Free Charmed Vengeance by Suzanne Lazear Page B

her. But she had been held in the Otherworld against her will.
    “Still, things happened to her—and you know what those schools are like,” Jeff added. “She’ll be an asset and she won’t get in the way of our work. If she can hoverboard and fix flying cars in a dress then she can be an airship engineer in one.”
    “That’s against everything the women’s equality movement works for,” Vix muttered.
    “No it’s not,” Jeff soothed. “You work for women to have choices. This means they should have any and all options, not just the ability to wear trousers and take on men’s jobs, but the right to wear skirts and stay home with the children if they so choose. The point is that they have a choice. After all, if all women eschew staying home and raising children the human race would end, right?”
    Vix made an annoyed noise. “Your logic makes my head hurt. She still has to pull her weight, I’m not making exceptions.”
    Before Noli could stop herself, the sprite took over and strode to the doorway of the bridge. She looked on in horror, trying to fight to regain control of the body but unable to as the sprite spoke.
    “I’ll do my share. Promise. I can be helpful even in a dress.” She twirled a little as she said that. The sprite liked to be helpful nearly as much as she liked to be pretty—or happy. “Jeff said you’re good at shopping, I can’t wait— that’ll be so much fun.” A giggle unwilling punctuated the statement. Mortification crept through Noli as she saw the look on Vix’s face.
    Shush, she told the sprite, trying to regain control. If she doesn’t like us, she’ll throw us off the ship. It was always disconcerting to only be able observe her own words and actions, unable to do anything about it.
    Then we’ll go to Boston and wear pretty dresses and go to parties? I want to go to parties. Will there be cute boys? And dancing? I like dancing,
    Flying figs, the last thing she needed was the sprite trying to get them kicked off. No, we don’t want to go to Boston, we want to stay on the ship. It’ll be so much fun if we stay—more fun even than pretty dresses and parties. Oh, it will? The sprite perked. I like to have fun. Noli used this distraction to regain control of her body and lock the sprite away, wincing at the pain it caused. “Noli, Noli is everything all right?” Jeff’s face creased in a frown.
    “I’m fine,” she brushed off. “I … I didn’t mean to intrude on your private conversation. I came to ask you where the hammock was so I could set it up and go to sleep.” She yawned for emphasis, though it was a legitimate yawn, sleep pressing down on her. “I know you’re probably busy. I’m perfectly capable of getting it if you tell me where it is.” Noli turned to Vix, hoping to salvage the situation. Blasted sprite. “I can do everything in a dress. Give me a chance. Please, Captain?” She didn’t understand why it mattered what she wore as long as she got the job done.
    Vix nodded, brow creased. “I believe in giving people chances—and you don’t have to wear a dress.”
    “I like dresses.” The words slipped out and Noli put her hand to her mouth, cheeks warming. “I … I … ” She looked at her feet. “I’ve always wore a dress or a skirt, even when hoverboarding.”
    “You may wear a dress,” Jeff said. “What Vix is trying to articulate is that that you have a choice. If you wish to wear a dress, you may, but if you want to wear trousers, that’s perfectly acceptable. Whatever you’re comfortable in. We don’t really give a gear what you wear.”
    Noli nodded, not wanted to offend anyone. She couldn’t envision herself wearing trousers, but options were useful. At least here no one would think her indecent if she wore a dress without sleeves when she worked on the engines. “I … I appreciate that.”
    “Vix, if you would kindly take the helm for a few moments, I’ll get Noli set up.” Jeff gave Vix a wheedling smile.
    Vix