Author's Notes:

The Wood Know Warrior is my contribution to the Tales of Leinyere Story Event.

Dipping my toe into the epic world of fantasy lore, desperately hoping not to abuse it too greatly.

All characters engaging in sexual relationships or activities are 18 years old or older.

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Tales of Leinyere - The Wood Knot Warrior

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Prologue

In the lush and enchanting Mistveil Woods on the western coast of Leinyere lived a lovely and young Wood Elf girl. While some might not consider fifty-eight years of age to be young, Wood Elves measured their lives in centuries and took their time with everything, including reaching adulthood.

She was born in a small, simple coastal village and wasn't particularly curious about the wonders of the world around her, so she remained naïve and immature well into her fifties, which displeased her parents very much.

She wasn't from a wealthy or socially significant family, but as she reached these young adult years, she blossomed with a rare beauty. It is said, there were no finer or more symmetrical features to be found on any Wood Elf.

While their race was deeply in tune with the natural world around them with all its random and chaotic wonder, Wood Elves had a particular desire for order and symmetry when it came to appearance.

This singular attribute drew many suitors to her, but she quickly became bored of hearing their sweet but empty words.

Worse, she began to believe them.

As a goddess of love, she decided that only the best deserved her attention. She soon developed a cruel streak and delighted in manipulating those who tried to woo her. She enjoyed seeing just how far her suitors would go before she broke their spirits, making them give up.

Two of her suitors were made of stronger stuff and were determined to have her. Both were handsome males from families of good standing in their communities, but beyond that, they couldn't have been more different.

The first candidate was a Wood Elf from their capital city, a brilliant and serious young male of one-hundred-and-thirty years. Vigilant in his studies and incredibly gifted, he appeared destined to be a Master Druid well before his two hundredth year. His ability to control nature's power brought him respect and admiration amongst his peers and community. His skills grew quickly, signifying he would soon be working with the most powerful magics known. Hearing of her ethereal beauty, he traveled to the coast, fell in love with her at first sight, and began his efforts to woo her.

Challenging the Druid for the beauty's eye was a bold and brash young Human. At twenty-eight years of age, he had an almost supernatural athleticism, which allowed him to excel in his efforts to become the greatest warrior ever. There wasn't a weapon he hadn't mastered, and he rarely lost a sparring match. Traveling on one of his family's trading vessels, he spotted the beauty while in port and instantly knew he must have her for his wife.

Both suitors escalated their efforts to impress her as she, in turn, skillfully played them both against each other.

They'd dueled a few times but discovered their distinct skill sets were evenly matched. Neither could best the other. Their determination to end the interference of the other grew with their frustration.

Watching their efforts from the sidelines was a Dwarf who'd made the mistake of indicating his interest to the fair Elvish maiden himself. Her humiliating laughter and scornful words burned in his mind, so he'd vowed to get his revenge.

Unbeknownst to the spoiled maiden, she'd spurned not just a brilliant and highly sought-after metal artisan, but secretly, a powerful sorcerer, highly skilled in the arts of dark magic.

On separate occasions, he whispered into the ears of her two main suitors, offering to provide them with a weapon that would give them a distinct edge over their foe. Both had reached their mental limit with the ongoing stalemate and eagerly expressed their intense interest.

The Dwarf told them they needed their beloved to give them an object to show her favor. They would then give him the items, and he would infuse her favor into the weapons he would create for them.

A few days later, the Wood Elf returned with a silk scarf. The following day, the Human gave him one of her toe rings.

The Dwarf used his consummate skills to craft a magnificent sword for the Human Warrior, incorporating the ring into the pommel.

For the Elf, he added ornate, silk-wrapped metal bands to a powerful Druid staff.

Meeting them separately and secretly, he informed them that the new weapons would ensure victory against their rivals. Both were dazzled by the craftsmanship and beauty of their new possessions, each finding the weight and balance to be perfect. The Dwarf was a master craftsman, after all.

What the Dwarf hadn't told them was that he'd placed a curse upon their weapons. Once battle commenced, they'd be compelled to fight to the death. The weapons would absorb and amplify their skills while consuming their life force. Additionally, both weapons would simultaneously absorb the life force of the beautiful but cruel female at twice the rate. She would not survive their dual, and at least one of the suitors was destined to die as well.

The Druid met the Warrior outside the home of the female they both desperately wanted. He loudly challenged the Human to another duel. This drew the Elvish female outside to watch with a satisfied smile on her lips. That smile quickly faded when the contest began as she felt herself rapidly weakening. She watched in terror as her suitors fought with a ferocity they had never shown before. They snarled and screamed as they launched attack after attack on each other.

Their weapons picked up the effort to maintain the battle's ferocity as they weakened.

The Human was down on one knee when it was over, gasping in pain from his terrible lightning burns. Half of his body was paralyzed, and his heart was struggling to keep beating, but he'd won.

He rested his hands on the pommel of the sword, which he'd driven through the chest of his enemy. Looking toward the steps where his beloved had watched, he froze in shock at the sight of her desiccated husk.

Standing over her, gloating, was the Dwarf.

The warrior suddenly realized that they'd been tricked. The Dwarf had killed them all.

The Human knew he was dying, but with the last of his strength, he pulled the sword from the Wood Elf and threw it mightily at the Dwarf, pinning him to the wall of the home like a bug. The warrior died, and the last of his essence was drawn into the sword. The curse was complete for both the Warrior and the Druid.

Shocked and outraged that his revenge would lead to his own death, the Dwarf poured his hatred for Humans and Elves into a new curse he placed upon the weapons, damning both races to eternal bloodshed. So powerful was his curse that black flames exploded around him, consuming his body as he screamed in rage, fear, and pain. This dark energy split and sank into the sword and staff.

When the bodies were found, accusations were made by the Wood Elves that the Human was responsible for the massacre while the Humans saw his burns and the dried-up husk of the female and claimed the Wood Elf had used forbidden magics to punish the two lovers. The arguments flared until an enraged Human pulled the glorious sword from the wall, and a Wood Elf took up the magnificent staff. Another battle exploded into being.

Two wise elders were present, a Wood Elf wizard and a retired Human warrior. They quickly recognized the two now wielding the spectacular weapons were fighting far beyond their natural abilities. This made them suspicious.

The others gathered were getting caught up in the bloodlust and drew their own weapons, so the wizard bathed the area in a stun spell, excluding himself and the old warrior.

The two seniors carefully separated the men from the dazzling sword and magnificent staff, wrapped the dangerous items in heavy cloth, and hid them away. When the men awoke, they were confused about their earlier outburst. This confirmed for the elders that the men had been affected by a curse.

They tried to destroy the weapons, but they were somehow protected from burning or blunt force damage. The wizard determined that even being near them was dangerous, so they sealed them in crates and separated them.

The chest with the sword went on a ship with instructions to sink it at sea. The staff was buried in a secret location deep in the Mistveil Woods.

One hundred years passed before the sword was discovered during the estate sale of a bankrupt merchant in Portoa. It seems the ship's captain had a change of heart and decided to make a little extra profit by selling the weapon instead of honoring his promise to sink it.

In the deceased merchant's collection of weapons being auctioned off, the cursed weapon fetched a high price and found a home on the hip of a wealthy timber baron.

The man already had a grievance with the Wood Elves over their protection of the old-growth forest on a peninsula nearest to Portoa. His confidence boosted by the sword, he started felling the trees on the northern side of the peninsula, and by the time he reached the middle, the Wood Elves were in a full rage. One of their Druids discovered the crate containing the cursed staff entwined in the roots of a tree which had fallen during the night. He led the Wood Elf warriors against the Humans with the Druid staff in his hands. They attacked and almost destroyed Grennesh, only driven off when the Dwarves joined the Humans in protecting their interests. Then the Elvish warriors met the Timber Baron's army on the northern peninsula. The war was vicious and bloody and only ended when wiser heads, aware of the ancient curse, captured the weapons, sealing them away once more and sending them in opposite directions.

The sword went on a caravan destined for the Windscour Desert on the far side of the world, while the staff went south to be dropped into a crevasse in the far away icy realm.

Three centuries passed without a sign of the cursed weapons. Relations between the Humans and the Mistveil Wood Elves returned to the pre-war levels of distrust and dislike. Day-to-day lives went back to normal as people just... forgot.

But the burning hate bound to the sword and staff never did.

Chapter 1

"No, I want baby potatoes. Ten large sacks, like these, but filled with baby potatoes," Dell insisted.

The farmer looked up at him in confusion. "But... you get the same amount of potato out of a large bag of regular potatoes as you would from a large bag of baby ones."

A weary voice broke into their argument. "Husband! You're as dense as an Orc. He needs the baby potatoes as he's making his pot pies for the Wood Knot Inn!"

The man spun his head to gape at his wife, then whipped it back to stare at Dell. "You're the cook who makes the pies?"

Dell nodded as he looked at the farmer's wife.

"Don't worry. We have sufficient baby potatoes for your order. I'll have him deliver them this morning," the woman said with a genuine smile. Dell nodded and paid for his order. She handed him a receipt, and he ignored her wandering eyes.

As he walked away, his sharp hearing picked up the husband grumbling to his wife. "How was I to know he's the cook. Look at the size of him! He's a brute! Besides, you know Halflings never amount to anything!"

Dell kept walking, ignoring the slurs. He'd heard them his entire life.

With his deeply tanned skin, dark, intense eyes, long straight black hair, and the pointed ears poking up out of it, he looked very much like a Wood Elf, if a little taller than most. These features were gifts from his Wood Elf mother. They were also the things that made Humans uncomfortable around him.

His Human father's gifts were a large frame with broad shoulders to carry the heavy muscles none of the Elven race had. These were the attributes that made the Wood Elves uncomfortable around him. The combination seemed to be a red flag for everyone as few respected Halflings.

At least, that was his experience.

Dell didn't resent his parents for creating him. His father had spoken of his mother with such love in his voice, he couldn't blame him for being with her. Unfortunately, she died during his birth, so Dell never got a chance to meet her and experience the phenomenal amount of love his mother contained.

He shook the sad thoughts from his head and turned his eyes back to the list of ingredients he was shopping for.

With the purchase of the baby potatoes, he had all the necessary vegetables. He added the latest receipt to the ones for the sweet peas, carrots, corn, mushrooms, herbs, and spices.

He scanned the dawn Farmer's market with his eyes and listened to the voices of the merchants, mostly Human farmers, and the few early morning customers haggling for a deal. He'd been one of the first to walk through the gates this morning, targeting the farmers who he knew could get past their prejudice sufficiently to sell to him.

He'd purchased the mushrooms from a Wood Elf merchant who collected them in areas no Human was welcome. They were the most flavorful, so Dell wanted them for his creations. The Wood Elf wasn't pleased to do business with him, but as fewer customers would approach his stall, he couldn't be so picky. The size of Dell's order eased much of his discomfort.

As Dell made his way to the exit, he contemplated his last purchase. He was off to see a butcher to order the cubed meat. He had to use a particular shop as the proprietor knew his father, Karter du Krane, and wouldn't cheat him by substituting the selected cuts of meat with something inferior. The Wood Knot Inn had an excellent reputation and was well respected by the Grennesh city officials. No one fucked with that.

That didn't mean the man running the butcher shop showed Dell any respect. While he loved the food Dell made, he was a rude bastard to deal with.

He sighed as he set course for the meat-packing district. Only one more shop, then he could get back to his beloved kitchen.

Coming around a corner, he almost walked into a small group of Grennesh Guardsmen leaning up against a shop's wall, enjoying a mug of something hot and... he sniffed, alcoholic.

"What's this?" one of them blurted boldly as he held out his short staff to block Dell's way.

Dell cast a weary look at the faces of the four uniformed Humans and waited.

"You're bigger than any Wood Elf I've ever seen. You part Orc?" the clever one said. The others chuckled.

"Human. My father's Karter du Krane."

Four excited expressions suddenly turned sour as they couldn't interfere with a respected business. But the clever one wasn't finished. The guards would be quite justified in defending themselves if he attacked them. "So, your mother was a Wood Elf whore?"

Dell stiffened slightly but showed no other sign of taking offense.

"Sorry for interfering with your morning drink. I'm rather busy this morning on inn business, but please visit us tonight to discuss my mother. Then you can truly demonstrate your bravery." He gave the four a small smile and stepped around the man's arm to continue on his way.

He doubted he would see them tonight as their authority ended at the city walls. The Wood Knot Inn was a five-minute ride further down the hill. If they showed up, they'd be civilians and fair game in an honor battle.

Dell refrained from fighting whenever possible, but he could handle himself if it came to that.

He'd spent his childhood running around the dark alleys of Grennesh, and he'd given and taken his fair share of beatings. On the fast track to becoming a delinquent, his father had finally had enough and put him in the inn's kitchen to learn a trade.

It was the smartest decision the man ever made.

Dell shook off the last of his tension and got on with his task.

He had cooking to do today!

Chapter 2

Eryllis struggled to keep her temper from fraying as she hunted through the deep woods for precious herbs and roots. She worked for her grandmother with six other young Wood Elf females, preparing potions and learning the craft from the older female.

Normally she found this work to be calming and deeply satisfying, but today, the other ladies were in full gossip mode, and their noise was destroying her peace and serenity.

"Could you possibly perform your work without engaging your mouths for vapid commentary?" she snapped.

Six pairs of eyes turned her way, and she felt their hate and loathing. They all believed she got special treatment at the shop because of her familial relationship with the owner, Haleth. That couldn't have been further from the truth. Her grandmother showed absolutely no favoritism, and truth be told, she may have been more critical of her because of the blood they shared.

The shop they worked for in the village of Ghelli'Talesh wasn't a joyful place for Eryllis. With her grandmother's constant criticism and being treated like a pariah by her coworkers, some mornings, it took every bit of her willpower just to get out of bed.

It didn't make things easier for her that she had a wicked temper and little control over it or her tongue.

Of course, this was what her grandmother was most critical of.

"Could you possibly perform your work elsewhere?" Lyyrall snipped back at her, and her friends snickered gleefully.

"Rude cow," Jorina muttered loudly enough for her to overhear.

The other workers in the shop were all tall, slim, and lovely in their own ways as the Wood Elf people were. Eryllis was equally slender but a little more than a hand-span taller than the others. She was also strikingly lovely with unique violet eyes. Of course, her grandmother told her that her beauty was marred by the intensity of her gaze, a slightly bold nose, and the downturn of her slightly oversized upper lip. The old female was always ready to criticize the slightest feature of her granddaughter's looks.

If the woman's comments about her height, nose, or lips weren't enough to shatter her self-confidence, Eryllis also carried a little extra when it came to her breasts. While the others had svelte figures and felt no discomfort when running through the forest, Eryllis was curvy up top and bounced when she ran.

She'd tried binding them down, but that was too uncomfortable, and the pain made her irritable. So, she wore a special sling under her garments that supported the extra weight. This also lifted her breasts up, displaying more cleavage than most Elves had to show off.

Naturally, her coworkers called her a cow.

She felt her temper flaring once more, but she took deep breaths to contain it. The forest was not a place for loud words or hostile actions unless you were hunting. Inattention was never a smart idea here.

It was also not a place to wander around on your own. There was an excellent reason collectors worked as a group.

The forest gave them so much! Their homes, daily food, and livelihoods came from their environment.

But the forest could also take. Unwary travelers had been known to disappear. There were strange and dangerous lifeforms hiding in the shadows and mists which consumed the inattentive or even the solitary. They weren't evil, just a necessary balance to weed out the weak.

Eryllis glared at the others, knowing full well she couldn't work elsewhere.

The females giggled and went back to their inane chattering as they carefully looked for the mushrooms, flower buds, and roots they were charged with bringing back. If anything, their voices were just a bit louder and more grating on her nerves. Their favorite topic of the males who pursued them romantically was particularly painful for Eryllis, who had yet to experience so much as a friendly smile from a Wood Elf male.

Then there was the vast gulf between what her coworkers found intellectually stimulating and what she did, which just increased her feelings of isolation. Her voracious mind couldn't focus on trivialities and needed broader stimulus, not found in the company of these lightweights.

She pushed all that aside and returned her focus to the task at hand. Eryllis' basket was almost full as she was the best collector in the group. This was another cause for their dislike.

Eryllis suddenly spotted the telltale orange and brown banding of a rare and valuable tuber as they moved forward. These were delicate and difficult to harvest.

"I need silence as I've found a Hissing Root," she said firmly.

The others burst into muted curses and sounds of frustration at her outrageous fortune. Several went so far as to assert that she was always given the best path on their hunts. As the ladies' paths were always completely random, there was no merit to the complaints, but that didn't stop the others from agreeing.

She scowled at them, and they fell silent. The technique for tracing the banded root back to the tuber required utmost concentration and sharp ears. A delicate tap on the side of the root produced an almost silent hiss that moved in the direction of the tuber. The roots could be quite long as they gathered different nutrients back to their source. The longer the path, the larger the reward.

She moved her ear closer to the orange and brown and tapped it with the flat of her knife. The sound went forward and to the right. She moved her basket and cleared away the leaves and mulch to expose the next bit of the root. She tapped it again and heard it curving off to the right once more.

She repeated this again, then once more, but the root just continued on.

The others were now fully engaged with her effort as they'd never seen anyone find such a long root. The tuber at the end was beginning to grow to mammoth proportions in their minds. While some continued to hold a grudge for her luck, none could deny their excitement at the hunt.

Eryllis was amazed when the root guided her through a row of trees toward the cliffs above the surf. The ocean below was a drop of probably three times her height, so she was naturally careful not to get too close to the edge. The water was hidden below a low fog, but she could hear it crashing against the rocks. The sound made it more difficult to hear the hiss when she tapped the root, but if she was correct, the tuber was just ahead under the thick wet grasses at the edge.

She used her knife to clear the grasses and soil away from the root, and her eyes widened when she saw the top of the mammoth tuber. She looked back at the others in excitement and saw them at the treeline, staring back with wide, frightened eyes.

Before she had time to turn, a thick fog enveloped her. It had slipped up the cliff face to cover the edge. She suddenly realized she could no longer hear the surf, so she couldn't tell which way she was facing.

"Hessia! Lyyrall! Jorina!" she called out but heard no reply. "Garis! Pheo! Ivalis!" Nothing.

She looked down at her feet and could no longer see the hole she dug to expose the tuber.

Then she heard it. A low rumble, almost too quiet for ears to pick up. It was coming from ahead of her. She was too frightened to move as she didn't know where the cliff's edge was, but she assumed it wasn't forward as that's where the noise was coming from. When she could get her muscles to work again, she took a cautious step to the side, gingerly pressing her foot down to confirm it was solid ground. Then she took a second step, and it was good too. The noise suddenly got louder, and she quickly stepped sideways, but her foot met no resistance.

She was falling.

She grabbed at the edge as she passed, but the grasses slipped through her fingers.

Then pain... darkness... and nothing.

-=-

Voices whispered above her in frightened tones.

Eryllis cracked her eyes open, but all she could see was mist. She was still in the fog?

"Do you think she's dead?"

That voice belonged to Jorina. She wanted to respond, but she felt a terrible lethargy, and her head hurt.

"Do you want to climb all the way down there and search for her body?"

Lyyrall. That was Lyyrall. They couldn't see her?

"Do you see the size of this Hissing Root tuber? I've never seen one so large!" Ivalis said in awe.

"Eryllis' basket is here. We could fill our baskets from hers and head back early," Hessia suggested. "We're going to have to report she was taken by the fog, anyway. We might as well get a head start on that."

Eryllis opened her mouth to scream at them to rescue her, but a wave of dizziness washed over her.

Garis snorted. "If we bring this tuber back, Haleth probably won't even notice Eryllis didn't return with us."

"Let's divide the basket up between us," Lyyrall said. "We're going to have to create a sling to carry the tuber back."

"It's too bad Eryllis didn't drop the support she uses for her fat tits before she fell into the ocean," Jorina snorted, and the others all laughed.

Eryllis ground her teeth together as her rage suddenly exploded. She wanted to kill them all!

As she bathed in an inferno of hate for these bitches, she felt something answer that desire.

"Let's get back to the shop. I can't wait to see the look on Haleth's face when we tell her that her darling granddaughter stupidly fell off a cliff into the ocean!" Lyyrall giggled, starting the others as well. Their voices quickly faded as they rushed away.

Eryllis' jaw dropped open as she desperately wanted to scream curses after the fleeing females, but she was too injured to make more than a quiet croak.

The need to act was building steadily, and once more, she felt something answering. Turning her eyes to the left, she could see a bundle of driftwood wedged between the rocks she'd fallen on. One... one of them seemed to glow faintly.

Her left arm was badly bruised, but she could move it. Unfortunately, she discovered this caused pain in her chest as something inside was broken. Still, she inched her hand closer to the glow, stifling her gasps as sharp pains went through her chest.

Finally, she managed to get a fingertip on the smooth surface. Images of her crushing those snide faces under her foot flashed into her mind, and she gasped as she wrapped her fingers around the polished piece of driftwood. Her anger was spinning out of control, but she was still too injured to do anything about it.

"mine."

She didn't know who said that, but she felt a presence telling her to simply ask for help. It wanted to help, but she had to instigate.

"Heal me..." she gasped, almost silently.

Power rushed down her arm and filled her body. The damage inside her body, every fractured bone, torn ligament, bruise, cut, tear, and scrape suddenly flashed red with heat, and she screamed, the sound echoing throughout the forest.

She lost consciousness once more.

-=-

Fine raindrops fell on Eryllis' cheeks, cooling her skin, and she gasped awake. The memory of her pain sent a shock through her, but it was already fading. She sat up and saw she was sitting on the grasses atop the cliff.

Somehow, she'd climbed up from the rocks below, but she had no memory of how she did it. She looked down to her left, and there was a gorgeous Druid's staff. She recognized the design from the magic users who passed through her village. None of them had carried such a grand-looking staff. She picked it up, admired the workmanship that went into its construction, and ran her fingers along its polished surface. There were silk-wrapped rings of metal at intervals down the shaft.

As she held it in her grip, she realized she wasn't going to give it up. It was hers!

She had no formal training in Druid magic, but she wasn't unfamiliar with the principles as she read every book she could get her hands on. She'd also discovered she had a better-than-average aptitude for magic. However, her grandmother refused to teach her anything above the basics needed for her work. She kept her too busy collecting ingredients and preparing potions to spend time on training and honing her neglected skills.

It felt like the woman was intentionally holding her back from her destiny as one of the greatest mages Leinyere had ever seen!

A rush went through her body as she came to this epiphany. She could see her life plan laid out before her, and she knew it was up to her to make it happen! She just needed to break free from her grandmother's prison first.

She pushed herself to her feet and smiled at how good she felt physically and mentally, now that it seemed like she was seeing clearly for the first time in her life.

She needed to go home and pack. It was time to leave the small dead-end village and see the world.

Before she left, though, those evil bitches needed a lesson in who not to fuck with.

She smiled as she picked up her now empty basket with her right hand and walked back into the forest to head back home. With the magnificent staff held in her left hand, she felt absolutely no fear of being in the woods alone. It was like the forest was holding its breath to see what she would do!

What a heady feeling!

-=-

Eryllis made it back to Ghelli'Talesh and the shop without being seen and slipped inside and up to her room unnoticed. She hid the staff in her room as there was no way she would let anyone take it from her.

Making her way back downstairs, she spotted her grandmother.

"Where were you? These idiots returned, claiming you'd been eaten by the fog!" Haleth snapped, then her eyes landed on Eryllis' empty basket. "And you have nothing to show for your time out gathering? At least each of them returned with full baskets! And--"

"An enormous Hissing Root?" Eryllis offered as her temper simmered.

Haleth stopped and narrowed her eyes at her granddaughter.

"I filled my basket, and yes, I found the root. I was about to dig it up at the cliff's edge when I was suddenly swallowed up in a fog and slipped over the edge." She couldn't tell her what really happened, so a truncated version would have to do. Keep it simple. "I was stuck," she gestured to her torn clothes. "But I didn't die. They made no effort to find me but divided the spoils instead."

Haleth watched the younger woman for a moment as something felt off.

"And you have proof of these charges?" Haleth demanded.

Eryllis gaped at her grandmother in shock. She didn't believe her? She'd never lied to the woman, and now she was doubting her word?

"That's what I thought. Go to the forest's edge and bring back what little you can find. You need to control that temper of yours and follow my instructions, or you're of no use to me!" the grandmother snapped.

In a daze, her anger threatening to blind her, Eryllis left the shop, hearing the giggles of the bitches as the door closed. She discovered the staff was in her right hand as she began to walk toward the edge of town. So, it wouldn't stay behind. She nodded with a smile and moved on.

On the far edge of town were some simple accommodations built for visitors who were not welcome within the center of the village. A small roadhouse had been constructed next to the basic cottages to serve the needs of these visitors. As she passed by, she noticed four Human guardsmen sitting outside. They were likely the escort for some important visitor who could enter the village. They'd wait here until their client was ready to head back.

The four males spotted Eryllis and called out to her, offering to accompany her into the woods to protect her. The ones who'd had too much beer made less polite suggestions.

She saw their uniforms and her memories flashed back to the Human who raped her long ago. Her mind filled with a flash of red.

When she continued on, the four men were on the ground, being violently ill from both ends.

She walked on in a daze, the adrenaline from her sudden rage giving her the shakes. She calmed down and slipped into the woods, the guardsmen forgotten.

Eryllis scowled at her basket's empty state. She felt the staff tugging her, so she followed the pull and came across a hidden cluster of rare mushrooms. Smiling with glee, she used her little hand spade to dig up the treasures and filled her basket.

She took a different route home and collected some rare flowers to decorate the carrier. Slipping back inside the shop's back door, she hid the staff once more in her room, then brought the bounty to Haleth, dropping it on her desk.

The woman stared at the rare flowers and mushrooms in surprise.

"Here's proof of who's the better collector," Eryllis said, then gave the other workers a wintry smile. She then returned to her room.

She examined the staff once more and felt strong with it in her hands. She smiled as she suddenly recalled how she punished the soldiers who showed her such disrespect tonight.

Just as quickly, her mind filled with the face of the man who raped her. Once she recovered from her shock, she smiled once more as she realized she now had the means to get her revenge against him.

The night it happened, she'd been so horrified that she'd fled all the way home in the dark, sticking to the road for the limited safety it gave travelers, but the dark woods surrounding her offered no terrors greater than what filled her mind. She collapsed from exhaustion the next morning and slept for hours on the side of the road. When she woke, she continued on until she finally reached home. She hid in her room for months. Her grandmother couldn't get her to speak of what caused this, but her rage exploded again and again during those nights. Finally, her grandmother said enough and sent her away to receive mental care. The treatment she received only calmed her nightmares. The rage persisted.

She imagined him now, years later, laughing with his friends, enjoying the benefits of being one of the city guardsmen, and seeking other victims.

No more. In the morning, she would begin her journey to Grennesh to deal with him once and for all.

Chapter 3

Perris la Blayne rode his mount through the tall grasses of the plains with his eyes always on his final destination.

For months he'd ridden west, toward the mountains of his home, a place he was no longer welcome.

Welcome or not, he was headed there to finish some long-unsettled business. The man who stole his home and future from him was going to pay this debt with his life.

Perris had once been a promising young officer in the Grennesh Guardsmen, fast-tracking to be the next Captain of the Guard. He was well liked by his peers and admired by the ladies. He had more than his share of companions to keep his bed warm at night.

It didn't hurt that he was tall, dark, and handsome, with a strong jaw, a dazzling smile, and piercing blue eyes. He exercised his muscles diligently to be the strongest fighter and had the body to back up that claim. Training hard with the best swordsmen he could find, his skills were honed until he was one of, if not the most skilled swordsman in the guard.

As one of Grennesh's elite guardsmen, they had certain unspoken privileges. When they blew off a little steam after a long day, the on-duty guards always looked the other way if they pushed the boundaries of the law, as one day, it might be them.

Perris had been celebrating his birthday, of all things, the day his privileges should have guaranteed him free rein to bust loose.

He'd become jaded with the city's offering of bed warmers and was hungry for something new.

As he and two of his best mates were leaving a tavern, they came across a female Wood Elf with surprisingly full breasts.

Perris had never had one of the tall, dark-skinned beauties, so he decided he wanted this one as his birthday gift to himself.

They pulled her into an alley, and Perris had only begun to enjoy himself when he was blindsided by someone with one hell of a right cross. He struck his head as he fell, so he was out of the fight. His mates took off, leaving him to take the fall on his own.

Again, normally such indiscretions would have been swept under the rug, but the man who came to the rescue of the Wood Elf had connections and insisted on a proper trial for the transgression against a member of the Wood Elf community. His little bit of fun suddenly became a huge political nightmare, and the city and city guard leaders had no choice but to charge him with rape and a number of other lesser crimes. It was a forgone conclusion that he would be found guilty, and it was only his stellar record and the remaining friends he had on the inside that reduced his sentence from thirty years imprisonment to losing his commission and being exiled.

The hate he felt in his heart for that self-righteous bastard could not be denied. He vowed on the day he rode from the city gates that he would be back to get his vengeance.

In the years he'd been away, he sought out trainers in new fighting techniques to improve his skills even further. He'd also honed his sword-fighting skills by apprenticing with several sword masters until he became one of the deadliest men to hold a blade.

To earn his keep, he worked as a mercenary, and his latest contract was working security for a caravan that skirted the Windscour Desert. He personally dispatched over a dozen bandits on that journey, and the caravan master offered him a permanent position with them.

But Perris had a different destiny in mind.

As they returned to their home base, they came across a nomadic tribe who offered to trade with them. The patriarch and chief of the nomads had once been a big man, but time and the fierce conditions of living in the desert had slowly drained his strength. His piercing pale blue gaze told Perris that the man had seen things in his life no one should carry in their memories.

Perris noted the old one wore a unique scabbard comprised of intricately woven leather strips on his hip. The sword's pommel caught his eye, and when Perris asked him about it, the old man's eyes locked on his for long seconds before he answered. He claimed the sword was cursed. He'd discovered it buried in the sands deep in the desert when he was just a youth. It had been guarded by a dozen dead mercenaries. He said it brought grief to those trapped by its call.

While Perris' father had told him the story of a cursed but undefeatable blade that had been cast far into the desert, he'd thought it was just a myth. Using every bit of his charm at his disposal, he was finally able to convince the old man to draw the sword. Once he saw the exquisite craftsmanship, Perris was convinced he was looking at the genuine article. He knew this weapon was the key to taking his life back. With it in his hand, no one could stand in his way.

He offered the chief a small fortune for the weapon, but the old man slid the blade back into its scabbard with a fierce shake of his head. He said he would not sell it. As he walked away, he said he would protect the world from the curse for as long as he still had breath in his body.

The man had honor.

Unfortunately for the chief, Perris did not.

He would not be denied his grand future. He pulled his own sword and charged at the man. He saw a look of shock and dismay cross the man's face when he discovered he couldn't pull the cursed blade free from its sheath. Perris' sword caught the man across his throat, and he watched the chief fall.

Standing over the dying man, he saw fear, sadness, then finally pity in those pale eyes before life left them. He took a brief moment to wonder what that meant.

Hearing the thump of running feet, Perris grabbed the grip of the cursed blade, and it smoothly slipped free of its scabbard. The old man's two sons burst into the tent and drew their swords, but Perris quickly killed them both, wielding two swords at once. The two younger nomads bled out on the carpeted floor as he stared in amazement at his new weapon. He'd never dual-wielded in his life, yet it felt completely natural to him. His father's stories about the blade had failed to mention how good it felt to use it.

Taking the scabbard from the old man's corpse, he rushed back to the caravan, gathered his belongings, and rode off into the darkness. He set his course for home and never looked back.

Tonight, he would return to Grennesh and make them all pay. From the city officials who turned their back on him and hung him out to dry, his commanding officers who promised to protect him then offered him up as a sacrifice, right down to the man who forced the court to make an example of him. He kept one hand on the hilt of the sword and felt his confidence swell.

They wouldn't know what hit them, and they'd be sorry for betraying him.

He smirked. When he was done with them, maybe he'd look up that dark-skinned bitch and finish what he'd started.

She was his birthday present, after all.

Chapter 4

Dell sighed happily.

He'd spent the entire day preparing ingredients for the pies he'd begin making tomorrow. The kitchen staff were all tired but satisfied as they knew they'd done good work today, and the next few days were going to be busy but also fulfilling. They'd all be earning bonuses if this batch of pies turned out to be as popular as the previous times. That was almost guaranteed. They'd also get to take home some pies for their families.

While they'd worked on prepping the veggies, Maggie kept them entertained with her stories, and the kitchen had been filled with laughter. They were quieter when they worked on their regular duties preparing and serving the inn's customers their daily meals or breakfast and dinner.

Between the two regular meal times, Dell worked side by side with the ladies in the kitchen, ensuring all the vegetables were worthy of being added to his pies. He'd prepared the cubed meat and had them soaking in his secret marinade. No one had been able to get him to give up his recipe yet.

The ingredients were all carefully stored in the large cold cellar in the Inn's basement. A preserving spell on the room ensured they would remain fresh until he was ready to use them. The magic kept pests from the room as well.

Dell finished carrying the last bowls of cut vegetables downstairs and sealed the room. He stretched his back muscles in relief as it had been a long day. He listened to the shuffle of feet above on the floorboards as the last customers made their way to the exit.

He heard a woman scream and a man shout soon after, followed by the crash of something heavy striking the floor.

"Shit!" Dell raced for the steps.

When he arrived in the main bar area, he could see several older customers backing away from a large man facing off against them with his sword drawn. Dell stepped into the room, and relief flashed across the faces of the old men. He ignored them as he got closer to the swordsman. There was something familiar about him.

He was large, with long black hair worn loose and a thick black beard. When the man looked into his eyes, recognition struck for Dell. Piercing blue eyes and a wide white smile. It was the rapist! But he'd been exiled!

"We meet again, Halfling. You seem... bigger than before. Do you freaks ever stop growing?" Perris chuckled.

"Why did you return? You know you're not welcome here anymore. No one wants a rapist in their community. The guardsmen have orders to execute you if you show your ugly face."

Perris snorted. "Ugly? Says the freakish mixed breed." When he didn't get a rise out of Dell, he got a crafty look in his eye. "If you must know, I came back to deal with some unfinished business." He moved slightly to the left, and Dell could see two people on the floor against the wall next to the kitchen door.

Maggie was lying back in the arms of his father, a red stain growing on the front of her dress. She was dying. Dell's eyes went to Karter and saw his father was panting and wincing in pain. His side was red with his blood. He'd been stabbed too.

"No... Dell... run..." his father gasped out.

"Shut up, old man," Perris taunted with a grin as his eyes never left Dell's face. "I'll finish you off as soon as I carve some of this brute's height away. Just a head's worth should do it."

Dell couldn't hear Perris anymore over the thunder of his blood. He could only see the limp body of the bubbly kitchen maid, the red splotch on her stomach, the pale, sweaty face of his father, and the desperate fear in his eyes.

This piece of shit rapist threatened to take away the only parent Dell had left. His brain stopped forming rational thoughts as the rage he fought against every day erupted.

"RRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" Dell roared at Perris, and everyone leaned away, fear shooting through their limbs, a primal reaction to discovering they were suddenly facing an alpha predator.

Perris' smile quickly faded as he felt his confidence slipping away. He glanced at the sword, but he could no longer feel its support. He had to act before he lost his nerve entirely. His answering battle cry wobbled, but he surged forward with a mighty swing to lop the head from the beast before him.

Dell surged forward and caught Perris by surprise as he had twice the man's speed. He seized the swordsman's weapon hand as his other hand grabbed Perris' free hand. Then he suddenly squeezed both with crushing force.

Bones splintered as Perris screamed in agony, and Dell's grip tightened further, grinding the splinters into shards. Then Dell quickly twisted his grip, shattering the man's wrists, too.

But crippling him wasn't enough. The man needed to die.

-=-

Perris felt his shock washing over him, numbing his mind and slowing his thoughts. But it couldn't diminish his outrage and disbelief.

This couldn't be happening! It was impossible! All his training and all those painful days before so many highly skilled teachers, honing himself to be the deadliest killer. Outside of those classrooms, he'd proven time after time, no one could best him in combat.

He'd fought Orcs, Elves, Dwarves, and so many Humans and knew the strengths and weaknesses of each race. He knew how to counter all of their abilities, and none had been able to beat him.

A Halfling. Being defeated by a creature so low in the pecking order made his humiliation complete.

When Dell released his hands, the sword fell to the floor, and Perris dropped to his knees, fighting the agony to remain conscious. The brute grabbed him by the throat with one hand and lifted him into the air like he was nothing. Perris stared into rage-filled black eyes and saw his death there as the big hand slowly tightened, squeezing his throat closed. He struck at the monster with his crippled hands, but that just sent more agony through him, cutting his remaining strength away.

What a disappointing way to die.

-=-

"NO!"

The deep bellow broke through Dell's fugue, and he glanced over at the pasty face of his father. He saw the stern expression in his eyes. His strength was returning. A good sign.

Snarling, Dell threw Perris across the room, where he bounced off a tabletop to crash to the floor beyond it limply.

Sucking in deep breaths to fight back the inferno raging inside him, Dell glanced down and saw the sword. He shook his head as he heard something, then bent down to pick it up. The moment he stood and looked at the intricate design, a bright flash exploded outwards from the weapon.

"MINE!"

The word echoed through Dell's mind, but he couldn't tell where it had come from. He felt his rage building once more, and it threatened to overwhelm him. He opened his eyes and saw the tables nearest to him had been blown over. The few remaining customers were staring at him in fear. He grit his teeth to hold back another roar, but he was losing control. He looked over at his father and saw the man watching him, worry now on his face. He tipped his chin toward the door.

He had to protect him. "GET A HEALER!" he snarled at the three old men nearest to the door, and they jumped to their feet and rushed outside. He closed his eyes, but he felt his muscles vibrating with the need to do something. The sword was vibrating in sympathy as if it wanted action as well.

Finally, his father's gesture sank in, and he ran straight out the front door and into the street. But he didn't turn toward Grennesh. He felt a tug and turned the other way.

Down the hillside he went, his feet pounding against the soft track as the inn disappeared behind him. The light was growing dim as night set in, but his Wood Elf vision had no issues with running at night.

When he finally reached the main trade route, he felt the tug once more, and it felt like it was coming from the sword! It pulled him to the right to take the road toward the Mistveil Woods.

Dell's father called him many things, but one thing that came up frequently was stubborn. He wasn't going to let the sword push him into visiting a place where everyone despised him for looking different.

His rage surged once more, pushing him to go right, but he used that energy to fight back and turned left instead. He needed to drain his anger of its power, so he continued running along the dark trade route, fighting the urge to turn around.

He lost track of how long he'd been running when he came around a bend in the road and faced a battle between five Orc warriors. Torches were scattered on the ground, most likely dropped by those who were now fighting.

After a quick glance, he saw four males attacking one female who seemed to be holding her own, but she was fighting desperately.

The Orc closest to Dell turned, saw the sword, and immediately launched an attack against him. Dell's rage flared again, grateful to have a target, and he waded in with a mighty roar. This caused a second Orc to turn toward him.

Dell had never held a sword before, much less fought with one, but he felt his body flowing into the pattern of battle. Ducking beneath the first warrior's ax swing, he swept his sword arm upward, opening the Orc's torso from groin to neck. The second warrior was blocked by the falling body of the first, so Dell drove his fist into the male's face, taking him completely off his feet, knocking him out.

By now, the remaining Orcs were aware of him. A third moved away from the female to engage with him. The hulking brute wielded his club with great skill and managed a few glancing blows.

Dell's fury surged, and he felt the sword take control once more.

He swept the sword in a vicious, lightning-fast figure eight, cleanly severing the warrior's arms. As the big Orc stared at him in horror, Dell spun and took the Orc's head clean off his body.

The female Orc Warrior cleaved in two the chest of her last opponent with her battle-ax, then threw a small hand ax into the forehead of the Orc who'd woken and was sneaking up on Dell.

Breathing hard, Dell slammed the sword point into the chest of his beheaded opponent's body and roared to release his remaining anger. The female Orc watched him nervously as he gasped for breath while keeping an eye on her. When she made no move to attack him, he did his breathing exercises and finally managed to push the last of the bloodlust into the back of his mind.

"Why... why were... they attacking you?" he finally managed to gasp out.

She snorted as she grinned at him. "I was hunting them, but they set a trap for me. There used to be eight of them, but I picked them off one by one, driving them before me. They knew I'd eventually kill them all, so they ambushed me, forcing me to face the remaining four together."

Dell watched her cautiously as she sounded dangerous.

She nodded, then her voice softened, and he heard her pain. "They killed my family, so I vowed to kill them all." She pointed to the one she killed with her battle-ax and smiled. "He was their leader, so I'm grateful you didn't kill him. His life was mine to take. I would have welcomed killing the one you cut into pieces, but I'm grateful for your help."

She tilted her head as she took in his strange garb. She seemed confused by what he was wearing, and he glanced down at his blood-splattered apron. He supposed it wasn't typical warrior armor.

"I am Kharza. Last of my village whose name is now lost in the wind."

"I'm Dell, and I'm the cook from the Wood Knot Inn, just outside Grennesh.

She blinked in surprise and laughed. "That is a good joke!" she said as she continued to chuckle.

He wearily pulled the blade from the corpse and found himself skillfully spinning it to flick away the blood. A leather-wrapped scabbard suddenly appeared on his hip, hanging from a belt that also hadn't been there a moment before. His hands continued to move on their own to slide the blade home as he stared down at it in surprise.

Kharza scowled at him. "You are a sorcerer as well?" She had no love for those who bent the laws of nature to their own will.

"I'm not! I'm just a cook! I know nothing about magic, and until tonight I'd never held a sword before in my life!" he insisted.

"Why do you lie? I have eyes in my head to see the things you do!" she growled.

Dell shook his head in frustration. "Tonight, a man attacked my family at the Inn. He had this sword, but I took it from him. There was a... big explosion of light, and the next thing I knew, I could feel the sword trying to get control over me. I left before I hurt anyone... else. I could feel the sword pushing me to fight, so I pushed back. Then I stumbled into your battle. The sword wanted blood."

Kharza was quiet for a moment as she watched his face in the flickering firelight, deciding if he was telling the truth. "Were the mighty battle cries from the sword as well?"

He frowned. "No. I... I have a temper issue. I need to keep tight control on it, or I might hurt someone."

Kharza suddenly laughed and gestured to the corpses. "I'm grateful you didn't control it tonight." With another smile, she seemed to decide he wasn't a risk, so she turned away.

She began to collect items from the fallen Orcs and smiled to herself as she saw how much coin she now had. She looked up at Dell. "You may have half."

"No. You keep it. I don't want it," he said, unsettled by the death before him. Deaths he'd caused. He'd beaten men with his fists and knocked many of them unconscious, but this was the first time he'd actually killed someone. He felt a little ill.

He turned to look back the way he'd come but realized he was too tired to run home tonight. His father seemed like he was going to be okay. He just hoped they got the healer to the inn in time to save Maggie.

Kharza smiled to herself as she found the necklace she made for her daughter in the pocket of the Orc she'd killed with her hand ax. She collected the weapon as well.

Once she had everything she wanted, she looked at Dell, who was making no effort to collect anything but seemed to be fussing with the sword and belt.

Dell was becoming very frustrated as every time he thought of offering the sword to this female Orc warrior, he felt resistance from the weapon to the point where it interfered with his hands, preventing him from undoing the belt.

Kharza moved around Dell to face him. "What is wrong?

He glanced up at her with a frown. "I'm trying to give you the sword, but it won't let me."

The Orc's eyebrows rose. "I don't want a sword that doesn't obey me!"

"Well, I don't want a sword at all! I'm a cook! You're a warrior, aren't you?" he insisted.

She nodded. "But I still don't want the sword. There must be magic in it if it has a mind of its own. You need to speak to someone who knows magic." She watched Dell, who took a deep breath, then nodded in resignation. She gave him a kind smile. "I can offer you a meal and a dry place to sleep tonight in thanks for coming to my aid."

Dell looked at the female and nodded with a weary smile. "Thank you. That would be welcome." He finally noticed that all she was wearing was a wide strip of leather across her breasts and a small skirt that barely reached the middle of her thick, muscular thighs. He felt his face warm up.

Kharza gathered some of the fallen torches and handed one to Dell. "It's this way," she said as she led him onto a side trail that headed upward. They left the corpses for the scavengers who'd pick their bones clean by morning.

Twenty minutes of walking through narrow forest paths brought them to her campsite.

Comfortable that she no longer had to hide her presence, she made a fire and showed Dell the two birds she'd snared.

"I can cook these if you'd like," he offered. "It's what I do."

Kharza grinned at him. "Let's see what skills you have, Master Warrior Cook."

He gave her a weary look, then nodded. "Make the fire twice as big. I need to collect some ingredients."

Dell walked back into the woods, foraged up some mushrooms, a few wild potatoes, and collected herbs. He also picked some broad leaves and short sections of tough vines. He returned to the campsite, calling out before entering the clearing to let her know it was him.

Her campsite was situated a short distance from a good-sized stream, so he washed his collected items before returning to settle down next to the fire. He prepared the birds with his belt knife over the broad leaves. He mixed in the mushrooms, potatoes, and herb, then wrapped them in the leaves, bound by tough strips he pulled from the vines. He buried these next to the fire, then moved the burning wood over top. Adding more wood to the blaze, he stepped back to smile at her. "It won't take too long."

With the bird blood on his hands, Orc blood on his clothes, and sweat on his body from all the running he'd done, he realized he stank. He went back to the stream and saw it was deep enough to immerse himself. Removing the sword for the purpose of getting clean seemed to be acceptable, so he set it down on the grass and undid the apron he'd worn all day in the kitchen. This went on top of the sword and scabbard. Next, he quickly undressed, and as he was intensely aware of Kharza behind him, he remained facing away. He used sand to scrub away the worst of the blood stains and sweat, dunked himself repeatedly, and soon he felt refreshed. Then he washed the blood spots and streaks from the apron and his clothes, too.

Hearing footsteps, he glanced back to see Kharza approaching. She was now naked as well and looked at him with an appreciative smile on her lips.

"You are unlike any Wood Elf I've ever seen, though I haven't seen many," she remarked frankly.

Dell nodded self-consciously, trying to keep his eyes from leaving hers. "I'm only half Wood Elf, as my father is Human."

"Hmmph. Should we have sex now or after the meal?"

His jaw dropped as he stood to face her in surprise. "We're going to have sex?"

Kharza gave him a puzzled look. "You were the one who undressed and washed in plain sight of me. It's my understanding that this is typical of non-Orc foreplay."

She took a good look at his body. "You are not ugly, and you have a good-sized cock. Sex should be good, and I'm interested."

Dell was stunned and took a second to respond. "I'm not sure you'd enjoy sex with me."

She looked into his eyes. "Do you not want to have sex because you think I am ugly?"

Dell immediately shook his head as his eyes finally traveled over her body. It was true that she was powerfully muscled, scarred, and green-skinned at that, but she had large, firm breasts and a killer ass. Her features were also pleasing once he got past the tusks jutting up from her lower jaw. Her eyes were especially lovely, and her lips were--he felt himself stiffening.

Her smile returned as she saw this sign of his attraction to her.

He sighed as he knew she deserved the truth. "I've never had sex before. I'm not going to be very good at it."

She looked at him in surprise, then grinned. "I can decide that for myself." She pushed him down on the grass and straddled his body, pinning his cock between them with her pussy. He gasped as that felt very good. She smiled as she stretched out over him, and he moaned a little as her breasts were squeezed against his chest. Then she kissed him aggressively, which was a novel experience, too.

"Put your hands on my body, and don't be gentle," she told him. He grabbed her hips and ground her against his cock in circles.

It was her turn to moan as she enjoyed the feel of his powerful hands on her. It reminded her of her mate. He slid them down to her ass, and she liked that even more. She was impatient to feel him inside her, but she knew his first time would be too quick for her to reach her peak. She sat up, surprising him, then she moved down his legs until her face was over his cock. She took him into her mouth, and he cried out in surprise, then bliss as she sucked and licked him aggressively. As she suspected, he came quickly. Smiling, she swallowed what he gave and then looked at him with a grin.

"That was... incredible! But it couldn't have been as good for you," he said with concern.

She chuckled. "We just needed to get past your first one, so the second will take longer." He blinked at her as he wasn't expecting there to be a second. She laughed at his expression. "Don't worry, you'll be hard again soon."

Dell could see she was still excited, and he wanted to do something for her. "May I do the same for you?" he asked. It was her turn to look surprised as no one had ever done that for her. Dell took her pleased smile and silence for acceptance as he rolled her over onto her back and moved his face down to her pussy. He began with kissing her inner thighs, and she made surprisingly sweet moan sounds. He roughly stroked his tongue over her pussy, and she jolted with the intensity. He looked up at her, and she grinned at him, so he did it again, then his tongue dipped deep inside. She grabbed his head to pull his face tighter against her.

He was a complete novice at this, so he tried different things. The things she didn't react to, he didn't repeat, but the stuff that made her scream in bliss, thrash around and pull his hair, he did until he got it exactly as she liked it. Her cries grew louder.

Finally, Kharza couldn't wait any longer, so she pulled him up her body. She needed him inside her now! His cock was stiff as iron once more, so she guided the head against her opening, and he slammed himself deep inside her. She howled with joy as she clung to him, enjoying the feeling of being so full. He pulled out to the head, then slammed deep once more. She moaned and growled, clinging to him as she did, and it felt so intensely good. Dell went faster and faster, brutally slapping her body with his at the bottom of each stroke.

When she reached her climax, she howled and pulled him tight against her with her heels locked behind his ass. Dell roared as his own orgasm ripped through him. It was even better than when she'd taken him in her mouth.

When they were finally done, he flopped down over her body, and they remained that way until they both got their breathing under control and his cock relaxed.

Enjoying the sensation of his hard body pressing down on hers and the wonderful memories it gave her, she smiled. "You are a very good fuck... for Orc females."

Dell lifted his face to look into her eyes questioningly.

"You were rough with strength and enthusiasm, just what I wanted. Humans and Elves would not enjoy such rough play as they are so weak."

Dell thought about that and realized she was once more just giving him an honest assessment, so he nodded. "Thank you." She had an uncompromising honesty about her, and he appreciated it.

He pulled his body from hers, and they smiled at each other before Dell went back to the stream to dunk himself once more.

Kharza watched him with a grin. "We'll just get sweaty again when we fuck after dinner." She laughed at his pleased and surprised expression.

Once clean and relatively dry, Dell moved the fire back to its original position and cleared the embers to dig up his bundles. He checked the food, and it was ready. Gesturing to Kharza to seat herself, he placed a broad leaf on the ground before her and poured the steaming meat and veggies onto it. He poured out his own, then sat facing her. They ate with their knives, and Kharza looked at Dell, seriously impressed.

"Is all of your cooking this good?" she asked.

He nodded with a satisfied smile, and they enjoyed their meal.

After dinner, Dell noticed the sword and scabbard were leaning against the tent. He glanced back toward the stream where he'd left it. His clothes were still there.

"Did you move the sword?" he asked Kharza. She frowned at it and shook her head.

Putting the damned sword out of his mind, Dell collected his clothes, cleaned up the site, and burned the garbage.

Then Kharza pulled him into her tent as she wanted more fucking.

Not surprisingly, so did he.

-=-

The next morning, Dell took a brisk bath then dressed. Once Kharza had completed her morning routine as well, they packed up the tent and her belongings. He gave her a curious look.

"What are your plans now that you've avenged your family?" Dell asked.

Kharza seemed a little lost. Then she saw the sword, which was magically back on his hip. "I think I might stick around to see how you deal with the magic sword." She shrugged. "Maybe I'll pick up some mercenary work in Grennesh. I've never been this far west." She looked at Dell to see if he objected, but he just nodded.

"I'll get us breakfast as we make our way back to the road," he offered. "It'll be cold, but it'll fill our stomachs for the walk."

Kharza nodded with a smile and hoisted her pack.

Dell's keen eyes spotted the forage as they wove their way back through the woods to the trade route. They ate sweet apples and mushrooms that tasted like fresh bread, and he got lucky with some honey. It wasn't a big meal, but it would power their muscles for the walk back to the Inn at least.

After walking for a little over an hour, Kharza looked at Dell curiously. "Where were you running to last night that you got this far from your home?"

Dell glanced at her in embarrassment. "I didn't have a destination in mind as long as it was the opposite of what the sword wanted. I was just trying to wear myself out so the sword's control would weaken."

Kharza looked at him thoughtfully, then looked at the road ahead. "This is not a very well-traveled route. We've not met anyone."

Dell nodded. "In this direction, the path leads to the Mistveil Woods, and only the Wood Elves go there for the most part. They aren't keen on visitors. Especially ones who look like me." Kharza caught his sour expression as his mind dredged up uncomfortable memories. He pushed them down and forced a smile back onto his face. "We're not far from the crossroads where the road to Grennesh meets this trade route. We'll turn there, and it shouldn't take long to reach the inn. Grennesh is only a short distance beyond."

"Why isn't the inn inside the city walls?" Kharza asked.

Dell smiled. "The Wood Knot Inn is neutral territory. There has to be a place where all races can meet to work out armistice agreements, territory disputes, and such. My father has been the arbiter for a number of these meetings, and he's been successful in every case."

"Will you take over for him when he passes?" Kharza asked.

He glanced at her sharply but saw she was just curious and hadn't meant to offend. He took a deep breath. "No. No one would listen to a Halfling. The best I can hope for is to be allowed to keep working in the kitchen." He sighed. "I also work as the bouncer for the bar at night. Fighting inside the building is forbidden. I escort anyone trying to start a fight outside."

"Escort?" she asked with a skeptical smile.

He nodded, then shrugged. "I pin their arms so they can't fight back, carry them out the front door, and launch them from the top step of the front porch. How much effort I put into the throw depends entirely on how belligerent they were inside the bar."

"This man who attacked your family at the inn broke the neutral territory rule," Kharza acknowledged.

"Yes, he did. But he was already facing execution for returning after being exiled," Dell explained.

Kharza's eyebrows rose. "What did he do to earn himself that?"

"He raped a Wood Elf in an alley in Grennesh or started to. My father was in the city for a dinner meeting. I knew he'd be drinking, so I met him on his way home, and we saw the rapist and his friends drag the female off the street. I ran ahead, caught up to them, and stopped the man, but he'd begun. The female fled, and we never got her name, but my father pushed the city councilors to try the man for rape."

They reached the turn, and Kharza looked at the signpost. "The Wood Knot Inn seems almost as important as Grennesh on this sign."

Dell chuckled. "Yes, much to the annoyance of the leaders of Grennesh."

It didn't take much longer to reach the inn, and Dell ran the last little bit to greet his father, who met him on the porch.

"You're well?" he asked. "Maggie?"

Karter smiled in relief. "Yes, I'm fine thanks to you, and the healer got to her in time. She lost a lot of blood, so she's going to be bedridden for a week."

His father looked past Dell to the tall Orc female smiling up at him from the ground at the base of the stairs.

Dell turned and gestured for Kharza to come up.

"This is my father, Karter du Krane. Father, this is Kharza. I ran into her battling four Orc warriors last night as I ran along the trade route road. I-I had to kill two of them with the sword."

Karter blinked at his son's upset expression. Then he spotted the scabbard that he'd witnessed disappear from Perris' hip the night before. "How did you know how to use it? I certainly gave you no training."

"Why wouldn't you give your son the skills he needs to survive?" Kharza asked in surprise.

Karter looked at her in annoyance. "He was already getting into enough trouble without learning how to swing a sword! Besides, he wants to be a cook!"

Kharza snorted and grinned at the man. "Even without your training, Dell proved he was a Master Warrior Cook last night when he diced a large Orc warrior into four pieces!"

Karter stared at Dell in shock.

Dell sighed. "The sword has a mind of its own, and when I lost my temper, it got control," he said grudgingly. He saw the question in Karter's eyes. "We didn't eat the Orc. Ignore the stupid title she gave me."

Karter shook his head and put his hand on his son's shoulder as he looked into his eyes.

"What you did last night frightened everyone in the bar. They saw you lose control, the flash of light, tables were flying, and you ran off with a sword in your hand. The stories that reached Grennesh have everyone talking, and the Grennesh Guardsmen want to speak with you. You need to speak with the Commander and let him know it was because of your worry for Maggie and me."

"What else could it have been! He was going to kill you, and it looked like he'd already killed her! Of course I was upset!" Dell argued.

Karter just nodded. "That's what you need to explain to him. Take the sword with you."

Dell frowned. "I just want to make pot pies today."

"Tomorrow," Karter said and pointed up the road.

Grumbling, Dell handed his father the apron he'd carried back. Then he turned to the stairs.

"I will keep an eye on him. Can you watch my pack?" Kharza asked.

Karter looked at her, then back to Dell, who nodded to him. "Sure. Fine."

He collected the heavy pack and grunted under the load. She grinned at him as she climbed back down the stairs to follow Dell, her battle-ax strapped to her back.

When they reached the city's main gate, the guardsmen surrounded them. The captain stepped forward. He eyed the big Halfling with suspicion, and his thin mustache trembled, giving away how nervous he was.

"That's far enough. Hand over the sword."

Dell frowned at the man, then reached for the belt clasp, but his hands stopped and trembled. He could feel the sword resisting him, and his temper swelled. He lowered his hands and slowed his breathing.

"I can't."

The ends of the captain's mustache were visibly vibrating now. "You mean you won't? Don't be stupid, Halfling. Drop the belt and step back!" he snapped.

Dell's hand went to the hilt as his temper surged.

Kharza watched Dell struggle to remain calm, so she looked to the nervous soldiers around them and crossed her arms, making no move to reach for her own weapon. She chuckled, and the sound made everyone twitch.

"I suggest you allow Dell to go speak to your Commander peacefully, as the Orc Warrior he carved into pieces last night would have easily crushed all of your skulls with his club."

Dell turned his glower on her.

As Kharza was delivering her warning, the commander of the Grennesh Guardsmen arrived on his mount and looked at her. She nodded to him. The man knew of Dell through Karter and caught a pleading look in Dell's eye.

"Stand down, everyone. I will speak with him," he shouted, and the guardsmen visibly relaxed as they moved back. The captain nodded stiffly to the commander and ordered his men back to their posts.

Dell closed his eyes and concentrated on his breathing to calm himself, pulling his hand back from the hilt.

The commander dismounted and handed the reins to one of the nearby guards. He approached Dell and Kharza. "I'm Commander Falco. You're Karter's boy?"

Dell nodded. "I'm Dell, and this is Kharza, a friend I met last night who's... helping me," Dell finished awkwardly, making her smile.

The Commander guided Dell and Kharza through the gate and into the guard house to speak privately. It wasn't a large structure, just a single room with a wood burner in the corner, a table, and four chairs, but it would suit their purposes. They sat and looked at each other.

"You have Perris in custody?" Dell asked, and the man locked eyes with him for a moment.

"Yes. Some of my men escorted the Healer to the Inn last night and took Perris prisoner once the Healer finished with him. It was reported that there was too much damage to the bones in his hands and wrists for the Healer to repair. The man's going to have trouble holding a spoon, much less a sword, but considering he'll likely be executed for returning, his hands are the least of his concerns," Falco said. "Can you tell me what happened last night?"

Dell took a deep breath and nodded. He described being in the cellar and hearing the scream. How he arrived to see Maggie looking like she was dying or dead on the floor, with his father also on the floor, injured, facing Perris.

"I was convinced Perris was going to kill my father," Dell insisted, and the commander nodded.

"The witnesses said you roared at him. One customer stated he lost his bowel control, he was so frightened," Falco suggested.

Dell nodded wearily. "That was probably Tanka. He and some of our older customers have that issue when they sneeze."

Falco grinned, then forced it down. "Continue, please."

Dell nodded. "I grabbed his hands and broke them to make him drop his weapon and take him out of the fight. Then I threw him across the room. Something made me pick up the sword. There was a tremendous flash of light... and noise. I heard something... like someone yelling?" He shook his head at the fuzzy memory. "My father told me to leave, so I did. I started running and ran all the way to the trade route down the hill. The sword... I could feel it in my mind, controlling me through my rage. It wanted me to go to the right, to Mistveil Woods. I turned left instead and kept running until I came upon Kharza being attacked by four male Orc Warriors. I cut down two, and she got the others." Dell locked eyes with Falco. "Until last night, I'd never held a sword."

The Commander frowned. "You were able to defeat these Orc warriors without knowing how to use the sword?"

"That's just it. I could feel myself moving like it was second nature, but it wasn't coming from me. The sword was the one fighting," Dell insisted.

Kharza addressed the commander. "Powerful magic must be involved. Once the fight was over, the sword's scabbard suddenly appeared out of thin air on Dell's hip, hanging from a belt. Dell should speak with your most experienced magic-user," Kharza said.

Falco frowned and shook his head. "Unfortunately, Grennesh's resident master wizard, Morgan Ducane, left to visit his counterpart in the Wood Elf kingdom a week ago and won't be back for another week. You could go there to speak with him."

Dell recalled the sword wanting him to go there the previous night, but he didn't trust it. He knew he'd be received with hostility, and if he lost control...

"I'm not welcome there." Dell left it at that.

The Commander frowned, but he wouldn't force the big man to go. He respected Karter, but he couldn't allow this large man to wander around Grennesh carrying such a dangerous weapon. Without the sword, he'd already proven to be a threat. Some hotheads under his command were eager to lock him away for that alone.

Dell sighed. "I just want to go back to the Inn and prepare the pot pies."

Smiling in surprise at the solution presented to him, Falco nodded. "You should do this exact thing until the wizard returns. Remain at the inn making your delicious meals."

Dell smiled in relief and shook the man's hand as they stood. Kharza shook the man's hand as well and caught him eyeballing her significant cleavage. She smiled as he looked away in embarrassment.

The moment they were outside, they saw a crowd had gathered.

"What's this?" the Commander asked the closest civilian.

Someone in the crowd yelled out, "The Halfling has the Cursed Sword!" This caused a lot of grumbling.

Dell shared a look with Kharza as this was the first time he'd heard of a curse.

Falco scowled at the crowd. "When he returns from his visit to the Mistveil Woods, the wizard will be the one making such assessments regarding the weapon Perris la Blayne returned to Grennesh with. If you have any quarrel, it's with that convicted rapist!"

"The Halfling killed him!" someone yelled.

Falco glared in the voice's direction. "Perris is alive and in prison, waiting for his sentencing. He ignored his order of exile and will probably be executed." He stared down the unruly group. "Dell du Krane is returning to the Wood Knot Inn to prepare his delicious pot pies." He stressed the family name to ensure people understood the boy came from a respected family.

"Pot pies! YAY!" yelled another voice from the back, and the mood lightened slightly as chuckles rippled through the gathering.

Dell could still see a lot of nervous eyes looking his way. At a gesture from the Commander, Dell turned and walked back toward the city gate with Kharza following.

Someone threw a large melon at the back of Dell's head, but Kharza was ready for this and caught it. She shook her head at the crowd as she cracked the melon open between her hands and took a bite of the juicy flesh inside. Once she passed through the gate, she turned and followed Dell.

They walked without speaking as Dell's mind spun with the additional burden he'd been forced to bear. The people of Grennesh already distrusted him because of his Halfling nature. Now he was carrying a cursed sword that seemed bound to him? Dammit!

Climbing the steps of the inn, Dell felt some of that load ease from his shoulders. This was his home. He felt safe here. Today, he had work to do, which he enjoyed.

He turned to face Kharza. "I'm going upstairs to clean up, then I'm going to the kitchen. I'll be there all day. You should probably speak to my father. He'll likely be in the office at the end of the hall. Knock on the door," he hastened to add, not wanting her to start off on bad footing with Karter.

She nodded and headed for the office as Dell entered a door identified as private to climb the stairs to the upper floor. His room was at the end of the hall. Once inside, he undressed and leaned the sword and scabbard against the room's wall. He made his intentions clear to the sword, which seemed to work as it remained in place. He quickly bathed with water in the basin and put on clean clothes. Looking at the sword, he sighed. "I'm just going to be downstairs in the kitchen. You don't need to follow me." He felt stupid talking to the weapon.

He left his room and went back downstairs. When he reached the kitchen, he saw the remaining kitchen staff, but Maggie was missing, of course.

"Good day, ladies," he said gently.

"Ah! You're back!" Hildy gasped, and some timid smiles were aimed his way. She was second in charge next to Maggie, and the others looked to her for guidance.

"Uh, yes. I'm sorry I wasn't here this morning. I was dealing with... other issues. I heard from my father that Maggie is recovering. That's good new--"

Cecily yelped and dropped some firewood she was carrying. Everyone looked at her. "It just appeared! All sudden like!"

Dell looked to the corner where she was pointing, and leaning up against the wall was the sword in its scabbard.

"Shit!" Dell snapped, and eyes locked on him. He quickly calmed his expression. "I'm sorry about that. This was the issue I've been dealing with since last night. The... thing follows me." He'd been about to call it the damned sword, but that might be too accurate and frightening for the ladies. "Just ignore it. It seems to want to be close at hand. Not sure how helpful it's going to be with making the pot pies today."

That got some weak smiles from the kitchen staff.

He rubbed his hands together and took a calming breath. "Let's make pies!"

-=-

As Dell requested, Kharza knocked on the door and heard a voice calling out for her to enter. She went inside and closed the door behind her.

"How did it go with the Commander?" Karter immediately asked.

She nodded. "This man was far less excitable than his underlings. I thought we might have to fight our way back before he arrived. These city guardsmen were like frightened children."

"Damn," Karter cursed quietly.

Kharza continued. "The Commander suggested Dell remain here until the wizard returns from his trip to the Mistveil Woods. He first suggested we travel there--"

"No. Dell can't go there," Karter immediately said.

"Why?" Kharza asked.

The man stared at her for a moment. "His mother was shunned when she married me. She fully accepted that her people would no longer accept her. What we didn't know was that shunning would include her child."

Karter looked closer at Kharza. "How did you come to be fighting four Orc warriors so far from home?"

She nodded. "They killed my family. They were part of a war band that wiped out my entire village. I was hunting this group down, one by one, driving them west. These four finally had enough and ambushed me. I might not have survived if it weren't for Dell's help last night. I am grateful."

"You understand, he's not a warrior and should never try to be," Karter said.

"Why?" Kharza asked.

Karter frowned. "The prejudice against Halflings. Too many people fear him already. He's so bloody big and stronger than most. Then there's his temper. He's been dealing with that his whole life. He got into a lot of trouble when he was young and would have ended up dead or imprisoned if I hadn't put him to work in the kitchen. He discovered he enjoyed it, and now he's almost at a master's level in there. You should watch him. It's inspiring!"

Kharza nodded as she saw love and respect in the man's eyes. That brought up another question for her. "Why didn't you get your son laid when he was of age?"

Karter snorted explosively at the unexpected question, then stared at the female. "I tried to arrange for Dell to have this experience, but he's too dense to recognize the signs of interest. I'm worried he isn't interested in sex."

Kharza laughed. "You no longer need to worry. Dell enjoyed sex very much and is even developing some skills!" She saw Karter admiring her tits. She thought he was attractive enough and seemed confident in himself. He might be fun. "Would you like to fuck?"

Karter looked at her in surprise as he realized that's how she'd approached his son. The blunt and direct method had finally clued his son in. He nodded to her and went to lock his door.

She bent over his desk and looked back at him. "Do you know how to pleasure a woman with your mouth? Dell is most skilled at that." Karter balked, and she snorted derisively. She turned to face him. "You're not stuffing a dry cock into me." She knelt, pulled his pants down, then took his erection into her mouth.

Karter was nervous about her tusks, but she quickly brought him to full strength while making him sloppy wet in the process.

She returned to her position, bent over his desk, and he stepped behind her. He pushed his cock inside, and she grunted. He began to pump.

"Harder," she said.

He sped up, slapping her ass with his hips.

"Yes, do it harder," she grunted.

Soon, she began to moan, and Karter was becoming a sweaty mess, trying to hammer her harder without breaking himself in two in the process. She finally came, and he quickly followed. He slumped exhausted over her back, panting to catch his breath.

"You were pretty good, but Dell was better. His cock is longer and thicker. He's stronger, and he also used his mouth on me--"

"Enough!" Karter gasped in dismay, pushing himself up and away from her body, holding his hands up to stop her critique of his performance. He realized her brutal honesty wasn't always welcome. "Thanks for the fun and for keeping an eye on Dell."

"Do you have any work for me?" Kharza asked.

Karter considered that and realized he could no longer allow Dell to work as a bouncer. Not while he carried the sword. "You can be security for the bar until Dell can get rid of the sword. The pay isn't very good, two silvers a month plus room and board."

"It is enough," she said with a smile.

"Speak to Dell. Tell him I gave you his bouncer job. He'll show you how we do it. Do you know about the inn's neutral territory state?"

Kharza nodded with a smile. "No fighting in the Inn."

"Right. Dell will also show you where you can sleep." He gestured to her pack by the door.

"Thank you." She collected her gear and left his office.

Karter flopped back in his chair, exhausted. Having sex with an Orc was an interesting experience, but he was glad it was now off his bucket list.

His ego had taken enough of a beating.

-=-

Kharza found Dell in the kitchen and stood leaning against the doorway, admiring his concentration and the movements of his hands as he prepared a series of pot pies. She spotted the sword and scabbard leaning against the far wall.

One of the ladies working with him glanced back toward her and screamed.

Dell spun in place with a spatula in his hand, then relaxed when he saw her. "Cecily, there's no need to be frightened." He looked at the others and saw they were all staring at the big green Orc female in the doorway. "This is Kharza. She's a friend I met last night." He looked at her. "Did you speak to my father?"

She grinned at him. "Yes. He told me to tell you I'm going to be taking over your bouncer duties."

Dell considered that for a moment, then nodded.

"He said you'd show me how it's done here at the inn."

He nodded and looked at Hildy. "I'll be right back."

He guided Kharza to the bar and walked her through her responsibilities and how they dealt with unwelcome guests. "The official policy is no fighting within the building. You're allowed to throw the rowdy guests out the front door into the street, but while inside the building, we are polite but firm." She nodded, and he guided her from the bar to step out the front door onto the wrap-around porch. He demonstrated tossing a drunk. The sword and scabbard suddenly appeared on his hip. He frowned down at it, then stepped back inside with a sigh.

"I understand the job. It seems easy enough to me, and I can be polite but firm," she said, and Dell smiled. "Where do you sleep as I'll share your bed. You are much better at sex than your father."

Dell held up his hands. "I didn't need to know that... but thanks." He knew he could get used to her bold nature and realized he had no objections to sharing his bed with her. He pointed to the private door. "This leads upstairs to the owner's personal bedrooms. Mine is at the end of the hall." With a nod, he headed back to the kitchen, unbuckling the belt for the scabbard on the way.

Kharza carried her pack upstairs and put it in Dell's room. She looked around and found it comfortable enough. The bed would easily fit them both.

She went back downstairs and settled herself on a chair on the porch to relax, content for the first time in a long time.

She missed her daughter and her mate and likely would for the rest of her days. But now, for the first time since that awful morning she woke under the dead bodies of her friends and family, she could see a future.

Chapter 5

Ghelli'Talesh's village doctor, Nerell, knelt by the four soldiers who were in a terrible state. They'd spent the night lying in their sick and waste on the lawn of the roadhouse and had only been discovered by the owner when he opened the doors at dawn. He'd immediately sent a runner to fetch the doctor.

Now that he'd assessed them, all he'd been able to determine was that they were weakening, but he couldn't detect anything natural about the symptoms. He turned to the runner.

"Fetch Wizard Lerrisen and his guest from Grennesh." The youth rushed away.

There was nothing the doctor could do for these Humans.

-=-

Wizard Lerrisen caught the look Nerell cast as he compared the two wizards as they approached. He was quickly getting used to this as it was the same everywhere he took his Human counterpart in the village. His people were comfortable with him as he looked like the epitome of a wise Wood Elf elder with his tall slim frame, long limbs, and graceful hands. His long white hair was intricately braided at his temples to keep his hairless face free from stray locks. The wizard robes he wore were made of the same cloth the people wore, so he blended in.

Morgan Ducane was not what the Wood Elves expected a wizard to look like. He was much shorter than Lerrisen and broad-shouldered with the denser musculature of his race. He almost looked like a warrior rather than a wielder of magic. The Human's long black hair was also braided at his temples like his was, but the lower half of his face was covered by a dense black beard. His eyes were a lively, deep blue, constantly assessing his surroundings. Everyone could see the sharp intelligence in those eyes, which was a trait of wizards no matter the race.

The moment they arrived, they quickly consulted with the doctor, heard his assessment, then went to see the dire condition of the four men.

"It's a curse and a particularly nasty one," Morgan asserted in his gravelly voice and received a nod from Lerrisen.

He cast his own assessment spell over the four and identified the source. "It's old magic. I haven't seen anyone use one of these in a very long time because its use was banned. I can counter it." He paused as he prepared the canceling spell. Surveying his target, he cast the spell, and they heard a subtle snap as the curse dissipated.

Lerrisen continued. "The men will recover, but they'll be bedridden for at least a week. That will delay your return to Grennesh, my friend. The soldiers are unconscious and will probably remain this way for a day or so. Unfortunately, we won't be able to question them about who placed the curse on them until their recovery reaches a state of lucidity."

He turned to the owner of the roadhouse, Kraphlee. "Please get them cleaned up and put into their beds. They'll need to be fed light broth for two days. Then bread and thin stews."

The older male didn't look very happy. "I don't have the staff to assign as nurses for these soldiers."

Lerrisen gestured toward the road leading to the village. "Haleth has the potion shop not far from here. Let her know I'm calling in a favor and asking for four of her workers to assist you, but not Eryllis."

The owner nodded and left to speak with his closest neighboring business.

Morgan looked at Lerrisen. "Something wrong with this Eryllis?" he asked curiously.

The wizard sighed. "She has anger management issues."

Morgan gestured to his guards and raised a bushy eyebrow, but the Wood Elf wizard shook his head.

"This curse hasn't been used in centuries. She's too young to know it, and her grandmother and I have an agreement she won't be taught magic. With her rage problem, that would lead to a road of ruin."

Morgan nodded as he agreed. Rage issues and magic use always led to trouble.

It looked like he would get to spend an extra week with his friend. He didn't have any pressing duties at home he was aware of, so he'd just appreciate the time away.

-=-

Eryllis packed a travel kit as the walk to Grennesh would take her two or three days. She wasn't concerned for her safety now that she had the staff. First things first, though.

She left her bedroom and went down to the ground floor to find her grandmother in her office. The other workers were in the next room and within earshot, but she knew her grandmother would refuse to shut her office door.

"I'm going to take some time off to work on my anger issues," she said to the old female, who eyed her critically. Eryllis knew this excuse would work since it was something her grandmother couldn't refuse. It was exactly what she wanted Eryllis to do, after all.

"How long will you be gone? You're aware, this is our busiest season," the female growled.

"I can't say. Besides, you have all these collectors you were so pleased with yesterday. They'll obviously continue to impress you," she responded hotly.

"Get out. You're no use to me in this state. Come back when you learn how to keep a civil tongue in your head," Haleth snapped in frustration.

Eryllis spun and marched back upstairs, ignoring the glares from the workers. They didn't matter anymore.

-=-

Lyyrall gestured for the others to follow and quickly rushed to the back door, slipping outside.

Once they were gathered where Haleth couldn't overhear them, Lyyrall began. "The cow is finally leaving but, on her way, she's set us up for failure. That huge windfall she handed to us yesterday! She must have planned the entire thing! You heard her. Now the old woman will expect us to deliver the same results every time!"

Jorina gasped at the scale of Eryllis' plotting! "She faked falling off the cliff! She goaded us into taking the items from her basket and probably planted that enormous Hissing Root! It's diabolical how sneaky she is!" Lyyrall nodded with wide eyes.

"We can't let her get away with this!" Hessia hissed.

Pheo looked doubtful. "You really think she's smart enough to do all that?"

"She's leaving! That's a good thing, right?" Ivalis said, backing Pheo's intent to avoid further difficulties.

Lyyrall scowled. "It would be if she hadn't poisoned Haleth's mind to us. Hessia's right. We can't let her get away unpunished."

Garis chuckled, and the others looked at her oddly. She shook her head. "I know where there's a batch of Stench Horn mushrooms."

Lyyrall, Jorina, and Hessia gasped in delight as they quickly picked up the idea.

Pheo looked nervous. "I'm allergic to Stench Horn."

Lyyrall frowned and saw the hesitation on her and Ivalis' faces. "You two stay here and cover for us in case Haleth comes looking."

"Which direction do you think she'll go?" Jorina asked.

"East," Lyyrall said definitely.

The others looked at her in surprise.

"No self-respecting Wood Elf male would want to mate with a cow. She'll find no lovers here. She has to be hunting for cock amongst the Humans. That means Grennesh," Lyyrall explained.

Hessia covered her mouth to stifle her giggles, and Lyyrall shot her a grateful smile.

Garis was impatient to move. "Come on! She'll be going soon, and we still need to collect the Stench Horn and set up our ambush!

The four rushed away as Pheo and Ivalis sagged in relief. They didn't like Eryllis but were satisfied with not having to face her sharp tongue anymore. She always made them feel so stupid!

Before they stepped inside, they saw Kraphlee, the roadhouse owner, walking toward the shop. He had a grim look on his long face, which didn't bode well. The two females looked at each other and wondered if they should have stayed with their friends. They went inside and heard the final shouts as Haleth cursed at her granddaughter, who slammed the door on her way out.

Damn, Haleth was in a bad mood.

Pheo took a deep breath and moved forward to address the old female.

"We have a visitor coming," she said, and Haleth whipped her head around to glare at her.

"Who?"

"Kraphlee, the owner of the roadhouse. He's almost here," Pheo responded.

Haleth pulled herself together and nodded. She walked to the front door and opened it just as the lanky Wood Elf reached it.

"Good morning, Kraphlee."

"I wish I could say it was, Haleth, but I come bearing a request for a favor from the Wizard Lerrisen. The four Human soldier guides for the Human wizard were found in a retched state this morning on my front lawn. Close to death, they were. Lerrisen claimed it was a curse and cured them of that, but they're a mess. He's told me to ask you for four of your workers to tend to the sick for a week until they're healed enough to leave."

"Four! That won't leave me enough to complete my orders! My ungrateful granddaughter left me this morning as well!" Haleth shrieked in dismay.

The tall male shrugged. "I'm sorry, Haleth, but it's just my wife and me running the roadhouse, and she's not so well these days. I can't ask her to take on this work as well as her cooking and cleaning."

Haleth fretted as her reputation would be damaged from the orders she failed to complete. She'd have to do the collecting herself with the remaining workers she had. She bit her tongue to keep herself from cursing her granddaughter again. Nothing but trouble from that one. So willful, unlike her docile mother.

She turned and saw Pheo and Ivalis, who were staring at her nervously. She frowned at their fear. "Where are the others?"

"Collecting," Pheo blurted.

"Dammit!" Haleth snapped, then nodded. "You two go with Kraphlee now, and I'll send two others when they get back."

The roadhouse owner nodded and turned to walk home without a glance back. Pheo and Ivalis glanced once more at Haleth, then scurried after the male.

Their day wasn't looking up after all.

-=-

The Stench Horn mushrooms were exactly where Garis said they'd be. But of course they were, as no person or creature would willingly disturb the foul-smelling gourd-shaped plants which contained a sticky sap, the source of that odor.

Each of the four ladies carried one of them very carefully. They found cover, two to a side of the path leading into the forest, and waited for their target.

They didn't have to wait for very long before Eryllis walked into view.

Lyyrall frowned as she didn't recall ever seeing Eryllis carrying a walking stick before. No matter. She looked across the road at Jorina, who grinned and nodded. She was ready. Lyyrall hoped Hessia and Garis were prepared as well.

The moment Eryllis stepped between the four trees the ladies hid behind, they stepped out and threw their weapons. Two of them hit their mark, splashing the foul-smelling goo over the woman. One struck the road by her feet, and one struck the ground a mere arms-length from Hessia's position. The idiot couldn't throw.

Still, their victim was well covered with the sticky sap. She looked up from her destroyed dress and glared murderously at Lyyrall, who forced steel into her spine to not back down from the rage she saw in those eyes. She and the other three took one step closer but avoided the sticky splashes on the roadway.

"We're tired of having to deal with your foul attitude and ugly temper. You are no longer welcome here in the Mistveil Woods. Leave and never return!" she said boldly with a forced smile. The others threw in their own comments about her leaving and never returning.

Maybe she'd finally get the message this time.

-=-

Eryllis was quickly losing control over her rage. She felt the white-hot waves scouring her rational mind, and all she could see was how much these creatures needed to die.

That thought gave her a moment's pause. To kill them was a step further than she was willing to go. That said, they needed to be punished.

She got her voice to work, and it shook the ground slightly with the power contained within it.

"I may have an ugly temper, but you are ugly right down to your cores."

She raised the staff and slammed it down against the road. A wave of magic force exploded outwards and tossed the four back against the trees. Bones broke, skin tore, and screams echoed through the woods as they lay crumpled against the base of the trees.

"You will never speak to me again, and you will never say my name!" she snapped, looking into the eyes of the four injured females. They screamed in pain and terror as she seemed to peer into their minds.

It was too much, and they fainted

-=-

Eryllis took deep breaths to calm the inferno within her. She'd lost control before, but now it felt worse. Much, much worse. She gazed at the crumpled forms and nodded stiffly as she was sure they understood her orders. None were fatally injured, that she could tell.

She looked at herself and realized her dress was ruined. She needed to find a spot to clean up.

Walking away from the scene of carnage, she missed seeing Hessia wake and begin to crawl back towards the village.

Eryllis walked for half an hour before finding a stream crossing under the roadway at a small bridge. She turned downstream and followed the waterway until she could no longer see the road. She leaned the staff against a tree and was grateful to see it had escaped being splashed with the sticky sap.

She removed her pack, seeing only a few tiny droplets of the sticky stuff on it, and set it next to the staff.

Before she proceeded, she looked in all directions and listened carefully to ensure she was alone. Seeing and hearing nothing but the forest itself, she carefully removed her dress. The fabric was ruined, but there were a few spots where the sap missed, so she tore those free to use as rags. Stripping off her undergarments, she waded into the frigid water. Scrubbing herself with sand, she got the sap off but not before scraping her skin raw.

Cursing the bitches for their cruelty, she dried herself with the rags as best she could and pulled her underwear back on. Pulling another dress from her pack, she slipped that on and hissed at how the fabric stung against the spots she'd scrubbed raw.

The pack went onto her back, and she lifted the staff in her hand once more as she walked back along the stream to the road. She checked to see if anyone else was hiding to attack her, then an idea came to her. She pointed the staff at the road leading to the village and muttered something even she couldn't hear, and a mist began forming over the road. She turned and quick-walked over the small bridge, then slowed to a normal walking pace when she got to the other side.

There was still plenty of sunlight left in the day, so she wanted to make a good start on her trip to Grennesh.

-=-

Dell was humming quietly to himself as he loaded the next batch of pies into the oven. The previous set joined the first on the cooling trays on the countertop, and the kitchen was filled with the mouth-watering scent of the baked, flaky crust and delicious filling.

He'd gotten up early to make the pies as they had to be ready for the lunch hour. His father sent runners up to Grennesh to spread the word that today was the day.

Dell had a process, and the kitchen crew knew when to give him space and when to ensure the ingredients were brought up from the cellar for the next series of pies. It didn't take long before they had the pies ready for their first customers and more baking for the second wave.

By ten AM, there was a line of people waiting outside the restaurant.

Kharza came inside from the porch to find Karter.

"You have a large line of people outside who look like they're starving," she said in concern. He followed her out, then smiled at her before explaining.

"The runners we sent out this morning went to the wealthy merchants first. They hire street rats to act as placeholders. You can see each of them is carrying a small plaque with a house sigil imprint. When the lunch hour approaches, the Merchants will arrive and take the spots their placeholders got for them." He gestured to the rough-looking group. "What you're seeing are the poorest members of Grennesh society. They'll get a few coins for spending hours standing out here in whatever the weather happens to be. They'd never be able to afford a pie of their own, and if you gave them one, the others would tear them to pieces to get it." He wasn't smiling any longer as he turned and walked back inside.

Kharza realized Grennesh had its own form of savagery. She did a rough count and realized that close to fifty of these street rats were peacefully standing in the line.

At twenty minutes to the hour, the ladies from the kitchen rushed outside with trays laden with pie slices wrapped in broad leaves to contain the filling. The women quickly walked up the line dispensing these to the placeholders, who wasted no time in consuming the delicious, if small, meal.

As they finished, they licked the waxy leaf's surface to get every drop of the gravy.

Kharza watched the joy on their faces and how grateful they all seemed. From the largest to the smallest, each of them received their slice, and she noticed each portion was exactly the same size! Kharza was surprised to see the larger brutes weren't bullying their smaller counterparts for their pieces. That seemed to defy the nature of the people in the line and contradicted what Karter suggested earlier.

She was confused.

Then she saw Dell was standing next to her, watching the line. He wasn't smiling or frowning. He just watched. The street rats began to notice he was there, and soon they were all looking up at him, but Kharza couldn't grasp what their expressions meant.

Then it dawned on her. It was respect.

When the last of them had received their slice, Dell looked up the road and called out for the ladies to hurry back. With a glance at Kharza, he followed them inside.

She scanned the street rats in line and saw they were all wiping their faces and eating any loose crumbs from their clothes they might have missed. Then, each one gave the next in line a quick visual inspection to ensure they hadn't missed any evidence they'd just eaten.

Moments later, the first of the merchants began to arrive. They quickly found their sigil and stepped in line as the placeholder handed them their plaque, accepted some coins, and rushed away, back to Grennesh.

It didn't take long before the line was completely replaced by the far wealthier citizens from the city up the hill.

Kharza snorted with disgust as she saw these businessmen and women jostling for position and being surly about it. The street rats had been far more civil.

Disgusted by what she saw, she made her way inside to find Dell in the kitchen. He was busy loading the next batch of pies into the ovens. These would be the last ones made for the lunch hour.

"The slices of pie you gave to those waiting, were they discards? Like broken or burnt pies?" she asked.

Dell looked to the enchanted one-way window into the dining room Karter had installed in the kitchen, but the guests weren't being seated yet. Then he locked eyes with the Orc. "Never mention they are given pie within the hearing of anyone. No one is to know."

Kharza's eyes widened as the ladies from the kitchen rushed out to bring their customers inside.

"I don't break or burn my creations. They get slices from the same quality pies the wealthy bastards entering the dining room will get."

They heard some raised voices and sharp words, so Dell stepped into the doorway leading into the dining room and cast a curious gaze over the people fighting over a table. The chubby merchants froze when they saw him, and he nodded to another table. The closest merchant nodded in return and took a seat as Dell moved back into the kitchen, rubbing his temple with a grimace.

Kharza watched Dell inspect the pies that would be sent out and nod to himself. His smile had returned.

The ladies rushed inside and began collecting the plates and garnishing them before hustling back out to deliver them.

"Watch their expressions," Dell said to Kharza over his shoulder as he worked.

She glanced through the window and saw the two chubby merchants trying to pretend they weren't savoring each bite.

"Why are they pretending not to enjoy it?" she asked in confusion.

Dell shook his head. "Because they're idiots. Image is more important to them than honesty."

"You bad-mouthing our best customers?" Karter said with a grin as he stepped into the kitchen.

"Perish the thought," Dell said dryly as he continued to work.

Kharza saw the affection between the two men as they weren't hiding it. She settled herself in the room's corner and waited until the last of the customers had been served. Then she walked over to hand Dell a glass of cool water. He drank it all, then nodded his thanks.

She asked the question that had been on her mind since before the lunch rush. "You could make more money selling those pies you cut up for the street rats, but you don't. Why?"

Dell looked at her for a moment, then nodded and walked to the back door with her following. Once they were outside in the cooler air, he stretched and ran his fingers through his hair.

"I spent most of my childhood running the streets with some of the people you saw in that line. No one else would make friends with a Halfling. It wasn't all laughter and fun. I learned some hard lessons under the fists and heels of some real monsters, but there was an honesty you can't easily find in the higher elements of society. Once I found my place there, a lonely young male found friendship and acceptance. I repay that kindness forward."

He took some deep breaths as his brow furrowed. He rubbed his temples as he struggled with something. "It helps keep the anger at bay, as well."

Leaning back against the building, he sighed. "Tonight, the city leaders and the wealthiest citizens will come for their turn." He shook his head. "They're worse than the merchants. I wouldn't trust any of them at my back. Tomorrow we'll start seeing the regular townsfolk coming down. We'll have two days of them, then we'll be done."

"The merchants and the rich don't show up during those days?" Kharza asked.

Dell shook his head, then paused. "Well, not to the same degree. Some won't deny themselves any pleasure, but they don't get preferential seating on those days. They sit with the common people who aren't afraid to show their joy."

They went back inside as Dell had more pies to prepare. Kharza walked back to the front porch and took a seat to watch the last of the merchants waddle outside. Two stopped to stare at her as if considering her sellable value. She raised an eyebrow at them, and they quickly left.

The arrival of the town officials began hours later and was a procession of carriages. They didn't use placeholders but arrived in a predetermined order they'd worked out amongst themselves.

Karter greeted each one at the Inn's door, and they were guided to their seats. Once they'd been brought their drinks, their meals were served.

Kharza watched the faces of these wealthy and important citizens. They were less resistant to displaying their enjoyment, but she was surprised when a table finished and left without paying.

"The wealthiest citizens don't pay for their meal?" she asked Karter as he stepped into the kitchen.

He glanced at her in annoyance. "We have an agreement."

She turned away with a frown and went back to watching the faces of these freeloading guests. She noted that while they looked genuinely happy, it wasn't the same. She looked at Dell. "Their expressions aren't half as joyful as the ones I saw on the street rats, and they only received a small slice each."

Dell nodded and smiled. "Watch the faces of the guests tomorrow when the regular people of Grennesh come by." He turned back to making pies.

When the dinner rush was over, it was the kitchen staff's time for dinner. Each of the ladies was given two pies. One to eat and one to bring home for their families. Some chose to only enjoy a slice and brought the rest home. They had larger families.

Kharza had been smelling them all day and her mouth watered as she faced the one presented to her.

After her first bite, she stopped and slowly savored the delicious flavors. She smiled at Dell gratefully. "You are a master chef! How hasn't one of these wealthy families hired you away?"

Karter laughed as he heard this comment on his way into the kitchen. "Believe me, they try. Every time we host one of his meals, they try. It gives me great joy to see their disappointment when he tells them no."

Kharza grinned. "This is your payment for their agreement?"

Karter paused, then nodded with a small smile.

She took another bite. "This is the best thing I've ever eaten, next to the roasted bird Dell made for me the night we met."

One of the ladies sighed. "Oh yes, his wild cock is divine!" The others burst into giggles at her slip of the tongue as her expression flashed to embarrassment.

Dell smiled at her as he finished up his own dinner. He was the first to be done and immediately began cleaning the kitchen. The others quickly finished up and assisted him.

Kharza watched how happy everyone seemed, and it drew her mind back to her village after a feast. Everyone was content with food in their bellies and relaxed. The children were drowsy, and soon they would all be sleeping peacefully.

On such a night, her tribe was attacked and wiped out, leaving her alone to carry out her vengeance.

She wiped away a tear and finished her wonderful meal in silence.

Later, she might get the privilege of throwing some drunken fool from the porch onto his belly.

That thought returned the smile to her face.

-=-

It was late in the day when Hessia crawled to the edge of town and was spotted by Pheo, who was taking a moment to catch her breath outside the roadhouse.

She screamed and ran over to investigate but stopped short when she saw the pockmarks and oozing pustules on her friend's skin. She turned and ran to get the doctor instead as he was still within the main building.

When a group led by Nerell returned to Hessia, he took one look and sent a runner to collect the wizards. He kept everyone back but tried to speak with the female.

"Hessia, where are the others?" he asked as Pheo told him there was a group out gathering.

Her voice was weak and cracked, but she could whisper. "Back. On the road. Injured like me."

"Who did this?" he asked.

She screamed until she passed out.

The doctor moved back and waited for the wizards. This was no normal disease to strike so quickly, and that scream spoke of darker magic at work. Besides, she smelled like Stench Horn.

Once more, Lerrisen and Morgan arrived, shocked at what they found.

Morgan took one look and paled. "I haven't seen a pox like this for decades!"

"Yes," Lerrisen agreed. "Once more, it's an ancient disease and driven by dark magic. I can cancel the curse, but the pox will need to be treated with conventional medicine. Can you set up a containment spell around her once I break the curse?" he asked, and Morgan nodded, preparing the spell.

Lerrisen closed his eyes, pulled up the old memory of the spell he needed, and cast it over the female. He was surprised by how the curse resisted him before his will broke it. The previous curse had been far easier to collapse. That spoke of a strength increase in the caster, or perhaps they weren't prepared on the first one. It was concerning how much strength was in the second, nonetheless.

Morgan's containment spell surrounded the injured female so the pox would not spread. Lerrisen looked to Nerell. "She is safe to touch now. You may treat her injuries and begin a course of treatment for the pox. It will take considerable effort to cure the disease, but she can be saved."

Nerell looked to Lerrisen. "She spoke of three more up the road, also injured and likely suffering from the same disease."

The Wood Elf wizard shared a look with his Human counterpart, then knelt next to the unconscious female. He willed her to consciousness, and she blinked at him in confusion. "You are safe now. We will treat your injuries. Who did this to you?"

Hessia screamed in terror and pain, making him lean away. "Rest," he said and willed her back to sleep. He looked at Morgan once more.

"That's a powerful compulsion. More dark magic," the Human said, and Lerrisen nodded.

"It's too deep for me to remove without damaging her mind." He looked to the people gathering and saw Kraphlee standing with a group of males who'd arrived from the village with his runner. The wizard spoke to them. "We must find the others quickly before the pox spreads."

They set off as the doctor moved to examine Hessia's injuries.

As they walked, the two wizards spoke softly to each other to not frighten the others.

Morgan was frowning with concern. "That's two examples of dark sorcery and ancient spells at that. We need to find the culprit behind these attacks immediately!"

"From the strength behind the second curse, we may be facing another master-level mage," Lerrisen replied.

As they approached a slight bend in the road, the Wood Elf wizard suddenly threw his arms wide, forming a dome around the group. Outside the dome was a grey mist. A fog suddenly surrounded them, and the forest was gone.

"This is Druid magic?" Morgan said in confusion.

Lerrisen nodded with a stiff expression as his lips moved silently. The mist slowly split and moved away to either side of the road and dissipated into the forest.

"You know Druid magic?" Morgan asked him quietly.

"A little. Just enough to protect myself from the creatures of the woods. Maintaining such a broad dome was pushing my limits," he admitted.

They moved forward cautiously and found the three females on the ground amongst splashed patches of Stench Horn sap. All three were unconscious but alive. Their injuries were worse than Hessia's, and they all showed signs of the pox. Lerrisen broke the curse, and Morgan enclosed each with a containment spell.

One of the males was staring at the ladies with a sad expression.

"What is it?" Morgan asked him.

"They all worked at Haleth's potion shop, and they used to be so pretty. I've seen what the pox does as my grandmother had it. It ravished her skin and left her with scars. These ladies seem to have it worse than she did."

The wizards shared a look and helped create some rudimentary stretchers to carry the three females back to the roadhouse.

When they were on their way back, Lerrisen leaned a little closer to Morgan. "We need to go speak with the potions shop owner for answers." Morgan nodded.

-=-

Haleth was fretting over the incomplete orders and silently cursing her willful and disobedient granddaughter. The problem was, and she would never tell her this as she needed to remain in the dark about the cause, Eryllis was her best collector. She had an innate ability to find the freshest and most potent ingredients. Haleth had come to depend on her as much as that galled her.

The old female would have been quite content to continue using her granddaughter for her useful skills if she hadn't chosen to leave. She knew this skill was tied to her natural-born proficiency with magic, but she'd promised Lerrisen she'd keep magic out of her hands. That suited her just fine as she needed someone to perform the mundane tasks in her shop, and she was the best collector.

Now she was saddled with preparing all the potions, and she was getting low on some key ingredients. Her far less proficient collectors hadn't returned from their outing, so she hoped they'd found a treasure trove for her.

A sudden knock on the front door of her shop made her jump in fright. She scowled in that direction, then remembered she'd locked it as she worked in the back. She walked to the front of the building and opened the door to see Wizard Lerrisen and a strange Human standing next to him.

"Good eve, Haleth. This is my colleague Morgan Ducane, Grennesh's master wizard. May we come in to speak with you?"

She nodded cautiously as she sensed a tension in the two males. She stepped back, and the two entered. The Human's eyes immediately scanned the interior of her shop as if making a mental inventory. But he was a wizard, so of course, he was.

Haleth led them to her office and sat behind her desk, feeling more comfortable with the heavy furniture between her and the two wizards.

Lerrisen got right to the point as he was familiar with her personality. "I'm sorry to say I come bearing some unhappy news. Four of your workers were attacked in the forest. None was fatally injured, but they do have broken bones. Worse, the perpetrator afflicted them with a curse that infected them with an ancient pox." Haleth gasped in fright, and he continued. "I broke the curse, but the pox will take months to cure."

"Who did this?" the shopkeeper asked nervously.

Morgan leaned forward, and her eyes went to him. "That's just the thing. We've encountered dark magic that suggests a sorcerer, but we walked into a Druidic trap on our way to find some of your workers. We may be facing two strong magic users."

Lerrisen locked eyes with Haleth. "Where is Eryllis?"

She opened her mouth, then realized what he was implying. "I never broke faith with you, Lerrisen. She doesn't know!" She paused as the implication of his question sank in. "I've given her no instruction on magic and certainly not Druid skills."

"Could she have met with someone who took her under his wing? They'd be older, considering the age of these spells," Lerrisen suggested.

"I've seen no strangers in the area, and no one who isn't a local has entered my shop. The only place Eryllis has been aside from here is the forest for her collecting duties, and every time she went, she was accompanied by the oth--" She stopped and frowned as she remembered the story about her falling off the cliff.

The sharp-eyed Lerrisen saw the doubt on her features. "What is it?"

Haleth snorted and shook her head. "It's nothing. Just a little squabbling between the others and that fiery-tempered granddaughter of mine."

"It might be significant. Please tell us," Morgan asked.

She scowled at the man as she was uncomfortable discussing how she dealt with Eryllis.

Lerrisen looked to Morgan, who nodded and stood, preparing to give them privacy.

"Sit!" Haleth snapped. Her eyes went to the village wizard. "You'll just tell him the moment you two are alone, so he might as well hear it from me," she said crossly, and the wizards didn't contradict her, so her expression soured further. She took a deep breath as Morgan sat down once more.

"On their last visit to the forest for collecting, there was an incident. No doubt there was an exchange of sharp words. That's almost guaranteed with Eryllis. The others are... not as bright and are prone to gossip, and this is a trigger for her." She waved a hand to break from her divergence.

"The others returned hours later with baskets full and carrying the largest Hissing Root tuber I have ever seen. The ladies told me a story about how a fog swallowed Eryllis, and she fell off a cliff into the sea. Some time later, Eryllis returned uninjured, but her clothes were badly torn. Her basket was empty, and she claimed the others had left her for dead, robbed her of her basket contents and the Hissing Root she found. She offered no proof, so I sent her back out to fill her basket. She returned with it filled with rare and precious mushrooms. She really is an extraordinary collector," Haleth finished softly, forgetting her audience as her mind spun with questions.

"She might have met someone when the others abandoned her. Someone who healed her injuries from such a fall," Lerrisen suggested gently.

Haleth glanced into his eyes. "It's possible."

"Might we see the Hissing Root?" Morgan asked, and Haleth and Lerrisen both looked at him in question. "Indulge me, please," he said with an amused twinkle in his eye.

Haleth gestured for them to exit the office, then led them into the back of her shop. She glanced over her shoulder at them with a scowl. "Touch nothing!"

Morgan just smiled at her as he held his hands up. Lerrisen rolled his eyes at his colleague. Then they froze as they stared at the huge root.

"Hissing Roots don't grow this large," Morgan uttered quietly. The Wood Elf wizard nodded in agreement.

"Where did they say they found this growing?" Lerrisen asked.

Haleth thought back. "At the cliff's edge."

"Not a typical place to find them, either," Morgan said. He looked at Haleth. "May I please touch this?" She fixed a suspicious eye on him. "It is not my intent to damage it. I just need to determine if it contains any magical energy."

"Ah," Lerrisen said as he realized what his fellow wizard was up to. This wasn't a skill he'd developed, so he was quite interested to see it work.

Haleth looked at him, and the Wood Elf nodded his approval, so she gestured for the Human to proceed.

Morgan moved to stand before the large tuber and cleared his mind. He called upon the required spell, wove a mesh of magic between his fingers, and gently slid his hands over the tuber's surface as he spoke the words. His eyes suddenly flew open as he felt an immediate reaction inside the large mass. He spun to look into Lerrisen's eyes as he leaped to tackle Haleth.

"SHIELD!" he yelled as he took her to the floor behind Lerrisen, who flung his arms upward.

The tuber exploded, flinging boiling vegetable matter in all directions, but within that soup, blue-black energy lanced out at Morgan, sparking and fizzling across the shield the Wood Elf wizard erected just in time. The remaining power lashed out wildly, scorching every surface it touched, seeking a target but finding none. When the last of the charge drained away from the shattered Hissing Root, Lerrisen sagged in relief and dropped the shield, sinking to his knees to gasp for breath. He turned to look at Morgan, staring back at him with wide eyes.

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?" Haleth shrieked as she took in the devastation. Her shop was destroyed! Every surface was contaminated or burnt, and her supplies were spoiled--Her eyes saw one of her bins was on fire and beginning to spit sparks. That was Demon Wort!

"WE HAVE TO GET OUT!" she screamed as she scrambled to her feet and ran for the front door. The wizards wasted no time in catching up and chased her out.

Haleth didn't stop when they burst outside, so they ran faster and pulled her along. An enormous hand suddenly knocked them all from their feet, sending them tumbling as intense heat washed over them. It felt like their clothes might spontaneously combust.

When their tumbling came to a stop, they were lying on their backs, watching a rolling inferno climb into the sky. They had to shield their faces from the radiant heat, but the wizards caught sight of the trademark curling horns of the fireball.

Lerrisen turned his head to glare at Haleth. "Demon Wort? You had Demon Wort inside your shop? Are you mad?"

Haleth was sputtering angrily, but guilt was clearly visible on her face as well. "I've safely contained it for years! It's very effective against erectile dysfunction! It's one of my best-selling potions!"

Morgan glanced over at Lerrisen, a little fuzzy on the nature of Devil Wort as it was only found in this forest. "Doesn't that become more potent and unstable the longer it's stored in a dry environment? I saw no wet storage containers in her workroom."

Lerrisen gestured to the dissipating horned mushroom cloud. "That is exactly what happens, and I saw none either."

"Wet Devil Wort stiffens nothing!" Haleth snapped. She turned an accusing eye on Morgan. "What did you do to destroy my shop, home, and livelihood?"

Morgan ignored her and turned to Lerrisen. "The tuber's root absorbed a tremendous amount of dark magic. Very potent sorcery was near it for a long time. That suggests not a person but an artifact, something that radiates cursed ener--oh, damn." His voice went quiet as his expression froze, and an identical expression appeared on his colleague's face.

"It couldn't be, could it?" Lerrisen muttered.

"It could because it returned before," Morgan said with a slow nod.

He looked at Haleth, struggling to contain her anger and despair. There was nothing left of her home and business. The fire consumed everything.

"Did your granddaughter tell you where she was going?" he asked.

She shook her head and finally succumbed to her grief as she burst into tears.

People were rushing into view to stare at the dwindling flames.

"I believe we can assume Eryllis is in possession of the cursed Druid staff, and it was her who placed the curse on the soldiers and her coworkers. She was going east. Grennesh is east. We need to catch her before she reaches the city," Lerrisen said.

Morgan shook his head. "We've misread all the clues, and she has too great a head start. It's too dangerous to face this at night. We'll leave at dawn and travel as fast as we can."

They saw Haleth had wandered off to be consoled by some of the townsfolk, so they shared a look and headed back to Lerrisen's to get some rest themselves.

Tomorrow was going to be a trying day.

Chapter 6

Dell woke to pressure in his skull. He'd felt it the previous day off and on, but at the moment, it felt like it was getting worse.

That's when he noticed the pool of drool on his chest.

Kharza was cuddled up against him and left him this delightful morning gift.

He snorted in amusement, and the headache actually backed off a little. That doubled his enjoyment.

Kharza's eyes slowly opened, and she blinked at him. Then she glanced at his chest and smiled sheepishly.

"Apologies for making your chest wet," she said contritely. "I haven't slept so deeply in years!" Her smile turned sexy. "You really wore me out last night with the rough fucking."

Dell chuckled and nodded. "I enjoyed it too. Maybe I'm making up for lost time."

"I'm glad I happened along, then," Kharza commented with a grin.

Dell's headache began to return, so he wiped his chest with the sheets and sat on the edge of the bed. "These sheets need a wash anyway," he sighed, and she chuckled.

Standing, he stretched his muscles and felt them pop and flex. That felt good. He went to the washbasin and scrubbed his body down until he felt refreshed.

Kharza admired the view from the bed. "Your body is a major improvement over the scrawny bodies that seem to be the norm for most Wood Elves."

He glanced at her, then collected some clothes from his chest to pull on.

Kharza gazed at him contemplatively. "Have you ever thought about visiting the MistVeil Woods?"

He scowled. "I've met many Wood Elves in my life, and none has ever shown me anything but scorn. I have no time for them. It might have been different had my mother lived, but that wasn't to be. As far as I'm concerned, they should just leave me the fuck alone."

Dell felt his rage surging, trying to break free from his control, and glanced at the sword resting against the wall. He felt its pull, eager to taste the blood of the ones who shunned him.

Kharza watched him closely and saw where his eyes were focused.

Dell felt another spike of pain in his head as the magic tried to boost his rage once again.

He roared at the sword, then sat on the floor, crossed his legs, and concentrated on his breathing exercises. Kharza watched him slowly regain control, occasionally wincing as the sword tried to force him back into a rage to take over.

When Dell was calm again, he opened his eyes and saw Kharza sitting on the edge of the bed, smiling at him.

"I'm impressed by how much stronger you are than the evil magic," she purred, clearly turned on.

He snorted as he felt a little worn out, but he gave her a smile just the same.

She scooched closer to the edge and spread her legs with a raised eyebrow. Dell chuckled. "You're becoming addicted."

She couldn't disagree, so she shrugged happily, then gasped as he teased her pussy with his tongue. She cried out in bliss.

Karter thumped on his door, telling him to keep it down.

Kharza dropped back on the mattress, moaning loudly, so Dell reached a hand up to cover her mouth. She sucked his fingers into her mouth while he pumped two from his other hand deep inside her, his mouth firmly pressed to her clit, her hand on the back of his head.

She was in heaven again.

-=-

Downstairs, the ladies in the kitchen giggled to each other as they heard the sounds from upstairs, Dell's living quarters being directly above them.

Karter walked into the room looking exhausted. He spotted the grins on the faces of the kitchen staff and grimaced. Hildy, the boldest of them, stepped forward. "It's good to know Dell has discovered something else he's good at." The other two burst into giggles as Hildy handed Karter his hot tea with a grin.

"I'm going to have to pay for a wizard to add soundproofing between our rooms," he grumbled.

Just then, Kharza's muffled cries of bliss came through the ceiling. More giggling ensued, but the ladies also looked a little envious.

With a sigh, Karter collected his breakfast and ate it quietly as he sipped his tea.

Luckily, there were no more noises from above to disturb his morning rituals.

-=-

When Dell walked into the kitchen, he smiled at his father. That smile faded as he saw the glower on the man's face. "Did you sleep poorly?" he asked in concern.

"How was I supposed to get to sleep with all the rutting animal noises next door?" Karter snapped.

Dell's face heated up as he glanced in embarrassment at the smirking kitchen staff. "I-I'm sorry!"

Karter rubbed his face wearily. "No, I'm sorry for barking at you like that," he sighed. "I'm happy for you and Kharza. You make a cute couple, but I'm going to contact the wizard to add soundproofing between our rooms." Glancing at the ceiling and the smiling ladies in the kitchen, he changed his mind. "Or maybe just all-around your room." Hildy made a sound of disappointment, and the others giggled again.

Kharza entered the room and laughed. "I heard what you said. Dell and I aren't a couple. We just enjoy fucking, and Dell is becoming very good at it. What he can do with his mouth--"

"Please stop," Dell pleaded, and she grinned at him but nodded.

The ladies' giggles became a yip of fright as the sword and scabbard appeared in the corner of the kitchen once more.

Face burning from embarrassment and annoyance, Dell grabbed some breakfast and made Kharza a plate as well. They ate in silence, then he cleaned up and began preparing for another day of making pot pies.

Day two was always his favorite.

-=-

Eryllis woke with a feeling of urgency, but she wasn't sure where that was coming from. Feeling well-rested, she pushed that anxiety aside.

It felt like she was taking control of her own destiny for the first time in her life. Being out from under her grandmother's controlling thumb felt liberating.

She rolled up her blankets and packed them away. Her forest harvesting skills found her a nutritious and filling, if not tasty, breakfast.

When she finally made her way back to the road, the sense of urgency returned along with a feeling of being followed. Looking back in the direction of her village, the road she'd walked with confidence now seemed fraught with danger. Instinctively, she raised the staff and spoke words she couldn't hear. She was left a little light-headed from wielding such a powerful spell, but she turned east to continue her journey.

The road behind her was now hidden in a maze of dead-ends and shifting illusions. The labyrinth drew the dark creatures from the forest as it was a much better hunting ground for them.

All they needed was some unwary prey.

-=-

By mid-day, Morgan knew they were in trouble. Somewhere back along the road they followed, there'd been a diversion. He wasn't sure where it had been, but they were no longer following the road, though they appeared to be on it.

They'd started at the crack of dawn with six sturdy Wood Elf guides. He and Lerrisen were in the middle of their group and doing their best to keep up the pace of the stronger males. They took breaks when his partner showed signs of fatigue, and it was likely that exhaustion which led him to miss the fact that they were off the route. The forest was not a familiar environment for Morgan, so he had no chance of identifying the trap they'd stepped into. That said, none of the guides caught it either.

Now it was mid-afternoon, and he was sure they were walking in circles. Their guides were nervous as well. Lerrisen was resting on a stump Morgan was sure he'd sat on before. The uncertainty they all felt was just part of the trap, of course.

He knew they were falling farther behind their quarry, and by this point, it was almost a guarantee that she'd reach Grennesh before they did. If only he had more information on who Eryllis was and what drove her.

If his and Lerrisen's suspicions were correct, the artifact she carried had chosen her. It was driven by rage, and from what he'd heard about her so far, she was a perfect host for it. She was filled with directionless anger, and she had a very strong aptitude for magic. Knowing what drove her rage would give them the means to counter it, potentially freeing her from the artifact's influence.

The night before, Lerrisen filled him in on what little he knew about the young female. Some undefined trauma caused her to become a shut-in with night terrors and explosive rage outbursts. Her grandmother sent her to a clinic for care, and they only dealt with the first issue before Eryllis left the hospital and returned to her grandmother. The rage remained unexplained and unresolved. About that time, Haleth came to Lerrisen to inform him that her granddaughter was exhibiting signs of magical aptitude. With Eryllis seemingly unwilling to return to the clinic to resolve her second issue, the wizard gave the only advice he could, keeping her unaware of her abilities.

Now that was backfiring on them.

"We won't make it out of the maze before nightfall," Lerrisen said wearily. Unfortunately, he failed to keep his voice down, and the six guides they were with immediately became terrified.

"STOP!" Morgan bellowed, using his magic to keep them from fleeing to their doom. He glanced in annoyance at his fellow wizard, who dipped his eyes in a weary apology.

Morgan sighed as six sets of eyes watched him nervously. He looked at Lerrisen. "I have to do it."

There was a moment of confusion, then the wizard's eyes opened in shock. "You cannot! You will never be able to pass through these woods again! Wood Elves will find your presence uncomfortable. Worse still, you will lose precious years of your life!"

Morgan sighed as he smiled sadly. "I will dearly miss visiting you and your company, but this is the only way we'll break free of this trap and perhaps catch our quarry before she's done too much damage. You understand the stakes."

Lerrisen looked at Morgan with pain in his eyes, then nodded his acceptance. He fixed a baleful gaze upon their guides. "What he does now will save your lives, so you will keep that in mind when we are free, and you will fulfill your duties. Do you understand?" Lerrisen said, strength coming back to his voice with his swelling emotions. Six heads nodded to him.

"Do it," Lerrisen said quietly.

Morgan closed his eyes and focused his will upon a spell he'd taught himself for just such an emergency. He understood the ramifications of using it, and he wasn't happy about being forced into a corner like this, but his duty to the people of Grennesh was clear. He had to make this sacrifice if he was to save them.

It was going to take most of his strength to maintain this spell, and he'd have to keep it active until they were out of the forest as the Mistveil Woods would kill him the moment he failed.

Ready, he launched the spell and opened his eyes.

Reality seemed to ripple everywhere his eyes looked. A high-pitched keening began as the magic powering the illusion of the labyrinth before him collapsed. The forest itself was being temporarily stripped of its magic within the focus of his eyes.

At the same time, he felt his destination pulling at him, so he walked.

The others followed at a distance. They could feel the unnatural vacuum of magic in the path he was creating, and it made their skin itch, but they persevered and kept pace with the Human wizard.

Morgan picked up his pace, and stepping out of the forest onto the true road was like stepping through a curtain. He didn't dare release the spell yet as they were flanked by the woods on both sides, and it wanted him dead. He picked up his pace again.

"Carry Lerrisen when he tires," Morgan called out from the front of their group. He didn't dare look back at them.

It took hours, and exhaustion pulled at him, but they finally reached the edge of the Mistveil Woods, and Morgan stumbled out into the open field beyond its edge as the sun dipped below the horizon.

"Rest, Morgan," Lerrisen called out from behind him.

"Not... yet," Morgan gasped as he pushed himself to march across the wide field to reach the first rock outcropping, which signified the beginning of the mountain range Grennesh nestled within. Beyond the reach of the forest.

He dropped to his knees and closed his eyes, releasing the spell and collapsing forward to land on the road, unconscious before he hit the dusty surface.

-=-

The day had gone exceptionally well for Dell. The people of Grennesh came down the hill in record numbers, and none left unsatisfied. He'd watched their smiling faces through the window as he kept up a steady stream of steaming pot pies for the happy people.

His father hadn't stopped smiling since he got over his earlier grumpiness, and they sat in the kitchen relaxing after the final customers finished up and prepared to leave.

Dell had to dip into the stores he'd prepared for the last day to keep up with the demand, but every customer was served, and the staff hadn't needed to sacrifice their own meals for the paying guests.

"Do you have enough ingredients for another day?" Karter asked.

Dell snorted. "Not if it's as busy as today! I swear I saw that textile merchant from yesterday come in twice today!"

Karter grinned. "You did! He's a complete glutton!" he chuckled. He looked around. "Where's Kharza?"

Dell recalled her speaking to him as he finished the last batch. "She said something about preparing for her bouncer duties." He smiled. "She was really effective last night. No one dared take her up on her offer to escort them outside. Even the most belligerent drunk sobered quickly when she approached them with that toothy grin of hers. She's perfect for the job."

Karter watched his son with an evaluating eye. "You like her, don't you," he said.

Dell glanced at his dad. "Of course I do, but not in the way you think. I think she loved her husband and her daughter and is reserving that emotion for their memory."

Karter nodded as he felt the same way about his wife. He tilted his head as he looked into his son's eyes. "But you could love her."

Dell thought about that. "Yeah, I probably could, eventually. I mean, if she let me into her heart. For now, we just like being together, so don't meddle!"

Karter laughed. His son knew him well.

-=-

Eryllis had been walking all day, driven by this pressure she didn't understand. Now, she was exhausted and famished!

She was close to her destination as she'd turned off the trade route to start climbing into the foothills. The grade just added to her exhaustion.

A large sprawling building came into view and, with it, the most incredible scent. Her mouth began watering immediately, but her strength was reaching its limit. She stood before the building, staring at the steps as if they were an insurmountable obstacle.

"Are you okay?"

She lifted her eyes and blinked as she didn't understand what she was looking at. A green female?

The muscle-bound female with tusks climbed down the steps to stand before her, looking her straight in the eyes. "We don't see too many Wood Elves here and none who look like you. You have breasts almost as large as mine!"

Eryllis stared at the green brute and saw she was smiling in delight. Crossing her arms over her chest protectively, she scowled back.

The female raised her hands in apology. "I meant nothing bad by it. You are quite beautiful and unique!" Her smile widened. "I'm Kharza. I know another unique Wood Elf who probably looks like no other you've seen before. He's the best chef, and the food he makes is incredible."

Eryllis wobbled at the thought of food, and Kharza's smile became a look of concern.

"Hey, let's get you inside so you can get a meal. You look like you might faint."

A very strong arm wrapped around her back, and she allowed herself to be supported as they went up the stairs and into the dining room. The place looked like it was closed as all the chairs were up. Kharza pulled a chair down from a table by the window.

"You take a seat here, and I'll get you something to eat."

Eryllis nodded as that's all she had left. Whatever had driven her all day hadn't considered how difficult the task was. She felt resentful at being manipulated once more as it felt like the external pressure her grandmother put on her.

The delicious scent was even stronger here, and her stomach grumbled at being so empty. She glanced in the direction the kind brute Kharza had gone and hoped she wouldn't be long.

-=-

Dell smiled down at the pie before him and prepared to dig in.

Sitting next to him, Karter yelped as the sword was suddenly hanging from a belt around Dell's waist.

Hissing at the sudden spike of pain in his temples, Dell dropped his fork and rubbed his temples. "Damn sword!" he growled.

"It's on your hip again," Karter said with a grim look.

Dell glanced at his father. "Yeah, something is really agitating it as it's trying to make me angry again. Maybe the guardsmen are coming for the sword?"

Karter scowled. "No fighting in the inn!"

"Do you think I don't know that?" Dell snapped, then reined in the anger.

"Sorry. Maybe you should take a walk and not be here when they arrive?" his father suggested.

Dell winced as the pressure built in his head. Something was getting closer, and his temper flared against it. He stood quickly and rushed to the back door. He felt the sword trying to drag him in the other direction fiercely, so he began to run. He heard his father rushing after him.

"No! You stay here, just in case," Dell called back as he set his feet to running once more. Away from the inn and Grennesh. The darkness was no hindrance for him but would make any guardsmen think twice. The pull increased to intense levels, but Dell used his rage against the sword's interference.

He could almost feel its frustration.

Was it alive?

-=-

Kharza rushed into the kitchen and saw it was empty. A pot pie was on a plate on the table with a fork, so Kharza picked it up and walked back out into the dining room to set it down before the weary female.

She smiled as she saw her eyes widen in delight. Dell was right. Feeding people good food was fulfilling in itself.

The Wood Elf grabbed the fork and dug into the flaky crust, scooping out the steaming goodness within. She barely took the time to blow on the hot food before stuffing it into her mouth. Then her eyes closed in bliss as she slowly chewed.

Grinning, Kharza watched the starving woman enjoy her first bite. "I'll get you some water."

"Eryllis. My name, it's Eryllis. Thank you for this," the female said softly.

Kharza nodded with a smile as she went back to the kitchen for some water.

When she returned, she saw that Eryllis had already eaten half of the pie but was slowing down. She placed the glass next to her, and the Wood Elf immediately picked it up and swallowed a few mouthfuls. Then she rested back on her chair to smile in bliss.

Kharza grinned at her. "If you don't mind me asking, what caused you to be in such a state?"

Violet eyes looked at her cautiously, then softened as she only saw curiosity on her face.

"I've been walking for two days with little rest. I have... business in Grennesh," she said, finishing awkwardly. She went back to eating as she was still trembling with fatigue. She glanced up guiltily. "This is so good."

Kharza flashed a wide smile. "Like I said, Dell is an incredible chef. He's pretty damn good in bed too! You'd never guess he'd been a virgin just days ago," she chuckled and watched the heat flash on the female's face.

"You speak very plainly," Eryllis said around another mouthful, unable to stop herself from eating the delicious meal.

"Yes, so I've been told. I'm honest, and I speak my mind. It's the way of Orcs. My tribe was at least."

Eryllis' eyes lit up a little as energy flowed back into her body. "You are the first Orc I've ever met."

Kharza nodded. "We typically keep to the plains, but I was hunting down the bastards who killed my family. I chased them all the way to the foot of these mountains."

Eryllis' mouth stopped chewing as she stared at her. "You killed them?" she asked quietly.

The Orc nodded gently. "Originally, there were eight. I slowly picked them off one after another until there were four. Then they ambushed me. I would have died, but Dell arrived, and we fought them together. He killed two, and I killed the others."

Eryllis frowned. "I thought you said Dell was a chef."

Kharza laughed. "That's just it! He is! But when he arrived on that road, he charged in swinging this big bloody sword and fought like a demon. Afterward, he told me it was the first time he'd ever held a sword in his life. It seems the damn thing is possessed by magic."

Eryllis suddenly clutched her head as if in pain. After the day she'd had, it was obviously too much, and she passed out.

Kharza caught her before she fell from her chair.

Karter entered the room and saw her lifting the Wood Elf into her strong arms.

"What did you do?" he asked in alarm.

Kharza frowned at him. "I fed her and gave her water. She's exhausted! She said she's been walking for two days. Stop asking stupid questions and tell me where she can sleep!"

Karter got closer, and his expression froze. "Oh my! She... she looks a bit like Sharlyn, my wife... except for her nose... and those breasts."

"Never mind! I'll put her in Dell's bed. She can sleep there tonight. Can you bring her staff?"

Karter reached for the Druid staff, but it suddenly wasn't leaning against the wall.

Kharza stared down at the female in her arms as she cradled the staff in hers.

"Oh, damn. It's another magic weapon," Karter said quietly.

Kharza had no idea what to do about that, but she did know what to do with an exhausted female. "I'll put her to bed if you carry her pack and get the doors."

"Oh! Right," Karter said, snapping out of his daze. He led the way, and soon they had her stretched out on Dell's bed with a blanket thrown over her, her shoes on the floor next to the bed.

"It smells of sex in here! Open the window," Karter said with a frown.

She did then pushed the man from the room. "Let her rest. You can gawk at her when she wakes."

As they walked back down the stairs, they both pondered on the appearance of another magic weapon.

What did that mean?

Chapter 7

Dell ran down the road, fighting the sword every step of the way. Finally, he managed to overpower it with a roar as he came to a stop at the intersection of the road to Grennesh and the trade route. Instantly, he yanked the sword from its scabbard and whirled it in a humming circle before him, batting away a series of incoming arrows. He panted and looked down the road to see a group of Wood Elves staring at him in shock. They readied another flight of arrows, and he sprinted forward, sword ready.

Two at the back were carrying people on their backs. One eased his charge to the ground while the other dumped his burden as quick as possible. Dell knocked the second set of arrows away as easily as the first as he drew closer to the group.

Bloodlust surged with the pressure of the sword's will behind it. This was the target the sword was destined to cut down.

Dell stopped his charge as he had no intention to kill these Elves just to appease the sword's need to bathe in their blood.

They smiled as they saw his hesitation.

Dropping their bows to switch to their swords, the first two leaped forward only to encounter a whirling wall of steel that slapped their swords from their hands. They scrambled to retrieve their swords and stumbled into the second group trying to get at Dell.

Dell surged forward into that chaos and beat them with the flat side of his blade and his free fist until all four were on the ground, dazed.

The last two stood their ground before the ones they'd carried.

"STOP!" Dell roared once more. This was for his attackers as well as the sword's influence which struggled to manipulate his rage.

But that rage belonged to Dell.

Nothing was going to make him do anything he didn't agree with. He didn't want to kill these Wood Elves. Slapping them around had been satisfying enough. He would NOT spill blood at someone else's command!

"Listen to him!" a Human voice insisted.

Dell looked to the sole Human in the group and saw wizard robes, the man sitting on the road. His hair and beard were black as the night except for the shocking white braids at his temples and the white strip of beard below his mouth. His eyes were pale ice blue and watched him in surprise.

Gasping for breath, Dell concentrated on forcing down his fiery temper until he was able to take long, deep breaths. Muscles shaking with effort, he eased the sword back into its scabbard.

The two wizards were looking at each other in shock. Then they struggled to their feet.

"Put away your weapons!" The elder Wood Elf wizard commanded the guards. Hesitantly, they sheathed their swords as well.

"That's a cursed blade, isn't it," the Human wizard asked.

"So I've been told," Dell responded cautiously. "I've only been cursed with it for the past few days, but I know it has a mind of its own, and it's thirsty for blood. Especially Wood Elf blood, it seems."

The guards shifted uneasily, but Morgan stepped closer to look up into Dell's face. "But you're a Wood Elf, too!"

"Halfling!" spat one of the guards, and Dell snarled before forcing his anger down again.

"My father is Human," Dell said.

Lerrisen slowly moved closer as well as Dell's eyes tracked him. "You have rage control issues?"

Dell took a deep breath. "Yes. All my life."

Morgan shook his head. "No, I think he has exceptional control." He gestured to Dell's hand, refusing to grip the sword's hilt. He looked into Dell's eyes and nodded. "I can see you do have a tremendous amount of anger within you, but you aren't bowing to the sword's will." He looked at his partner. "No one has ever been able to do this before."

"You know the history behind this bloody thing?" Dell asked.

"Yes, well, Lerrisen likely knows more about it, but I have some knowledge of the cursed sword and staff. I'm Morgan Ducane, Grennesh's Master Wizard. This is Lerrisen Kerowick, Master Wizard of Ghelli'Talesh."

Dell shook their hands. "Dell du Krane, Master Chef of the Wood Knot Inn."

Morgan stared at him in surprise, then burst into laughter. "You're not kidding, are you!"

Dell shook his head. "A friend of mine gave me the title Master Chef, but I am a chef by trade."

"But you've trained with a sword?" Lerrisen insisted.

"No. Kitchen knives only and only for cooking. The fancy swordplay isn't from me. It's the sword," Dell said. He glanced at the guards whose hands were moving to their weapons at his confession. "Do you really want to find out how many slices I can dice you into with this sword? Because it wants that, it really does."

They looked into his eyes and backed down.

Dell looked back at Morgan. "Wait. You said sword and staff. There's another cursed weapon?"

Lerrisen nodded. "That's why we're here. We're following a female Wood Elf who we believe is carrying the other half of the curse, a Druid's staff. The bearers of these weapons are destined to fight to the death as the sword thirsts for Wood Elf blood and the staff, Human. They cause Humans and Wood Elves to explode into bloodlust and war."

Dell was shaking his head with a stern frown. "No! Don't try to sell me on destiny or curses. No one forces me to do anything I don't want to do. I have enough reasons to hate Wood Elves for shunning my mother just because she fell in love with a Human and for how they treat me like something they stepped in. That doesn't mean I want to kill them. I've already proven that. It would have been simple and quick. Whoever trained that sword--"

Lerrisen shook his head. "It's not the sword which was trained but the Human Warrior who originally wielded it. The sword contains everything he was! All of his skills and everything he knew."

"The staff contains the same of the Wood Elf Druid," Morgan added.

Dell looked at them cautiously. "So, the Warrior who's inside this sword really hated Wood Elves? He wanted them all dead?"

Lerrisen looked uncomfortable. "Well, not according to the story. He was infatuated with a Wood Elf female of great beauty. The Druid was as well. They were both suitors."

Dell was confused. "If he loved a Wood Elf, why would he want them all dead. That makes no sense."

"The suitors dueled to win her hand. She died in the battle, as did they," Lerrisen continued.

Dell waited expectantly.

"They all died tragically?" the Elf wizard said again as if that explained something.

Dell looked at Morgan in frustration. "Sorry. I'm just a cook. I mix ingredients and create delicious food. I don't know magic, but I can't see how these two killing each other and the female they both loved would have led to the weapons containing their essence and a curse that makes the wielders want to kill the other's race. Is it because I'm a Halfling that I'm missing something?" He shrugged. "I can tell you the presence I feel inside this sword is dark, angry, bitter, and jealous. Does that describe how the warrior was supposed to be like?"

Morgan was staring at Lerrisen. "He's right. Something in the story is missing. Curses like this are driven by strong magic. The Warrior was highly skilled but not magically inclined. The Druid's magic was not the kind that would lend itself to the kind of curses we saw back at the village. The fog and the labyrinth were definitely Druid magic of a high level, but again, what caused the curse?"

The Elf wizard's eyes were looking deep into the past as he rolled the issue around in his mind. Then he spoke quietly. "No. Not what, but who," Lerrisen suggested.

"The Wood Elf beauty?" Morgan asked doubtfully.

Lerrisen shook his head slowly. "I don't think so. She was likely the focus of the relationship and the catalyst, but I doubt she was the source of the dark magic. Also, she wouldn't be the jealous one in this relationship. She had two suitors vying for her love," Lerrisen suggested. He turned to Dell. "May we see the blade?"

Dell raised his eyebrows as he looked at the two wizards in surprise. Then he looked at the guards who were eyeing him with unease and disgust. "Tell them to back off first."

Lerrisen nodded in annoyance. "He could have cut us all down several times over while we stood here and talked. He hasn't. Stand down!"

When they all stepped back, Dell gripped the hilt and tried to draw the sword. It didn't budge.

Dell looked to the wizards who were watching with fascination.

He grit his teeth and tried to force the blade from the scabbard with his strength, but it only began to move when he focused his will upon it. Then it finally slid free. He held it out sideways so they could inspect the flat of the blade.

"There are runes etched on the surface," Morgan observed aloud.

"The craftsmanship is exceptional! Who do you think could have forged such a weapon?" Lerrisen asked Morgan.

"This is obviously the work of a Dwarf master weaponsmith--" Lights went on behind Morgan's eyes.

"A third suitor, perhaps?" Lerrisen nodded.

"But you said the beauty died!" Dell said.

"A spurned suitor?" Morgan suggested, and Lerrisen nodded vigorously.

"Yes! That fits! The sword contains the essence of the warrior, and the staff holds the Druid, but both are cursed by the weaponsmith, who must have somehow been killed as well. This would explain the intense hatred and the death curse. The sorcerous magic we've been seeing must have come from the Dwarf!"

Dell watched the two wizards becoming excited and glanced at the uneasy guards. "How come no one ever figured this out before?"

Morgan and Lerrisen shared pensive expressions then the Wood Elf wizard offered his thoughts. "From what I've read, no one has ever been able to resist the control of the curse. You described the presence behind the dark magic, which doesn't match the known elements in the recorded story. Prior attempts to destroy the weapons have all failed. Separating and hiding them has been the answer, but they always return. Now we have a chance to deal with the curse directly."

Dell saw the hope on the wizard's faces and nodded slowly. "Okay, but what does this mean?"

Morgan smiled at him. "It means, for the first time since the weapons were first determined to be cursed, we may have the means to break it! We just need to exercise the essence of the Dwarven weaponsmith from them!" Lerrisen nodded vigorously.

Dell stared at them as he held the weapon out. "Well, go ahead!"

"No, we need both weapons together. The curse is spread across the two, so his essence must also be in both. They must be together to be exorcised."

Dell looked at him cautiously. "But you just said when they are brought together, the wielders fight."

"But you can control yours!" Morgan asserted.

"What about this female carrying the Druid staff. Can she control hers? Or is she going to zap me with it? I don't know anything about Druid magic!" Dell complained.

"The female in question is Eryllis Harrowane, who has rage control issues, like you. I won't lie to you. Confronting her could be very dangerous," Lerrisen admitted.

Dell sighed. "Great. Where is she?"

"We assumed she went to Grennesh. Didn't you come from there?" Lerrisen said.

Dell shook his head. "I was just at the Wood Knot Inn."

"As she passed by, you might have felt a compulsion to attack," Morgan suggested, and Dell's expression froze.

"That was her?" he asked.

"You felt it? What did you do?" Morgan asked excitedly.

Dell gaped at the wizard. "What do you think? I resisted the sword's commands and came here!" he exclaimed.

Morgan nodded with an embarrassed smile. "Yes, of course! Apologies. This means she isn't far ahead of us. We might still be able to avoid bloodshed in Grennesh."

Dell sighed, sheathed his sword, and nodded. "Okay, let's go. Can you two walk?"

Morgan smiled. "I feel energized by new hope. I can walk." He looked at Lerrisen.

"I will do my best to not slow you down."

Dell nodded and turned to head back to the Inn. He needed to let his dad know he was okay.

There was hope for being rid of this sword once and for all.

-=-

Eryllis was floating in comforting warmth. Her stomach was pleasantly full after a delicious meal, perhaps the best she'd ever had. Her whole body was wrapped in soft blankets, and there was a scent, hot and masculine. It triggered something in her, and her body tingled with a promise of greater pleasure to come. She had something to look forward to for the first time in her life, and she liked that anticipation. It was hopeful!

Intruding on these wonderful sensations was a restlessness, a pressure, a need to get moving, a threat of impending danger, and a reminder of a task left undone. A leering face appeared in her mind. Above her, looking down at her like she was some inanimate thing to be used and discarded. Her anger flared, and she remembered.

He was just ahead, not far away now. She could have her revenge. She just needed to go get it.

Eryllis' eyes fluttered open, and she found herself in an unfamiliar room. She was warm and comfortable and wanted to remain like that, but a spike of pain went through her temples, and she winced as her temper flared.

Throwing off the blanket, she saw she was still dressed. It must have been the Orc, Kharza, who put her to bed. She'd never met an Orc before, but she liked this one very much.

She slipped her shoes on, picked up her Druid staff, and noticed her pack was undisturbed on the floor next to the door. So Kharza was trustworthy too. Good to know.

The pain in her head increased, and her temper with it. She wasn't sure where the impatience was coming from, but she didn't appreciate it.

She left the room with a final glance back, then walked to the stairs and down to the main floor. She exited a door and saw a sign on it indicating private. The room she was in belonged to one of the staff? Maybe it was the cook, the one who made that incredible meal she ate. The one Kharza said was good in bed! A thrill rushed through her.

She smiled to herself as she felt so free at the moment.

A leering face flashed in her mind, destroying the peace she'd felt.

She turned and walked out the front door, down the steps, and continued her journey toward Grennesh. She'd have her revenge against that monster and anyone who got in her way of getting to him. She'd heard one of the men holding her down mention his name, Perris. Recalling the two guardsmen who were with him, she decided they needed to be punished as well. She'd get Perris to tell her their names before she destroyed him. The thought put a smile on her face.

She needed this.

As she walked up the hill, she noticed a glow ahead. Passing through an arch of trees, she saw the city walls, the huge gate now closed at this hour, but it had an open wicket. Two city guardsmen stood, one to a side of this smaller door.

Eryllis marched directly forward and stopped before them. They made no effort to not stare at her chest and leer. These would be her first targets.

"I've come to speak with Perris," she said firmly as she gripped the staff tightly.

One of the guards smirked. "You're in luck sweetness, I'm Perris!"

"You are not him. I know what he looks like," she insisted.

"Maybe I'm his brother, then," the guardsman said slyly.

She ignored him and looked to the other. "Where is Perris?"

"Which one?" the guard asked.

"The one who rapes," she spat.

"Oh! That one. Perris la Blayne. You almost missed him as tomorrow he'll be executed. Or did you come to see the show?" the guardsman asked, his gaze remaining in her cleavage.

Eryllis paused. This was unexpected. She was sure he would be living it up, not in prison, sentenced to death. It had been years since that night. Could it really have taken them that long to serve him justice?

"Are you coming in?" the helpful guardsman asked.

"Maybe she'd like to show us her tits first?" the first man suggested to his buddy, who nodded in delight.

So, he wasn't so helpful. Her disgust and loathing soared, and she spoke silently.

Stepping through the wicket, she faced two more guardsmen inside. "Where are they holding Perris la Blayne?" she asked before they saw what was happening outside the gate.

"In the courthouse lockup," one responded, then spotted the man on the ground outside the gate.

Then he and his partner were busy retching and filling their pants.

She quickly walked away to avoid being connected to the current activities of the guardsmen.

Also, to get clear of the smell.

-=-

Dell, the wizards, and the Elf guards reached the Wood Knot Inn, and Dell immediately went inside. He knew his father would be in the bar this time of night speaking with some of the regulars and their bartender.

He smiled as he saw Kharza sitting by the side of the room, her eyes tracking everyone.

His father looked up, then quickly stood and walked over to see him as he glanced at Morgan in surprise. His eyes flicked to the Wood Elf wizard, and his entourage of guards then went back to Dell, who sighed and nodded.

"Are you okay?" Karter asked him as Kharza joined him.

"Yes, but I met some friends at the bottom of the road," Dell said.

"You found Grennesh's most experienced magic user!" Kharza said in delight.

Dell smiled. "Yes. This is Morgan Ducane, the Master Wizard of Grennesh and Lerrisen Kerowick, Master Wizard of Ghelli'Talesh in the Mistveil Woods."

"You need to tell him how to free himself of that meddlesome sword!" she said to them, and the wizards smiled.

Dell explained. "They think they know how to do that, but we need to find a Wood Elf female by the name of Eryllis Harrowane, as she may be carrying a cursed... Why are you looking at me like that?"

"I served her one of your pies, then she passed out from exhaustion. I put her to sleep in your bed upstairs. She has a Druid staff that follows her around like your sword follows you," Kharza explained.

The wizards shared a look then turned to Dell, who was looking toward the door leading upstairs.

"Do you feel the sword pulling you to her?" Morgan asked.

Dell looked at him. "No. Nothing."

"Kharza, go upstairs and see if she's still asleep. If she's awake, ask her to come downstairs and out onto the front porch," Karter said.

With a nod, the Orc rushed away.

"We should wait outside. It will give us more space to work," Morgan suggested.

Dell nodded as he followed and tried to pick up that sensation he'd felt before of an impending battle. Still nothing. He was starting to believe she wasn't there.

As they waited on the roadway in front of the inn, Kharza rushed outside to shake her head. "She's gone."

"Damn!" Morgan cursed. He looked up the hill. "We must hurry before she causes too much damage!"

Kharza stared at him. "She didn't seem like the violent type," she said. "We had a good talk. She seemed happy."

Lerrisen smiled and relaxed a little. "This is good as Eryllis has anger issues and is carrying a cursed Druid staff with tremendous power in it. Her aptitude for magic is very strong but combined with her rage, that could be devastating! If she was calm and happy, then she might have control again."

Dell looked at his father, who looked like he was preparing to follow. "No, please stay here. I need to know you're safe."

Karter was suddenly angry. "My son is locked into a curse with a magic sword, and some wizards are going to try to break this bond. That sounds dangerous! I need to protect you!"

"I can't do this if I'm worried about you! Please!" Dell pleaded.

Karter looked conflicted, then he turned to Kharza. "Protect him."

"With my life," she said, clasping his forearm.

Then Dell rushed up the road with Kharza at his side as the wizards and their guards tried to keep up.

"Two cursed magic weapons?" Kharza asked.

Dell gave her a nod. "It gets worse. The curse makes the wielders battle to the death. Anyone in the vicinity may take sides and start slaughtering each other, Human and Wood Elves," he explained.

Kharza looked at him in shock. "Why are we running toward this?"

Dell smiled grimly. "I can overpower the will embedded in the sword, or at least I can when not faced with an opponent carrying the staff. I hope I'll be able to stay in control. The question is, will she be able to maintain her control? We need to speak with her."

They were approaching the gate, and they saw two guardsmen lying on the ground by the small door.

As they got closer, the smell reached them first. Looking inside, they saw two more. They stood back until the wizards arrived. They took one look at the men and went to work. They stepped through the small door and helped the unconscious men inside.

"They'll live," Morgan said. "She's disabling them, not killing. That's a promising sign."

"But where did she go."

Commander Falco raced by on his horse, spotted them at the gate, and quickly changed his course to join them. "Wizard Ducane! Thank the gods you're here! I was just notified the courthouse is under some kind of magic attack!" He pointed the group toward a wagon tied up at the gatehouse a short distance away.

"Who's there?" Morgan asked as he ran toward the wagon. It was hitched to some beasts of labor.

Falco kept pace on his horse. "Just a small garrison of guardsmen and the prisoners. We currently just have a few drunks and Perris la Blayne, who's scheduled for execution tomorrow."

Dell and Kharza helped the wizards onto the wagon. Three of the Wood Elf guards climbed up on the driver's bench and got the wagon moving. The remaining three were forced to run behind the wagon to keep up.

"Do you have any idea of the size of the attacking force?" the commander asked as he rode alongside them.

"One Wood Elf female with a cursed Druid staff," Morgan told him.

"One female? She's the one taking all of my guardsmen apart?" Falco asked incredulously.

"So far, we've only seen her making them sick. We can cure that," Lerrisen offered.

Morgan locked eyes with the commander. "The real danger begins when the bearer of the cursed staff meets with the wielder of the cursed sword. We'll need to pull everyone back. Dell will be on his own, and we're betting on him controlling the sword. Hopefully, she can do the same with the staff."

The commander looked at Dell then back to the wizard. "That's a lot of faith you are placing on a Half--on him." Dell scowled but kept his mouth shut.

"We've had a demonstration of his control. We're all still alive after our group attacked him," Lerrisen admitted. The commander stared at the wizard then nodded.

They arrived at the huge courtyard before the courthouse. Except the building couldn't be seen as it was hidden behind a massive wall of greenery and vines.

Now, Dell felt the sword take notice. The staff was nearby. "She's here," he said, fighting back the urge to charge into those vines with his sword swinging.

"That greenery is likely poisonous," Lerrisen said. "It's a Druid defense spell."

"Stop here," Dell said. He was vibrating with the sword's urge to kill, and he needed to approach at a more gradual rate.

"I-I think you should stay back for now. I'm going to need every bit of my concentration to control the sword. It's a treacherous bastard," Dell said as he hopped down from the back of the wagon.

Kharza followed him down, and he looked at her. "I promised your father. I will guard your back," she insisted.

Dell wanted to argue, but the curse drew him so strongly that his anger was fraying his control. He gave the Orc a terse nod then turned to the wall of vines. "Stay a few paces behind me to avoid the sword," he growled out between his teeth.

Then the sword was in his hand, and he was running toward the wall. The closest vines swept toward him, but he slashed them with the blade that was now bathed in black flames. Everything it touched withered and died immediately.

Dell moved forward steadily, the sword sweeping left, right, up, and down, carving a tunnel through the greenery as the surrounding plant life turned black and crumbled to dust.

Bursting out the other side, Dell was almost yanked off his feet and thrown into the air by a mighty cyclone trapped between the courthouse and the wall of vines.

Images of previous battles against the staff bearer flashed through Dell's mind, and he saw the counter for the cyclone spell was to wait it out as the power required to sustain it made the caster weaken quickly. He drove the sword point into the stone tile and anchored himself in place.

Kharza leaped from the opening in the vine wall, and Dell caught her around the waist as she flew by, pulling her to his side.

"What are you doing?" he yelled over the wind.

She shook her head with a wide smile. "The vines were trying to grow back and sting me. Orc skin isn't so easily pierced." She showed him some scratches, and his rage was pushed back a little by his concern for her. She smiled at his expression. "We aren't that easy to poison either."

Dell felt the waves of anger at the center of the storm as the winds began to weaken. It was time.

He could finally see the condition of the courthouse and the courtyard. Vines had ripped the building open, and the bodies of several guards were pressed up against the walls. They were retching pitifully, so they were alive at least. There was an area in the center of the court where the large pavers had been disturbed and were stacked oddly. Then his eyes saw the shrinking whirlwind with someone hiding within the blurring winds.

Images of his next moves played in his head, showing him how to end this. His rage suddenly exploded as the sword drew on the power of the staff, pushing aside his control.

Dell shoved Kharza from him, yanked the sword from the stone, and leaped forward. He knew the lightning would come from the left. It did, and he batted it away with the blade as he jumped through the air, eliminating his connection to the ground. As he landed, he rolled quickly to his feet and threw himself to the right to avoid the blast of hardened ice blades. He swung his sword through the shards, sending a spray of them back at the caster.

This, this was his moment to strike. As the Druid Staff wielder stumbled backward from the stinging ice crystals, he launched his thrust.

Time slowed as he aimed the deadly sword point toward his opponent's heart and the distance between them shrank.

Her arms were dropping, and he saw her lovely violet eyes widen as she suddenly became aware of her impending death.

Dell could see her face now, and recognition struck him like a torrent of ice water. He seized control of his body from the incandescent rage within and reversed the direction of his thrust, the point of the sword coming to a gentle stop as it barely pricked her skin. He pulled all that forward momentum from the weapon into his arm, then his body to channel it down to his legs for a mighty kick against the flagstones of the courtyard.

This wasn't the most graceful of moves, but he flew past her to hit the ground with his shoulder, then his head, and he rolled like a crazed tumbleweed. The sword fell from his grip as he bashed his head against the stones again.

The lights went out for Dell, and he slipped into the darkness.

-=-

Eryllis sucked in a breath, then a second as she recovered from her barely averted demise. At the sound of the steel clattering against the stonework, her mind filled once more with the fiery vengeance she desperately wanted, and the swordsman was delaying. She pointed the Druid staff at the sprawled out brutish body and summoned the lightning once more. He couldn't avert his doom now.

A green blur leaped between her and her target just as she released the bolt.

It struck the wide blades of a battle-ax and traveled through the body of a female Orc--KHARZA!

The surprise pushed Eryllis' anger back, and she felt something struggling to get control once more, to get her to finish the ones who would deny her. For the first time, she understood this presence in her mind wasn't coming from inside. She pushed it back and rushed to Kharza's side as the female Orc slumped to the pavers.

"Kharza! I'm so sorry!" Eryllis cried.

"Lightning is pretty effective against Orcs," the green female mumbled.

"Why did you do that? Why did you get in the way?" Eryllis asked in dismay.

Kharza took Eryllis' hand. "Don't kill Dell. He's a good person. He's a great chef and a wonderful lover. You'll like him. He also has a terrible temper, but he won't let it control him." She was fading. "He didn't kill you. Return the favor." Her eyes rolled up, and she went silent.

"No! Kharza!" Eryllis screamed. She'd been so kind to a complete stranger, the first one to treat Eryllis so well, she couldn't be gone.

"kharza?" a weak voice called out.

Eryllis leaped to her feet in fright as she saw the big male was pushing himself to his hands and knees. He put a hand to his temple and cursed. Only then did he look up at Eryllis.

"What happened to Kharza?" he asked as he scrambled closer to the fallen Orc with a look of dread on his face.

Eryllis' voice was trapped in her throat. She was still terrified that this big brute had almost killed her. She didn't know what it meant that he'd spared her at the last second. She didn't know how he'd react if she told him that she'd killed Kharza as she attempted to kill him.

"She's not breathing, and her heart has stopped! Help me!" he cried.

He suddenly began pushing hard on the Orc's chest, and then he blew into her mouth with his.

"What are you doing?" Eryllis gasped.

He glared at her. "I'm trying to bring her back! Help me!"

She found herself kneeling next to the female as she stared at him.

"Pinch her nose and blow air into her lungs!" Dell commanded as he went back to pressing sharply on the Orc's chest.

Eryllis saw the urgency in Dell's eyes, so she took a deep breath, placed her mouth over Kharza's, and blew with all her might.

"Let her exhale and do it again," Dell instructed as he pumped her chest.

Eryllis and Dell fell into a pattern, and after the fourth blow into Kharza's mouth, she felt the Orc take a sudden breath on her own. She couldn't believe the big green warrior was back!

Kharza was weak, but she was breathing on her own, and her eyelids fluttered as she struggled to wake.

Eryllis looked up at Dell in amazement and saw the joy on his face. He suddenly didn't seem as terrifying as he had moments before. There was something gentle about his eyes.

"Thank you," he said.

Eryllis smiled bashfully at him. Then her head was filled with pain.

She grabbed her temples as her mind filled with screams of rage... that didn't come from her. She managed to open one eye and saw Dell was holding his temple as well. He glanced at her and nodded.

"It needs our anger to do the evil it craves," Dell managed to say between his teeth as his jaw was locked tight.

"What... is it?" she choked out.

Dell pointed to the sword then her staff. "The weapons are cursed."

Her eyes widened. "No! I need it! I need the magic!" she cried and snatched up her staff, eyeing him fearfully once more.

Dell held up his palms to show he wasn't threatening her. "The wizards explained to me how these weapons came to be. The Druid magic isn't the curse. Your staff contains the essence of a great Wood Elf Druid. The sword contains the essence of a great Human Warrior. But they also both contain the essence of a bloodthirsty Dwarven bastard who wants Humans to kill Wood Elves and Wood Elves to kill Humans. He's full of jealousy, hate, and anger. He's the one who pushes our rage issues so he can get control of us. Except, my rage belongs to me! I have my own reasons for expressing it, and no one is going to make me do something I don't want to do." He took a deep breath. "I won't kill for someone else's reasons."

Eryllis could feel the dark one in her head pushing her. "It's so strong!" she said.

Dell managed a gentle smile. "No. You are. The curse has no real strength of its own. That power belongs to you. You just need to own your rage as it's yours. You've probably carried it for a long time, like me. You have your own reasons to feel it. Don't let the sick creep in the staff try to steal your power."

Dell stood and walked slowly over to where the sword rested on the stones and bent to pick it up.

Eryllis' mind flashed images of how he'd almost run her through with the blade. He was going to do it this time. She had to attack him before he killed her. She lifted her staff to point it at his back. He had the sword in his hand, but he remained facing away.

Why? He was completely at her mercy.

More images of Dell coming at her bombarded her mind, but she touched the spot on her chest just above her heart, and one word stuck in her head.

Almost.

Dell almost killed her, but he didn't.

She locked one of those memories in her mind so she could look at it more carefully. His expression changed just before he stopped. What had begun as a vicious snarl quickly became shock and... recognition? They'd met before? She was confused as she was sure she'd remember someone as large as him.

Eryllis lowered the staff as she watched Dell force the sword into the scabbard.

He turned to smile at her. He knew she'd pointed the staff at him, but he'd put his faith in her!

With her sudden realization that she'd prevented the presence from making her kill him, she sagged down to her knees.

"Are you okay?" Dell asked cautiously.

"Yes," she breathed as she rubbed her temple. "I do have power over it."

A look of relief came over his face. "Good. Now, we have friends on the other side of this wall of thorns who might be able to help us get rid of the dark presence." Dell winced as they were attacked once more simultaneously.

"I-I have one thing I need to do before we deal with that," Eryllis said. "The Druid staff is telling me you'll attack me to prevent it."

"I won't," Dell said firmly.

Eryllis looked into his eyes then gestured to a stack of paving stones with the staff. The heavy rocks moved, and a man's body was pulled free.

He wraps around both of his hands and wrists. Thick vines were wrapped around his arms and legs as they lifted him with his limbs stretched out. He'd been stripped naked and was screaming in gibberish from his terror. Being buried alive hadn't done good things to his mind.

She looked back at Dell and saw he recognized the man.

"I must get revenge for what he did to me," Eryllis asserted.

"DELL! STOP HER!" Perris screamed.

Her eyes locked on Dell in accusation. Her mind whispered terrible things to her.

"Why? I was the one who stopped you from raping her! You deserve what you get," he called out to Perris.

Eryllis rocked back as she stared at Dell. He was there?

Perris' face suddenly twisted. "You were the one who hit me? Your father testified that it was him!"

"He was there, but I got to you first," Dell said.

"He lied in court! The trial can be overturned! I can clear my name!" Perris shrieked with manic glee.

Dell gave Perris a grim frown as the man showed no remorse for his actions. He turned his head to Eryllis. "This creep doesn't deserve a second chance."

Seeing Dell was sympathetic to her need for vengeance took her breath away for a moment as she was used to cruelty or scorn. She nodded to him, then pointed the staff at the ground beneath Perris. Another vine grew from the dirt under the man and climbed higher until it reached his crotch.

Her prisoner screamed shrilly.

The vine grew taller and pushed its way into a very personal orifice. Perris' shrieking and thrashing became shriller and more violent as the plant's growth suddenly accelerated. His gibbering returned as his mind broke under the terror as the vine grew taller and thicker.

While it sickened her to torture him, this paled in comparison to the pain she'd suffered for so long because of his thoughtless, barbaric act. Her jaw tightened.

This was the least amount of pain she could give him.

-=-

Perris was dead when the leaves sprouted from his open mouth. Dell turned his face to Eryllis to see her shudder in revulsion. He hoped she found some relief in the act of killing him, but he somehow doubted it. At least it was closure of a kind.

His own guilt surfaced, and he cleared his throat. "That night... I wish I'd seen them grab you sooner. I wish I'd gotten to you faster. I think about it often, and I'm so sorry."

Violet eyes looked into his, then she nodded stiffly.

After a moment, he spoke again. "Was this the reason for your rage?"

Her eyes flicked up to his again, and seeing his compassion, she relaxed a little, then shook her head slightly. "It began after the death of my mother. That night in Grennesh was the final trigger."

Dell nodded, and his expression became a little haunted. "My mother died due to complications when I was born. The Human healers were busy dealing with fire victims at a festival, but the Wood Elf healer just refused to come to see her, and she died. Because she loved a Human." He made a small, choked sound, grimaced unconsciously, then continued. "Growing up, I discovered Humans and Wood Elves hated me for being a Halfling." He winced and rubbed his temple. "Come on, let's see if we can get some relief from this monster scratching at our minds."

He walked over to Kharza and lifted her in his arms with a grunt. Eryllis picked up her heavy battle-ax to carry it.

Her eyelids were drooping with fatigue, but Kharza smiled. "Are you going to claim me as your prize?" she mumbled.

He snorted and glanced at the blush on Eryllis' face. He loved seeing that but looked back at Kharza. "Orc females are too feisty to claim as prizes. I like my teeth where they are, thank you."

Kharza smiled, then slipped into sleep. As they walked to the wall of vines, Dell cautiously watched the Orc but relaxed as she was still breathing.

"How did you know how to do that? Bringing her back," Eryllis asked him.

He glanced at her and saw her curiosity. "I work at the Wood Knot Inn, and we have oldsters come to the bar. Sometimes they reach their end while drinking. They stop breathing, and their hearts stop. Sometimes you can get them back if you force them to breathe and their hearts to beat again. It's bad for business to have people die in the building." He grinned at her and winced as the pain in his head started anew.

"I really hate this bastard pushing at me," he grumbled.

She smiled at him through her own pain. "Me too."

They stood before the green wall, and he looked at her. "You can take this down, right?" She nodded. "Once you do, there may be an army behind it." He gently set Kharza down behind them then turned to face Eryllis. "Don't attack unless they charge at us." Eryllis nodded as he pulled his sword. They looked at each other as they felt the weapons try to drive them to attack each other, but it was getting easier to fight back. He nodded to her, and she lifted the staff, muttering quietly. The vines quickly died and turned to dust from the top down.

As the curtain fell between them and the outer courtyard, they faced at least fifty guardsmen. Arrows flew toward them, but Dell slapped them from the air with his sword.

"STAND DOWN!" he bellowed, struggling to force down his need to kill these ignorant fools.

Commander Falco seconded his yell, and his men shifted uncomfortably. Then they saw Perris, strung up and impaled.

Morgan and Lerrisen moved between the ranks and walked across the space to stand before them.

"You were successful!" Morgan said with a smile.

"Yes, Eryllis can control the staff like I do the sword, but we need you to exorcise the evil bastard now. He's really pushing our minds hard at the moment," Dell said as he forced the blade back into its sheath.

Commander Falco approached them with a red face. "Was THAT really necessary?" he snapped, pointing back to the grotesque display in the courtyard.

Dell's control on his temper threatened to fray, and he reached out a hand to touch Eryllis' arm to calm her too. "He was a rapist and had no remorse for his actions. He was scheduled for execution tomorrow anyway." He held up his hand to stop the man from arguing. "Our control is slipping. Stop pissing us off!"

Eryllis pointed her staff back at Perris, and a line of fire shot out to engulf the dead man and the vines. It burst into a huge fireball, and within seconds, there was nothing left but ash. She turned her attention back to Dell and gave him a weak smile. "Sorry," she said quietly. Dell nodded to her and fixed an eye on the commander as a warning.

Morgan moved to Falco. "Please, we must deal with the curse immediately, or we may all perish in ways far worse than your prisoner did. These two are all that stand between us and that."

Lerrisen spoke up. "Please pull all of your men from the courtyard. We cannot have any distractions. We will deal with your sick guardsmen once we break the curse."

Livid at being dismissed, the Commander spun on his heel and began barking orders to his men. Some were casting angry looks back at Eryllis and Dell, but the two ignored them as best they could.

Lerrisen moved closer to look into the eyes of the two struggling to control the presence in their minds.

"When we begin, we cannot stop, and it will cause this presence to fight back. Be prepared and cling to who you are and your beliefs. They will be under attack."

Morgan nodded. "Face each other and hold the weapons as close together as you can so we can concentrate our efforts on both at once."

Dell drew the blade again and switched the sword to his left hand. He rested its tip on the ground to his left and took a firmer hold on its grip. Eryllis stood the staff on its butt to her right, mere inches from the sword. She gasped and sent him a desperate look.

"Fuck! That's making him stronger!" Dell groaned in warning. "Hurry!"

Morgan and Lerrisen immediately began speaking, but the words were gibberish in Dell's ears and caused his headache to throb, so he did his best to ignore it and continued to fight the pressure in his mind.

He stared into beautiful violet eyes and felt the pressure easing a little. She looked surprised as well, so it must have helped her too.

Dell was thrilled that she was almost as tall as he was. Maybe just a finger or two's width shorter. His delight must have shown on his face as she looked at him curiously.

His face flushed with heat. "Sorry, it's just such a pleasure to meet someone as tall as me."

It was her turn to blush, and she bit her lip.

Through the painful spikes in his head, he felt a surge of pleasure to see her pearly whites tug on her sensual lower lip. Then his eyes were drawn to her upper lip, and his mind took a little holiday imagining how wonderful it might be to kiss her.

"Oh, for fuck's sake, you are dense. Kiss the girl!"

Dell and Eryllis looked down at their feet to see Kharza on her back, staring up at them with frustration. The Orc female reached up to put a hand on the back of their calves and weakly pushed them toward each other.

"You want to kiss me?" Eryllis said doubtfully but with a hint of hope.

Dell found himself nodding and let himself answer honestly. "So much."

Those amazing lips smiled, and Dell moved forward to press his mouth to her heavenly softness. He kissed her again and felt her respond to kiss him in return. Dell could tell she was nervous and excited, then she pressed her chest to his. He couldn't prevent a little moan of bliss from escaping as she felt so good.

His right hand landed on her lower back, and he gently pulled her to his body. Now she was moaning into the kiss. It was such a sexy sound.

He wanted to hear it again.

-=-

Morgan and Lerrisen maintained their pace as they recited the words of power to excise the malignant presence in the weapons. Neither one could have performed this exorcism on their own, as the curse had had centuries to bond itself to the sword and staff. The presence had also used that time to deepen its hatred and jealousy as if being trapped in an echo chamber had boosted its strength with each bounce.

The two wizards vigilantly maintained their resolve as they knew their opponent was hunting for a weakness.

Then something odd happened.

The presence's attention was being drawn away from them. They almost lost their cadence from the diminishing pressure from their adversary. Instead, they strengthened their voices and continued.

That's when they noticed the two behind the weapons were kissing!

Morgan fought to keep himself from grinning as he added joy to his voice and heard the same boost from Lerrisen. They shared a glance as they powered through the exorcism's stanzas.

He imagined none of the previous bearers ever kissed each other.

-=-

Eryllis couldn't get enough of kissing. She'd never done it before as no one had ever looked at her like Dell was. He made her feel desired and beautiful with the awe in his eyes. He wasn't criticizing her awkward height or her puffy lip. On the contrary, he was thrilled she was tall as it made their kissing effortless, and it felt like his lips were worshipping hers. He wasn't shying away in distaste at her oversized breasts but was pulling her closer instead.

That let her feel his oversized chest muscles and how hard his body felt. She discovered she really liked that sensation. None of the males in her village had ever shown any desire for her, and Dell wanted her.

She wanted him too.

A dull throb of pain in her temple brought her back to the moment, and she realized the presence had the strength of a kitten. She pulled back from the kiss and burst into a happy laugh as the relief from the pain made her feel giddy. Well, that and the joy from kissing Dell.

He watched her expression with a joyful smile of his own. "I think it's time to push that creep from our minds so we can get back to kissing."

She grinned at him as she held his eyes with hers. They nodded to each other, then mentally pushed against the invader in their minds.

The presence pushed back viciously, but it just didn't have a grip on their mind with all the endorphins flooding through them, making them so happy. Unable to tolerate the building joy, the presence fled back to the sword and staff.

The blade and staff suddenly burst into black flames, but neither Dell nor Eryllis felt the lick of that fire as it shied away from their touch.

Morgan and Lerrisen launched their containment spells. The flames attempted to leap into the sky only to be encased within a translucent orb of glowing gold light surrounded by a second orb of gleaming silver.

The wizards closed their eyes and continued to rapidly whisper words of power that left the ear as quickly as they arrived.

The orbs began to shrink, and the black flames spun faster within the gold orb.

Lerrisen suddenly lifted a hand to his temple as his eyes winced from a sharp pain. The gold orb shattered, but the silver one contained the spinning flames.

Morgan dropped to his knees as he grunted under the strain but kept reciting the spell. The shrinking began to slow as the flames spun faster.

Dell looked at the strain on the Human wizard's face and the exhaustion on the other. He looked at Eryllis. "Is there anything in that vast store of magical knowledge at your fingertips that might help them?"

She smiled at him and closed her eyes for a minute. When they popped open, she nodded and hugged him.

"Oh! I like that, but how does it help them?" Dell said.

"Prepare your blade for another thrust," she whispered in his ear, then playfully nipped his earlobe. He gasped and looked at her hungrily.

Then he nodded and pointed the tip of the sword at the orb.

Eryllis touched the blade with her staff and spoke silent words until the weapon burst into a blinding white light.

Dell shut his eyes against the glare. "How am I supposed to hit the target without being able to see?"

"Don't use your eyes," Eryllis said calmly.

He focused his will on the blade and felt its tip move ever so slightly upward. There.

Dell felt the warrior slip into his body once more, but now it wasn't obscured by the dark presence. It wasn't a mind he could communicate with but something more than a memory. His body collected its energy and contained it as he went still, feeling his opponent preparing to move.

Hearing Morgan's voice falter as his strength ran out, Dell waited a fraction of a second more, then exploded forward, the point of the glowing blade sliding through the collapsing silver orb to stab directly through the black flames.

The blood-curdling scream that ripped from the dark entity bounced and repeated eerily between the hard surfaces of the buildings around the courtyard. The black flames seemed to have mass as Dell felt it pulling and jerking against the blade, but he held it rock steady.

It thrashed on the sword blade but found no purchase as the white light tore into it, stripping away pieces to be consumed as they rose into the sky, becoming nothing but smoke and ash.

Dell's tight muscles continued to hold the sword as still as possible while Eryllis' light did its work. He hardened his mind to the pitiful cries of the damned being who'd caused so much death and terror. It needed to die, and it would.

Finally, the last of the black flames tore away and snuffed out its death cries. Dell sagged and rested the sword's point against the flagstones as he leaned on the crossguard. His body was under his control once more, and he sent his gratitude to the warrior, feeling an echo of its pride in return.

Eryllis' hand landed on his shoulder, and he smiled at the gentle touch.

"Well done," Lerrisen said with a weary voice. "The curse has been destroyed. All that remains is the destruction of the weapons."

Dell felt Eryllis' grip tighten as they both heard "MINE!" echo through their minds.

He pushed himself to his feet as he turned his face to the two exhausted wizards. Morgan was sporting some new white streaks in his beard, and Lerrisen looked like a stiff breeze would carry him away.

"No. The staff is bound to Eryllis, and she'll be keeping it."

He saw them freeze, so he continued. "I'm a chef, not a bloody warrior, but the sword is bound to me. While I'm not giving up my day job, which I love, I will use the sword to defend her," Dell said firmly.

Lerrisen looked uneasy as he glanced sidelong at Morgan, who shook his head and dropped his eyes. They'd obviously had a plan to take the weapons by magical force should this scenario arise, but the battle had been too much for them.

"We're not going to abuse the power within them, but it would be nice to see a little gratitude and appreciation, and a pinch of respect wouldn't hurt either." He glanced at Eryllis and saw she was smiling at him, which lifted his heart. "We can be called upon to help in times of trouble. The Warrior and the Druid seem like they were decent people. They helped get rid of the evil bastard, after all."

Commander Falco stomped over to stand next to the wizards. "Is it over?"

Morgan straightened up and nodded to the man. "Yes, the curse is broken. The source of the evil has been destroyed."

"Why are they still holding the weapons?" Falco asked.

Dell spoke first. "They're still bound to us, and we're going to keep them. There's no longer an evil intent driving them, so they're no longer a threat to society. We'll even use them for good."

"What about my men? They're still puking and shitting themselves!" he snapped.

"We can cure them of that," Morgan insisted wearily.

"She's the one who attacked my guardsmen. Will she face no consequences for that?" the commander asked. The look in Dell's eyes hardened.

"She was under the influence of the dark entity, yet she still managed to prevent your men's deaths. Make no mistake. It wanted her to kill everyone. Instead, a few became sick for a short time. She saved lives!" Dell snapped in return.

Falco stared uneasily at the blade in Dell's hand. "What of you? Will you turn in your weapon?"

Dell stared at the man in frustration. "I just finished saying it's bound to me! No, it will remain with me, but solely for the duty of protecting her. Please let everyone know that should they get any dumb ideas about seeking revenge against Eryllis, not only will they face her magic, but my steel. We're not going to tolerate stupidity. The true source of their grievance has been exorcised. Just ask the wizards."

Falco held his eye for a moment, then nodded stiffly. He looked to the wizards, who seemed to be backing Dell's claims for now. He let go of the breath he'd been holding, gestured for the wizards to follow, and led them away to begin healing the sick.

Dell sheathed his sword and turned to face Eryllis, who was grinning at him happily. He smiled at her self-consciously. "Sorry if I said anything out of line just then."

She moved up and leaned up against his chest as she pressed her lips to his. Dell's mind took another holiday.

When they pulled back. "No, you said everything right," she said, and they smiled at each other.

"Hey, can we go back to the inn now?" said a plaintive voice from the ground.

Dell and Eryllis glanced down at the hopeful expression on Kharza's face.

Chuckling, Dell scooped the Orc into his arms once more, and they followed Kharza's advice.

After all, she'd saved them both.

Chapter 8

Karter was relieved to see them return to the inn in one piece. When he found out what Kharza had done for his son, he insisted she have the spare bedroom in the private quarters upstairs. He personally made the bed so the Orc female could get some rest.

He also made a fuss over Eryllis until Dell told him goodnight and gently pushed him towards his own bedroom.

Then it was just Dell and Eryllis in the hallway before his bedroom door.

"As Kharza already invited you to share my bed, you're welcome to join me," Dell said as his face heated up.

Eryllis seemed a little tongue-tied, so all she did was smile and nod shyly. He flashed a smile at her then grabbed some new sheets for his bed. He led her into his room, removed the belt to lean the sword and scabbard against the wall by the door. He quickly stripped the bed and put on the new sheets. When he turned to face her, she was standing very close.

"I've never been with anyone before," she said nervously, then frowned suddenly. "Except that night."

Del shook his head. "That doesn't count." He held her eyes until her smile and confidence returned. She bit her lip gently as she touched his chest.

Dell saw she was feeling better. "I only recently began to learn how and it was with Kharza. She told me I was good with her, an Orc, but that it wouldn't be the same as being with Humans or Elves. I'm nervous. I want to be good for you!"

She giggled nervously, then quickly moved forward and kissed him. He wrapped his arms around her, and she sighed.

When they ended the kiss, both were tingling strongly. "I love kissing you, and I feel so safe in your arms," she sighed.

"I can't get enough of your lips either. You feel so good against me. For once, I don't feel oversized for the world I live in," he explained.

"Kharza can't make you feel oversized," Eryllis teased, and he grinned and nodded.

"That's true. Kharza is more than a handful," he agreed, then he held her eyes. "But this feels special."

Eryllis' violet eyes twinkled with joy. "I think we're wearing too many clothes. We should undress, yes?"

"Good idea," Dell offered and began stripping out of his clothes.

She began by pulling her dress up her body then over her head. When she looked at Dell, he seemed frozen as his eyes were trapped by her cleavage. She began to cover herself self-consciously, but Dell reached out to stop her hands.

"No, you're beautiful! I didn't mean to make you feel awkward. I was just a little stunned by how sexy that underwear looks on you," he said in a rush.

Her face warmed up again as she smiled bashfully. "I've never shown myself to anyone before."

Dell pulled his shirt off, and it was Eryllis' turn to lapse into silence. She'd seen male Wood Elves topless before. Truthfully, this had happened when she'd spied on some males taking a swim in a river. They'd all been much less developed than Dell. She knew his musculature was atypical, but she couldn't say she didn't find it attractive in a brutish yet masculine way. The exaggeration just seemed to increase her excitement.

When he dropped his pants, she froze again. Once more, he proved he was atypical for Elves. This extra development gave her pause.

Dell noticed her nervous expression and followed her eyes. "Oh! Uh, don't worry. We'll take it slow, and I won't do anything to hurt you."

She nodded and finished undressing. Now they were both naked, and he helped her onto the bed. They faced each other, kneeling with their bodies pressed together.

"This feels so good!" Eryllis sighed as their bodies just seemed to line up perfectly. She felt the heat of his thick cock pressing against her thighs. She parted them, and that heat was now pressing deliciously against her pussy. She sucked in a sharp breath then kissed him. When his tongue slipped into her mouth, she immediately sucked it further in and moaned at how sexy that felt. She was squeezing his cock between her thighs, and he began thrusting it slowly. This made it stroke across her wet pussy lips.

She pulled back from the kiss to gasp. "Oh! That feels so good!

Dell smiled. "Lie back. I want to show you something else that feels really good."

She looked at him with heat in her eyes but also nervousness. He just nodded, so she did as he asked and watched him move over her body. He kissed her again, but he didn't rest his body on top of hers as she expected.

Instead, he moved down and kissed her neck, the top of her chest, then her breasts. When his lips found her nipples, she cried out in bliss. He was being too gentle, so she pulled his head firmly against herself. He got the idea and used more of his strength in his sucking and licking.

She thought she might go mad.

When he moved down over her stomach, her eyes flew wide in surprise, but she really jumped when his tongue reached her pussy.

He did things she'd never heard of anyone ever doing. She thought she might have shrieked, but her hands were locked in his hair as she ground her lower lips against his face while his tongue stroked, plunged deep inside, and flicked across her most sensitive bits. She lost the ability to speak then she was howling as a crashing wave of bliss washed over her.

Eryllis slowly returned to her body and felt a warm tingling from her scalp to her toes. She realized Dell was watching her with a smile on his face. "That was glorious!"

He chuckled. "It gets better."

Her eyes widened then she giggled. "Show me!"

Dell's lips kissed hers, and she could feel his need for her in it, which made her feel wonderful. She pulled at him to move over her body then she gasped at the feel of his skin on hers.

Something hot was pressing against her down below, and she was still glowing from his previous attention. She was also very slippery down there.

Eryllis had a flash of memory of that awful night, but she forced it away as it was so completely different from tonight.

Dell looked into her eyes in question as he'd felt her jolt slightly. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, give me a moment," she sighed.

The memory quickly faded, and she could feel the heat of him waiting to slip inside. "Okay, I'm ready," she said, then realized she hadn't truly understood just how intimate this would be.

-=-

Dell understood he needed to be far gentler with Eryllis than he was with Kharza. While his need was urging him to drive himself inside, he maintained slow incremental strokes, only pushing in deeper once it felt like she could accept more. He watched her eyes widen each time he went a little deeper and tried not to show any amusement as her look of surprise with each thrust was endearing.

When he felt his body come to rest on hers, she gasped aloud. He filled her completely and pressed on her clit, so he knew she enjoyed it. He watched her face, and her eyes were threatening to roll back in her head.

For Dell, this was one of the best sensations he'd felt in his life, made that much better by it being someone he felt might be willing to open her heart to him as well. He hadn't realized how much he needed that until this moment, and it frightened him that she might not feel the same way. He rocked his hips, and she cried out, clinging to him tightly as she could. He needed her to feel his need for her, and his body began to move on its own.

She widened her legs, and her heels began to urge him to move faster. He needed little encouragement to do just that. His strokes became longer and quicker, and she gasped and moaned with the delicious sensations he hoped they were both experiencing.

"Oh! YES! Faster!" she begged, and he delivered, beginning to slap his body against hers at the end of each stroke.

"I-I can feel it! Something big is coming!" she gasped out, and Dell almost burst into laughter from how sweet she sounded. He was almost there as well.

She tripped over the top first, but he was right behind her and ground himself against her as he filled her with his heat. Her arms and legs were wrapped around him, holding him tight, and he kissed her face tenderly as she gasped for breath.

"You... were right," she breathed. "It got... better."

He let himself chuckle now, and she smiled up at him.

"That was the best ever!" Dell sighed, and she raised an eyebrow at him.

"When compared to Kharza?" she asked.

"No!" he gasped, backpedaling, then he smiled. "When compared to all happy experiences in my life."

Her smile was wide and happy as she kissed him sweetly.

"Would you stay with me?" he asked.

She looked at him carefully. "Stay with you?" He nodded. "For how long? For tonight?"

He shook his head. "For as long as you can. I can tell you're eager to begin learning everything you can about your new magic, and I don't want to do anything to prevent that, but if you can find it in your heart to spare me some of your time, I'd love that."

She smiled at his honesty. "How much time would you like?

"All of your spare moments would do it," he said before he lost his nerve.

She pulled his lips to hers and kissed him deeply. When she pulled back, she rested her forehead against his. "I didn't realize how lonely I was until I met you. I'd love to spend as much time as I have with you as well."

That was Dell's deepest, darkest secret and what drove his rage. Loneliness, and she was his cure.

"Thank you!" he gasped and kissed her again. She was smiling up at him.

He couldn't wait to begin their new life together.

Epilogue

"Are the freaking dumplings ready yet?"

The kitchen maids grinned over at Dell, concentrating on carving the roast hens. Hildy brought him the next tray of dumplings but didn't interrupt him. He had a system and kept the steady stream of juicy, tender, and specially seasoned roast game hens moving from the oven onto the plates.

They'd gone through almost three hundred of the birds over the past two days with extended lunch and dinner times, and Karter was ecstatic with the turnout. Dell continued to prove he was a genius in the kitchen which drew the people of Grennesh to the Wood Knot Inn to enjoy his latest creations.

They'd added more tables in their bar to handle the demand and hired two more girls, Maggie's daughters, to pick up the load. Karter was discussing enclosing the front porch to expand the dining room, but Kharza wasn't in favor of that, nor was Dell and Eryllis, as the three enjoyed relaxing out there at day's end.

Speaking of the violet-eyed beauty, she entered the kitchen with her and Dell's firstborn on her hip. The child was only two, but he was already showing signs of following Dell's growth rate. Karter was delighted his grandson was going to be strong like his papa.

He was less thrilled to be called Grandpa.

Dell glanced over, and his face lit up as he saw Eryllis and Johon. "Hello, you two!" He glanced behind them then looked back at Eryllis. "Where's Kharza?"

She smiled and tilted her head toward the door to the private quarters. "She's nursing Jahara for me," Eryllis said.

Dell dropped a dumpling.

The kitchen crew giggled at his stunned expression then quickly got back to work as he sent them an annoyed look.

"I'm not even going to ask how that's possible, magic lady," Dell said, turning back to the meals he was preparing.

"That smells so good! Can I have a little bite?" Eryllis said, batting her eyelashes at him as Maggie had taught her.

He grinned at her. "This is for table twelve!" He slid the plates over to the next station, where Maggie added the vegetables. Dell pulled a strip of seasoned fowl from a platter on the shelf before him. "You can have some of mine." She leaned in, and he tucked it into her mouth. She kissed his fingers then her eyes closed in happiness.

When she allowed herself to swallow, she gave him an admiring look. "Delicious!"

He nodded with a smile and gave her and his son a quick kiss before returning to his task.

After all, he had twenty-two more mouths to feed tonight.

-=-

Once the last customers made their way back up the hill to the city, Dell served dinner to the staff. Then, Karter, Kharza, Eryllis carrying Jahara, and Dell with Johon sleeping in his arms, retired to the cushioned chairs on the front porch. Everyone had a favorite spot, and they sighed happily with warm food in their bellies and a comfortable place to rest their weary bones.

"This is why you cannot have the porch for more dining room space!" Kharza argued, and Karter raised his hands in defeat.

"Why don't you just build another building on the south side of the inn and link them with an enclosed passageway?" Dell suggested.

Karter paused to think about that. "That's not a bad idea. I'll have to mock-up a diagram to see how it could work."

"Enough work talk," Eryllis insisted, and the two men smiled at her as she held her youngest. Jahara was only ten months old but a happy child. She rarely cried and seemed to smile for everyone.

"I understand Eryllis convinced you to nurse our daughter," Dell teased Kharza with a smile.

The joy that appeared on the Orc's face caught Dell by surprise as he'd never seen the female warrior look so content before.

"Yes, her magic opened my eyes to what I've been missing and showed me what I have been denying myself as punishment for having survived that night. We will be making a child of our own soon," Kharza said as she held his eyes.

"I'm so--WHAT?" Dell stared at her as he wasn't sure what he'd just heard.

Kharza glanced over to Eryllis, who shared a secret smile with her. Then she turned to Dell. "Do you not think I deserve to have a child of my own?"

"Ah--of course, you do! I-I just thought you might want to find an Orc warrior to make one with!" Dell sputtered.

Kharza made a rude noise, dismissing the idea. "Orc's choose the strongest mate to protect the family. You are the strongest. Eryllis and I have spoken. It will be so." She closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the chair cushions. The conversation was apparently concluded.

Dell turned a questioning eye to his mate, and she raised a lovely eyebrow, challenging him to refute their decision. His mouth worked then closed as he knew he wouldn't change any minds. He heard a chuckle and glanced at his father, who quickly followed Kharza's example.

Then Karter remembered something. He opened his eyes and turned to Dell. "What did Commander Falco want when he dropped by today?"

Dell wasn't pleased he'd been blindsided by Eryllis, but the change of topic was welcome. "He's asking for our help with a group of Orc who are encroaching on the land set aside for the trade route to Portoa. The negotiators will be heading out two days from now to educate them on what the boundary markers mean. We'll go along to ensure the Orcs get the message and to keep the Human messengers alive in the process."

"The commander is getting more comfortable with you two," Karter said.

Dell shrugged. "As comfortable as he can be with weapons he can point at problems but not control." He sighed. "This is the third time he's asked for help, and it always feels like he's being forced into it."

Karter nodded but had no advice for him. "How long will you be gone?" he asked instead as he frowned in concern.

"No more than four days. I'll leave you with the ingredient list for the next dinner event. If you could make the arrangements for us, I'll make an old favorite, pot pies," Dell said with a smile, knowing his father loved them too.

Karter's eyes lit up as he imagined the profits. "Can you make enough for a four-day event?"

Dell frowned. "Four days? Three days at current volume levels is a strain on the crew. They'd need compensation for adding another day."

"Ten percent bonus should do it, prorated by experience," Karter offered.

"Twenty percent with no prorating as the workload isn't less for anyone," Dell insisted. Karter was about to argue when Dell sweetened the deal. "You can cover five percent from my share."

Karter smiled and nodded.

"But you're doing grandpa duty while we're away. Maggie can't be expected to do everything! She has her own family," Dell scolded. Karter raised his hands in surrender as he knew it wasn't a hardship taking care of these two.

"Did I see Wizard Ducane drop by as well today?" Karter asked their live-in Druid.

Eryllis smiled. "Yes, he was here for his last treatment."

"I thought he might be dying his hair and beard. Were you able to fix that?" the man asked in surprise.

"It's not dye. We were able to reverse the aging caused by the magics he used when we first met," she explained.

Karter sat up quickly in surprise, but she held up a hand to stop his next question. "Sorry, it doesn't work on anyone but wizards. He had to channel the same magic for me to repair the damaged areas. He was artificially aged so that could be reversed. Natural aging cannot."

"Obviously, the Wizard has no issue with you retaining the staff. Especially when you can use it to give him more life!" Karter said a little enviously. Eryllis just smiled and shrugged.

They settled down to enjoy the evening then gradually made their way inside.

Karter said his goodnights and headed off to his bedroom after kissing the foreheads of his grandkids.

Kharza disappeared before Dell and Eryllis put their kids to bed. When they entered their bedroom, Kharza was in their bed, completely naked.

She'd shared Dell's bed with him occasionally to satisfy her needs, with Eryllis' knowledge and permission, of course.

But this was the first time she'd been there with Eryllis in the room as well.

Before Dell could say anything, Eryllis dropped her dress to her feet and climbed onto the bed next to the green warrior.

"I want to start making our baby tonight," Kharza said.

"And I want to start making our third. We said three would be our limit, and I don't want the third to be too much younger than the others," Eryllis explained.

As Dell slowly stripped off his clothes for the enjoyment of the two ladies, he counted his lucky stars.

How his life had become so entwined with Kharza's mystified him but delighted him as well. He could see in her eyes that she was ready to open her heart to him... and their child. That added extra lift to his erection which jumped into view as his pants dropped. The ladies purred with excitement.

His eyes locked onto Eryllis' and they shared a look filled with their deep and complete love. She'd saved him from his loneliness, and he'd done the same for her. They'd become greater than their separate selves, and with their children, that love was growing daily.

He smiled as he knelt on the end of the bed, gazing at the two women smiling hungrily back at him.

As a Master Chef, appeasing hunger was something he was exceptionally good at, but this would need an extra hands-on effort.

He was up for that.