Read Online Dimension Fracture by Corinn Heathers - Free Book Online
Authors: Corinn Heathers
Tags: Fiction, Urban Fantasy
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spell originated, and with that, be able to find the spell's caster.”
I puffed on my smoke and let out a long, slow breath. Predictably, the anxiety was starting to recede. I was the sort of person who always felt most anxious when she didn't know what to do; having a game plan helped my state of mind immeasurably.
“You think it's related to the case?”
Misaki nodded down at me. “I do. The timing is too convenient, as you already pointed out to Star.”
I sat up, pulling out from under Misaki's embrace as I took a few final puffs off my dwindling cigarette before stubbing it out in the ashtray.
“If you're right—and you usually are—then this could give us our first major lead on the case. Come on, I'll go get ready for bed and you can do whatever weird magicky stuff you need to do.”
Misaki giggled and gave me a dirty look. “Weird magicky stuff, huh? I'll have you know, love, that my 'weird magicky stuff' was the only thing that kept you from being confined to a wheelchair for the rest of your life. You really should be more thankful, you know.”
“I'm not likely to forget any time soon.” My thoughtful expression softened as I gazed on my soon-to-be wife. “I love you, Misaki, and I am very thankful for everything you do and everything you are.”
“Y-you say the sweetest things,” she managed, her cheeks stained a bright crimson.
“I try my best.”
I walked back through the open sliding glass door and headed for the guest bathroom. Unlike the Takeda house, my sister's home was Western-designed through and through and thus unfortunately did not have a real bath. I would be unfortunately faced with the supremely unsatisfying choice between a bath so shallow it barely reached the tops of my thighs or a shower.
Considering how late it was, I decided on the shower. I stripped down quickly and stepped into the stall. So-yi's house had obviously been built at least thirty years ago, because all the bathroom fixtures were manual. It took me a few seconds to realize that there was no control panel with temperature and pressure selectors.
I stood out of the way of the cascade of water from the shower head, waiting until it warmed up—another thing I wasn't used to doing, but something I remembered from when we were kids. Once the water wasn't so cold I'd turn into an ice cube, I stepped under the flow and washed up quickly. Lingering in the shower wasn't a luxury I could afford.
When I emerged from the bathroom a few minutes later, rubbing my hair with a towel, Misaki had already begun preparations. She sat silently in the center of the guest room, her legs crossed in the lotus position, her eyes closed. The focus necessary to perform such an invocation was not insignificant; I knew she was meditating to draw herself inward, sharpen her mind to a razor's edge.
Making sure to be as quiet as possible, I climbed into bed, tossing the towel aside. The guest room in So-yi's house was spacious but largely empty except for a dresser, a coat rack and a queen-size bed that was roughly similar to the one Misaki and I shared at home. The mattress was a bit too soft, but it was only for one night.
I didn't anticipate getting much sleep, anyway. If the visions came again, the unknown mage's casting would wake me. I drew the covers up over me, feeling more than a little disappointed that I'd be sleeping alone tonight. Misaki had no choice but to remain awake and in a meditative state for the entire night in order to flush out our quarry.
My eyes started to flutter and sleep came quickly and easily to me. The dark and unconscious oblivion stole over my mind as I drifted off. My last waking perception was of Misaki's scent, a faintly sweet smell of flowers.
The deep, dark blackness of sleep was interrupted by a sharp tingling sensation that seemed to emanate from within me, but not from my physical body. My eyes flew open and I turned my head, glancing at the clock on the nightstand. It was 4AM; I'd managed to
I puffed on my smoke and let out a long, slow breath. Predictably, the anxiety was starting to recede. I was the sort of person who always felt most anxious when she didn't know what to do; having a game plan helped my state of mind immeasurably.
“You think it's related to the case?”
Misaki nodded down at me. “I do. The timing is too convenient, as you already pointed out to Star.”
I sat up, pulling out from under Misaki's embrace as I took a few final puffs off my dwindling cigarette before stubbing it out in the ashtray.
“If you're right—and you usually are—then this could give us our first major lead on the case. Come on, I'll go get ready for bed and you can do whatever weird magicky stuff you need to do.”
Misaki giggled and gave me a dirty look. “Weird magicky stuff, huh? I'll have you know, love, that my 'weird magicky stuff' was the only thing that kept you from being confined to a wheelchair for the rest of your life. You really should be more thankful, you know.”
“I'm not likely to forget any time soon.” My thoughtful expression softened as I gazed on my soon-to-be wife. “I love you, Misaki, and I am very thankful for everything you do and everything you are.”
“Y-you say the sweetest things,” she managed, her cheeks stained a bright crimson.
“I try my best.”
I walked back through the open sliding glass door and headed for the guest bathroom. Unlike the Takeda house, my sister's home was Western-designed through and through and thus unfortunately did not have a real bath. I would be unfortunately faced with the supremely unsatisfying choice between a bath so shallow it barely reached the tops of my thighs or a shower.
Considering how late it was, I decided on the shower. I stripped down quickly and stepped into the stall. So-yi's house had obviously been built at least thirty years ago, because all the bathroom fixtures were manual. It took me a few seconds to realize that there was no control panel with temperature and pressure selectors.
I stood out of the way of the cascade of water from the shower head, waiting until it warmed up—another thing I wasn't used to doing, but something I remembered from when we were kids. Once the water wasn't so cold I'd turn into an ice cube, I stepped under the flow and washed up quickly. Lingering in the shower wasn't a luxury I could afford.
When I emerged from the bathroom a few minutes later, rubbing my hair with a towel, Misaki had already begun preparations. She sat silently in the center of the guest room, her legs crossed in the lotus position, her eyes closed. The focus necessary to perform such an invocation was not insignificant; I knew she was meditating to draw herself inward, sharpen her mind to a razor's edge.
Making sure to be as quiet as possible, I climbed into bed, tossing the towel aside. The guest room in So-yi's house was spacious but largely empty except for a dresser, a coat rack and a queen-size bed that was roughly similar to the one Misaki and I shared at home. The mattress was a bit too soft, but it was only for one night.
I didn't anticipate getting much sleep, anyway. If the visions came again, the unknown mage's casting would wake me. I drew the covers up over me, feeling more than a little disappointed that I'd be sleeping alone tonight. Misaki had no choice but to remain awake and in a meditative state for the entire night in order to flush out our quarry.
My eyes started to flutter and sleep came quickly and easily to me. The dark and unconscious oblivion stole over my mind as I drifted off. My last waking perception was of Misaki's scent, a faintly sweet smell of flowers.
The deep, dark blackness of sleep was interrupted by a sharp tingling sensation that seemed to emanate from within me, but not from my physical body. My eyes flew open and I turned my head, glancing at the clock on the nightstand. It was 4AM; I'd managed to
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