Third Power
Page 70
“Stevrakathinmeklatu,” he said stating to his daemonic father’s name. “My mom used to call him Steve for short.”
Sonya’s eyes widened. “Oh…wow.”
“Yeah,” he replied, agreeing fully with the sentiment. “I learn something new every day. And in answer to your question, the visit went all right. My dad—dad Bill, that is—had a little trouble taking it all in at first, but he adjusted. They went home a few days ago.”
Sonya looked down over the side, to the revelers in the streets of Rajasthan sprawled below. “I can only imagine how it must have felt for her to come back after so many years, and everything she went through.”
“Intense,” Steve admitted. “But in the end, she had a look of such peace on her face I have never seen before.” He looked out across the city, and then to Sonya smiling. “To be able to do that for her is reason enough for me to be glad I came here.”
Sonya met his eyes a moment and then blushed. She turned around then and leaned against the banister, casting her gaze to the marble floor of the balcony. “But not the only reason?” she asked.
Steve moved in front of her and took her hands in his. “No,” he said, “not the only reason. There is something I’ve been meaning to ask you.” Her beautiful brown eyes looked up to meet his again. “Sonya, I have always known you were extraordinary, but it wasn’t until we came here that I found out just how much so.” He shook his head once, his eyes never leaving the marvel of her. “You are like no one I have ever known.”
“And I feel the same about you,” she replied softly.
Steve smiled, then nodded. “So forget about visions in the Memsherar, and prophecies, and all of that. I want you to understand what I am about to ask you has nothing to do with those things.”
Sonya squeezed his hands, looking visibly nervous and excited all at once. “I understand.”
Steve took a long, deep breath then and exhaled. Bending down on one knee, he looked up into her face, framed by the fall of her auburn hair, highlighted by the moonlight above.
“Sonya,” he asked, and her eyes widened, “will you…” Steve paused, seemingly nervous himself, and interminably long seconds passed in silence. Finally, he looked up and smiled at her mischievously. “Sonya Lorensen, will you be my date? I was thinking Saturday. You know, if my schedule allows, of course.”
Sonya’s face split into a startled smile that went from ear to ear. “Why you little…!”
Outside the chamber, servants flattened themselves against the walls of the corridor as their lord and Emperor dashed laughing out of his bedchambers, the Third Power of Mithal in fast pursuit, pummeling him with a throw pillow.