Fall of Light by Nina Kiriki Hoffman Page A

green. She studied herself with the new eyes. “It’s weird, isn’t it, how such a small thing can make someone look completely different?”
    â€œYou look lethal, somehow.”
    â€œHmm.” What would the Dark God make of that? “Hey, wrap the brush in a handkerchief, if you have one. Because it’s a touch power, it might affect random things it comes in contact with, like stuff in your purse.”
    â€œYou’re giving me this?”
    â€œSure. You can pay me back for the cost of the brush if you like. That’s one of the expensive ones. Be careful with it.”
    â€œI will.” Lauren went back to the bedroom and rummaged in her purse, found a small silk Japanese pouch with coins in it, dumped the coins out and put the brush gently in. “Thank you,” she said, and hugged Opal awkwardly. “See you in the morning.” She let herself out.
    â€œGood night,” Opal said. She just remembered to set her own alarm before she fell exhausted into bed with all her clothes on.

    â€œYou sleep all right?” Opal asked Corvus when he arrived at the Makeup trailer at ten. She had gotten there about twenty minutes earlier and had almost finished prepping for him.
    â€œGreat. Suspiciously great, when I don’t even remember how I got to bed last night. What happened?”
    â€œYou fell asleep in the car. You took direction, though, even asleep. Did you know you sleepwalk excellently?”
    â€œNo one has ever told me that before. Opal?” He reached for her hand, tugged her away from setting out her brushes. “Things seem much stranger on this shoot. What’s going on?” He stared into her face, started. “Good lord, what happened to your eyes?”
    She had forgotten the change. She glanced at the mirror and saw pale, crystal green eyes staring back. They looked like someone else’s eyes, mysterious and unsettling. “I’m trying out a new effect. You like?”
    He frowned. “It’s interesting, anyway.”
    â€œWhat’s he talking about?” Rodrigo asked from the second chair. He and Magenta were taking a break before Blaise and Lauren arrived. Their call for makeup was much later. Opal had more to do for Corvus.
    Opal opened her eyes wide and stared at Rod. “Whoa!” he cried. “Where’d you get the contacts? They’re great! You look so different!”
    â€œIt’s not a commercial company. I’m a beta tester. Guess I better take them out before I spook anyone else.”
    â€œThumbs up for looks,” said Rod, and Magenta nodded.
    Opal gave them a big smile. She knelt over her counter and pretended to pop contacts out and put them into an illusory case, letting her eyes go back to their natural violet. She locked the intangible case into one of her drawers and turned to look at Corvus. “You ready?” Opal asked.
    He leaned back and stared at the ceiling. Finally he clasped his hands over his stomach and nodded to her. “Apprehensive, but ready, I guess.”
    â€œI’m sorry I’ve broken your trust,” she said gently to him as she shook a can of shaving cream. “I never meant to.”
    â€œThings are happening I don’t understand.”
    â€œMe, too.”
    â€œI never sleep well on a shoot. Too much to obsess about.”
    â€œDo you consider that time well spent?” she asked.
    â€œIn fact, I do; it’s those after-midnight skull-sweat sessions that lead me to character breakthroughs—when I get a chance to act a character. They don’t stop me from doing a good job, not when you can’t see my real face.”
    She sighed. “I chose not to wake you when it turned out you could walk while asleep, and get ready for bed, too. It’s my fault. Seemed like you were tired enough to need whatever rest you could get. I apologize.”
    â€œYou’re going to take responsibility for my sleeping so