keep his hired help from attacking innocent humans.”
Banan reached out to put a protective arm across her shoulders, and Kayla forced herself not to shudder.
Will caught her in his unblinking stare. “Innocent? I’m beginning to wonder.” Then he turned away. “I’ve got to get back to work.”
Kayla watched him leave. He’d just disappeared from view when she realized she hadn’t thanked him. Whether she’d been in danger or not, Kayla appreciated his effort. She allowed herself a small smile. If he’d wanted to play the hero, he’d done a good job.
After she’d retrieved her boots and other things, Banan guided her back toward the castle. Kayla swallowed her hysterical giggles. She could imagine what they both looked like. He wore only his wet jeans, and his hair hung long and dripping down his back. Okay, it was a great look for him. On the other hand, she was a mess. Her boots were dry, but that was about it. And she was sure her dripping hair didn’t look as good as his dripping hair.
Once she reached the hotel lobby, she stopped. “You can take the rest of the night off. I’m going up to my room and staying there. I have a lot to think about.”
He nodded. “I have to report to Sparkle. See you tomorrow.”
Kayla turned to the elevators. She was lying, of course. She had no intention of staying in her room for the rest of the night. Yes, the thought of crawling under the covers and pulling them over her head held a certain appeal, but Sparkle wasn’t paying her to hide in her bed.
Surprisingly, she felt calm. There were just so many times she could freak out before the ohmigods grew redundant. Right now, she had a job to do.
After a hot shower, she dried her hair and reapplied her makeup—Sparkle would expect nothing less. Taking a lesson from he-who-calls-himself-Will, she pulled on a hoodie and headed over to Nirvana for a few hours of entertainment and espionage. She hoped Banan didn’t see her leaving the castle. He was way too visible for what she was planning.
As she stood in the long line still waiting to enter Nirvana even at this late hour, she noticed the sign by the gate: NO ONE UNDER 13 ADMITTED . What was that about? Young kids loved thrill rides. An amusement park wouldn’t last long if it kept children out. Sparkle had to know that, so why was she worried? Of course, her park didn’t allow children either.
Once inside, Kayla looked around. Same rides she’d seen in hundreds of other parks. The amusement pier was huge, which would make it easier to stay off the radar of one über-sexy enemy. Because if Will worked for Nirvana, he
was
her enemy. She just hoped
he
didn’t know it yet.
As she started to tune in to those around her, she noticed something a little strange. The crowd was a lot more intense than she’d expected. Crazy screams and whoops of something more than just excitement came from the people on the rides. And the people passing her seemed too enthusiastic for just another amusement park. Weird. The rides looked normal, but the crowd’s reaction to them wasn’t. It was something Kayla would have to investigate, because she never knew where she’d find ammunition to use against Nirvana’s owner.
Kayla tried to make her wandering seem random. She bought some cotton candy to look as though she fit in. Bad idea. She’d forgotten how it stuck to everything. She paused at the carousel and considered climbing aboard. Then she abandoned the idea. The merry-go-round had always made her sick when she was a kid.
Memories of childhood disappeared as the carousel circled around to a large black horse. No, it couldn’t be. But it looked like the same horse. It even had green eyes and seaweed in its mane. A woman wearing jeans and an ecstatic expression was riding the horse. Kayla followed the horse as it circled, trying to make up her mind. It couldn’t be the kelpie, could it?
“You got me in trouble, sweet thing. But that’s fine, because it was worth it to
Banan reached out to put a protective arm across her shoulders, and Kayla forced herself not to shudder.
Will caught her in his unblinking stare. “Innocent? I’m beginning to wonder.” Then he turned away. “I’ve got to get back to work.”
Kayla watched him leave. He’d just disappeared from view when she realized she hadn’t thanked him. Whether she’d been in danger or not, Kayla appreciated his effort. She allowed herself a small smile. If he’d wanted to play the hero, he’d done a good job.
After she’d retrieved her boots and other things, Banan guided her back toward the castle. Kayla swallowed her hysterical giggles. She could imagine what they both looked like. He wore only his wet jeans, and his hair hung long and dripping down his back. Okay, it was a great look for him. On the other hand, she was a mess. Her boots were dry, but that was about it. And she was sure her dripping hair didn’t look as good as his dripping hair.
Once she reached the hotel lobby, she stopped. “You can take the rest of the night off. I’m going up to my room and staying there. I have a lot to think about.”
He nodded. “I have to report to Sparkle. See you tomorrow.”
Kayla turned to the elevators. She was lying, of course. She had no intention of staying in her room for the rest of the night. Yes, the thought of crawling under the covers and pulling them over her head held a certain appeal, but Sparkle wasn’t paying her to hide in her bed.
Surprisingly, she felt calm. There were just so many times she could freak out before the ohmigods grew redundant. Right now, she had a job to do.
After a hot shower, she dried her hair and reapplied her makeup—Sparkle would expect nothing less. Taking a lesson from he-who-calls-himself-Will, she pulled on a hoodie and headed over to Nirvana for a few hours of entertainment and espionage. She hoped Banan didn’t see her leaving the castle. He was way too visible for what she was planning.
As she stood in the long line still waiting to enter Nirvana even at this late hour, she noticed the sign by the gate: NO ONE UNDER 13 ADMITTED . What was that about? Young kids loved thrill rides. An amusement park wouldn’t last long if it kept children out. Sparkle had to know that, so why was she worried? Of course, her park didn’t allow children either.
Once inside, Kayla looked around. Same rides she’d seen in hundreds of other parks. The amusement pier was huge, which would make it easier to stay off the radar of one über-sexy enemy. Because if Will worked for Nirvana, he
was
her enemy. She just hoped
he
didn’t know it yet.
As she started to tune in to those around her, she noticed something a little strange. The crowd was a lot more intense than she’d expected. Crazy screams and whoops of something more than just excitement came from the people on the rides. And the people passing her seemed too enthusiastic for just another amusement park. Weird. The rides looked normal, but the crowd’s reaction to them wasn’t. It was something Kayla would have to investigate, because she never knew where she’d find ammunition to use against Nirvana’s owner.
Kayla tried to make her wandering seem random. She bought some cotton candy to look as though she fit in. Bad idea. She’d forgotten how it stuck to everything. She paused at the carousel and considered climbing aboard. Then she abandoned the idea. The merry-go-round had always made her sick when she was a kid.
Memories of childhood disappeared as the carousel circled around to a large black horse. No, it couldn’t be. But it looked like the same horse. It even had green eyes and seaweed in its mane. A woman wearing jeans and an ecstatic expression was riding the horse. Kayla followed the horse as it circled, trying to make up her mind. It couldn’t be the kelpie, could it?
“You got me in trouble, sweet thing. But that’s fine, because it was worth it to
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