Halfway

I should be breaking through the 25k barrier on the story‘s word count today (probably before 5pm). Here’s a recent snippet that made me chuckle:

Calliope did some quick calculation. “You’re the most powerful… thing that I’ve seen since I’ve gotten involved in this mess.”
“Oh, how you talk,” Faegos said and smiled, tipping his oversized head bashfully as though receiving a compliment. He blinked his bulbous eyes. “Really, I am surprised. I was led to believe you were quite… coarse at times.”
“I’m just trying to sort everything out,” Calliope said. “See, if I eventually have something you want, and you want to bargain for it now, then it’s probably dangerous to you.”

The diminutive old man’s smile vanished. “Go on.”
Calliope turned her eyes toward the ceiling, musing. “What’s to keep me from telling you to go fuck yourself, then waiting to find whatever you think I’m going to find and hunting you down like any other rat bastard?”

Faegos’ face was grim. “I see I was not entirely misinformed as to your personality.”

Calliope shrugged.