Delphinium is a wannabe engineer, but her dreams may not become a reality once she is chosen to participate in the Slate. Now she has to outsmart 32 other contestants with a little help from the sidelines.
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Thasia
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"So you're like some superhuman?" Thasia asked, her tone bored but an eyebrow was perked up skeptically.
"Yes. No. I don't know!" I sighed, still pacing the floor. "You see, my dad helped Cyril come up with the concept of altering human DNA. That's why he lied about working for the Porkesch's. This is all top secret, classified government information. And to keep my mom quiet and happy with the tampering of her children, she works as the head chef of the Emperor's household."
"Wow. Complicated stuff." Ajax rubbed his temples. Kirsen, Cathrise, Zaxary, and Leviye were all ok with letting Ajax stay here until the party.
I nodded. "Also, it turns out Emperor Theophilus's younger brother is Lord Alban of Area 2 and Empress Liselotte's litter sister is Lady Mahala of Area 1. Isn't that CRAZY?" I couldn't help but laugh at the useless information I remembered.
Thasia smiled and nodded her head aggressively. "Yeah! Who would've guessed, right? They look NOTHING alike."
"That's what I thought." I shook my head. "But not the point. The point is, the only reason they're helping me win the Slate is because if I win, the Modification plan will get the money it needs to become a reality. They need to test the authenticity of the program before they can make it real."
"I see." Thasia nodded again, more solemnly. "So your DNA has been tampered with so they can make perfect humans?"
I stopped pacing at sat down on my bed, my head in my hands. "I don't know why they were messing with my DNA. I don't think there's any reason really." I whispered.
Ajax sat next to me and placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. I intertwined my fingers with him and looked him in his kind, caring eyes. "Everything will be ok Delphi. Just like you say to me time and time again-"
"And me too!" Thasia added, bouncing over to sit on the opposite side of me.
" We'll all be ok." He lifted our conjoined hands to his mouth and kissed my knuckles. "I love you Delphinium Pandulph."
