Enjoy this exclusive excerpt.

HOPE

Once she finally fell asleep, a light wave slowly pulled Hope from unconsciousness. A part of her rose, and extreme brightness hurt her eyes, forcing her to throw her hands over her face. She was not in her room anymore. Instead she was in a glistening, golden, large crater, with glowing walls made of what looked like giant ropes that twisted upward. She floated over golden waters that shined with many colors. Standing a few feet from Hope was her. Yet, instead of just one, there were two beautifully fearsome girls staring at Hope. Hope’s heart started to pound as she stared into their faces. Their jewel-like eyes were wide and clear, having many angles.

Dinah stuck out her hand, and Hope quickly plopped down and threw her arms over her head in a crouching position, terrified. This girl was about to destroy her. She balled herself up as tight as she could, wrapping her arms around her knees and head, clinging to herself while waiting to be blasted. 

Hope then felt herself being lifted back into an upright position. Only, neither of the girls was touching her. The girl who looked like Hope stared into Hope’s eyes, and Hope felt a vast peace all over her, the most perfect air she had ever breathed. The girl’s eyes continued pouring into Hope’s the droplets Hope had seen before and they seemed to strengthen Hope. Hope felt comforted. She wanted her eyes to shine, glisten and turn like this girl’s, to always feel this amazing bliss. She wanted it forever, to live here in this place. This was who she was supposed to be, and she never wanted to leave.

* * *

DINAH

Dinah and Kafara floated over the waters of the Kol watching Hope. 

“What is she doing?” Dinah asked.

“They call it praying. It is their way of communicating with someone more powerful than themselves to ask for help with their troubles. They seek help from a force called God.”

Dinah watched the foreign female’s eye casements squeeze together tightly. “Does this…God…come and help them?” she asked

“If he did, you would not endure the discomfort you now suffer,” Kafara said.

The female rose from her knees and climbed into her platform. For a long time, Dinah watched her toss from side to side. The female finally rejuvenated, and a few hours later, she slowly rose from her slumber. 

Dinah watched as a transparent part of the female rose and separated from the rest of her. Apparently, the extreme brightness of the Kol hurt the foreign female’s eyes. She lifted her arms to shield her face. Like Dinah and Kafara, the girl’s image floated over liquid ropes of light in the Kol. 

“Does she have a name?” Dinah asked.

“She is called Hope,” Kafara said.

Dinah reached out, and Hope quickly dropped to her knees. She watched this human ball herself up as tight as she could, wrapping her arms around her knees and head, clinging to herself.

Dinah looked on with heaviness and concern. She had seen the other beings persecute this one. Dinah beheld this girl who was unsure and afraid. Her features were unremarkable and plain. She did not glow. Dinah saw a nehari at the back of the female’s head, but it was still, and darker than shadows. Her dark nehari explained why the girl possessed no light. Her countenance compelled no fear or respect. Instead, she seemed very docile, having the presence of a submissive creature. This being called Hope seemed oppressed.

Dinah’s nehari pushed out electrical particles from her eye casements, and her particles charged Hope’s cells and muscles. Then Dinah’s force lifted Hope up, raising her from her crouched position. Floating a foot from Hope, Dinah searched the foreign creature’s eyes. Who is she? This being who looks much like… me. Dinah wondered.

Dinah’s energy poured forth as she tried her best to strengthen and charge this weakened Earth being. Dinah wanted to comfort Hope. She wanted the female to know that she was not alone. Dinah tried to transmit to Hope all the peace that Aleph had established in the Scions.

Dinah bristled at all she’d seen and heard in Hope’s terrible world. She had never imagined anything like it. In this world it seemed that an act so simple as living was a struggle. 

Finally, still looking on, Dinah asked Kafara, “What is this place? Earth? Who are they to us?”

Enjoy this science fiction coming of age saga in which Harry Potter meets Mean Girls.