by Sapphire

One of the really important skills you need to pick up as a superhero is the ability to improvise. Plus the ability to know when information needs to be shared, and when it needs to be kept hidden.

I looked down at the shoes on my feet again. They were lovely, with those very delicate chain link straps running across my toes and around my ankle. They shimmered green in the light. I looked up at Marus, placed my hand on his wrist, and laughed one of those loud, obnoxious, society lady laughs.

“You almost had me believing you, darling,” I told him. “Oricalchum indeed.” I turned to the salesgirl. “I’m so sorry. He was such a brute to scare you. But he loves to tease. You understand, I’m sure? Anything to avoid spending money on an expensive gift!”

The salesgirl gave me a tentative smile. This sort of argument she was certainly used to. Arguments about mystical metals, on the other hand, probably freaked her out.

I turned to Prince Marus again, squeezing his wrist. “It’s completely unfair of you. You promised to get me whatever I wanted!”

Marus followed my lead beautifully, “Of course, I should have known better than to try to get out of my promise,” he said, “but, snookums, you have such expensive tastes!”

“Quality like this,” I told him, indicating myself with a wave of the hand, “does not come cheaply.”

His eyes glinted with amusement. “So true.” He turned to the salesgirl. “All right, tell me the damage. How much do those shoes cost?”

The salesgirl immediately leapt to pick up the box the sandals had come out of. It was plain white, with no marking on it whatsoever. Not even a price tag.

Now, a woman with a sale on her hands, particularly a woman who gets paid extra on commission, will not be thwarted by such simple things as a missing price tag. She began typing away on the computer, inputting all number of strange and arcane codes.

“I’m sorry,” she said, looking up at us helplessly. “I can’t find a price. I could hold them for you and have my manager call when she gets in tonight.”

I pouted, thinking quickly. “Oh, but that won’t do! We have a special dinner tomorrow night and no time at all to spare during the day. I absolutely must wear these shoes with my dress. Can’t you just give us a price?” I couldn’t be certain, but if her manager knew about the oricalchum shoes, I was betting I’d never get my hands on them again if I didn’t leave with them right then.

“What if we just ring up the tag on the Louboutins and use that price?” I asked, deliberately naming the most expensive pair of shoes in the store.

The salesgirl swallowed, no doubt thinking of her commission. “I think we could do that.”

“Wonderful!” I clapped my hands. “Darling?”

Prince Marus sighed, pulling out his credit card. As he handed it to the salesgirl, he whispered in my ear, “You are certainly an expensive date. But worth it, I hope.”

I nearly punched him. Except that would ruin our cover story.

“Would you like me to wrap the shoes for you?” she asked. And why not? They were thousand dollar shoes. Who in their right mind would ever want to wear those on the street?

“Oh, no. I’ll just wear them,” I said. I wasn’t risking taking those puppies off my feet until we were some place secure. Instead, I crammed my boots into the unmarked shoe box. They didn’t fit very well, but I managed to force the lid down over them.

“Let’s go, honey bunny,” Marus said to me. “Time for you to bankrupt me some more. Perhaps the jewelry store?”

“Oooh,” I squealed. “Loves it!” I rested my hand on his arm and sent a minor energy shock along the contact. No one calls me honey bunny and gets away with it.

We left the store at a leisurely pace, our arms linked together.

“Come on,” I said, “let’s get out of here.”

“Lead on, oh love of my life,” Marus said.

I narrowed my eyes as I looked at him. “I’m just pretending to like you,” I told him.

“Correction,” he said, tapping the tip of my nose with his finger, “you’re pretending to love me. There’s a difference.”

I smiled sweetly. “In either case, I’m just faking it. Do try to remember that.”

“Ouch,” he muttered, but the corners of his eyes were creased in amusement. “You do realize we’ll be all over the tabloids after today.”

I shrugged, even though it did bother me. I didn’t want everyone thinking I was another one of the playboy prince’s conquests.

“Let’s go somewhere safe,” I told him. “And you can tell me all about oricalchum, and how you knew this stuff was from Atlantis.”

He nodded, all business again. “And then we can figure out who’s foolish enough – or clever enough – to smuggle oricalchum as shoes.”

To be continued…