Free Enchanted Ever After (Mystic Circle) by Robin D. Owens

dress up for Lathyr.
    Breakfast was half an English muffin with cream cheese and coffee.
    She perched on the edge of her living room chair until the car taking her downtown beeped out in front, and her stomach gave a little squeeze.
    Whatever happened, her life would never be the same....

Chapter 7
    HALF AN HOUR later, she was the only one in the elevator rising to Eight Corp’s floor,
although the huge lobby of the building had bustled with other people. She
adjusted her hoodie and her workbag—this one a pristine bright red Fairies and
Dragons carryall—over her shoulder, and did a few deep breaths as she watched
the floor numbers light.
    The door opened and she was met by Jenni and Lathyr. Jenni wore
casual, too, but Lathyr had on a pale gray silk suit.
    No one sat at the receptionist’s desk—odd, because Kiri had
only worked places where the receptionist had the earliest hours. With her first
step, Kiri’s feet literally sank into a deep green rug. She got the impression
of elegant luxury before Jenni held out both her hands with a big smile. “Glad
to see you again.”
    Once more, the woman’s hands were warmer than her own. Damn
nerves. “Yes. I’m excited.”
    “We are, too.” Jenni beamed.
    Lathyr offered his own hand, and Kiri shook it, ignoring how
nice it felt. Firm grip, meet his eyes—gorgeous deep blue. Breathe, because the
initial greeting went okay.
    “A pleasure,” Lathyr said.
    “For me, too,” Kiri said.
    Jenni turned and moved around a huge freestanding wall of
granite. “Let’s head to the room where the game server is set up.”
    “Sounds fine to me,” Kiri said.
    “Do you want something to drink?” asked Lathyr.
    Coffee would tweak her nerves even more. “Water would be
great.”
    He peeled off and Kiri followed Jenni down the hall to an
interior room. It was painted an uninspired beige and was longer than it was
wide. To Kiri’s surprise, an actual wooden counter polished to a gloss ran along
the wall as a desk setup. Atop the counter, four huge monitors sat. The most
comfortable of ergonomic chairs—smelling of new plastic and metal—were placed
before the monitors. Several different types of game controllers waited on a
floating platform a little lower than the desk under each monitor. All
top-of-the-line electronics.
    “Wow, nice setup,” she said.
    “Thanks.” Jenni went to the last chair on the left, sat and
swiveled toward Kiri.
    But Kiri’s stare had fixed on several sets of gloves that
appeared to have filaments embedded in them, and four wraparound visors.
    “As you can see,” Jenni said easily, “we’re experimenting a bit
with virtual reality, also. Put on the visor and you’ll feel as if you’re really
in the game. Wear the gloves and your gestures will be translated as powers. For
instance, if you want to throw a fireball—”
    “I’ll really act as if I’m throwing a ball.”
    “That’s right.”
    “Hmm.” Kiri stayed where she was.
    “We’d like you to wear the gloves and visor.”
    “This isn’t monitoring my vitals, is it?”
    The line between Jenni’s eyes cleared. “No. Absolutely not. The
gloves and the visor are simply to immerse you in a deeper gaming
experience.”
    “Uh-huh.”
    “I have your water,” Lathyr said from behind her.
    So Kiri sidled into the room, stood near the third chair. The
man offered her a large bottle of fizzy water—the same brand of raspberry that
she’d chosen at the block party, and somehow she didn’t think that was by
chance. “Thank you.”
    “You are quite welcome.” He did a torso incline thing, then
closed the door and the room felt pretty small. Reaching out, he took a pair of
large teal gloves and slipped them on, raising a brow at Kiri as he did so. He
held a visor by the slim end and twirled it in his fingers.
    “I, um, am pretty simple in my gaming,” Kiri said. “Monitor,
keyboard, mouse.”
    “Please,” Jenni said, gesturing to the gloves and visors. She
donned some red ones