasure is as good as mine.”
“No!” With a cry, the pirate attacked, sword swinging. AJ as Captain Blade blocked again, then plunged his sword deep into the pirate’s chest. With enough drama to thrill a Hollywood director, the pirate staggered back, clutching his chest. Making ghastly sounds, he tumbled over, landing half in, half out of the water. After one impressive gasp for air, he deflated and went
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