Author's Notes:

The Wood Knot Warrior Part 2 is my contribution to the second Tales of Leinyere Story Event.

Continuing the story of Dell du Krane, Eryllis Harrowane, and Kharza.

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 Part 2

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Chapter 1

The Wood Knot Inn had undergone significant renovations in the five years since Eryllis and Kharza moved in with Dell and his father, Karter.

Business was booming for the restaurant and the increased revenue paid for a grand double-size dining hall in a new wing they added to the main building. The kitchen expanded to absorb some of the space the old dining room once used, and the bar/main meeting hall took the rest.

This also meant they saved their precious porch seating area for relaxing late spring/summer/early fall evenings.

A second story on the new wing contained a few extra guest rooms and storage.

To support the increased business the restaurant was receiving, Karter extended the basement under the main building into the foundation of the new wing. This allowed them to greatly expand the enchanted cold cellar under the main structure. Storage for non-perishable items moved into the new basement area.

Dell was thrilled by how much more room he had for preserving the ingredients he could prepare for larger dinner events.

The final and most important change they made to the inn (in Eryllis and Kharza's opinions) was adding a third story above the main building for bedrooms and a large playroom for their children.

Eryllis and Dell now had three: their son Johon, who just turned four, their first daughter Jahara, who was three, and their second daughter Jessa, who was eighteen months.

Kharza and Dell's son, Ket, was almost two.

They'd been blessed with well-behaved, happy children who got along and seemed to enjoy each other's company.

This was good, as the Inn was a bit of a distance away from the nearest city, Grennesh, where their closest neighbors lived.

A week before they broke ground for the new wing, Karter received a visitor bearing sad news.

Nearly forty years earlier, when Karter was a much younger man, he and his new bride had come to the inn, fleeing the scorn and persecution of her people and his. They were welcomed by the owner at the time, a dwarf named Krommin Grobrir, who sympathized with their plight.

He'd fallen in love with Maevria Stormguard, a female from a rival family, and left the mines of his family estate to be with her.

They built the inn and established it as a neutral territory for settling disputes. The leaders of Grennesh and the Mistveil Wood Elves immediately approved of the establishment and made good use of it for many years. Seeing the love between Karter and Sharlyn, the gentle dwarf offered them a place to live and work. Karter showed skill in management and immediately became Krommin's assistant.

Barely two years later, Krommin's father and brother died in a mining accident, and he was called back to head up the family mining operation. He signed over ownership of the inn to Karter with a single stipulation. Maevria would always be welcome at the inn if anything happened to him.

Krommin's recent peaceful passing in his sleep signaled Maevria's welcome at the Grobrir mines was at an end, so she packed her goods and set out from the estate deep in the central region of the Dragon's Spine mountains and headed north toward Grennesh. It was a long journey, but she found she was welcome in a new home on her arrival.

While she marveled at their plans and was flattered by the offer of a room in the new addition, she admitted she preferred the solidity of rock around her. As the Inn's property stretched a good distance back from the road, it included a natural outcropping of the Dragon's Spine just inside the forest. She chose to build her own home by carving one out of the solid rock. She had her own tools and convinced a Dwarf crew of excavators from Grennesh to assist her with the initial stage of digging out the entrance foyer, the airshafts, and the main chamber. While she would spend her nights there, it was just a two-minute walk to the inn, so she would take her meals with them.

Eryllis and Kharza asked if she might be interested in nanny duties on the occasions when they were on the road. She'd left her own daughter at the mine as she had a future there, so she was very touched by their trust in her. She accepted.

Once the construction was finally completed and the dust settled, their lives returned to their comfortable patterns, albeit with more hustle and bustle at the inn.

-=-

"I'm just suggesting it might be an excellent time to have another beef pot pie dinner event," Karter said in his most reasonable tone as he watched his son's face.

Dell sent him a frown as he was busy experimenting with another dish he was considering. It was a blending of his beloved chicken stew and a new ingredient, a wheat-based product called noodles. He'd purchased them from a traveling merchant he met at the market in Grennesh. He'd bought the recipe and the equipment for producing his own. Topped with buttery breadcrumbs and melted cheese, then baked, he thought it certainly looked and smelled appetizing. He also knew he could make serving-sized portions of the casserole in mass quantities, but he wasn't sure if it would be popular enough to warrant the effort.

Maggie entered the kitchen with Hildy and Beverly at her elbows, listening intently to the latest news from Grennesh's upper society.

"First, he's pushed down some stairs, and when that didn't kill him, they tried poison!" Maggie exclaimed.

Karter was distracted from his campaign and looked over to the woman. "Are you talking about Devlin Warrick?"

Maggie nodded with an excited look in her eye. "My neighbor works in the mansion and overheard two family members saying one of the night nurses was caught substituting his pain medication with poison. The old man had already been given a partial dose, but he's clinging to life. It didn't kill him, but he must be on his deathbed now."

Dell snorted scornfully. "The high families of Grennesh act like rats trapped in a cage."

His father looked over at him with a raised eyebrow, so Dell explained. "I don't understand how they can call themselves a family and live together in those enormous mansions yet hate each other so much!"

Karter nodded. "What do the high families have in common?"

Dell frowned. "Uh, wealth? Those enormous homes? Too much idle time on their hands?"

"Servants!" Hildy offered, getting a grin but a headshake from Karter.

He looked back at Dell. "What else?"

Dell knew he was close as he could see it in his father's eyes. Then it came to him.

"Power."

That gave Karter a satisfied expression. "Exactly, but only the patriarch of the family, or matriarch in rare instances, gets to wield it. This makes the younger generations hunger for it." He turned his gaze back to Maggie. "I wouldn't be so quick to write the old man off. Seven years ago in Portoa, the Thaneblood patriarch also suffered a series of unfortunate accidents. His were not-so-blatant attempts on his life. He miraculously recovered and rules his family and the city council with an iron fist to this day. Devlin Warrick is a miserable old man who lives for his influence over the city and his family. He won't go easy."

"I still don't understand how these families remain together if they all hate each other," Dell insisted.

Karter smiled. "It's generational. Each generation has peers amongst the other families, contemporaries they can plot against or with. The older ones don't trust the new ones and the new generation sees the failures of the one before and believes they can do better. They stick around as they want their turn." He shared a look with Maggie. "Sometimes they take steps to speed that transition along."

Dell turned back to his casserole and scooped out a spoonful. He offered it to Hildy, who was closest, and she smiled in delight. She blew gently on the spoon before accepting it. The other ladies watched her expression as she chewed and then cheered when she began to nod vigorously with wide eyes.

"That's so good!" she gushed after swallowing.

Dell looked at his father. "You don't have to worry about me ever attempting to take over the inn... as long as you leave the culinary decisions to me."

Karter raised his hands in surrender as he watched his son nodding to himself, working out the logistics of mass-producing this delicious new dish. Maggie, Cecily, and Beverly also gushed happily after they sampled it.

It looked like the inn would get another dinner event after all.

A win is a win, the du Krane patriarch mused to himself with a satisfied smile as he returned to his office to make his own preparations.

Chapter 2

Rohann Blest, chief of security for Devlin Warrick, sat stewing in the outer sitting room of his master's private bed chamber. Inside the next room was the old man and the representative Magus Thaneblood of Portoa sent to deliver a message. Rohann's ears still burned with the humiliation of his master's bitter scolding, sending him from the chamber so he wouldn't overhear the private conversation.

Thaneblood's man was an assassin! The cranky bastard trusted an assassin over his own chief of security?

While he was not a young man, Rohann ensured he kept in peak condition with vigilant training. But compared to Harris Kess, the Master Assassin, he was a doughy mess. Thaneblood's killer was a lean but muscular man with unhealthily pale skin, cold grey eyes, and a rictus smile. There couldn't have been any fat on the man's body at all, and he was completely hairless. It sent shivers down Rohann's back to look at him, which he supposed was part of the man's arsenal.

They'd been talking for over an hour in there, and Rohann was growing nervous. He didn't seriously believe Kess was here to kill the old man, but this mysterious message sent his imagination to dark places.

Devlin had been tripped down a flight of stairs and poisoned on Rohann's watch, but in both cases, the old man's refusal to listen to his security chief's advice led to the opportunities.

He knew Devlin's oldest son, Lucien, was ambitious and impatient. He also had a far more extensive spy network than his father, who was too cheap to build an effective one of his own. Lucien had almost reached his fortieth year, and every year, he grew hungrier for his father's power.

While not a physically impressive man, Lucien was moderately handsome and reasonably fit. His true strength was that he played the game well. He fit into the High Family social scene perfectly. He saw and was seen with the right people, wore the latest fashions, tracked the trends, and was intimately aware of the power shifts within each family. Rohann assessed him as a dangerous man.

His thoughts were interrupted by the bedroom door opening. Kess smiled at him, and once more, a shiver slipped down his back.

"Rohann, get in here!" the old man shouted from inside. His voice had a surprising amount of force, so he quickly moved to the side of his master's bed.

"Get my clerk in here and fetch my seal," Devlin barked with a gleam in his eye.

With a nod, Rohann left the room and moments later returned to watch Devlin dictate a letter to the clerk, who wrote quickly.

It was a note for the bank to deliver a sizable amount of money into Kess' possession for services to be rendered. There was no description of what these services were or when they'd be delivered. When Rohann looked at the assassin, the man just kept that enigmatic smile on his lips.

The security chief signed as a witness, Devlin added his signature, then applied his seal.

Kess accepted the scroll from Devlin's hand, and the two men shared a knowing smile before the assassin turned and left without another word. The clerk followed, and the old man gestured grumpily for Rohann to go as well.

Once more, he was left in the outer sitting room with only his thoughts.

What service had the old man purchased with that small fortune?

-=-

Lucien was burning with curiosity when his father's visitor left the mansion the day before. It would have been unsightly for him to have investigated too quickly, so he bided his time and found an opportunity to casually cross paths with his father's security man.

"Good day to you, Rohann," he said, using the assumed familiarity of the man's given name to imply friendly intent.

Rohann turned to face him, a slight wariness in his body language. "Good day, Mr. Warrick."

Lucien let the gentle snub slide as he moved to his next stage. "How is father doing today?"

Blest locked eyes with Lucien for a moment. "While I'm not his physician, I'd say he isn't out of danger yet."

Lucien smiled at what he took as an implied accusation and once more let it slide. He affected a thoughtful expression as he nodded.

"You've served father for many years, and you've done a splendid job... under the circumstances," Lucien suggested.

His phrasing raised Rohann's eyebrow. "Circumstances?"

Lucien flashed his most charming smile. "Father can be most difficult to deal with. He's infamously resistant to taking advice and would shave coppers given the chance."

He didn't expect the man to comment, so he moved on.

"In the unfortunate situation where Father doesn't rebound from his current condition, what are your plans?"

The man paused and considered the question.

"I suppose retirement," Rohann finally admitted.

Lucien knew that would have to be his response, as failing your last master, regardless of fault, does not present well in your work history. "I hope Father ensured your retirement would be a comfortable one. He has been known for being cheap."

Rohann frowned, then amended his answer. "I suppose I'll probably freelance for a time... to keep my skills sharp."

Lucien nodded thoughtfully. "I know the years you've put in, and I do appreciate how well you've protected the family's interests over the years. On top of anything Father might have prepared, I've put aside a retirement fund for you. The money is in the bank when that day eventually comes. To spare you any questions, the source of the funds is identified as the Warrick Estate. Just to say, someone appreciates you."

Before Rohann could respond, Lucien smiled, nodded, and moved on, leaving the security man staring at his departing back.

The seed was planted. All he needed now was for his cheap bastard of a father to show how little regard he had for Blest.

That wouldn't take long.

-=-

Rohann was left in a contemplative mood for hours after meeting Lucien. When he reported to Devlin later that day, he informed his master that his son was fishing for a health status update. Devlin cackled slightly at that and settled into a more comfortable position.

He still showed bruises from his tumble down the stairs, and his leg was healing from the break. The pain medication made him a little glassy-eyed and prone to muttering to himself as if he thought he was alone.

Devlin grinned with a wicked gleam in his eye as he turned them toward the window. "I can cling to life for the two months it'll take to deliver my immortality."

As quickly as he slipped into that odd little moment, Devlin came back to himself, scowling at what he might have let slip. "I'm tired. Leave me."

Rohann nodded to his master and left the suite. His mind was stuck on one significant word.

Immortality.

He went back to Kess' visit to consider this new information. He knew Kess' master Magus had miraculously healed from terrible injuries and lived beyond everyone's expectations, as it was said he'd been close to a natural death even before the assassination attempt.

Now Magus was reaching out to Devlin, who'd experienced similar events. If Devlin received the same miracle health potion Magus had, Rohann might find himself in Devlin's service forever. Retirement, even a poor one, would never be an option. That thought gave him pause.

The next morning, Rohann stopped by his bank to check on his account and saw a promissory note attached from the Warrick Estate. It hadn't been there before.

Someone appreciated him.

Chapter 3

Harris Kess had ridden his horse hard to catch up with the men he'd sent ahead of him toward the Tanglewood, northeast of Portoa, across the expansive forested land. They'd been instructed to stay off the trade and secondary routes to avoid being seen by anyone.

His beast was nearly exhausted when he picked up their trail and determined they were just a day ahead of him. He eased his pace to allow the creature to survive the last part of its journey.

When Magus had requested this task of him, Harris understood that time would be the central enemy in achieving success. The recipient was not healthy, and his ability to endure the time the expedition would require was questionable.

Of the task itself, Harris was confident as he'd performed it once before. The wizard's method worked, and Magus lived. He understood the logistics involved.

Magus knew Devlin would accept his terms and be willing to pay the exorbitant fee for the chance of more life. They immediately sent a team of five hardened mercenaries toward the Tanglewood while Kess headed to Grennesh at top speed. He sold the ruined horse, and after meeting with Devlin, he purchased a sturdy new one for his return trip. This was just part of the costs Devlin was paying for.

He would meet with the team tomorrow, and the real work would begin as the Tanglewood was less than a week away.

-=-

Kess listened to the distant sound of screams and altered his vector slightly to ensure he did not get picked up in the sweep of guards searching the woods.

His decoys were performing their tasks as required. Armed with silver-edged blades and silver-threaded armor, they were sufficiently protected to present a viable threat to the patrols in these dense woods. They would be treated as an invading force and might even manage to push the guards back... for a while.

He knew it was only a matter of time before the defending forces would pick them apart and dispatch them savagely, but the battle would allow him to slip past and complete the actual mission.

He went deeper into the forest until he could no longer hear the echoes of his men dying in agony on the spears of the defenders. They were serving their purpose.

Harris came upon a beautiful pond surrounded by flowers. There was a quaint little bench next to it with a single occupant. He froze as he hadn't expected to find a target quite so quickly. For one of this quality, he'd expected to have to slip much deeper into the core of the Tanglewood.

He took his time looking for traps or watchers if she was bait, even though that was highly unlikely.

Finally, assured she was alone, he crept closer until he could launch his net around her. Made of the finest silver and silk threads and weighted with silver pellets, the mesh shot from his launcher to quickly tangle around the Pixie's body.

She'd been in her full-size form while she sat resting, but as expected, she tried to shrink down into her smallest form when she found herself contained by the net.

This was exactly what Harris wanted as the mesh automatically tightened until she was contained in a small soft orb of silver and silk. She hadn't had time to scream or cry for help, and now it was too late. The silver would weaken her until she was barely conscious.

After confirming they were still alone, Harris rose to his feet and stepped closer to his prey. He thought it was a shame she was too small for him to see her expression, as he would have enjoyed her shock and terror at seeing mud come to life. Every inch of his naked body was covered in wet, dark-brown dirt. Only his pale eyes were visible. This camouflage made him invisible to the guard's senses and hers, too.

Putting such thoughts behind him, Harris collected his prize and retraced his steps, ever wary of patrols, traps, or randomly intersecting with others in the woods. He took his time to slip free from the Tanglewood and crossed the section of natural woods to find the encampment where they'd left the horses and supplies for the return trip.

He was surprised to see that one of the five had escaped and made it back to camp. It was unfortunate for the man that he'd stepped on one of the booby traps Harris left behind. His ankle was broken and mangled in the jaws of the trap.

The man surfaced from his fevered state and jolted when he saw the mud man standing over him. He didn't shout, raising him in Kess' estimation again.

"Fuck. Kess," he said as recognition set in.

"Maccan," Harris said in greeting.

"You bastard. This trap is yours, isn't it," the injured man said.

"Yes."

"You never intended to stay with us. We were just a distraction," Maccan said as the truth settled into his mind.

"Yes, but you made it out," Kess said.

Maccan nodded weakly. "Yeah, I did. That a problem for you?"

"Surprising? Yes. A problem? No," Kess replied and drove his blade through the man's chest, piercing his heart.

Maccan died with a look of disappointment and hate on his face.

The rest of Kess' plan continued the theme of expediency.

He emptied the packs of everything he didn't need and left behind all the saddles except for the one he'd use. Then, he linked all the horses together and set off for Portoa.

On the first day, he maintained a quick but not brutal pace. He changed horses as they tired. He repeated this pattern day after day, gradually increasing his speed until the horses were approaching their limit. This cut his return time in half, but the horses began to succumb to exhaustion. He cut them loose to survive their last days in the wild as the rest continued on.

When he reached Portoa, he was left with only one spare horse, but neither was in great shape.

Kess immediately went to meet Magus in the secret room in his suite.

"What do you have for me?" the patriarch asked as he accepted the trap into his hands. With a gleeful smile, he expanded the web by tugging on the top and bottom until the orb was as wide as his shoulders. They heard the soft groan of the pixie inside as she allowed herself to decompress for the first time since she was contained. They could see her through the gaps in the threads, and she was weak but alive.

"You've done excellently!" Magus said to Kess as he inspected the tiny being. "She's young like mine, so she'll make an excellent source for Devlin."

Kess looked to the silver cage where Magus kept his Pixie. She was full-size but stared at him dully. A fading bruise on her cheek told him her master got a little rough during his last treatment. His eyes went to the Pixie in the orb, and he could see the horror in her eyes as she stared at the other Pixie.

Magus' wizard approached and accepted the trap from his master. He smiled at the Pixie inside.

The patriarch returned to his imperious tones. "I want her packaged in a Warrick courier pouch and sent by expedited delivery to Devlin tonight. He's waited too long." The wizard nodded.

Harris frowned. "I thought I'd be delivering the package personally."

Magus shook his head with a scowl. "You've been away too long, and your absence hasn't gone unnoticed. I've been fending off my family's interference as well as threats to my life for the last few weeks. The latest rumor is that the cursed warrior from Grennesh was hired to do the job. I need you here with me!"

"If this fabled Grennesh warrior is on his way, sending me there would let me catch him on the road. I guarantee he wouldn't survive the meeting." Kess was eager to test himself against the man said to wield a magic sword. He was confident he could find his weakness and defeat him.

"No! I haven't had a good night's sleep since you've been away. I want you here. If the warrior does come here, you may dispatch him any way you like," Magus snapped testily, so the assassin nodded.

"I will make the arrangements for the courier pouch. I suggest we include a security detail with it," Kess suggested.

"Fine, fine," Magus said as he turned his attention back to the Pixie in the trap.

"I would keep you for my own if I hadn't already made a deal with Devlin. You are so very lovely," he said softly, smiling as the Pixie shuddered in fear and disgust.

Magus smiled as he knew she had no choice.

Chapter 4

Commander Falco, leader of the Grennesh Guardsmen, had a strained relationship with Dell and Eryllis as both had refused to surrender weapons of significant power. Weapons, which at one time had been cursed. He was slowly getting past his reservations about the two, partially because neither had abused the power they now wielded. They'd also come to his assistance over the years from time to time.

As a man who valued the rule of law above all else, he'd begun to accept the benefit of having these two allies to assist with maintaining the peace where laws were not respected. To date, he hadn't had any reason to regret asking them to intervene.

As he sat at the table across from Jessa, Dell and Eryllis' youngest, wearing a party hat and singing a birthday song for the two-year-old, he wondered if it wasn't too late to begin regretting.

Kharza grinned at him as the song came to an end. "It's too bad you missed Ket's second birthday two weeks ago. I would have loved to see you participate in the battle cries. You have a good voice!"

Falco smiled weakly at the happy Orc and caught the grin on Karter's face. Once more, the commander wished he'd arrived just an hour later.

Truthfully, he'd been surprised at how large Ket was for a two-year-old, but Kharza proudly explained he got his size from his father. Ket was destined to be a tall and strong Orc.

Finally, the celebrations were complete, and Kharza and Maevria gathered the children and took them upstairs to get them ready for bed. It brought a smile to his face to see an Orc and a Dwarf cooperating so peacefully together.

"Thank you for waiting for our celebrations to complete, and thank you for participating!" Eryllis said with glee.

"That's quite all right. I didn't mean to interrupt your family festivities," he replied, and Dell just shook his head with a smile.

"What can we do for you?" he asked.

"I was hoping I might request your assistance dealing with a group of bandits attacking travelers on the trade route from Portoa to Grennesh," the commander asked. "We got a report from a solitary traveler from Portoa who was camping off the side of the route. He witnessed the bandits ambush a wagon from Portoa. He indicated there were roughly ten bandits, and they weren't taking prisoners. After they dragged the wagon and victims off the road, the traveler waited for dark then ran the rest of the way to Grennesh."

Dell frowned. "How far are they from Grennesh?"

"Close by. Approximately two days out," Falco replied.

"Why didn't they rob your witness if he was also coming from Portoa?" Eryllis asked.

Falco shook his head. "We asked him how he got past them, and he said he walked right through the ambush point, and he saw no sign of them. Maybe they didn't think he was worth their while. They must not have seen him dip into the woods to set up camp."

Dell looked at Eryllis, and she smiled at him. "Feel like taking out some bad guys?"

Seeing the big green female return from upstairs, Eryllis looked at Dell. "I think we should bring Kharza this time." She knew her friend was itching for some action.

Kharza's eyes lit up immediately. "What's going on?"

"Bandits on the trade route to Portoa. A bunch of them, and they're killing travelers," Dell explained.

"So we get to fight and kill them?" Kharza asked excitedly, and Dell nodded with a small smile. "Yes!" the Orc cheered.

Falco felt uncomfortable with the Orc's bloodlust. "You could take them prisoner."

Dell gave him an incredulous look. "They aren't going to surrender to us, and you seriously expect us to march prisoners back to Grennesh? We aren't a troop of Grennesh Guardsmen," he scoffed. "They're bandits who are murdering innocent travelers. I think it's best if you leave how we deal with them to us."

Kharza's grin was especially toothy as she envisioned the glorious battle ahead.

"Next question, how do we get there quickly to prevent further deaths," Eryllis asked Falco. "Dell's too big for a horse, and I don't like to run," she glanced down at her chest self-consciously, "for reasons. Do you have a wagon we could use?"

"Wagons and horses are too noisy. It'll give away our location," Dell insisted.

Falco suddenly recalled seeing something that might work. After news of the ambush leaked from his headquarters, he'd been summoned to the Warrick estate this afternoon. The gossip network in the city was the fastest communication channel they had.

He'd been taken to see Devlin Warrick himself, and the man had been almost frantic that he send someone to collect a family courier pouch he was waiting on from Portoa. He was worried the bandits might have stolen it. Falco informed the patriarch he'd already planned to send someone to deal with the bandits. He said he'd ask them to collect the pouch too. This seemed to ease the man's mind somewhat.

On his way out, he spotted Devlin's daughter riding in something that would serve Eryllis quite well yet remain silent enough for Dell's purposes.

"I-I have a solution for that. I'll need to collect it from the Warrick estate. They'll loan it to you as they've requested you find a magically sealed family courier pouch. It is coming from Portoa and might have been stolen by the bandits. It's—"

"Red," Dell said automatically, then glanced over to see suspicion flash in the commander's eye. Dell looked guiltily at his father's raised eyebrow. "I saw one before—during my years as a street rat."

Karter rolled his eyes, then looked to Falco. "If you can bring this solution by the inn tomorrow morning, they'll be ready to head out after breakfast."

Falco stood and nodded to Karter, then to the rest before he exited.

He climbed on his horse and headed back to the city. He'd drop by the estate tonight to make the arrangements.

From his meeting with Devlin, Falco was sure the man would agree to his request.

There was desperation in his eyes.

Chapter 5

Dell and Kharza took turns running between the long poles that led back to the two-wheeled cart where Eryllis sat in shaded comfort on a suspended seat. The bumps and ruts on the road were largely isolated from her.

The commander delivered the one-person wagon first thing this morning. Immediately, Dell and Kharza began arguing about which of them would get to pull it. Dell said it was almost effortless for him and Kharza claimed running between the rails helped support her, so it reduced the pounding on her feet. This made running easier for her, and she could keep up with Dell with less effort.

Eryllis was just delighted by how smooth the ride was. She tried to disguise her reasons, but Dell and Kharza traded knowing looks. While Eryllis' large breasts swayed and bounced, it was a gentle motion, so her supporting undergarment didn't have to be worn so tightly. She was very grateful she didn't have to run.

They made phenomenal time and began to worry they might charge through the ambush point. They began pausing at each blind turn to get a visual of the next stretch to see if it could be where the bandits waited to pounce on travelers.

Kharza was the one who spotted the wagon tracks in the distance leading off the trade route. While it might have just been some travelers pulling off to spend the night in the privacy of the woods, there were some suspicious dark spots on the ground where the tracks veered off the road.

They tucked their small cart in the woods and ventured forward on foot just inside the trees to remain unseen.

Eryllis reached forward with a spell that tapped into the senses of the animal life in the area. This was fairly light due to the proximity to the road. What she linked up with had been disturbed by recent violence, and the woodland creatures were hiding. She reached out a hand to touch Dell's arm.

"Violent activity ahead and recent," she whispered. Dell and Kharza nodded.

Dell glanced up and saw the sun would be setting soon, so they'd have darkness on their side. If Eryllis detected violence ahead and they knew the bandits weren't taking prisoners, there wasn't much chance of there being survivors to rescue. This meant they could take their time and study their enemy before defining their plan of attack. This was how Kharza had been successful against superior numbers when she hunted the Orc troop that killed her people.

They crept forward until they spotted the first sentry. They confirmed he wasn't in the line of sight of another guard. He was facing the trade route and looked incredibly bored, bordering on being asleep. Dell nodded to Kharza, and she grinned widely for being honored with the first kill.

She knew how to move silently through the woods as she'd had plenty of practice. She slipped up behind the man and quickly pulled him to the ground, silently choking the life from him. She propped him against the base of a tree, and it looked like he was catching some sleep.

They moved forward again and heard the camp ahead. Circling around it, moving deeper into the woods, they found no other sentries until they were on the north side of the bandit's hide-out. Again, there was one man, bored and facing the road. Kharza took him down as well.

They inched closer until they could get a read on the targets and the size of the space they'd be fighting in. Eryllis guided them back to the west side of the camp, and they huddled to speak.

"The two I took out had Grennesh Guard tattoos, but they were old and faded," Kharza offered.

Dell nodded. "Likely retired and looking to make some cash." He looked into Eryllis' eyes. "Can you cast that poison hedge spell around the entire camp? I don't want any to escape into the woods."

Eryllis nodded as she contemplated the scale of the required wall, as the camp seemed quite large. "We're going to be on the inside, yes?"

Dell nodded with a grim expression, and she returned the gesture.

"Okay. I'll launch the spell to create an outer perimeter following the road and the circle we made of the encampment. It will grow inwards until it reaches the clearing of the camp."

Kharza looked from their position to the light they could see through the trees from the fires burning in the site. "That's a very thick hedge!"

"I'll let the outside edge die off to keep it no thicker than a few feet. That will be enough to deter anyone from pushing through the barbs. That and the poison," Eryllis said.

Dell nodded. "I'll start at the north edge and work my way south."

"I'll go from the southern edge and meet you in the middle where Eryllis will be."

She nodded. "Should I extinguish the fires in the camp, too?" she asked.

Dell smiled. "That would be helpful."

She nodded. "I'll snuff them out when I step into the light."

"Let's go!" Dell said, leaning closer to kiss both ladies, then rushed off to the north as Kharza slipped away, heading to the southern edge.

Eryllis reached for the spell and defined the massive ring of thorns, which suddenly sprung up from the ground behind her and linked to the others to encircle a wide area. As she rushed straight for the camp, she was aware of the sharp and poisonous ring constricting around their target.

So far, so good. She hoped Dell and Kharza didn't encounter any surprises.

-=-

Kharza felt her blood pumping through her heart and rushing through her body as the battle was on!

She burst into the open at the south edge of the camp where their animals were stored. She scowled as there were no targets to fight. She saw the thorn hedge reach the forest's edge and simply stop. She was so impressed with Eryllis' control over magic. While she was still uncomfortable with magic, she'd come to appreciate what it could do... but only when Eryllis was casting it.

She grinned as three men surged out of the tent just a few feet ahead. They heard her footfalls as she rushed forward, and weapons were drawn.

Her grin widened as sparring with Dell had honed her skills to their peak, but real battle was a delicious present.

The clang of colliding metal, the deep wet thud of her axe biting deep into her opponent's body before she kicked him free, the whistling sweep of a sword blade passing over her head, leaving her enemy's chest and side open to her hand-axe or her bare knuckles, these were the notes of a song sung to celebrate the intensity of living life to its fullest.

Kharza continued further into the campsite as three bodies cooled behind her. She was already wearing the blood of her victims, making her white-tusked grin seem all the more feral.

A huge brute of a man turned to hear her charging forward, and for just a moment, he hesitated. As she closed the distance, she knew he would fall. She'd seen hope die in his eyes.

She would show no mercy for those who murdered the innocent.

-=-

Dell burst out of the trees close to the northern edge and found himself facing a group of ten bandits sitting and standing around a campfire, with five more a short distance away. "Shit."

He felt the warrior spirit in the enchanted sword expand within him, and his confidence surged. There was a sudden scramble to unsheathe swords and lift clubs. Dell spotted three men at the back desperately trying to string their bows.

Suddenly, the campfires and torches across the camp extinguished, dropping everyone into almost complete blackness.

Most of the bandits were Human, already night blind from looking into the bright flames. Their poor night vision doubled their terror as they could hear a long blade slashing through the air and bodies very close by. Only the truncated cries of their companions meeting that deadly steel gave away the position of the big swordsman, but he was moving fast.

Two men desperately swung their heavy clubs and struck each other's skulls.

Dell saw the bandits with better night vision scatter to the edges of camp only to cry out in pain as they encountered the deadly barbs on the hedges.

They were trapped.

-=-

After Eryllis snuffed the light in the camp, she reached out with her senses to identify life around her. There were three in a large tent a short distance ahead. One felt... odd.

Two bandits rushed out of the tent and turned to face her in the dim light. They drew their blades, but vines erupted from the ground at their feet to coil around them before they could run at her.

They tried to hack at the tough material but were soon wrapped up and screaming as the plants constricted, shattering their bones.

A sputtering fireball burst out of the tent flaps, aimed directly at her head. She increased the power of her fire suppression spell, which popped the orb before it reached her.

The tent's flaps pushed open as a tall man wearing a hooded robe strode out to pass the two crushed bandits. He stopped and shoved his hood back to glare boldly at her.

She saw the slim braids at his temples and his long grey beard with streaks of white in it. Combined with the robe, she assumed she was facing a wizard. His long fingers were adorned with many ornate rings. He was presenting an image of strength, but there was a frailty to his body, so she wasn't sure he had the power to back it up.

"You're working with the bandits?" she asked.

"And you are worthy of being their judge and executioner?" he snapped in return.

She scowled at him as she pointed to three wagons pushed off to the side of the tent, which had once carried travelers from Portoa but were now covered in bloodstains.

She was about to speak again when she realized the air around her had gone completely still.

She couldn't get a breath.

"No air to cast your next spell? You stupid cunt. You shouldn't have messed with a wizard!"

Some might have panicked by not being able to breathe, but Eryllis had a temper, and this asshole just pushed her buttons.

Her eyes locked on his, hate radiating from them, and she saw a hint of doubt appear in his. He began to gesture quickly.

She reached deep, and the Master Druid's spirit in the staff flared. Lightning struck down from a clear sky to touch the tip of Eryllis' staff. It shattered the block of static air and followed the magic channel back to the ring the wizard used to power his suffocation spell. Overloaded, the gem exploded and took the surrounding fingers with it. Unfortunately for him, the rings on those fingers were also charging up for their deadly attacks. The lightning tripped them as well.

The sound of the chain reaction was almost musical with its snap, crackle, and high-pitched ping as each gem blew off the finger it was linked to.

Not a happy tune for the wizard.

He screamed as he stared at the stump of his right hand.

Mad with agony, he raised his left hand to launch another attack.

Eryllis frowned, and a second smaller bolt touched down directly on the crown of the wizard's head, instantly superheating its contents which exploded in a red mist.

She inhaled slowly and deeply until her rage cooled, and she felt centered once more.

Kharza jogged up and stared at the body with smoke rising from its headless neck and right hand. "Did I see lightning? Was that you?" she asked in interest.

Eryllis nodded. "Yes. There was a wizard with the bandits." She looked around. "Where are the rest?"

"I only met four," Kharza grumbled.

-=-

The thugs who survived Dell's initial rush and avoided the poison of Eryllis' vines realized they had no way out. They freed their weapons to attack Dell as a group.

Some had skill, but none were a match for a master swordsman or the powerful brute standing in for one. Dell's blade blocked, sliced, and diced until they all gave up their last breath.

When it was over, Dell surveyed the bandit's campsite and sighed at the carnage he'd left behind. While he was channeling the warrior, there was no room for doubt, and it all made sense to him. He knew what he was supposed to do and why.

But afterward, when the sword went still, and Dell could no longer feel the warrior's righteous spirit flowing through him, he felt a little ill and a little lost to see the death surrounding him.

He flicked his wrist, and the sword was clean once more. Nothing stuck to its surface. He slid it back into its scabbard, which reappeared on his hip.

"Dell?" Eryllis called out from somewhere in the camp.

"Yeah... I'm done. Are there any more?" he called back.

The vines surrounding the area collapsed into dust as quickly as they appeared. Eryllis and Kharza joined him, the latter frowning in annoyance at the number of opponents at this end of the camp. They gingerly stepped over the dead bodies or body parts. Eryllis pointed her staff at the fire to start it once more. Torches popped into life around the site, and they could see the spoils the bandits had stripped from the three groups of travelers they'd robbed and murdered.

"I don't detect anyone else. What are we looking for again?" Eryllis asked as Dell pulled her into a hug.

He enjoyed the feel of her body against his. This helped him reconnect to the now, and he pulled back to give her a quick kiss. Kharza leaned over and got one too.

Dell looked around. "It's a red courier pouch from the Warrick family. It will be sealed with magic. Can you find anything magic in the campsite?" he said.

"There's an awful lot of red currently splashed all over the place," Eryllis said with a smirk.

"So funny," he said dryly as she closed her eyes and turned slowly in a circle.

"Several of the bodies have enchanted items on them like rings, earrings, necklaces, and such. Nothing truly powerful," Eryllis said. She continued looking, then sighed as her eyes opened.

"There's a source of magic in the largest tent past the firepit. There was a wizard in there," Eryllis said.

"What?" Dell exclaimed as he looked at Eryllis in concern.

Kharza snorted. "Was a wizard. He lost his head."

Eryllis rolled her eyes at the play on words. "Ugh, that was bad."

The Orc looked at her curiously. "What was?"

Eryllis stopped and saw only innocence on her friend's face. "Never mind."

Kharza shook her head. "I'm going to go get the two-wheeled cart." They nodded to her, and she grabbed one of the torches on her way out of the camp.

Eryllis looked at Dell. "I didn't know there would be a wizard. Did the commander say there would be?"

He shook his head as they walked to the entrance of the tent. He spotted the dead wizard a short distance away and saw he was missing his head. Then he recalled the flash of light as he was killing the bandits. "What did you do that with?" he asked.

"Lightning."

Dell gave her an impressed nod and tossed open the tent flaps.

A feminine voice yelped from inside. Dell stepped back as his hand dropped to the sword's hilt. "I thought you detected no others in the camp?" he said to Eryllis, who raised her staff.

"I still don't!" she said, casting her detection spells again.

Dell couldn't see anyone in the dim interior, and he certainly didn't feel like killing anyone else. "Excuse me? You in the tent. Would you come out, please?"

Eryllis turned her head to look at Dell incredulously.

"I-I cannot. I am bound by silver. It hurts so."

Dell shared a look with Eryllis. The voice sounded young, feminine, and weak from strain.

He gestured for her to wait, then walked into the tent with his hand on the sword, but he refused to draw it in advance. His night vision was excellent, but something else was at work here as the shadows refused to yield their secrets. He sighed.

"I'm not here to harm you unless you're one of the bandits intent on killing travelers," Dell said calmly as he faced the deepest shadows.

He heard the female voice gasp softly as her strength ran out and the unnatural dark lifted. He could now see a small being leaning up against the main support pole of the tent.

He might have mistaken her for a Human teen as she shared many similarities with Humans, and the top of her head barely reached Dell's chest. But the long, pointed ears sweeping back through her hair, her glowing eyes, and, most significantly, the trembling, gossamer butterfly-like wings killed that idea.

Her beauty was... intense.

Long and thick silky hair, golden yellow like honey, flowed over her slim shoulders, hiding her modest breasts.

Her skin was smooth, unblemished, and so fair it seemed to glow faintly. That was Dell's impression, at least.

Maybe she had blue eyes, or it was just the pale blue glow radiating from them. They were striking, nonetheless.

Her cheekbones had a natural blush, and her sensual lips were a darker red.

Her size suggested her age to be in her teens, but her features and body language hinted that she was far more mature than that.

Something thin and glittering faintly encircled her, tying her to the pole. "Is that thread?" he asked.

"Yes," she signed.

"You're bound by silver thread?" he asked in surprise.

Luminescent eyes glanced up at him. "My kind cannot tolerate silver or entrapment. I am tortured by both. Will you free me?" she asked plaintively.

Eryllis entered the tent and gaped at the lovely creature tied to the tent support. She glanced down at her feet and spotted something red. "Before we do, can you tell us what that item at your feet is?" she said.

Dell finally managed to glance down and spotted the courier pouch.

"It was my prison. I was freed in a weakened state, but I discovered I was still imprisoned with this thread," the female sighed.

Dell looked into her eyes in confusion. "You were... contained in the courier pouch?"

"My kind can shrink to fit inside, though I did not do so of my own free will," the being said hesitantly as she watched Dell and Eryllis standing still before her. "Will you not free me?"

Dell frowned as his first instinct was to do exactly that. Except something was off. "I'd like to, but I've never heard of beings with that ability, and if I've learned anything during my days on the streets of Grennesh, a little caution yields much higher returns than brash action."

"Didn't you get into a lot of fights as a young boy?" Eryllis asked with a smirk.

"Not the point I was trying to make, thanks," Dell sighed.

The winged female stared at Dell in shock. "Grennesh?"

Dell nodded to her. "We're not too far from there—"

The young-looking female burst into tears, and Dell felt his heart breaking. He heard Eryllis begin to cry as well.

He pulled her to his chest as he glared at the winged being. "Stop manipulating our emotions!"

The female looked up at him angrily. "I'm not doing it intentionally. I'm so far from home, and I'm sad!"

"We're not here to harm you! Our task was to stop the bandits and find a red courier pouch." Dell exclaimed.

Blue eyes flared with light. "So, you admit you are here to capture me!"

Dell's anger flared to match hers. "NO! We weren't told what was in the pouch. If we'd known you were inside it...." Dell froze as he thought about that. No one would have wanted them to know what was in it.

He shook his head as there was something weird going on. "I'm sorry I yelled. Please be calm. We're here to help, okay? Let me remove the thread. Eryllis, can you find some clothes for her in that trunk?" he said, pointing to the side of the tent. She nodded and moved to it.

Dell got closer to the young female. "My name is Dell, and that's Eryllis."

Hopeful blue eyes looked up into his. "I'm Tawna."

Dell tried to touch the threads, but he discovered he couldn't. He frowned with concentration as he did his best not to ogle her naked body. "Hi, Tawna. Can you tell me what race you are? I don't believe I've ever met someone with wings like yours."

She watched him suspiciously. "I'm a Pixie."

Dell looked back at Eryllis in exasperation. "Can I get your help here? I don't seem to be able to touch the thread."

Eryllis left the trunk, and once more, her magic didn't recognize the being before her. It also didn't react to the thread. Her fingers passed through it as well. Definitely something magic-based.

"That's odd! I can't see it with my magic. Maybe your sword can cut it?" she said in frustration.

"My sword? I'm not going to swing that around her!" Dell exclaimed.

Eryllis smiled. "No, silly. Just see if the blade cuts it."

"Oh! Right," Dell said in embarrassment. "Sorry." She gave him another smirk and headed back to the trunk.

Dell looked into Tawna's eyes. "Don't move. This sword is exceptionally sharp." Tawna nodded as she looked at him nervously.

He carefully drew the sword, then used the tip to tug at one of the loops around her, and the thread split.

"It's working! Eryllis, you're a genius!" Dell said with a smile, and she grinned back.

Dell started at the top and slowly made his way through each turn of the thread around her and the central post. He wasn't sure how the remaining loops stayed in place while the others dropped away when he cut them (stupid magic), but he continued the tedious task until he reached her feet.

When the last one parted, he stood, slid his sword back into its scabbard, and glanced over his shoulder to Eryllis to see if she'd found something for the girl to wear.

The soft, naked female slumped forward from where she'd been clinging to the tent pole and wrapped her arms around him, pressing her face against his chest. He felt her trembling with exhaustion, and her lips moved, but he couldn't hear the words. His upper arms were under hers, so he did his best to support her with his hands on her back. He was concerned about her wings but suddenly realized they were made of light!

Out of thin air, vibrantly blue butterflies suddenly swooped in to begin landing on him and the Pixie from all sides. Hundreds of them until all he could see was the flashing blue. He didn't feel frightened because... butterflies! Then, a deep lethargy swept through his body as something drained his energy.

Just as quickly as they arrived, the butterflies released their hold and flew away, vanishing as they went until Dell could see again.

He was no longer in the tent.

He struggled to remain conscious as a desperate weariness tugged at him. He was standing in the center of a large ceremonial chamber with thousands of winged beings surrounding him. Over a roaring in his ears, he could just make out the sound of frightened screams and deeper angry shouts. Then his legs gave out, and he toppled backward, the naked Pixie stretched out over him.

His head struck the wood floor and darkness swept over him.

-=-

Eryllis turned her face from the trunk and froze as she watched beautiful blue butterflies suddenly swarm around Dell and the collapsing Pixie. When they burst back into flight and faded away, Dell and the Pixie were gone.

"NO!" she screamed as she broke the paralysis of her shock and leapt to her feet. She rushed forward, but they truly had vanished. She could detect no magic at all.

"DELL!" she shouted and rushed out of the tent.

Kharza was just entering the camp and immediately released the cart and rushed to her side. "What happened? Where's Dell?"

Eryllis was frozen with dread. She cast her magically amplified senses outwards, but only Kharza appeared within the radius of her sweep.

Kharza took hold of her face between her palms and looked into her eyes. "What happened while I was gone?"

Eryllis nodded. "We-we came into the tent and found a young woman with large butterfly wings tied to the main tentpole with magic silver thread." She immediately turned and walked back into the tent with Kharza at her back. At the base of the post sat a red courier pouch and a pile of cut segments of silver thread next to it. She picked up the pieces, and the magic was gone. She scooped it into the pouch and lifted it to show her Orc friend. "We couldn't touch the magically charged thread, but Dell's sword could cut it, so he did that while I looked for clothes for her. When I looked back, they were suddenly covered in blue butterflies. When they flew away, vanishing in thin air, Dell and the girl were no longer there. It was some kind of magic, but I couldn't detect it at all!"

"Where did they go?" Kharza asked.

"I have no idea. Tawna was her name, and she said she was very far from home. Maybe... maybe her spell took them... home?" Eryllis was beginning to tremble once more.

Kharza stared at Eryllis and spoke quietly. "Not good. What do we do?"

Eryllis was staring at the pouch in her hands, and her expression changed from fear to anger as she contemplated it. Kharza was right. Worrying was not productive. She needed to do something!

"This mission was odd from the start. Why were the bandits only targeting people coming from Portoa and only larger groups? The request to look for this specific courier pouch, which we discovered contained a person from a race we've never seen. This seems very suspicious. We need information."

She walked out of the tent and over to the wizard's body. "I regret exploding his head now. It would have been helpful to bring his head back to Grennesh to have him identified."

"He has some fancy rings and chains. Maybe someone will recognize those? We could ask your Master Wizard friend, Morgan," Kharza suggested.

"Can you collect those? I'm going to get some drawing materials to make sketches of his tattoos," Eryllis said.

Kharza grinned at her. "You can draw?"

The mother raised a haughty eyebrow. "I draw pictures with my children. Don't you with Ket?"

Kharza shook her head as she smiled. "We practice throwing rocks at targets. Helps his hand-eye coordination."

Eryllis stared at her. "He's two!"

Kharza's smile was wide. "He's very good at it, too!"

Eryllis shook her head and returned to the tent to get the paper and charcoal she spotted in the trunk. Someone's treasures which she would use to identify their killers. While they'd already avenged the dead by killing the bandits, it felt like there might have been a plan behind the attacks. Eryllis needed to find out who was pulling the strings, as they might know where Dell had been taken.

And that's all that mattered right now.

Chapter 6

It took Eryllis and Kharza two days to complete their work at the bandit's campsite and make the trek back to the Inn. When they arrived, Karter met them on the porch and heard Eryllis' story with Kharza's supporting comments. He sent a runner up the hill to fetch Morgan Ducane and Commander Falco. He was visibly upset about Dell's abduction.

Eryllis and Kharza rested on the porch seats as Kharza was tired from pulling Eryllis most of the way back in the cart. Once they'd reached the turn-off to Grennesh, the road had been all uphill. Eryllis had pushed the cart as Kharza pulled.

Morgan was the first to arrive. He took one look at the grim expression on Eryllis' face and suggested they take the conversation inside. Karter led them to his office.

"Should we wait for the commander?" Morgan asked.

Eryllis shook her head. "Before he arrives, I have a question about the Warrick family courier pouch we were asked to collect."

Morgan frowned. "You found it?" She nodded. "You didn't open it, did you?"

Eryllis shook her head. "There was a wizard with the bandits. I think he opened it shortly before we arrived, but I guess it might have been one of the bandits. They're all dead now."

Morgan nodded as he expected to hear they'd cleared out the criminals. "No, the bandits couldn't have done it. Official family courier pouches are sealed with powerful magic. Only the sender or the designated recipient can open them. Who was this wizard?" Morgan asked.

"He didn't tell me his name as he tried to kill me with his magic. Then I made his head explode, so I couldn't bring that for identification. I did sketch his tattoos in case they were distinctive," she said.

Kharza opened a rag she had that contained the wizard's jewelry. "He was wearing these," she said, placing it on Karter's desk.

Morgan's eyes widened. "Power focus rings. If he wore this many, he relied too much on external support for his spells, which tells me he wasn't naturally gifted. That said, these can contain a tremendous amount of power."

Eryllis frowned. "They explode quite nicely when struck by lightning, too."

Morgan's eyes flicked to the Druid staff, then back to the rings.

She found the drawing she'd made of the wizard's tattoos. "These were on his arms."

He looked at the symbols, and his expression hardened. "This man was experimenting with the dark arts." He glanced at her. "Were his teeth black?"

She thought back and nodded slightly. "It was dark, but I think his teeth were smudged with something."

Morgan sat back. "If I'm right about the tattoos, the magic he studied requires a certain amount of personal sacrifice. Most turn to strong drugs to dull the pain. These drugs are highly addictive, so he'd have to take these jobs to pay for his next fix. There is a way to weaken the magic seal on a courier pouch, but no reputable wizard would do it. It tends to stain your magic until you do a full cleanse, leaving you dulled and weakened for days." He seemed to contemplate that for a moment.

"What was in the pouch?" he asked.

"It was more, who was in the pouch," Eryllis responded, and he leaned forward again as his eyes widened.

"We found a winged female tied up with magic silver thread. She claimed it weakened her, and her race has the ability to shrink down to a size small enough to fit within the pouch," Eryllis stated.

Morgan's expression showed his surprise. "A Pixie? Someone abducted a Pixie?"

Karter leaned closer. "Yes, and they were sending it to Devlin Warrick! What does the dying man need more than anything?" he snapped.

Morgan immediately understood Karter's implication and scowled. "Make no mention of the Pixie to anyone. If word got out that someone was trafficking Pixies as some type of cure-all, the ramifications would be dire for everyone!"

Eryllis looked like she might argue, but Karter placed his hand on hers. She turned her face to him and saw he was begrudgingly in agreement with the master wizard.

Karter locked eyes with Morgan. "That doesn't let Devlin off the hook for being involved.

Morgan nodded and leaned back in his chair wearily. "But his death might."

"What?" Eryllis, Kharza, and Karter exclaimed in unison.

The wizard sighed. "Natural causes this time, but Lucien wasted no time stepping forward to claim his authority as the new leader of the Warrick family."

There was a knock on the door, and Karter moved to open it. Commander Falco took in the gathering and frowned. "You began without me?"

Karter gestured for him to enter and close the door behind himself.

Falco spotted the red courier pouch on the desk. "You opened it?" he growled.

"NO!" Eryllis snapped, her temper fraying. Kharza reached over to take her hand to calm her this time.

Morgan turned to the commander. "The bandits had a wizard with them. I didn't recognize his tattoos or jewelry, but from the sound of him, he'd be a lower-level wizard experimenting with the dark arts and drugs. Still, he was able to breach the seal on the pouch. Possibly his one useful skill to the bandits." He saw the question in Falco's eyes. "I just gave Eryllis an update on how courier pouch seals worked. She stated it was open when they arrived."

Falco nodded in acceptance and suddenly realized someone was absent. "Where is Dell?"

Eryllis snarled silently as a directionless rage flared in her. The hair on everyone's arms began to stand on end.

Kharza left her chair to kneel next to her and wrapped her arms around her. They heard Eryllis suck in a breath, and the charge in the room dissipated.

Morgan gave Falco a glance. "I have to admit I was distracted by the open courier pouch and assumed he was in the kitchen," the wizard admitted.

Eryllis got control of her voice. "He went into the tent where I found the pouch and vanished. It was magic, but I couldn't detect it." Morgan connected the dots and understood that the Pixie had taken him.

"He's dead?" Falco gasped.

"NO!" Eryllis snapped once again. "I said he vanished. He went somewhere, and I don't know where."

Falco glanced at Karter to see how the father was reacting and saw he was watching him. "Right... okay. What was in the pouch?"

Eryllis took a deep breath and gestured to the threads hanging from the opening.

Falco moved forward and picked up the envelope. He looked inside and saw many short pieces of silver thread. He turned to Eryllis. "You took nothing from inside?"

"Nothing," she asserted as she looked at him. "Who knew a courier delivery was coming from Portoa?" she asked.

The commander's eyebrows rose. He wasn't used to being interrogated. "Devlin Warrick was the intended recipient. He swore me to secrecy when he asked me to send you two to find it, so I doubt he told anyone. I've learned he's passed, so we can't ask him what he expected to find inside."

"Yet there were bandits only ambushing specific travelers from Portoa, and the bandits had a wizard with the skills to open magic-sealed courier pouches." Eryllis handed Falco the drawings she made of the tattoos she saw on the arms of many of the bandits.

Falco's expression became grim. "These are Grennesh Guardsmen markings. Different platoons."

Kharza spoke to head off a hostile response from Eryllis. "The tattoos were faded like the men who wore them. Retired Guardsmen. The few I met had little fight left in them."

Falco frowned at the implication in her words but nodded. He pointed at one of the sketches. "This one is definitely from a platoon we disbanded for corruption. They were organized criminals when we kicked them out. Not surprisingly, they turned to banditry. The HooBess squad." He sighed. "I have to bring this pouch to the new head of the Warrick family and tell him what you found. I hope Lucien Warrick isn't as difficult to deal with as his father was. I'll send someone by tomorrow to return the cart to the Warrick estate." He sighed. "Thank you," he said, then paused. "I hope you find Dell soon."

Eryllis gave him a quick nod and then looked away.

Morgan waited for Karter to escort Falco out of the building before he turned back to Eryllis. "I don't know where Pixies are located, but someone must have discovered them and a way to use them for cures—" Morgan suddenly froze for a second, then quickly continued. "It's my understanding Pixie magic was very powerful but unlike mine and yours. If you couldn't even detect it, it must be incompatible. Why she took Dell is unknown, as is almost everything else about them. Let me go home and do some research. I'll let you know what I find out. Please don't do anything until I get back to you."

Kharza could see Eryllis wasn't happy about that, but they nodded to him. Morgan took a breath, then left as Karter returned to his office.

"What's he going to do?" he asked when they were alone.

Kharza spoke as she could see Eryllis was struggling to keep it together. "The wizard is going to find information on Pixies. He asked us to wait."

"We give him until tomorrow," Eryllis said through clenched teeth. "Then I start peeling back the layers on this conspiracy."

Karter and Kharza shared a worried look.

-=-

Falco cursed silently as he rode back down the road toward the Wood Knot Inn a day after his last visit.

As he'd suspected, Lucien Warrick was equally arrogant about his privileged status as his father had been. When presented with the opened courier pouch, he demanded the thieves be apprehended and executed for stealing from his family.

Falco had informed him that the bandits who ambushed the courier had a wizard with them who was far more likely to have been the one to commit the crime of breaking the seal.

Lucien proceeded to claim that this was a flagrant attack on his right to protect the family's assets and that he would be informing the heads of all the other first families in Grennesh. He said the presence of a wizard helping bandits was obviously a blatant lie to hide the truth that the very people sent to protect the pouch had opened it and stolen the contents. He pressed formal charges against Dell du Krane and Eryllis Harrowane and demanded that Falco take them into custody immediately.

It took until this morning for the warrant paperwork to be completed, so here he was on the way to deliver it.

He entered the inn and spotted Karter sitting in the bar with several older men, likely regulars. Karter glanced up, stood, and slapped a few shoulders with a smile before joining Falco.

"From your expression, I can tell you're not here with good news," the innkeeper said.

Falco sighed. "No. I think it's best if we do this in your office. Eryllis and Kharza as well, please."

Karter snagged Beverly's arm and asked her to go upstairs and ask the two women to join him in his office with Falco. With a nod, the woman rushed off.

As he waited in the office with Karter, Falco thought about the expression on the young woman's face. "The young lady seemed rather sad," he offered, and Karter glanced toward the door.

"Yes. They've heard Dell is missing, which has unsettled the inn staff. It's unsettling me for more than the obvious reason that he's my son. We've made a major investment in the restaurant that requires him to be in the kitchen, where he most wants to be! He's not a bloody warrior!" Karter said in frustration.

Falco was aware that he was the one who'd called upon Dell to take up the sword on several occasions.

He was spared from having to respond by a knock on the door.

"Come in," Karter called out, allowing Eryllis and Kharza to join them in the room.

They took chairs, and Eryllis focused a stern gaze on the commander.

"What's your bad news?" Karter said, and Falco saw the look in the lovely Wood Elf's eyes sharpen. He sighed.

"I spoke with the new head of the Warrick family, Lucien, and he's proving to be difficult. He doesn't believe the bandits had a wizard, has accused you and Dell of stealing the pouch contents, which he stated may have contained a cure for his father's ailments, and has filed charges against you two. I have an arrest warrant for you."

"WHAT?" Eryllis yelled, and the air crackled with electricity.

Karter raised a finger. "She cannot be arrested in or taken from the inn."

Falco smiled. "Yes. She is protected by its neutral territory designation. Until this nonsense can be dealt with in the courts, I ask you to remain here."

Eryllis leaped to her feet and glared at the man. "I will not be caged while I should be hunting for clues for where Dell might have been... taken or sent."

Kharza interrupted. "Excuse me. Was I mentioned in the arrest warrant?"

Falco turned to her, grateful to look away from the rage on Eryllis' face. "No. No, you weren't named."

Kharza simply nodded with a smile.

Having delivered his bad news, Falco wanted to beat a hasty retreat, so he also stood.

"I'm sorry you've become tangled in the political machinations of a Grennesh first family. I hope we can resolve it quickly." With another nod, he left the room, the inn, and mounted his horse for the ride back.

He glanced over his shoulder as he swore he could still feel the power in Eryllis' eyes following him.

Chapter 7

Things had definitely taken a wrong turn in their pursuit of answers.

Kharza tugged on her friend's hand to make her take her seat again.

"So, the bastard is aware of the significance of the contents of the pouch but not necessarily its nature," Karter mused.

"He must have been the one who hired the bandits and the wizard to keep that pouch from reaching his father," Eryllis reasoned, and Karter nodded.

"We need proof," he said.

"That's something I can get for you," Kharza said with a smile. "I can move freely through Grennesh."

Karter smiled and nodded. "You should try to find a link between Lucien and the ex-Guardsmen who became bandits. What did he call them, the HooBoo squad?"

"The HooBess squad," Eryllis corrected.

Karter nodded. "The bars on the north side of Grennesh are where the darker elements hang out. The bars on Pricton Lane would be a good place to start. If no luck there, Xoctoz Way in the next street, but don't go further north than that." When Kharza stood, he raised a hand. "It's too early. None of those bars will be open until an hour after dark. Two hours would be better."

She nodded and patted Eryllis' shoulder. "Not to worry. I won't beat up too many people."

-=-

The bars on Pricton Lane were far too gentle to find ex-guardsman-turned-bandits. After her fourth try, Kharza wrote off the rest of the establishments on that street.

The places on Xoctoz Way were seedier, and she fended off some unwelcome touching with a few carefully controlled nut-sack slaps, but again, the client base wasn't near the sinister mark required. She began to wonder at how out of date Karter's information was.

She headed further north into Sesrex Alley. There was very little light here and fewer places of business. She did get to flatten two thugs who tried to drag her into a dark hallway.

She didn't kill them, but they got the idea, and the news spread fast.

When she reached the first bar, there were only three customers, but none showed any interest. It felt like a dud, so she moved on. Three fistfights later, she was drinking a surprisingly good ale in her fourth bar when she pulled her first bit of useful information from the bartender. He admitted that the HooBess squad used to drink there, but they'd lost privileges in most of the bars in the alley months ago and had to resort to the last bar on the northernmost road, which was just inside the wall. But her kind wouldn't be welcome there.

Kharza snorted but thanked the bartender with another coin. She left the bar, knocked out another mugger waiting to stab her just outside the door, and then walked to the end of the alley to step out onto a wide cobblestone lane that ran between the buildings and the city wall. On this side of the city, the wall was made of stone. She recalled that Dwarves assisted with the construction of Grennesh, so this was likely part of their contribution. A short distance along the road was a single torch mounted next to a doorway, above which was a sign showing two tankards and the words First Priv.

She didn't know what that meant, but it was a bar, so in she went.

The interior was dark, with booths lining the wall to her right and a bar running along the wall to her left. A few tables filled the space between. There had to be at least a dozen customers, more than she'd seen in the last three bars combined. They all seemed similar to the bandits she'd fought on the road, so she assumed they were also retired guardsmen.

Looking behind the bar, she saw the bartender was bald, badly scarred, and heavyset. Working amongst the tables were two servers who were very different. One was a young dwarf female, short and busty, with long dark hair in braids, dark skin, and a sullen expression.

The other was... big! She was stooping slightly to avoid bumping her head on the low ceiling. Her skin was white as the snow from the nearby mountain tops and matched the color of her hair which was bound in a thick braid running down her back to her knees. She was half a head taller than Dell, generously muscled all over but not bulky thick. She had amazing long legs shown off by her ridiculously short skirt. Kharza stared at the woman's tremendous cleavage as her large breasts strained against her tight top. She also had a bouncy round ass under the short skirt. Everything about her was just... big!

When the blonde headed back to the bar, she looked over at Kharza, and a broad, delighted smile appeared on her pretty face. She had a wide mouth with bright white teeth and full lips. Her fang teeth, top and bottom, were just a little more pronounced than the others.

It was the innocence in her large eyes that caught Kharza's attention.

"Orc! We don't serve your kind here. Piss off!" the bartender called out to her.

Kharza smiled and continued walking until she reached the bar. The dwarf female arrived with her tray and set it on the bar as she glanced apprehensively at Kharza.

"I'm not here to drink your swill. I'm looking for the one who hired the HooBess losers to kill travelers from Portoa," she said.

The tall server stepped up behind the dwarf and added her tray to the bar. She was still smiling at Kharza. In the brighter light by the bar, Kharza realized the blonde's eyes were completely green with slit pupils. In the darker table area, it looked like she had black eyes, but that must have been just her pupils. She pushed her hair back, and that's when Kharza noticed the large, tufted ears projecting out from the sides of her head. She'd thought it was just her hair, but she had large furry ears.

"That was Mitch Tagg—"

"SHUT YOUR TITS!" the barkeep yelled at the tall blonde, and she leaned away with a frightened wince.

Kharza spotted the slave bracelet on her ankle and a matching one on the dwarf's leg. She turned her attention to the bartender.

"Slaves? In Grennesh?"

"It's none of your fucking business! Get out, you green skag!" the man said threateningly.

"Commander Falco told me personally there are no slaves within the city limits. Are you calling him a liar?" Kharza asked. She heard a burst of angry grumbles behind her. The commander wasn't a popular man in this bar, it seemed.

"Right. Free drinks for the rest of the night to the first of you to toss this snot gob out of the bar!" the bartender called out.

Three ex-guards leaped to their feet and charged at Kharza. She surged at them, driving her fist into the closest one's nose. It exploded in a spray of blood as Kharza kicked the feet out from under the second one. He slammed his face into the bar rail, sending teeth scattering. The third landed a punch on Kharza's bicep but caught one to his throat. He went down, too.

It was over in seconds.

Kharza smiled back at the bartender. "If I take the battle axe from my back, none will live, and I promised Falco not to kill within city limits, so it stays where it is tonight."

The bartender looked at her with hate in his deep-set eyes.

"Free drinks for a week to the man who takes the cunt's head off."

The stakes had just gone up. Two more stood to take that offer. One had a wicked eight-inch blade, while the other wielded the short sword active Guardsmen carried.

Kharza pulled her dual hand axes and blocked the thrust from the smaller blade as she sliced the man's wrist with her other axe. As he screamed and fell back, Kharza dropped under the sword stroke and slammed the butt of one axe into the man's kneecap. It shattered nicely, and he grunted in pain as he tried to hop away. She helped him along with a shove, and he crashed over a table.

At the last second, she saw another man rushing at her, so she grabbed his arm, twisted her body to slam her hip into him, and threw him over her shoulder. He sailed over the bar and crashed into the bartender.

She spun and leaped toward two more who ran at her with death in their eyes and knives in their hands. She grabbed a chair and slammed it into the head of the first. The chair broke, and the man fell at her feet, so she stomped to snap his shoulder blade as she leaped up and drove her heel into her next opponent's forehead. His neck snapped back, and he collapsed as if boneless. There were only four left, but none of them reached for weapons. Instead, they slowly made their way to the door and left, not once looking away from her.

Kharza surveyed the room and saw most of her challengers were either unconscious or too badly hurt to continue. She returned to the bar and smiled at the two servers who hadn't moved. Looking over the bar, she spotted the bartender pretending to be unconscious.

She sighed, grabbed a bottle from the bar, and tossed it at the man's head. Now he was unconscious, as was the man she'd thrown over the bar.

Kharza hopped over herself and freed the chain from around the barkeep's neck. It had a crystal on it, which was likely the key for the slave bracelets. She crossed back over and dipped the crystal into the opening on the locks. Both popped open and fell off.

The dwarf pulled a jacket off one of the fallen men, wrapped it around herself, grabbed the coin purses from two of the fallen, and left the bar without looking back or saying thank you. Kharza looked up at the white-blonde... giant.

"What race are you?" Kharza asked.

"I don't know," she said as she blinked at Kharza. "The master said you were an Orc?"

Kharza's eyebrows rose. There was that innocence again. "He's not your master any more."

"Are you?" she asked.

Kharza chuckled. "No, you are free. You are your own master."

"Oh!" the tall female said but didn't seem to know how else to respond.

"Do you have a home to return to?" Kharza asked.

"I don't know."

Kharza frowned. "How can you not know?"

The female bent at the waist to bring her face close to Kharza's. She tapped her forehead, where a faint scar could be seen. "I got hurt. I don't remember when or anything about before."

"Do you remember your name?" Kharza asked carefully and got a big smile.

"Opphai Wintervale," the blonde said. "This was written on the note my master—former master, received with me." Kharza shook her head in surprise.

"You remember the man who spoke with the HooBess bandits?" Kharza asked.

White hair bobbed as she nodded. "Mitch Taggart. He said he was Chief of Security for Lucien Warrick."

"How do you know this?" Kharza asked.

"I have very good hearing. Like now, many men are coming to the door," she pointed.

"Which way to the back door?" Kharza asked urgently. She wanted to release her battle axe, but she'd promised.

"This way," Opphai said and dashed through a curtain at the far end of the bar. They went through the kitchen and slammed out the back door. It crashed into the face of someone preparing to rush inside. Opphai pushed him aside and the one behind him, slamming them into the alley walls. Kharza rushed around her, glanced at the unconscious men, and grabbed Opphai's hand to pull her along.

"We have to get to the Wood Knot Inn quickly," Kharza said as they ran. She could hear shouting in the distance behind her.

They made it past the darkened streets Kharza had hunted through but ducked into an alley before crossing a wider avenue as Kharza spotted a group of Grennesh Guardsmen ahead.

"We can't be sure if these active Guardsmen will help us or fight us like the men in the bar," Kharza said quietly.

Opphai glanced across at the four men. "Finley, Hollis, Jonish, but the fourth man has never been to the bar."

Kharza looked up at her in surprise. "You recognize them?"

Opphai smiled at her. "I remember faces, names, what they said, and when they visited. I don't remember anything from before," she touched her forehead, "but I remember everything I see and hear now. I am good with customer orders in the bar. Gennie had trouble remembering things when she got mad. I tried to help her, but she didn't like that."

"Gennie was the dwarf girl?" Kharza asked and got a nod.

Opphai frowned sadly and looked back. "The bad men are getting closer."

Kharza glanced up the street. "We need to get these men to move away from this intersection."

Opphai looked up the street and nodded. She picked up a large rock near her feet and threw it high into the sky over the roof of the building next to them. Seconds later, a terrible crash occurred as the rock came down on a window ledge up the street, shattering the glass.

Kharza watched the guards run up the street to investigate. With a grin, she grabbed Opphai's hand and raced out of the alley, across the avenue, and into the next darkened street.

She kept up their pace, carefully crossing intersections and wider streets, always watching for the Guardsmen until she saw the gate exiting the south side of Grennesh. Two men were inside the door, and she knew two would be outside.

"Do you recognize them?" she asked Opphai.

The tall female looked, then shook her head.

Kharza nodded. "We'll take a chance and walk casually past them and out the door. There will be two more outside. We'll just have to hope for the best. Once we get past them, we run down the hill and don't stop until we get to the inn. We'll be safe there."

Opphai looked at her and nodded seriously as they stepped out from the shadows and walked across the wide-open space to the small door in the main gate.

"Good evening," Kharza said, but their eyes were locked on the tits and ass of her companion. She smirked and continued through the door. Opphai had to duck to squeeze through the exit, but once she was out, she froze as she locked eyes with one of the two standing there.

That man's body language was stiff, but his partner was enjoying the view of Opphai's bosom.

Kharza watched emotions flash by on her tall friend's face.

"Wexly! I am a free being now. I am my own master, no longer a slave. You can't touch and hurt me anymore like you did! Never again, you ugly, mean man!"

Kharza examined the older man whose mouth was opening and closing in embarrassment as his partner smirked, watching him being put in his place.

Finally, Wexly had taken enough and got mad. "How dare you speak to me like that, you stupid bitch!" He grabbed Opphai's nipple through the tight fabric and twisted it cruelly.

Then he wasn't there.

A plume of road dust tossed up by his body rocketing off into the darkness was the only evidence of his passage.

Opphai gently held her sore breast as a tear ran down her cheek.

Kharza quickly looked in the direction Wexley had been slapped, but there was no sign of his body. She refocused on her new friend. "Are you okay, Opphai?" she asked as she moved to her side to prepare her to run.

The tall woman nodded but looked sad.

Kharza looked to the other guard, who was standing still, gaping at the spot his partner had been just seconds ago. She got them moving while the guard was stunned, and they slipped away into the darkness.

Once Opphai could move quicker, they picked up their pace and hustled down the hill until they could see the light of the inn's torches ahead.

Karter was standing by the door as they climbed the stairs. "Who's your new friend," Karter asked politely, and Opphai gave him a happy smile.

"Karter, this is Opphai Wintervale. She could be your new server if she'd like to work here. She has perfect recall," Kharza explained as she led them inside and down the hall to Karter's office.

The entire way, Opphai's large eyes were wide with wonder as she took in her new surroundings. "I could work here?" She turned to look at Karter with an eager expression. "I have an excellent memory. I am a very good server." Her eyes looked up at the ceiling, and she stopped hunching over as she suddenly realized she had space to stand up straight. "My, your ceilings are high! And your doorways!"

Karter walked around them as they entered his office, and he took his seat behind the desk. "The building was designed to be comfortable for people of all sizes. That said, I don't believe I've ever met someone who looks like you. You have very distinct eyes and ears. What are you?"

Opphai's eyes darted to Kharza as they took seats across from Karter. "I don't know."

Kharza picked up the thread. "She suffered an injury to her head and lost the memories of her past, but her memory of the things she's seen and heard at the First Priv bar at the north wall is very extensive. The bartender was keeping her and a dwarf girl as slaves. Lots of ex-Guardsmen were there, and the HooBess squad was there earlier. Lucien's security chief met with them and hired them."

Karter looked at Opphai. "You saw this meeting happen?"

"Yes, I saw it and heard their words. I have excellent hearing. Someone is approaching the door," she said, and everyone looked as a gentle knock sounded.

"Come in," Karter called out, and Eryllis stepped inside. She stopped when she saw the stranger.

"Eryllis, this is Opphai Wintervale. She's a witness to Lucien's security chief hiring the bandits. Opphai, this is Eryllis Harrowane."

"Hello! My, you're so pretty! Oh! You have big breasts like me! Well, almost like me," Opphai gushed.

Eryllis' face flushed with embarrassment as she saw Karter and Kharza grinning.

"She said she'd like to be our new server," Karter added.

"Yes, please!" Opphai said with a wide, happy smile.

"We need to get Dell back before we can make any decisions about the restaurant," Eryllis said with a serious expression. "Do we have enough proof to push the commander to press charges against Lucien to make him talk?"

Karter sighed. "I'll ask him to visit tomorrow." He turned to Kharza. "Where does Opphai live?" he asked.

"She doesn't remember. For now, she can share my bed with Ket and me."

Opphai looked at her curiously. "Who is Ket?"

"My son. He's two," Kharza said proudly.

Opphai's face lit up with another happy smile.

"Look who's jealous of a two-year-old tonight," Eryllis said with her eyes on Karter, who jolted from his thoughts as his face reddened.

Eryllis smiled as she left. Revenge is sweet.

Chapter 8

Dell blinked the sleep from his eyes as he woke slowly in a strange place. The walls were a pale, tan wood, as was the ceiling above. He was lying on the floor, but there was some kind of woven mat under him that added some cushioning to the flooring, which was also tan wood.

He did a quick inventory of his body and felt much better than when he arrived. He did have a strange aftertaste in his mouth.

Tilting his head up, he looked down at himself and saw he was wearing a gown of soft cloth... something was sticking into the inside of his left arm just below the elbow. It looked like a thin stem of a plant. He followed the green line upward and saw it terminated in a bright, colorful flower. He reached over with his right hand and pulled the stem from his arm. A small droplet of blood beaded up on the spot.

His head swam momentarily, but he took deep breaths, and this went away.

"Good, you're finally awake!"

Dell pushed himself up onto his elbows, looked toward his feet, and saw part of that wall of his... cell looked like a mesh of tough tree roots. Behind it was an older male with wings like Tawna.

"What is the nature of your link with this weapon?" the male demanded.

Dell frowned and pushed himself to a seated position, crossing his legs as he stared at the being. "Am I a prisoner?"

This brought a scowl to the face of his interrogator. "Answer my question!"

Dell's temper began to bubble. "Answer mine, and I may answer yours."

"You stole our princess and invaded our most sacred place in the very presence of our Queen! Armed! You're in a cell! Of course, you're our prisoner," the male yelled at him.

"Hey! I didn't steal anyone or invade anything! I have no idea how I got here! I was near Grennesh on a rescue mission. We took out the bad guys who were ambushing and killing travelers on the trade route from Portoa to Grennesh. We discovered a young female in a tent tied up with silver thread. I cut her loose, became covered in blue butterflies, and suddenly, I'm here passing out. I've done nothing that warrants being taken prisoner!" Dell snapped.

The male on the other side of the bars was red-faced. "The sword! Why can't we move it further than this from you!"

Dell looked at him in frustration. "It's fucking enchanted, okay? It's linked to me. Not by my choice, but there you have it. It goes where I go."

"How do we remove the enchantment?" the interrogator barked.

Dell stood and looked down at the shorter being. "You don't. You don't need to because I'm not your enemy!"

"If I have to use flames to extract the answers from you, don't think I'll hesitate!" the other snapped, clearly not listening.

The threat was all the sword needed to suddenly appear in Dell's hand. The Pixie squeaked in fright, then raised his hands in preparation to blast.

Dell spun the sword once in the small space, then slashed the wall next to the door. The wood exploded outwards, pelting the Pixie, who closed his eyes and covered his face with his arms. When he dropped them to look, Dell's fist plowed into his nose, knocking him onto his ass.

Looming over the prone and stunned Pixie, Dell made a show of putting the sword back into the scabbard that was now hanging on a belt, which appeared around his waist. He then took a seat facing the blinking male who was touching his sore but not broken nose. "Yes, I pulled the punch."

Dell gave the male a frustrated expression and did his best to hide how dizzy he felt.

He hoped the ones who came to investigate the noise were more reasonable.

-=-

Tawna ran after her oldest sister, Marlah, as they'd heard a terrible noise ahead. Her imagination tortured her with images of the big warrior, Dell, blown into little pieces by the magic of the Queen's interrogator.

Turning the last corner, they were stunned to see Dell sitting outside his cell, the sword on his hip again, and the grand inquisitor picking himself up from the floor with a bloody nose.

Marlah rushed forward, preparing her attack.

Dell just looked at her wearily. "I'm not your enemy."

Tawna caught up and reached out a hand to stop her sister from launching her spell. "Wait!" she called out desperately. Marlah looked back at her incredulously.

"It's true. He... freed me. He wasn't part of the group who... He didn't." Tawna was struggling with her words. Images flashed in her mind, but she shied away from them. She glanced at the big male and saw he was watching her with concern in his eyes.

She looked away. Tawna couldn't be sure of his intentions as he was a stranger. Her instincts told her she could trust him, but he was so big and different. Plus, he was a warrior, and she had little experience talking with them. She was conflicted.

"I think it's horrible that someone abducted the princess, but Eryllis and I weren't involved in that, nor would we ever be. We were just asked to deal with the bandits killing travelers on the trade route. We stumbled upon Tawna in a tent and discovered she was being transported in a courier pouch. I freed her from her bindings and somehow ended up here. I'm not your enemy. My name is Dell du Krane, and I just want to go home."

Marlah looked at her sister, who nodded to confirm she believed Dell.

Tawna watched Marlah reach a decision. "It seems there was a great misunderstanding. Please join me as we visit the Queen to inform her of the truth. Perhaps we can assist with your return."

Dell smiled and relaxed. He nodded to her and stood.

Marlah assisted the grand inquisitor out of the room, leaving Dell to follow with her younger sister.

Tawna looked over at him and saw he was not entirely restored. She'd insisted they do something to replenish his energy reserves after she stole this vitality.

"Sorry for being so quiet. I don't seem to have much energy at the moment," Dell said, and a spike of guilt rushed through her.

"It's my fault."

Dell looked at her curiously, and she looked away.

"I was so frightened. So far from home, surrounded by strangers whose intentions I couldn't know." She looked into his eyes, desperate for forgiveness.

"The royal family has a spell we can use to escape back to the palace, but I was too weak to power it." She looked up at him with dread. "I used your vitality to power the spell, but you had to come with me for that to work."

"Oh!" Dell exclaimed as they continued to follow Marlah.

Tawna found herself holding her breath as she watched his face. She saw surprise, anger, and disappointment pass by to finally settle on grudging acceptance.

"I guess I can understand how you'd feel that way. I wish you'd talked to us, but considering your state at the time, I get it," Dell said with a sigh. He looked at her cautiously. "This drain on my vitality isn't permanent, is it?"

She was so relieved she reached out and placed her hand on his arm. "No, you'll begin to feel better after a few meals and some rest."

He smiled in relief. "What was that flower stuck in my arm?"

Her smile widened. "That was to ensure you stayed hydrated until you regained consciousness."

"How long was I asleep?" he asked.

"No more than two days," she said.

He looked like he was going to say something, but he froze as they left the corridor and stepped out into open air. Dell pressed himself back against the trunk of the tree they were halfway up. A walkway encircled the outer surface of the massive tree with a gradual slope upwards.

Tawna stared at Dell in concern. "What's wrong?"

Dell took some deep breaths. "We... we're so high up, and there is no railing."

Tawna looked out at the edge of the path and realized to someone who couldn't fly, that might look dangerous.

"What's wrong?" Marlah asked with a hint of annoyance in her voice.

"Our guest wasn't prepared for the height. Remember, he cannot fly," Tawna replied firmly. She moved to Dell and reached out to take his hand. "Stay close to the inside edge and keep your eyes on the trunk. That should help."

Dell nodded, and they got moving again. After a moment, Tawna saw he was braving a look out over the forest. The surrounding giant trees were all linked together by walkways and strings of glowing lights.

"It's beautiful!" he sighed, and she smiled at his appreciation. "I wish Eryllis and Kharza could see this and my kids, but they're too young to appreciate it."

Tawna watched his face and saw his longing there. "I met Eryllis. She's very lovely. Who is Kharza?"

Dell smiled self-consciously. "Uh, she's my other partner. She's an Orc."

"You have two partners? Is that common for your people?" Tawna asked.

"No... I wouldn't say so. It just kind of happened. I met Kharza first, and we enjoyed each other's company. Then I met Eryllis, and it was love. We have three children. I also fell in love with Kharza, and we had a boy." He was smiling happily when he glanced back at Tawna.

Her mind was spinning. He had four children! She hadn't witnessed four births in her thirty-five years.

"Is everything all right?" he asked in concern.

"No¬—yes! It's fine! It sounds like you have a lot of children!" she asserted.

Dell grinned. "Yeah, Dad says that's my Human heritage. Wood Elves don't have as many as Humans." He glanced at Tawna self-consciously. "I'm a Halfling."

She nodded as her mind spun.

They climbed the slope and re-entered the tree. After traversing a few more hallways, they entered a vast chamber that housed the Queen's Court. Tawna glanced around and spotted all the senior members of each house. The most important Pixie families were represented here. Up on the podium at the other side of the room was the throne of the Queen.

They marched directly across the center of the floor toward the dais.

Tawna could see Dell was keeping an eye on the nervous guards but also keeping his hand away from his sword.

Marlah began the introductions once they reached the foot of the podium. "Queen Sa Lih Pish Stella, may I present to you Dell du Krane, who rescued Princess Sa Lih Pish Tawna from her abductors and assisted with her return.

"Greetings, Dell du Krane, and thank you for returning our daughter to us. If there is a reward within our power to grant, you may ask."

Dell bowed deeply, and Tawna saw the smile on her mother's lips for his manners.

"Thank you, but all I would ask is assistance in returning to my home. I miss my family, and I'm sure they are worried for me," Dell replied.

"Where would home be for you? I believe you bear some resemblance to the Elves of a nearby nation, but your coloring is different, and you are larger than any Elf I've seen," the Queen asked.

Dell nodded. "I'm a Halfling. My mother was a Wood Elf from the Mistveil Woods on the western coast of Leinyere. My father is a Human who lives near the city of Grennesh. I received these gifts from both of them, but neither race is comfortable with me as, in their eyes, I'm too much of the other." He gestured to Tawna. "The princess has met my partner, Eryllis, who's a Wood Elf."

Tawna felt her mouth working before her brain understood what she was saying. "Yes, mother, I met her. She's the mother of three of Dell's children, and he has another with his Orc partner, Kharza."

Dell glanced at her in annoyance and embarrassment, then noticed the sudden interest in everyone's eyes.

The Queen leaned forward with a smile. "I am familiar with the Orc people. Please tell me, who does your Orc son take after?"

Dell glanced at Tawna before answering. "Ket is fully Orc, though his coloring is a darker green as it's blended with my brown."

He shook his head to get back to his request. "When do you think I can go home? I need to be with my family just as Tawna needed to be with hers. Is there any way we could use the blue butterfly method to send me back?"

The Queen shared a surprised look with Tawna, then looked to Dell. "That one is an emergency return spell used only by the members of the Royal Family, and to my knowledge, it only works one way. That said, I will confer with my experts to see what can be done to get you home quickly. In the interim, you will be our guest." Her gaze moved to Tawna. "Please take Dell to the dining room to get him a meal. A room will be arranged for him to rest in." She sat back in her chair, and it was clear the audience was over. Dell bowed again, though his expression remained troubled.

Tawna reached out to take Dell's arm and led him to the right side of the chamber, where stairs led upwards. She glanced and saw Marlah in a heads-together conversation with her mother. That was a little concerning.

She led him to a lovely dining room with a view of the forest below. Once Dell became accustomed to the height, he began to relax as his eyes took in the vista. A little sadness returned to his expression. He glanced over at Tawna as he felt her studying him.

"Sorry. Feeling a little lonely without my family with me to share this incredible view," he said softly.

"I'm sorry I took you from them," Tawna said with tears rising to her eyes.

His expression changed to distress. "No! I didn't mean to make you sad. I told you I understand why you did what you did. It's okay. Hopefully, your mother and her experts can find a way to get me home soon. Otherwise, I could just start walking. If... someone could point me in the right direction."

They were interrupted by the arrival of a waiter. Tawna wiped her eyes and smiled at the earnest expression on Dell's face. She looked to the waiter. "Please bring a hearty meal, make that two, for our new friend. He needs to recharge his body. Nothing for me." The server nodded and slipped away.

"How did you meet Kharza and Eryllis?" Tawna asked. Courting for Pixies was difficult enough but made doubly so for her because of being a Princess. She admitted to herself that she was a little obsessed with romance stories because of this.

Dell glanced at her hesitantly. "It's a bit of a long story."

Tawna beamed excitedly at him, and he nodded with a grin.

"The story begins centuries ago with a beautiful but cruel Wood Elf, her two suitors, one a Human Master Level Swordman and the other a Wood Elf Master Level Druid, and a scorned and evil Dwarf Master Sorcerer."

Tawna's eyes were sparkling with intense interest now, so he began.

She listened with rapt attention as he talked and begged him not to stop when his meal arrived.

He enjoyed the food immensely but continued to tell her how the cursed weapons brought him together with Eryllis and how Kharza saved them both.

She had tears in her eyes once more when he finished, but they were for the joy in her heart.

"That was so romantic!" Tawna gushed with a look of joy on her face.

"This was so delicious! I would love to get the recipes for the seasoned hens and the... what were they called, spiced scalloped potatoes? I'd love to make them for our customers at the inn!" At her confused look, he continued. "Didn't I mention I'm the chef at the Wood Knot Inn? I far prefer that to being a warrior."

Tawna burst into happy giggles. Romantic and funny! She really liked Dell! When he didn't admit he was joking, she was left in a state of confusion. He'd told her about the warrior spirit in the blade and how it was bound to him, but she naturally assumed he would have welcomed these skills as they suited his large frame and big muscles. To learn he preferred to be a chef confused her.

Dinner was over, so she led him from the dining room. As they left, one of her mother's attendants stepped forward to let her know which room he was to be brought to. She was surprised to hear it was the one above her mother's suite. It was very luxurious, so she was pleased for him.

Dell was very impressed with the suite as they stepped inside the double doors. The room was dominated by a huge bed in the center of the suite with an open wall beyond it facing open space and a very long drop. That part didn't appeal to Dell based on his nervous expression. A nicely appointed bathing and personal sanitation room was just off the main chamber. He'd heard the high families of Grennesh had these smaller rooms in their mansions. The Wood Knot Inn had shared personal sanitation rooms and water basins for cleaning. Dell spent a few minutes examining how they brought water to the room and removed waste. He was very impressed with the utility of the small room and wondered how he could incorporate them into the inn.

"So, this will meet your needs?" Tawna asked.

"I've never enjoyed such luxuries before," Dell stated, bringing another smile to her face.

Then she felt suddenly shy. "Would... would it be inappropriate to ask for a hug?"

He smiled gently and shook his head. "That would be fine."

Then she was wrapped in his big arms and squeezed against his broad chest. She sighed happily and felt... safe. This caused her mind to pop up an unwanted image from her abduction, and she jolted slightly.

He released his grip and looked at her in concern, but she smiled and shook her head. "I should go. You need to get your rest to rebuild your vitality. I will see you tomorrow. Good night!"

"Good night, and thank you," he said.

She looked at him curiously.

"Being so far from home, it's nice to have a friend," he said.

More images were surfacing, so she nodded and quickly left.

She completely missed seeing her sister in the hall as she rushed back to her room.

-=-

Dell felt a little overwhelmed even after the short day's events so that huge bed looked very welcoming. First things first, off came the scabbard and belt. He rested them on the floor next to the bed.

He returned to the bathing room to wash the funk from his body. He must be pretty dirty if he'd been asleep for days and had done all that running and fighting before that. He stared at a huge basin and wondered at its purpose. It had a hole at the bottom with a flap that would move to close it. It had controls above its lip and a... spout.

He reached over, turned one of the controls, and water began to pour into the basin. Hot water!

He flipped the cover on the drain hole, and the basin began to fill. The water was too hot, so he turned the other control, and the flowing water cooled. Experimenting, he set the temperature to a comfortable heat and watched the tub fill. This seemed like an extravagant use of water, but it was very convenient to deliver water this way! He'd ask his father about it when he got home.

As he watched the water rise, he stripped the gown from his body and gave himself a sniff.

He detected a subtle fragrance of spice and flowers. Someone bathed him while he slept?

That thought was more than a little disturbing.

He wouldn't waste the water, so he'd use it to relax. A little more poking about in the small room brought him a bar of soap, which had the same scent as he did now, a small bowl for rinsing himself, and a huge towel for drying himself afterward.

Dell turned the controls off and gingerly stepped into the basin. It was hot but not scalding, so he wouldn't cook. He eased himself into the water and breathed out a deep sigh as the heat seeped into his muscles. There was a curve to the top lip of the basin, so he rested his head back.

And looked up into glowing green eyes and a broad smile.

All the Pixies Dell had seen, female and male, were physically breathtaking. Tawna gave the impression of youth and had golden yellow hair like bright summer sunlight on honey and stunning eyes that glowed the blue of a crisp, cloudless winter's morning after a fresh snowfall.

Marlah gave him the impression of being more mature than her sister, though her actual age was impossible to guess. Her luxurious hair was the reddish-gold of sunset rays painting a wheat field. Her eyes, which were currently enjoying his naked and submerged state, glowed a deep green.

She was also quite naked. Where Tawna's breasts were modest, and her body seemed more athletic, Marlah's was curvy and lusher. None of the Pixies he'd seen had any excess mass on their bodies, but Marlah appeared softer than Tawna.

He suddenly picked up a hint from her gaze. "This isn't the first time you've seen me naked, is it."

She chuckled. "You are as perceptive as you are physically impressive," she said with a nod. "I was present when you first appeared in the central hall and assisted with preparing you for interrogation. Again, my apologies for the misunderstanding."

"Forgiven, but I must ask, why are you present now... and naked?" he asked as he tried to remain calm. He was beginning to tingle down below.

"Are you aware of diplomatic policies?" she asked.

He was a little off balance by the odd question but could answer it. "Yes. My father's inn is officially neutral territory and is used for conflict resolution between conflicting people and nations."

She smiled in approval. "Excellent, but you won't be aware of the policies of the Pixie nation."

He held her eyes. "No, there's no way I could, as I didn't know you existed."

She nodded simply. "Diplomatic visitors to our nation are met with hospitality, and depending on the esteem the visitor is held in, members of the Queen's court and even members of the Queen's family will share intimacy with them. It is a critical component of our diplomatic process and establishes goodwill and trust."

Dell was holding her gaze now in surprise. "We share intimacy? Like... seeing each other naked."

She nodded with a coy smile. "To start."

She boldly stepped into the water as he sat up and pulled his legs back to give her room to sit.

"Mmm, that's deliciously warm," she sighed.

She reached for the soap and held it to her nose. "I love this scent."

"Yes, it's very nice," Dell said as the tingles between his legs intensified. Her legs were touching his under the water, and her breasts were bobbing gently just above the surface. He was feeling much more comfortable with his diplomatic duty.

Soft hands suddenly grabbed his cock under the water, and Dell sucked in a breath as that felt really good!

"Mmm, you are so hard," Marlah sighed happily.

The tub wasn't large enough to do what Dell needed to do, so he stood and stepped out onto the soft mat. Then he reached down to slip his hands under Marlah's arms. He lifted her effortlessly out of the water and held her against his chest as he kissed her.

Marlah gasped at his display of strength and moaned when his mouth found hers. His hunger for her took her breath away as it was so raw.

His large, muscular body was so different from anyone she'd ever been with that she couldn't get enough of feeling him pressing against her smaller, softer body. She wrapped her arms and legs around him to pull them together tighter.

She gasped as she felt the heat of his cock pressing against her wet pussy. Then her mouth dropped open as Dell's powerful hands moved her ass and pulled her down as his cock slid deeper inside her. He was so fucking thick and hot that she felt like she was being stretched almost beyond her endurance. He finally reached her deepest spots and stopped. He held her there, massaging her ass cheeks in his hands, keeping her from moving, driving her mad with lust. She thrust her tongue deep into his mouth, and he sucked on it hungrily, stoking her flames even higher.

When he lifted her up until only the head of his cock rested within her, she pulled back from the kiss to protest her emptiness. That became a wail of lust as he slammed her back down, filling her once more.

He repeated this long stroke again and again until she was delirious from the sensation. She was so lost in her bliss that she didn't notice him carrying her back into the bedroom until he pulled himself from her body and tossed her onto the bed. She squeaked in surprise, then watched him hungrily as he knee-walked onto the mattress toward her. He surprised her once again when he flipped her over onto her stomach and gripped her hips to lift her ass off the bed.

She howled when he drove his cock back into her pussy and proceeded to pound her ass back against his body faster and faster. He slid a big hand around her tummy, then down to strum her clit as his pounding increased in speed and force.

He was careful not to hurt her, but his passion was... overwhelming! She felt like she was caught in a raging sea and had to hang on for dear life.

Her vision exploded into sparks when the thumb on his other hand stroked across her tight asshole. Her orgasm ripped through her, again and again, like rolling thunder shaking her apart.

Dell moaned in bliss as her pussy squeezed his cock in pulses, then he erupted deep inside her, filling her with his hot cum.

Marlah was face down on the bed, ass in the air as she drooled on the sheets, oblivious to everything except their intimate connection and the glorious warmth he was filling her with.

Dell eased his body down on top of hers, forcing her down against the mattress. She went through a few more spikes of bliss and purred quietly as she felt the residual pulses of his cock buried so deep inside her body. He rolled to the side, easing himself from her body, and she shook with aftershocks until he dropped onto the mattress next to her.

"Was... that... diplomatic... enough?" Dell teased as he caught his breath.

She turned her head to smile at him. "Intensely."

He frowned slightly. "Of course... now my sheets... are all wet."

"Finish your bath. The sheets will be changed," she said as she slowly pushed herself onto her hands and knees.

Dell watched her trembling. "I didn't hurt you, did I? I've never had sex with a Pixie before."

She glanced at him. "No, I'm good." She looked away. "Things to do."

Dell's eyebrows went up in surprise, but he realized she was part of the Royal Family, so she may have responsibilities he wasn't aware of. "Right. I should get some sleep, too."

He did his best not to watch Marlah ease herself off the bed and slip her gown back on, but he was concerned by how slowly she was moving. He wasn't certain he hadn't been too rough on the Pixie.

"Pleasant dreams, Dell," she said with a smile over her shoulder as she made her way to his door and slipped outside.

He shook his head, returned to the bathroom, and eased himself into the hot water. It hadn't cooled too much, but he was worried about falling asleep and drowning. He grabbed the soap and gave himself a quick cleaning to remove the sweat and the evidence of their sex, then rinsed off. He stepped out, flipped the drain cover to release the water, and dried himself off with a towel.

When he stepped back into the bedroom, the bed was made with new, dry sheets. He had no idea how that happened, but the bed looked too inviting to worry about it. He stretched out on it and let himself drift off.

-=-

Marlah wobbled down the hall and slipped into the Queen's private chambers one level below Dell's suite. She leaned against the entrance wall for a moment to let the sensations in her abused pussy settle. She bit her lip and let a little moan leak out. She hadn't felt so thoroughly fucked... ever. It was divine! From behind was her new favorite position.

Taking some deep breaths, she moved further into the sitting room and gently settled herself on the sofa cushions as sparks jumped along her nerves. She moaned again.

When she opened her eyes, her mother stood a few steps away, watching her nervously. Marlah smiled, and relief appeared on the Queen's face.

"So, he accepted the diplomacy story?" she asked.

Marlah nodded.

"Was he good? Like the specialists?" she asked.

Marlah burst into giggles at the comparison. This made her mother look at her in concern again, but she held up a hand to get her to wait until she regained control.

"Ah, sorry. You are comparing the careful spritz of water to sustain a prized orchid to the raw fury of a monsoon. The specialists are quite adept at assisting us to reach our release, but their methods are almost clinical. There's no passion. The Halfling is a creature of passion. He is strong, and he is well endowed. He could easily have broken me in two or otherwise injured me badly, but he kept that power just inside the boundary of becoming overwhelming. I... I feel... truly and epically fucked!"

Queen Stella burst into excited giggles, not a sound she'd ever make outside her private chambers, but she was free to be herself here.

Then she locked eyes with her eldest daughter. "And?"

Marah's smile widened further. "Truly and epically pregnant! I can feel it begin!"

Stella's eyes widened. "So, he is fertile!"

Marlah nodded. "He is exceptionally fertile. He will have no difficulty impregnating many receptive Pixies!"

The Queen nodded vigorously. "Then he shall become our breeding stud! I will tell my advisors to seek a means to break him from the binding with the sword. In the interim, he must be kept in the dark about our plans and told we are working on a way to reverse the spell that brought him here."

Marlah nodded with a determined look on her face as well.

"Tomorrow night, we will throw a party for the high court families. I will introduce him to several who are ready for mating! He will serve the Pixie Nation well!"

-=-

Tawna had been in her room, suffering from terrible images, until she fled to walk the halls. Her feet brought her to the hall outside her mother's apartment just as Marlah arrived. She was confused by how her sister was moving. At first, she thought Marlah was injured and in pain, but the blissful expression on her face said just the opposite.

She recalled the conspiratorial way she and her mother had acted after sending Dell away, and her suspicion flared. She slipped into the door before it closed and followed Marlah inside. She found a spot and listened.

Hearing her sister describe having sex with Dell shocked her, but she couldn't stop herself from imagining it was her.

Then she heard their plans, and a pressure built in her mind until she couldn't take it any longer.

Tawna rushed into the room to face her mother and sister.

"YOU CAN'T USE DELL AS A BREEDING STUD!" she shouted, her eyes wild.

The two looked back at her in surprise then Marlah scowled at her naïve younger sister.

"Oh, grow up, Tawna!" she snapped. "The Pixie people need Dell's assistance to revitalize our race."

Stella jumped in angrily. "Isolationism has created a genetic weakness. We must do this to preserve our people!"

Tawna shook her head. "Don't trick him! Just ask him!"

Stella took her regal stance and looked down her nose at her youngest. "You are FORBIDDEN to speak to Dell about this! Our need is too critical to risk his refusal!"

Tawna's head was turning. "What about his family!"

Marlah snorted in scorn. "They can find another man. Dell will be kept in luxurious comfort."

"A prisoner. You're... going to put him in a cage—"

Tawna's mind suddenly leaked a memory of her time with Magus and his wizard as they prepared her for sending to Grennesh. She shrieked in fear and rage as her mind flung up the image of Magus' imprisoned Pixie chained in a silver cage on soft furs.

The scream grew louder and shrill with terror as she flew into a murderous, blind rage.

-=-

Marlah grabbed her mother and pulled her to safety, down the hall toward the door. She was stunned that her sister would try regicide.

As she yanked the door closed behind her, she suddenly realized Tawna hadn't followed, but she was still screaming and flinging magic missiles and fire around her.

Dell appeared in the hall behind them with the sword on his hip. "The noise woke me. What's happening? Is that Tawna?"

Marlah wasn't prepared to see him so soon after their interlude, so all she could do was nod.

His expression became grim, and he pushed past her to enter the hall to the sitting room. Marlah quickly followed. They peeked around the corner, and Tawna was still shrieking, half in panic and half in rage.

He looked back at Marlah to whisper. "I can help. I won't hurt her, but you must trust me," he said firmly.

Marlah once more nodded automatically. Before she could change her mind, Dell slipped around the corner and drew his sword. Marlah's eyes widened, but he just used the sword to deflect the missiles and blasts. He surged forward and pulled Tawna into his embrace as he whispered into her ear. She burned his arm, but he didn't let go.

The fireworks stopped, and the panic on Tawna's face was fading. Marlah finally heard what Dell was saying to her.

"You're safe and home, and no one can hurt you anymore."

He continued to speak softly to her until she broke down in tears and clung to him.

"It will be okay. You're safe, and I won't let anyone hurt you," Dell told her. She stiffened momentarily, then slumped in his arms. Dell looked to Marlah in concern as she joined them.

"She's exhausted. She used a lot of magic," Marlah said gently as she touched her sister's face.

Stella approached and looked at Tawna in Dell's arms, resting against his chest. "How did you know how to do that?"

Dell's expression was sad. "She's gone through a terrible ordeal. Probably saw and heard some very disturbing things. Her mind is releasing the pressure. She needs to talk it out with someone she trusts so she can release the rest. Eryllis went through this, too. It takes time and patience."

The Queen summoned some attendants to gently carry Tawna to her room. "I'll have the physician stay with her tonight," she said with a subdued voice, then left after looking at the damage to her sitting room in surprise.

Marlah moved to check on Dell's arm and saw the red, singed skin.

"Yeah, that really hurts," he said.

She nodded and cast a healing spell for burns over his forearm. He immediately sighed with relief.

"Thank you for helping her," Marlah said.

He nodded but looked into her eyes with concern. "Tawna will have more episodes. I meant it when I said someone she trusts needs to speak with her about her experiences. There may be things in her memory buried deep that are leaking out. Go over what you were talking to her about tonight. Something triggered this memory to come out."

Marlah nodded shakily, then walked him back to his room, where she saw him put his sword away, then drop onto the bed in exhaustion.

She gave him a troubled look as she thought about his words.

Marlah realized the idea of them imprisoning Dell likely triggered Tawna.

She needed to speak to her mother.

Chapter 9

Dell learned in the morning at breakfast that the queen was throwing a banquet that night in his honor. There would be many people from the first families and the royal court.

Until then, he'd been assigned a guide who would help him explore the city. Anywhere he wanted to go.

He faced the older male Pixie, who waited for his answer. He'd been given some suggestions like the Royal Guard training grounds, the armory, and the fortifications.

Dell eyed the man. "Anywhere?"

His guide nodded with a smug look on his face.

So Dell spent the day in the royal kitchen, trading information and ideas with the queen's Royal Chef. He became good friends with him and his kitchen staff and even got to help prepare some of the ingredients for the banquet in his honor.

Dell was in heaven, but his guide fell asleep sitting in a chair at the side of the room.

After, he was led back to his room, where he found new clothes. They looked like Pixie versions of his clothes from home. He smiled at their effort to make him feel more comfortable.

At the banquet, Dell was once more faced with a hall filled with very attractive people. He definitely felt out of place amongst them.

The Queen made a lovely speech, and people applauded for his rescue of the princess.

Dell was sitting next to Marlah and leaned over to whisper. "Where is Tawna? Is she doing okay?"

Marlah smiled. "Yes, she's a little better today. She spent the day with the physician. She's not well enough to attend."

"That's too bad, as some really lovely dishes are being served tonight," he said with a sigh.

She looked at him with a smirk. "Someone gave you a preview of the menu?"

He tossed the grin right back at her. "You could say that."

She frowned at him curiously.

The Master Chef joined them to let their illustrious guests know what would be served tonight. Dell waved to the older male, and he waved back. Then, it was his turn to speak.

"Tonight is a tribute to our new friend from Grennesh, where I understand he works as the Master Chef in his father's restaurant in the Wood Knot Inn." His audience laughed at what they assumed was an odd joke, but the chef continued after a shared glance with Dell.

"I had planned to create some of my favorite dishes to give him and you a taste of our nation's best dishes. Dell spent the day with us today, and we matched wits and ideas. Tonight, you are being given the best our nation has to offer with ingenious and delicious improvements. I hope you enjoy."

Eyes turned in his direction, and he nodded to the Queen, who was as confused as her court.

The dinner was served, and Dell made no effort to hide how much he enjoyed each and every dish... except for one side he passed on as he'd found the vegetable far too tart for his tastes.

Dell noted that the meal's portions were smaller than he expected. Marlah must have noticed his curiosity as she leaned closer to speak.

"There will be dancing after the meal, so everyone is watching how much they're eating," she explained.

This made sense to him, so he nodded his thanks to her, but she leaned even closer to whisper.

"As this is a tribute evening, there will be some diplomatic activities, such as we had last night," she said.

Dell looked at Marlah's smiling face and struggled to remain calm. "I know you're saying it's a diplomatic process, but it's not something that's done in my culture. Last night was lovely, but the expectation makes me uncomfortable.

Marlah shot him a quick, annoyed look, then put the smile back in place for their guests. "We are spending much effort to find a means to get you home as quickly as you arrived, so we'd appreciate it if you could do your best to follow our cultural norms in the interim."

Dell did his best to keep the frown from his face, but his appetite was definitely affected. He barely touched the last two courses as he was nervous about the interludes he was expected to participate in.

Finally, dinner was cleared away, and the chef was called back out for a round of applause. He was very pleased, and Dell shared a smile with him and bowed his head to him in respect.

Dell was happy about his activities earlier in the day as he had some improvements and new recipes he'd be taking home.

Music began, and Dell was surprised to see the other guests shrink to their smallest form before they flew up into the space above the dance floor.

He looked at Marlah, and she smiled at him. "It's how we prefer to dance."

Dell thought that meant he was off the hook when it came to dancing, but the Queen stood before him and gestured for him to join her.

He walked out onto the dance floor with her. "I'm not very skilled when it comes to dancing, but thank you for the honor," he said awkwardly.

She smiled up at him. "How do you dance at home? Maybe we could try that."

"Oh, that's simple enough," he said. He knew Eryllis liked to be held in his arms as they gently swayed around the room, so he moved closer, took her right hand in his left, and placed his right on her lower back to pull her body to his. Then he gently swayed to the music and guided them around the floor.

Queen Stella was equally lovely as her people, though her hair was brilliant white, and her eyes were a paler version of Tawna's. Like the other Pixies, she showed very little visible evidence of age. Her skin was smooth and blemish-free, her voice was strong and assured yet light, and her movements were sure and energetic. She smiled at him as their bodies touched and pressed together while dancing. Her cheeks soon showed a flush from excitement.

She began to lead him to one side of the floor and stepped back as they neared a door at the side of the room. She turned without releasing his hand, guided him to the doorway, and Dell realized he was being led into the room.

The Queen? Was he supposed to have sex with the Queen?

They stepped through the door, and there was no question about what the room would be used for. Thousands of flowers surrounded a large bed with pristine white sheets beckoning the lovers forward. The sweet scent of the blooms filled the air, and Dell felt a little flushed and light-headed as he began to stiffen down below. Was this due to magic or something in the scent?

The Queen turned to face him, tugging him unresisting toward the bed. She stopped at the base and began undressing him.

Dell thought about protesting momentarily, but Marah's comment about their efforts to get him home returned to his mind. He undid his belt and let it slide to the floor with the sword.

At home, he'd finally taught the sword to remain in his room while he was inside the inn, but here it stayed close. He imagined it might have something to do with his feelings of insecurity.

He pulled his thoughts back to the now as the Queen had his shirt undone and ran her hands over his chest, pushing the shirt off his shoulders. He undid his pants and let them drop.

"Ooo!" Stella purred as she glanced down to see part of Dell rising to greet her.

Her hands immediately moved to grip his cock. "Oh my, this is a generous helping," she said with a coy smile. She reached to the side, dipped her fingers into a bright yellow flower, and scooped out a clear gel, which she stroked across his hot skin. She gathered more and continued to spread the slick liquid onto his cock until he was thoroughly lubricated and stiff as steel.

By this point, any questions Dell had in his mind about having sex were washed away in a cascade of lust from the sweet and musky scents, the intense tingling the gel was causing, and the desire in the Queen's eyes.

She touched her shoulders, and her gown dropped to her feet, displaying her lush curves. She stepped back, then slid herself onto the bed as Dell followed.

Dell seized her legs behind her knees and pushed them up to her chest, which lifted her ass off the mattress. Her eyes widened as she watched his face dip downward to her pussy, then gasped loudly and moaned in bliss as he stroked her roughly with his tongue while tremors erupted through her body. He was rough with his need, but she was lost to the sensations.

Once she was very wet, Dell moved up and pressed the head of his cock against her lower lips, and she accepted him inside. The gel assisted, but she hadn't dealt with someone of his girth before, so he took over a dozen strokes to completely bury his cock inside her. Her eyes were rolling back in her head, so he kissed her, and she made a muffled squeal as she clamped down on his cock. It felt too good, so Dell pulled back and slammed forward again.

Stella's eyes flew wide as she grunted and clung to him.

Dell began to give her long and fast strokes, and he felt her pussy squeezing in rippling pulses. It was too much for him, and he buried himself once more before erupting deep inside in surge after surge. He couldn't get over how quickly they'd reached their mutual releases.

"So much!" she gasped in his ear as her arms and legs wrapped tight around him.

When his body said enough, he gently pushed himself up to look at the dazed and gasping face of the Queen as she recovered. He gently drew himself from her, and her eyes rolled back once more as a series of small quakes went through her body.

He managed to ease himself down and off the bed as she panted and closed her eyes.

When he turned, he spotted a basin of warm water and some cloths for washing and drying. Glancing back at the Queen, it seemed she was fading into sleep, so he washed and dried himself, then dressed. The sword returned to his hip.

Silently slipping out the door, he turned to face a beautiful pixie with flame-red hair and vibrantly green eyes wearing a sexy smile on her lips. Her gossamer dress left little to the imagination, but what it showed was spectacular. The music was still playing, and she held her hand out as the Queen had before they danced.

Dell's eyes quickly scanned the hall and spotted multiple doors along the perimeter. As he reached out to accept her hand, he wondered how many diplomatic activities he was expected to do as repayment for their efforts to get him home.

-=-

The guests were gone when he stepped from the flower-filled bedroom and took deep breaths of fresh air until his mind cleared. He was certain now that the scent contained some kind of stimulant. There would have been no other way for him to have been able to perform so many times in one night. Granted, none of the Pixies was aggressively athletic like Kharza, but seven in one night was... too much. A particular part of him was feeling a little sore from overuse.

He spotted his guide standing not far away and received a bow.

"I will take you back to your room," he said politely.

Dell nodded and followed as his mind was lost in thought.

He looked to his guide as they got closer to the royal chambers. "I'd like to check in on Tawna to ensure she's okay."

He got a nod for that and was soon standing before her door. He knocked. "Tawna? It's Dell. May I come in?"

Her response was faint. "Yes."

He entered and closed the door, leaving his guide outside.

He turned to see her room was very girly and sighed in relief it wasn't filled with flowers.

She was alone, sitting on a sofa by the window. He crossed the room, removed his sword, and sat beside her. "I was told you were speaking with the royal physician. Is that helping?"

She looked at him with sad eyes, so he opened his arms, and she crawled onto his lap and cried.

Dell's heart went out to her as he recalled the nights he spent with Eryllis as she worked through her suppressed memories. He rubbed her back, pressed his cheek to the top of her head, and breathed in the sweet scent of her hair.

"You will heal from this and be stronger on the other side," he whispered to her. "You will put all this behind you, and life will move on."

She pulled back to look into his eyes. "How do you know?"

"I know because Eryllis went through a terrible experience and struggled with her memories of them. She talked it out with people she trusted, and now she is so much better," he said.

A look of rage slipped onto Tawna's face. "I want to kill the one who stole me away!"

Dell nodded. "That's a natural desire. Sometimes you get the opportunity to confront your enemy, and sometimes you don't. Either way, it won't change the fact that you will heal from this. Eryllis was able to punish her attacker. She said she doesn't regret taking her revenge, but it didn't help her recovery. Being around those who loved her was far better treatment. Life and love heal."

Thinking of Eryllis made his need for her stronger. "I need to go home. I miss my family."

Tawna suddenly tensed in his arms, but he held her tight, and she came out of her memories. She burst into fresh tears as she clung to him.

When she settled a little, he kissed her cheek. "Can you talk about what you just saw?"

Tawna's blue eyes were a little haunted, but she nodded shakily. "I-I was in a stone castle in a dark chamber. There was an old Human and a Human wizard. They were preparing me for shipment from Portoa to Grennesh. I heard the old one say those names. Then I-I saw another Pixie. Trapped in a Silver cage."

Dell felt an unfortunately timed pain in his overused appendage as Tawna was pressing on it. He gave her an embarrassed smile and shifted her weight before speaking.

"That's really good! I'm proud of you! That's very helpful information. We're getting a clearer picture of the people involved and what's at stake. Eryllis and I would gladly rescue this other Pixie, but that can't happen until I get home." He sighed, but it turned into a yawn, and he looked at Tawna in apology.

She smiled at him in sympathy.

"The Pixie diplomatic process of greeting new strangers with sex is exhausting. I don't want to insult anyone, but there are limits to my endurance, especially when I'm not yet up to full strength," he said with an embarrassed smile.

Tawna kissed his cheek. "You should go rest. I do feel a little better after our talk. I'll speak with my mother about where they are in getting you home."

"Thank you," Dell said as she moved off his lap, and he stood. He took her hand and kissed its back before he collected his sword and left her room.

It really had been an eventful day. He was looking forward to going to bed. He just wished it was his.

Chapter 10

Tawna returned to her mother's suite at breakfast to speak with her. When she arrived, she saw Marlah was with her, and both wore very satisfied expressions. Taking a deep breath, she began.

"Last night, I had another flashback. This time, it happened when I was with Dell, and he helped me with what I saw. When I was captured, I saw another young female Pixie in captivity. We must free Dell so he and Eryllis can help save her."

Her mother just laughed. "The idea of letting Dell go is absurd. I'm pregnant, as are the other six court females Dell was with the night before. Dell is the perfect breeding stud and will sire many more children for us! We already have another banquet scheduled for tomorrow night."

"What about the Pixie prisoner?" Tawna insisted, and Stella frowned.

"I dislike the idea of someone keeping one of my subjects as a pet, but can you pinpoint where she is?" Stella asked. Tawna shook her head.

Stella frowned. "The risk of being detected while hunting for her outside the Tanglewood is too great. The chance of losing more just to rescue one is unacceptable. However, there is something we can do." The Queen rang a bell, and an attendant arrived. Tawna's hopes rose.

"Carry a message to the Captain of the Guard. I want an outlined plan of the steps he's taking to increase the vigilant protection of our borders that will prevent further incursions like the one which took Princess Tawna." The attendant nodded and rushed from the room at the Queen's gesture to leave.

Tawna's faith in her mother came crashing down. She would do nothing to save the other Pixie, just as she would have done nothing to save her own daughter. She stepped back from the table as her mother and sister smiled at each other, touching their tummies. They didn't even notice her leaving.

As she wandered the halls, Tawna's mind spun. She knew she wasn't the favored child of her mother. That position was clearly held by Marlah, and Tawna now understood that necessity. When she was younger, she'd been jealous of Marlah's monopoly on her mother's time, but that was before she realized her mother was only interested in her children as extensions of her role as queen.

The youngest members were tasked with reviewing the family history to memorize the lineage and understand all the roles. So that's what she did.

She learned that Marlah had been second in line at one time, watching her elder sister Gigee being groomed for succession. According to the record, Marlah had been a gracious and patient second, learning her place and grateful for it. When Gigee was killed in a senseless attack by an Orc war tribe lost in the Tanglewood, their mother ensured the Orcs were wiped out, then doubled down on her policy of isolationism and tightened their borders. Marlah stepped forward as the new first in line and had supported her mother ever since.

Third in line now became second, though Florian was not pleased with the additional responsibility.

A secondary effect of losing Gigee was the Queen's increased need to have children as insurance. She had one every fifty years or so until having her last just thirty-five years ago. As the last, Tawna was... eighth or ninth in line? There was no significance to her placement, and she had no importance in the lives of her people. She hadn't fit into the role of Princess very well. She was desperately lonely as most only saw her title and treated her differently.

She had a responsibility to live up to an unwanted role but no authority to do anything useful.

Finally, she'd had enough and slipped away from the cathedral trees of the palace and set off for adventure... within the Tanglewood. That plan had ended with her abduction.

When she returned from her memories, she spent time struggling with what she, as the least of the Queen's children, could do.

Finally, she came to something of an epiphany. She realized if she wanted to rescue the Pixie, she would need to free Dell first.

However, if she defied her mother, she wouldn't have a home to return to. The harsh reality of that fact made her ask if she wanted to return if this was how they treated the innocent. That was a question she would have to deal with later.

There was the issue of getting Dell out of the Tanglewood. With the increased patrols, Dell would be spotted immediately. Walking him out wasn't possible, and he didn't fly. She imagined Dell with butterfly wings, and the image brought a smile to her face... and an idea to her mind.

She needed to speak with him. She felt better when she did. However, she was sure her mother would tighten security around him with an escort everywhere now that he'd proven to be her answer to their population issue. It might be tricky to speak privately.

She realized she'd lost most of the day in her wandering. The sun had set, and she'd missed all three meals. No matter.

As she made her way toward his suite, she met the Royal Chef on his way back with a covered tray. He gave her an awkward smile, so she gently reached out a hand to stop him.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"It's not my place to say, Princess Tawna," the older male said, looking away.

"Please! Please speak freely. I'd never want you to feel uncomfortable with me. I swear your words are for my ears only," she begged.

He was surprised by the desperation in her eyes but swayed by her earnestness. "A-all right. I-I'm just confused by the nature of our relationship with our new friend. We spent a lovely day together just yesterday, sharing recipes and cooking tips. At the banquet, he was our honored guest. But today, when I asked for him to visit again, I was told he was restricted to his suite. The only way I could see him was to deliver his dinner to him personally. He seemed as surprised as I was. Has something happened?"

Tawna looked at him in dismay. "I'm sorry, but this is the first I've heard of his restricted access. I must speak with him as well."

"I'm sure they won't prevent you. Have a good evening," he said and moved on.

Tawna reached Dell's suite, and sure enough, two guards were posted outside his door. No doubt spying on him for her mother as well. With an imperious nod, she swept past them and went inside. She found Dell peering over his balcony, looking for a way to climb down in the dark.

"You'd need wings and a light," she said with a smile, and he returned it as he turned to face her.

"Am I a prisoner again?" he asked. "I seem to have guards at my door who keep telling me I need to wait for the summons from the Queen before I go wandering."

Tawna frowned guiltily and glanced toward the door. She knew they were listening. She shook her head and looked him in the eye. He glanced at the door, and his expression was grim.

She needed to change the subject before the guards acted. "I informed mother about the other Pixie in captivity. She said she couldn't risk more of her people just to rescue one," Tawna said sadly.

Dell frowned. "Eryllis and I would do it."

She nodded and glanced at the door again. She gestured to the sofa, and they took seats.

Tawna sighed. "Have you ever defied your mother?"

Dell smiled sadly. "I never met my mother. She died when I was born." He shook his head when she looked like she would apologize. "My father raised me, and we butted heads often, but I could never stay mad at him. I know he loves me and looks out for me."

"Being a Princess, if I defied my mother, the Queen, there would be... significant repercussions," she said, holding his eyes with hers. He nodded as he understood.

"You said Eryllis is a magic user. A Master Druid?" she asked.

Dell smiled. "Yes, she's an extremely powerful Druid magic user."

"Do you know magic?" she asked.

Dell laughed. "No. Not my field."

Tawna smiled. "Do you know how magic works? Pixies are all experts." Dell just shook his head, so she continued. "But your sword is magic. May I see it?"

"Sure." He collected it for her and showed her the runes etched into it as they sat side by side on the sofa.

"That's really impressive!" she said.

"Would-would you mind if I sat on your lap like I did last night? Oh! Have you recovered?" she asked in concern.

He looked at her curiously, then nodded. He went to set the sword down, but she shook her head slightly, so he continued holding it.

She sat on his lap. "I feel safe in your arms. I need this due to my abduction." She pitched her voice to ensure the spies heard. She wrapped her arms around Dell and rested her head on his shoulder, tucking her face into his neck.

"Do you recall the butterfly spell? Tap my leg once for yes," she whispered for only him to hear. He tapped.

"The driving element for that spell is the spellcaster's desire to go home. I want to try calling the spell, but this time, I will tie it to your will, not mine. Tap once if you understand."

He tapped again.

"I don't know if I can make it work this way, but we are out of options. Once I cast the spell, the guards outside will know and will rush inside. You must ignore them and focus entirely on going home with every bit of your willpower. Can you do this?"

He tapped her leg once.

"Close your eyes and begin," she instructed, and he went still.

The room was quiet as Tawna examined the spell. Adjusting it would be difficult and require a lot of energy from her. She would also have to tap into Dell's to have any hope it would work.

She gathered all her magic and launched the spell in a burst as she clung to Dell, reaching for his mind with hers.

HOME!

The thought rang like an enormous bell in her mind as they linked, and the butterflies suddenly appeared in the room to surround them.

The doors burst open as the guards rushed in. They stared in confusion as the butterfly spell destination was the main hall in the palace. They spun and raced from the room to reach the audience chamber before the prisoner could escape.

The beautiful flying insects suddenly scattered and vanished.

Princess Tawna and the prisoner were gone.

Chapter 11

Eryllis was fuming in Karter's office, waiting for him to return after seeing Falco to the door. She'd hoped to have a more definitive action plan from the commander regarding taking Lucien down and getting information on where Dell might have been taken.

Instead, Falco spent hours in conference with their newest adopted member of the Wood Knot Inn staff, Opphai. Her total recall and heightened senses gave him a treasure trove of information on the criminal underground that was once run from the First Priv bar.

The Commander explained that First Priv was a term the old Guardsmen used to identify how they were above the law as they had First Privilege. Human privilege was also their mantra. They were pretty damn cheeky to name the bar that, but it was as far from the Guardsmen Headquarters as they could be.

That there were active Guardsmen involved in the illegal business being run from the bar enraged and frustrated Falco. He was compiling a list of Guardsmen who would soon find themselves outside the protection of their institution.

With his attention diverted, going after Lucien Warrick was of lesser importance.

Karter returned, took in the suppressed rage on Eryllis' face, and sighed. "We didn't plan it, but he has to clean house if he's going to do the job he was meant to do."

Eryllis leaped to her feet in frustration, but they heard a crash from upstairs before she could speak. Karter was out the door in a flash with Eryllis at his heel. As they charged up the stairs, they met Kharza coming down from the top floor.

"Dell's room," she said.

Eryllis pushed Karter aside and ran to the door to open it.

She froze just inside the door, then lunged forward. "DELL!"

Karter and Kharza rushed in to see Dell half on the floor with his legs propped up against the bed frame. His sword was on the floor next to him, but the oddest thing was the petite honey-blonde stretched out over his body. They were both unconscious.

"Is this the Pixie who you met earlier?" Kharza asked Eryllis.

She was kneeling next to Dell, checking his pulse, and she glanced at Kharza. "What—Oh! Yes, it's her, but she had butterfly wings the last time I saw her."

"How did they get here?" Karter asked.

Eryllis nodded. "It had to be the same way they left the tent. In a swarm of magic butterflies."

Karter moved the sword and scabbard against the wall next to the bed. Then Kharza scooped the pretty blonde into her arms and left the room. Eryllis and Karter lifted Dell and got him onto the bed.

"These aren't his clothes," Eryllis said.

Karter felt the soft fabric. "No, but they were made to look like his clothes. This is excellent work."

Eryllis immediately began undressing him. Karter looked at her in concern. She glanced at him. "Help me get these off! He's home. He shouldn't be wearing clothes from strangers."

Karter assisted her in stripping him and saw how Eryllis kept assuring herself he was real by touching his chest, arms, and face.

"He's back, Eryllis. Somehow, he's back. He needs to rest, and hopefully, he can give us some answers in the morning," Karter said gently. She looked at him with a trembling smile.

He gestured to the door. "I'll leave, and you get in there with him. You need your rest, too."

Eryllis hugged him, then watched him close the door behind himself.

She quickly stripped her clothes off and crawled under the top sheet to press herself against Dell's body. His solidity comforted her in ways she couldn't explain even to herself. She continued to tremble, but she could breathe again.

Dell was back.

-=-

Karter went to his bedroom and frowned upon seeing Kharza had placed the petite beauty in his bed.

"Where am I supposed to sleep tonight?" he grumbled.

Kharza raised an eyebrow. "I'll be in Dell's bed with him and Eryllis, so I suppose you can sleep in mine."

Karter paused. "Isn't Opphai sleeping there?"

The Orc smiled. "Yes, she is." She watched his smile grow. "Ket, too." His smile dimmed.

She continued. "Opphai's an innocent, was treated badly, and she will be one of your staff. Think about that."

"You work for me, and we had sex," he said with a curious look.

She grinned. "Yes, but I'm no innocent. Don't worry, she's a cuddler... if you don't mind being the little spoon."

Karter paused again, and his smile returned.

-=-

Dell woke with the most wonderful sensation on his body but a splitting headache. He rolled his head to his left and looked into Eryllis' beautiful eyes. His heart leaped into his throat, and his eyes teared with joy.

"OH—" Then her amazing mouth was on his, and he knew he was in Heaven. The kiss felt like a reconnection of their souls after being torn away from each other, healing them fully.

When they pulled back, she looked into his eyes and saw his pain. "What's wrong? Were you injured?" she asked.

Kharza sat up on his other side to look at him in concern.

He smiled at her, slid his hand into her unruly hair, and pulled her face down to his to kiss her. Another spike went through his head then his mind flashed with images and noise he couldn't comprehend, but... it felt like Tawna. He heard Eryllis' voice through that and resurfaced.

"It's my head. Something's wrong. Where's Tawna?" he asked through gritted teeth.

Kharza was immediately out of bed. "She's in Karter's bed." At Dell's shocked expression, she continued. "Alone."

"I need to speak to her, now," he said.

Kharza crossed to the door and opened it to see Tawna standing there with her head in her hands. She seemed dazed.

The Orc helped the smaller female to the bed. Then she got dressed.

Eryllis slipped off the bed and pulled her dress on before helping Dell to sit on the edge. She pulled the sheet across his lap for decency.

"Are you feeling okay?" he asked Tawna.

"I woke up feeling strange. My head hurts, and I can't seem—AH! My magic! It's gone! I can't reach my magic!" She paused. "No... I-I can feel it, but it won't respond to my call." She glanced over her shoulder and jolted again, realizing her wings were missing. She shrieked a little.

Dell pulled her into a hug, her face pressed against the bare skin of his chest. She gasped again. "I can feel it! I must have linked my magic to you when I had you control the spell to bring us here."

"How can we get it back to you? I don't want this in my head. It hurts!" Dell said with a wince.

"We need to open our minds to each other once more, and you need to will the magic out to me as I accept it with my will," she insisted.

He rested his forehead against hers, and she sighed.

"Skin-to-skin improves the connection!" She tugged the sheet back and stared wide-eyed at his naked body.

Dell looked at Eryllis and Kharza in embarrassment.

Eryllis assisted Tawna back up to her feet and helped her take her dress off. Then she looked into her lovely blue eyes. "Promise me you won't take Dell away again!"

"I'm so sorry I did that! I promise I won't do it again. I-I can't go back now as I defied the Queen's wishes," Tawna said sadly.

Eryllis nodded, then pulled Kharza out of the room. Dell heard his father's voice in the hall before the door closed.

Dell faced Tawna, who was staring at his cock.

She glanced up as her cheeks flushed. "I-I've never seen... one of those before."

Dell smiled. "I hope you're not disappointed." She giggled nervously. He winced as the pain in his head was getting worse.

"Lie back, and I'll lie on top of you for the most skin-to-skin contact," she instructed.

He rested back and smiled as she stretched out over him. "That feels good," she said. "I can feel my magic trying to get free. I'm also tingling!"

It felt very good for Dell as well. Maybe a little too good. He wasn't sure where to put his hands, but they gravitated to her lower back. He heard her suck in a quick breath after his hands touched her, and it was becoming overwhelming for him.

Tawna's face was very close, and he could see her struggling to concentrate on opening her mind to his.

"You must concentrate on opening yourself up to the sensation of our touching skin," she said.

He couldn't stop a chuckle from bursting free as he was already too aware of that sensation. Dell's cock was trapped between her thighs, but the jostling of his laughter parted her legs, and he slapped up against her hot and wet pussy. She gasped and squirmed from the delicious sensations. She began to push back against him as the head pressed against her pussy lips. She automatically forced herself down on his cock. She immediately froze as a sharp pain flared but quickly faded as the tingling returned with a vengeance. Her breath came in gasps as she pushed him deeper inside until she had all of him. Then she began to grind against him, stirring her insides with his heat.

Dell loved the sensations, but the noise in his head was deafening. He followed her advice and pushed the pressure and chaos inside his head out to her.

When Tawna suddenly kissed him, the damn broke on the chaos, and it surged across the link between them. The sudden loss of pressure in his head was so great and felt so good, he drove his cock into her one last time, and his cum filled her depths as he squeezed her ass cheeks in his big hands.

She also hit her peak, and her light-based butterfly wings burst from her back as she quaked through a colossal orgasm.

For the briefest moment, they felt like one person as the magic leaped between them.

Dell smiled in relief from the loss of pain and the sweet pleasure. With the loss of the magic, his reserves took a beating, and he felt himself drifting off.

But that was okay because he was home.

-=-

Tawna drowsed on Dell's chest, enjoying his warmth, being wrapped in his arms, and the thrilling knowledge that she was still intimately linked to the big guy.

She also felt relief because she had her magic back. Her wings glowed above their bodies.

She heard the door open slightly and saw Eryllis poke her head in the door. Tawna smiled at her, so she slipped inside with Kharza following. The Orc put her hand on the chest of a man behind her to keep him out. She shook her head and closed the door behind her.

Tawna watched Eryllis check on Dell, but they both knew he was just sleeping peacefully.

Kharza gently eased Tawna off Dell so she could freshen up and put her clothes back on.

She smiled at the two ladies and gestured to her wings. "My magic has returned to me," she paused as she tasted the energy coursing through her mind. "But I can still feel Dell's presence. He's... seasoned my magic." She grinned at her pun. "Using that spell as we did was probably a risky move as it's never been done before, but we had no choice. Now, there's a strength to the magic that wasn't there before." Her mind was filled with wonder for a moment.

Then she remembered what she needed to say. "I need to speak to you and Dell's father."

Eryllis gestured for her to follow and headed out of the bedroom. Tawna heard her speaking to the handsome man in the hallway.

They went downstairs, then into an office, where they took seats in front of a large desk. The man was seated on the other side. Then she noticed the hair on one side of his head was standing up in a wave. She was frozen by the odd sight.

Karter saw her stare and reached up to feel the stiff hair. "Dammit! Why didn't you say something?" he grumbled at Kharza as he tried to tame the wild hair.

She just grinned. "What? I thought it looked sweet."

Karter wasn't finished. "You could have warned me that Opphai might groom me in her sleep!"

Eryllis burst into giggles as she put her hands over her face while it became red. Then she stopped. "Wait! You slept with Opphai?"

He raised his hands. "Slept! Our visitor occupied my bed, so Kharza suggested I sleep in her bed with Opphai and Ket. I let Opphai know that I was only there for sleep." His face got a little red as he was likely recalling the night. "I woke up this morning being spooned, trapped between her enormous... boobs, and feeling a strong tongue stroking my scalp." He shared a bewildered look with the ladies. "She purrs!"

"She never did that with Ket or me," Kharza said with a smile.

Eryllis raised a hand to get things back on track. "Our guest requested to speak to us."

Tawna nodded her thanks. "I should start with my name. I'm Sa Lih Pish Tawna, but you can call me Tawna. My mother is Queen Sa Lih Pish Stella which makes me a princess, but I'm the youngest with no real chance of ascending to the throne and no desire for it. When I was captured, I was actually running away to live in the Tanglewood as a regular citizen."

She looked at Eryllis. "When you rescued me in the tent, I was in a desperate state. Weak from the silver thread and deathly afraid of being trapped again, I tricked Dell by using a spell members of the Royal Family have for escaping back to our palace, but I had to power it from his strength. This is why I took him with me. I'm terribly sorry I put him and you through that trauma."

Eryllis nodded to her, and Tawna was so grateful for even this small gesture, as she wanted so badly to be friends.

She took a deep breath as the next part would not likely be well received.

"When Dell was first introduced to the Queen and my sister Marlah, who's being groomed to inherit the throne, we learned of his partners, Eryllis and Kharza, and his children with both of you. He spoke with love in his voice," she turned to face Karter, "as Dell spoke of you with me later." Karter's smile spoke of his love for his son, and she wanted to get to know him, too.

She swallowed and nodded to herself to continue. "The Pixie nation has been in isolation for centuries to protect us from hostile nations and cultural contamination, as my mother explains it. Unfortunately, the consequence of this has been a reduced birth rate. While we can live for well over a thousand years, we have naturally low birth rates. However, Pixie males have become increasingly infertile in the last four centuries though females have not." She saw she still had their attention.

"Hearing of Dell's fertility, my mother and sister planned to imprison Dell and use him to impregnate as many Pixie females as possible to rejuvenate the Pixie race. They told him it was a diplomatic expectation for Pixies, but it was a breeding program. I know my mother and Marlah are carrying his child and other—" She suddenly stopped as she became aware of something changing in her own body. Her hands settled in her lap as her eyes widened.

Eryllis saw her expression and became concerned. "What's wrong?"

"Congratulations on your pregnancy," Kharza grinned as she correctly guessed the reason for her expression.

Eryllis looked at Kharza in shock, then back to Tawna. "What? How is that possible?"

Kharza laughed. "I think we were both there to see how it was done and who she did it with."

Eryllis scowled at the Orc, then glared at Tawna. "You were participating in your mother's breeding program?"

Tawna returned to the moment and shook her head vigorously. "No! I just wanted my magic back!"

Eryllis was still upset. "How can you know you're pregnant so soon after sex, especially your first time! I saw the blood."

Tawna nodded, still dazed by her body's revelation. "I can feel something has changed in my body. My sister and mother knew they were with child soon after they were with him, but they didn't share how it felt with me. I can sense it's preparing for something. I-I think I'm pregnant, but you're right. It was my first time, and this is all new to me."

Eryllis appeared to feel somewhat better at her acknowledgment, but she wasn't finished. "Why did you bring Dell back? To apologize for stealing him? To prevent them from using Dell for stud services?"

Kharza seemed surprised by the stern questions, but Tawna held up a hand and nodded. "I understand your concern. When I first got home, I was just relieved to be free. Then I thought about how I'd been trying to flee the palace, but instead, I dragged someone else into my situation. I-I had some flashbacks to my abduction. I became... violent. Dell was there for me. He calmed me and told me I would get through it, though it didn't feel like it at the time. Even after what I put him through, he showed concern for me. He said he knew how to do this as you had also gone through some dark times. He said life and love were healers."

Eryllis had tears in her eyes but a smile on her lips hearing Dell's words. She nodded, not trusting her voice.

"If I'd let my mother keep Dell, I would have been able to speak with him to continue my recovery, but I couldn't take him from you as he needed his family and didn't deserve what was going to be done to him. It would have been a life of luxury, but he'd still be in a cage—"

She found herself on the floor of Karter's office, leaning her head back against Eryllis' plush bosom with tanned arms wrapped around her. Kharza was kneeling next to them, holding Tawna's hands with Karter next to her. Everyone looked concerned.

"What?"

"I think you had another flashback. You triggered it yourself. I recognized it as Dell helped me with mine. You said something about another Pixie prisoner."

A tremor went through her. "Ah! Yes. Thank you." She moved to sit up, and Eryllis released her. Kharza helped her back into her chair. She cleared her throat and described her memories.

"A Human and a Wizard in Portoa. They prepared me to send me to someone in Grennesh. Put me in the pouch tied in magic silver thread. They have another Pixie."

Karter spoke up. "That has to be Magus Thaneblood. Seven years ago, he was on death's door before he found some kind of miracle cure. Devlin Warrick, here in Grennesh, also suffered a mishap and was dying. If we can prove Magus contacted Devlin to offer him a Pixie of his own—"

Eryllis shook her head. "Except we can't mention Pixies. Morgan was right. If word got out that people were using Pixies as a miracle cure, they would be hunted out of existence."

Tawna blinked at them in confusion.

Karter explained. "We believe Magus Thaneblood discovered a way to heal his injuries and sickness with the Pixie he has in his possession. We think he might have offered to get you for Devlin to use the same way."

"Use how?" Tawna asked in dread.

"We have no idea. The only ones who might know are Magus, his wizard, and potentially, whoever he sent to speak to Devlin, likely his Chief of Security," Karter reasoned, then frowned in thought. "And perhaps Devlin's Chief of Security, Rohan Blest.

"Dell told me he and you might help me save the other Pixie," Tawna said to Eryllis timidly.

Eryllis nodded. "This is exactly the kind of evil I use my skills to eliminate. The whole idea repulses me, and I want these people dead."

Tawna looked at Eryllis in awe, then glanced at the smile on Kharza's face.

"Yeah, Dell and Eryllis have the enchanted sword and staff and no tolerance for evil fuckers. It makes the Commander of the Grennesh Guardsmen really uncomfortable, but he looks the other way if it happens outside the city limits."

Eryllis was still thinking of the people who needed to pay for this. "Devlin is dead, so his knowledge of the Pixies is gone. Magus, his wizard, and his representative will have to wait. We need to speak to this Blest."

Karter fixed a stern eye on her. "We don't know if or how much he was involved."

"That's why I said we need to speak," Eryllis returned as she held his gaze.

Karter finally nodded. "I heard the man retired after Devlin died. Gossip in the bar said he couldn't get another job in Grennesh, so he's staying in an inn next to the carriage station until he settles his affairs here. Then he'll likely go to Portoa."

Kharza smiled and looked at Eryllis. "As you and Dell can't go into Grennesh yet, I'll go speak with him."

Eryllis shook her head. "After the last visit, Kharza will need magical protection."

Tawna suddenly realized she could be useful. "I will protect Kharza with my magic!"

Eryllis raised an eyebrow as she locked eyes with Tawna. "Have you ever been in a battle?"

Tawna huffed. "As a princess, I trained with the Pixie Guard and know many offensive and defensive spells."

Eryllis waited, and Tawna finally looked away. "It's true that I haven't used those skills in actual combat."

"You were also captured by a Human in an ambush," Eryllis said.

Tawna looked at her indignantly. "Should I expect magic silver mesh nets from every assailant I meet?"

That brought a smile to Eryllis's lips. "No, that's not likely to happen. Your abductors knew your nature and came prepared. Still, you'd need to be cautious."

Karter frowned in concern. "You're rather conspicuous with your wings."

Tawna suddenly shrunk down to a small ball of light and fluttered over to Kharza to hide in her hair by her ear. "I'm ready," she said.

Kharza chuckled as her voice was so quiet that no one else could have heard her. "She said she's ready."

Karter still looked unhappy and shared a nervous look with Eryllis. "I'm not keen on this plan, but if you must, do it as quickly as possible, and don't let anyone see Tawna."

Tawna felt Kharza nod.

"One more thing," Karter added. "Falco said the last time you visited the city, you managed not to kill anyone, and he's grateful for that. If you can, try to repeat that."

"That Guardsman Opphai slapped survived?" Kharza said in surprise.

Karter nodded, then shook his head. "Survived is a loose term. He's not dead, but almost everything is broken, so he won't enjoy his retirement."

Kharza grinned. "I'll do my best to be good. Again."

Chapter 12

Dell woke to the sound of children giggling. He smiled as that was a most wonderful sound. He also recognized the voices as they belonged to his children. A pang of longing caused him to finally open his eyes.

He was in his bed at the Wood Knot Inn. He was home. His mind was still reeling from containing Tawna's magic, and his senses and time-sense were slightly jumbled and distorted.

He was also weary from using magic. That was an experience he'd leave to Eryllis, thank you very much.

He got up and freshened his body with the basin of water by the window. His mind took him back to the separate bathing room in the suite he had in the Pixie palace. That reminded him of Marlah, so he pulled his mind back from that.

After dressing, he left his room and climbed the stairs to the third floor and the playroom.

"DADDY!" Johon shouted when he spotted Dell. He rushed over and leaped into Dell's arms and got kisses on his cheek. Dell sat on the floor and gathered all his children to him, kissing them. Ket was a wiggler, but Dell knew the boy loved a hug and kiss as much as the others.

Maevria smiled joyfully to see the children so happy.

"Where were you, daddy? Mommy and Kharza came back unhappy. Where were you?" Johon asked.

Dell crossed his legs, and his daughters Jahara and Jessa climbed onto his lap to lean back against his chest. His boys crossed their legs as well, facing him.

"Your mommies and I rescued a Princess, then I had to go on an unexpected trip to a faraway land," he said, and little eyes widened in awe. "The Princess used her magic to get us there really fast, but that exhausted us, and we had to rest and charge up."

"Like mommy when she uses a lot of magic?" Johon asked.

Dell nodded proudly. "Exactly like that, Johon, but Mommy is stronger than anyone I know with magic."

This made Jahara grin happily, and he kissed the top of her head, then Jessa's.

"Did it take you all this time to get back?" Johon asked.

Dell shook his head. "It would take months and months to walk from there to here. Instead, the Princess brought me back with her magic. We went from her home in that faraway place to my room in the blink of an eye, but traveling that way left us both very tired. We got back last night, but I just woke up. I immediately came to see you."

That got smiles from the kids.

"Princess is here?" Jahara asked.

"Yes. Tawna will be visiting for as long as she wants. You'll get to meet her. She's really nice."

"Opphai!" Ket cried happily as he looked toward the stairs.

Dell followed his gaze and saw a white-blonde woman's head peeking around the corner at the top of the stairs. Then it registered in his mind how close to the ceiling her head was. She stepped out from behind the stairwell wall completely, and Dell couldn't keep the surprise from his face. She was... big!

Maevria came to his rescue. "Dell, this is Opphai Wintervale. Kharza rescued her from being a slave in a bar on the north side of Grennesh."

"What? Slavery in Grennesh?" Dell said in surprise.

"Speak to your father about how they took care of that. Opphai sleeps in Kharza's room and comes up to play with the children every morning,"

"I will come back tomorrow. I didn't know their father would be here. I didn't recognize your voice, so I came up to see who it was," Opphai said timidly.

"It's fine. Please come join us," Dell said. Jahara jumped off his lap and ran over to reach up for Opphai's hand to pull her closer.

Dell stood with Jessa on his left hip and reached out to shake her large hand. He wasn't used to having to look up into someone's eyes. Hers reminded him of the feral beasts he saw in the alleys of Grennesh as a youth. They were so incredibly green and large. What he'd mistaken for wild hair were her large projecting ears poking out of her hair.

Speaking of her hair, she was wearing her straight white locks loose, and there was so much of it! It hung down to her knees, though that cascade parted widely in the front around her substantial breasts, which were barely hidden in a rough gown. She was big all over!

Dell was intensely curious about her race, so he began with his own. "I'm a Halfling, half Human and half Wood Elf. I got my skin tone and height from my Wood Elf mother but my musculature from my Human father. You also appear to have Human features, though they are larger than most—I mean your frame, feet, and hands! Your eyes and ears seem to come from a feline race."

Opphai smiled and nodded. "I can't remember anything about my past. I have noticed that I am bigger than most people in Grennesh. You are almost as big as me, though I win the—" she glanced at the kids, "boobs and butt contest."

"First place," Dell said automatically, then blushed as Opphai smiled at him sweetly.

"Now that you are back to work magic in the kitchen, does this mean Karter can hire me as a server? I am an excellent server!" Opphai said earnestly.

"Oh! Ah, yes, I suppose it does mean that. He makes those decisions, though. I'm just the chef," Dell replied.

Opphai bounced on her toes excitedly, dramatically shaking parts of her anatomy. Dell was a little mesmerized but kept a smile on his face. She seemed very sweet. A good match for the restaurant.

Maevria dragged his attention back with a sneaky question. "Will our new Princess friend be staying? Will we have more children to care for?" Maevria asked cheekily.

Dell looked at her in surprise, then saw she was teasing.

"Who knows what the future will bring?" he said.

-=-

It didn't take long for Kharza to reach the inn on the southeast edge of Grennesh across from the carriage station. It wasn't in a great neighborhood. She went inside and spotted the desk clerk.

"Which room is Rohann Blest staying in?" she asked

The timid man decided telling her would yield less damage. "He's on the second floor, end of the hall, but you may be too late. Five men just went up to see him."

She pulled the man across the counter to snarl in his face. "Get a runner to bring Commander Falco! Tell him Kharza needs him. Now!" Then she charged upstairs.

"Should I come out now?" Tawna asked.

"Not yet. You're my secret weapon."

As she got closer to the end of the hall, she could hear yelling and fighting.

Two men stepped out into the hall when they heard Kharza's running feet. They pulled their knives.

Kharza grinned savagely. "Self-defense, Falco," she said to herself as she pulled her two hand axes from her belt.

Her toothy grin broke the nerve of one of the men, who immediately spun and leapt through the glass of the window at the end of the hall. The second rushed toward her, but the shattering noise distracted him as he thrust his knife toward her. Kharza blocked the blade with one axe while taking his hand off at the wrist with the other. As he stumbled past in shock, she sunk her first axe into the base of his skull.

The clerk said five. One escaped, and one dead. Three to go.

She glanced inside and pulled back, narrowly avoiding the thrown knife which stuck in the hallway wall.

"Two on their feet and two on the ground," Kharza whispered to Tawna. She drew her battle axe. "Do you have a spell to disable the men but not kill them?"

"Wait two seconds before entering," Tawna said, then zipped around the doorway. A bright flash and thump shook the room then Kharza leaped inside and slammed the broadside of her axe against the two stunned bandits, knocking them unconscious.

In a surprise attack, the third thug on the ground moved to stab her leg. Kharza saw his elbow suddenly bend, and his blade ended up deep in his own eye.

"Was that you?" Kharza asked.

"Yes," Tawna's jittery voice said from the light mote by her ear. It must have been her first kill.

"Thank you," Kharza said.

Five thugs. One escaped, two dead, and two unconscious. Not bad.

She looked at the last man on the floor, who was leaning against the wall with a deep knife wound.

"Are you Rohann?" Kharza asked, and he nodded weakly. Kharza gestured to Tawna to come down, so she returned to her full size, standing next to Kharza.

Rohann's eyes widened when he saw her wings.

Kharza knew she didn't have much time, and neither did Rohann. "What part did you play in Devlin's plan to kidnap a Pixie?" She gestured to Tawna. He looked at her in confusion then the lights went on in his eyes.

"Was that what was being delivered from Portoa?" he asked.

Kharza nodded, and Rohann shook his head slightly. "Devlin didn't tell me what the miracle cure was. The old man trusted no one but Magus. Magus' Security Head, Harris Kess, came with the offer." Rohann winced. "I didn't know anything... but Lucien sent these punks to kill me." He glanced down at his wound, then at Tawna. "Can you heal me?"

They heard the heavy boots of the Grennesh Guard climbing the stairs

Tawna leaned closer to Rohann. "I'm sorry, not an injury this severe. I can keep you alive long enough to get your revenge against Lucien, though."

"Not from the Guardsmen, I won't. Too corrupt," he said wearily.

Kharza assured him. "I called for Commander Falco. He's an honest and good man, if a bit stiff."

Rohann paused, and there was acceptance in his eyes. He nodded.

Tawna cast her spell, and Rohann's pain eased. He sighed and looked at the Pixie with wonder.

"Time to hide," Kharza said, and Tawna nodded as she shrank down and slipped into the Orc's hair again.

Boots ran down the hall as Kharza turned to Rohann. "Don't speak of the Pixie." Feeling relief from the pain, Rohann nodded.

Kharza faced the door with her battle axe in hand.

One of the Grennesh Guardsmen, a young blond man with pinched features, looked in the doorway and spotted Kharza staring back at him next to Rohann. He ducked back around the corner.

"DROP THE AXE!" he yelled.

"I will when Falco arrives," Kharza said calmly.

"DROP IT NOW, OR WE'RE COMING IN!" he yelled again.

"You seem too young to want to die so soon. Wait for your commander," Kharza said reasonably.

The young Guardsman and his two companions remained in the hall, yelling commands at her as they didn't have the nerve to come in.

Finally, Kharza heard Falco bellow at them to stop. He sent the other Guardsmen back down the hall to the street, but Blondie kept guard on the door. The commander stepped inside the room. "What's going on? There's a man downstairs impaled on a fence under the window. Alive but screaming."

Kharza set her axe down and smiled. "That one jumped out the window on his own. They came to kill Blest. I came to ask him some questions, but I got here after they stabbed him. The one in the hall tried to stab me." She pointed to the one with his knife in his eye. "So did this one. I managed to take these two alive. Blest is still alive if you have questions like who hired the goons to kill you?" At his nod, she picked up and strapped her battle axe to her back again, then leaned against the far wall to give them some privacy. It was symbolic as it was a small room, and she could still hear them perfectly.

Falco scowled at her but kneeled before the dying man.

"Rohann Blest, are you able to give me your account of what happened?" the commander asked.

Rohann nodded, but it was shaky. "Devlin Warrick ignored my warnings about his son, Lucien. Wouldn't invest in a proper spy network because he was so cheap. Lucien had spies within Devlin's household staff. One added a tripwire to the staircase to kill him, but it only broke Devlin's leg. The man confessed that Lucien paid him to do it. I killed the man as per Devlin's standing orders. The next attempt was from a nurse who substituted Devlin's pain medication with poison. She confessed Lucien forced her to do it by threatening her family. I had to kill her too."

Rohann took a deep breath and released it slowly. Then he continued.

"Harris Kess, Magus Thaneblood's Security Chief, visited Devlin, but I wasn't included in the meeting. Kess left with a bank withdrawal note for more money than I made in my career with Warrick. Then Lucien came by to let me know he'd put funds aside for my retirement as he knew his father was too cheap." He shook his head as the pieces fell into place in his mind.

He looked at Falco again. "Devlin let slip that Magus sold him a miracle cure like the one he used seven years ago." Rohann shook his head bitterly. "I couldn't deal with the idea of being trapped in a contract, fulfilling the evil wishes of that cheap idiot for the decades to come. I remembered what Lucien had done, so I informed him about the courier pouch with a cure coming from Portoa. When you came to the estate and told Devlin you were sending a team to get the pouch, I knew I had to act. That night, I reported to Devlin that the pouch had been stolen. I knew he was hanging on by willpower alone. The old man lost hope, gave up, and died that night. The next morning, my contract was up, so I left the estate and went to the bank. Lucien was right. Devlin left me nothing for retirement, but now I had the funds Lucien set aside." He snorted wearily. "Now I see how Lucien worked me, and I was primed for it by Devlin. Lucien hired these goons to collect the funds and close off a loose end."

Blest eased open his jacket and pulled out a folded sheet of paper. He handed it to Falco. "These are the orders Lucien gave his security chief to hire the bandits and a wizard to take out any travelers from Portoa to Grennesh and find the courier pouch."

Falco read the document. "How did you get this?"

Rohann smiled weakly. "An old chief of security has tricks a younger chief of security has yet to learn and now never will." He slipped his hand into his jacket once more and pulled out a small ledger book.

"What's this?" Falco asked.

"A list of Lucien's spies, also from his security man. He has people everywhere." Blest was reaching the end of his strength.

"Rohann Blest, is this your dying declaration?" Falco asked.

Blest smiled and held Kharza's eyes. "Yes. Thank you." He closed his eyes and slipped away.

With a strangled scream of rage, the blond Guardsman suddenly leaped in the door with his dagger aimed at Falco's back.

Before he got two steps inside, his feet locked to the floor, and his outstretched arm suddenly tucked back under his body as he fell. His scream ended with a gurgling wail as his body slammed down on the point of the blade.

Falco leaped to his feet and spun to see the frozen look of surprise on the young man's face.

"What the fuck?" the commander yelled as he looked at Kharza, who stared back at him curiously.

"Maybe you'll find his name in that little book? He seemed pretty desperate to sink that dagger into your back," Kharza said.

Kharza went to the door and confirmed they were alone.

"Tawna, it's time," she said. The Pixie flew out of her hair and returned to full size next to her.

"Commander Falco, let me introduce Princess Tawna. She was the one Magus was delivering to Warrick in his courier pouch," Kharza said. "She was the miracle cure. A Pixie."

Falco's mouth was working as he recalled the conversation they had about the pouch. "Eryllis said they only found the silver thread in the pouch!"

"Actually, she didn't say what she found. She just pointed to the threads. The Wizard Ducane told her to keep the Pixie's existence a secret.

Falco's face was red with suppressed fury, but he managed to continue. "How are Pixies a miracle cure?"

Kharza shrugged. "We don't know, and neither does Tawna. Magus, his wizard, and Harris Kess must know, but they didn't share it with Tawna. Devlin probably knew as Kess would have told him as part of their deal. Magus wanted Devlin alive."

The commander was still smarting about being kept in the dark. "Was Lucien right about Dell and Eryllis stealing the contents of the pouch?"

"No!" Tawna said. "The wizard with the bandits took me from the pouch but left me bound. Dell freed me from my bindings, but I was so weak. I used my magic to escape but used Dell's vitality to power the spell. I brought Dell back as soon as I could. Magus has a Pixie. We must free her."

Falco looked suspiciously at Kharza. "Why did you wait to disclose Tawna's presence?"

Kharza tilted her head at him with a grin. "Isn't it fortunate for you that I did? Tawna saved your life. Lucien obviously has spies within the Guardsmen as well. He is a very dangerous and lawless Human. For now, only certain people may see her."

The commander scowled, but he couldn't argue. "Okay, but it goes back to why I was kept in the dark about the true contents of the pouch."

Kharza nodded. "Morgan explained this to us. How much trouble would be stirred up if people believed Pixies could be miracle cures?"

Falco paused for a long moment, and he was clearly running through the scenario in his mind. When he was done, he looked at Tawna. "That knowledge would lead to chaos and lawlessness."

Kharza nodded and gestured for Tawna to hide again, and she shrank and slipped into her hair.

Falco frowned at the two thugs as one was beginning to stir. He bent down, flipped his soldier over, and pulled the dagger from his chest. He carried it over to the two thugs and slit their throats.

Kharza watched him cautiously as he put the blade back into the soldier.

The commander frowned, then sighed. "The story will be that this brave soldier died trying to protect me. To avoid the chaos, protect the secret of the Pixies, and give me time to dig Lucien's spies out of the Guardsmen, none of Lucien's hired thugs can be allowed to live... except for the one impaled on the fence, who saw nothing, right?"

Kharza smiled as she understood. She nodded.

"How are you going to contain the secret?" he asked.

"Dell and Eryllis have some ideas about that." She grinned. "You probably don't want to know about that, as you'll have enough on your plate taking Lucien down."

Falco frowned. "The letter isn't sufficient to put him in jail. Not with his connections. It's certainly enough to get him to back off with his charge against Dell and Eryllis, but Lucien will remain a menace, with or without his chief of security."

Kharza shrugged. "Talk with Karter. I'm sure he'll be able to create a plan with the information and confession you now have."

Falco thought about that and nodded. "I'll come to see Karter after I deal with this." He paused. "Please thank Tawna for saving my life."

Kharza grinned as she heard the Pixie's happy sigh. "She says you're welcome. We'll leave this to you. Thanks!"

Their return through the streets of Grennesh was uneventful as life moved on. It was close to noon, and the flow of the city hummed along, unaware or simply uncaring of the loss of some goons and a former head of security for one of their important families. Kharza thought that was a little sad, but she was glad it was them, not her.

She was going home. Dell was back. Ket was waiting for her. Eryllis, her children, and Karter were there. Maevria, Maggie, the ladies, and now Opphai were part of her new life. Her smile widened as she realized the Wood Knot Inn had become her new village. She deeply missed her original family and the collection of tents that made up her first village, but she felt a great sense of wonder that she'd found herself accepted into this new one.

Not just accepted but loved and an integral part of it. One of its defenders. What she'd gone through after she woke that awful morning in the aftermath of the slaughter forged a new Kharza. She was hardened, more accepting of her brutal side, and trained to be an even deadlier weapon through her training with Dell's spirit warrior.

But she hadn't lost her ability to laugh, cry, and love. She would be forever grateful to Dell and whatever fates conspired to have him find her on that dark road that night.

Now there was a new... applicant, a wanderer, a lost soul who was approaching her village. She'd proven herself in battle today and had something to contribute. Kharza wondered how her new Pixie friend would integrate into the family.

She smiled to herself as the Wood Knot Inn came into view, and she made her way inside. She heard the busy sounds from the new dining room and saw the stream of servers moving to and from it. Lunch was in full swing. She immediately set course for the kitchen.

She stepped inside and moved to the side to not obstruct the flow but to take in the activity.

Dell was in his element as he whipped together meal after meal, and his assistants moved the orders along to the counter to be scooped up and carried to the dining room. There was no special meal today, so it was just the restaurant favorites, and the team knew how to deal with the variety.

He glanced over and smiled at Kharza as she pointed to her hair. He nodded, then paused the production line as he gathered the attention of his crew. The servers returned from the floor, so all were present and accounted for. He smiled at the attentive look from Opphai, whose apron needed some additional fabric. No doubt Maevria was on that project.

"Ladies, we have a new guest, and I want you all to swear to me that for the next week or so, you'll keep her presence here just between us. If she so decides, she may stick around longer than that, but we keep it hush-hush for now. Promise?"

The ladies watched him curiously, but all promised to keep the secret.

"Thank you." He looked at Kharza. "Tawna?"

The Pixie flew out of Kharza's hair and returned to her full size, standing next to the taller green female.

Opphai couldn't contain her delighted gasp. "Ah! She's so pretty!"

The others burst into nervous giggles.

Dell did the introductions, and everyone was delighted to greet the new visitor. Then Dell cracked the whip. "Okay, we'll talk more later about our new Pixie friend. Now, we have food to prepare and serve!"

The creation assembly line began again, but everyone was wearing excited grins.

Two plates passed from Dell's hands through the team and were placed on the small table by the wall where Kharza and Tawna stood. The plates contained items currently not on the Inn's menu. Thin slices of bread with vegetable and meat filling and crispy fried potato slices with a delicate seasoning.

Kharza grinned at her new friend, gesturing for her to sit. "Thank you, Dell, ladies!" she called out and got a nod from Dell, who was busy making the next meal. Several of the kitchen staff smiled her way.

She looked over at Tawna and grinned at the look of joy on her face. When the Pixie's eyes opened again, they sparkled. "This is food from my home, but it's so delicious!" she cooed.

Kharza tried one of the potato slices, and her tastebuds cheered. "Oh! This is very good!" she said, grinning with a nod. "This is Dell's favorite kind of magic," she said to Tawna and got a happy giggle.

"Dell! We have another success on our hands!" Kharza called out and heard happy chuckles from the staff. The Inn's successes were their successes, so that delighted everyone.

Karter pushed into the kitchen. "What success?" he insisted, then spotted Tawna enjoying a meal in plain sight of everyone. "What?" he gasped, gesturing to the Pixie in the room.

Maggie paused to look at him. "Oh? Haven't you met our new friend? She's a Pixie, but keep her under your hat."

The crew and Dell burst into laughter as Karter sputtered.

Kharza took pity on him by passing him one of the slices. He accepted it with a curious look, sniffed it, then popped it into his mouth. His expression immediately transformed.

"That's... that's... that's...." He seemed lost for words.

Kharza offered one. "Delicious?"

"A GOLD MINE!" he cheered. "Seriously, these could be addictive!" He gestured to Kharza for another, but she put her hand over her plate to block him. "Hey! You can't eat just one!" he cried.

Tawna took pity on him by giving him several from her plate. Karter thanked her, then stuck his tongue out at Kharza. Tawna giggled with delight.

After he munched on the chips of potato, he looked over at Dell. "Seriously, these are amazing! Where did you come up with this?"

Dell smiled over his shoulder as he slowed down. They were just about through the lunchtime rush. "I picked up quite a few recipes while I was staying at the palace in the Tanglewood. I spent an entire day with their Master Chef, trading recipes and tips. It was wonderful!"

Karter's eyes were wide with excitement.

"I have a new delicate flakey pastry recipe I will use with my pot pies from now on. I'll make some for dinner tonight so you can try it out," Dell said.

"YES!" Karter cheered.

Opphai took that moment to peer in the kitchen door. "Karter? Commander Falco is here to speak with you."

Karter looked at Kharza in question.

"He knows everything and needs your help to deal with the Lucien Warrick issue," Kharza said. His eyes dipped to her plate. She sighed, then dumped most of her potato treats onto a cloth napkin and lifted the corners to make a bag. "Let him try some. Don't eat them all yourself!"

With a grin of delight, Karter accepted the napkin and hustled out after Opphai.

As she finished her wonderful meal, she let herself soak in the warmth and love that filled the kitchen. This truly was the heart of her new village.

She looked across the table and saw the smile on Tawna's face. She understood. She was going to fit in just fine.

-=-

Hours later, after the lunch crowds had left and the staff were busy doing prep for the dinner rush, Dell took a seat in Karter's office to get filled in on what he'd missed while asleep this morning. Kharza, Eryllis, Tawna, and his dad joined him.

First, Kharza explained what happened with his meeting with Blest, and everyone thanked her, then Tawna for protecting her.

Then Tawna let Dell know what actually happened while he was performing diplomatic activities.

His rage flared, and he struggled to contain it. His sword was instantly on his hip. Along with that heat, he felt a sick creeping sensation of being used, and that... didn't feel good.

When he managed to get his breathing back under control, he looked up at Tawna and saw tears in her eyes. That took the rest of the steam from his rage, and he reached across to take her hands. "I'm not mad at you. I'm seriously pissed at your sister and mother, though. What they did is wrong on so many levels. I get their fear for their people, but they should have just asked." He felt a tremor run through his body again and took another deep breath. He could see Tawna was still nervous, and he connected the dots. "Are you pregnant too?"

Her head bobbed up and down. "I think so?" she said, her voice trembling.

He pushed his chair back. "Come here."

She flowed from her chair to sit on his lap, and he hugged her.

"I never wanted them to treat you that way, and I didn't know I would become pregnant," she moaned softly.

Dell looked at Eryllis, and she nodded. "We aren't upset with you. I'm glad you got your magic back, as it wasn't a good fit in my head. What do you want to do now?"

She thought for a moment. "I need to rescue the other Pixie." She looked to Dell and Eryllis, hopefully. "Will you help me?"

Dell shared another look with Eryllis then they nodded.

"I need to rest and recuperate before I'll be able to go. It will also take time to get to Portoa, find the Thaneblood mansion, find a way in, and rescue the Pixie," he said.

He looked to his father, who was watching him hopefully, too. "If the new pot pies pass everyone's approval tonight, we can host another pot pie dinner event while I recharge."

Karter looked thrilled.

There was a knock on the door, then it opened a crack, and Opphai squeezed her face against the small opening she made while blocking the rest with her large body, dutifully hiding Tawna's presence from anyone in the hall, no doubt.

"Karter? Wizard Ducane is here to speak to Eryllis?" she squeaked through the crack.

"It's all right, Opphai, he's allowed to come in," Eryllis said.

Kharza grinned at Tawna and pointed to her hair.

The Pixie smiled, shrank, and zipped over to hide there.

Opphai stepped back and turned in the hall, bumping Morgan's hood off with her chest. The wizard blinked in surprise, then stepped into the office, closing the door behind himself.

"Dell! You're back!" he said as he registered who was sitting next to Karter's desk.

"Yes, last night."

"What did you find out from your research about Pixies?" Eryllis said, jumping in before the wizard could ask Dell another question.

Morgan frowned at her in frustration. "Very little!"

Dell grinned as he picked up Eryllis' game. "Maybe you can ask our new friend. Tawna?" he said and patted his lap.

The Pixie flew from Kharza's hair to expand to her full size as she landed on his lap with a wide smile.

Morgan stared at her dazzling wings, and his eyes widened. "A Pixie!"

"Yes. Please let me introduce Princess Sa Lih Pish Tawna, daughter of Queen Sa Lih Pish Stella. She brought me back from the Tanglewood with her magic last night," Dell explained. "Tawna, this is Morgan Ducane, Master Wizard of Grennesh. He's a good friend of ours."

"It's very nice to meet you," Tawna said.

"I'm delighted to meet you as well!" Morgan said with a smile.

"You have some questions about Pixie's? I might be able to help you with that as long as it doesn't put my people at risk." Tawna offered.

Morgan nodded. "I assure you, harming the Pixies is the farthest thing from my mind."

"Still, information can be used for many purposes. It will need to be locked down until they are ready to say hello," Karter said as he held the wizard's eyes. "We must protect the Pixies, especially Tawna, as she's family."

The delighted smile and tears of joy in Tawna's eyes were beautiful to see.

Dell smiled at his family. His growing family! That felt... right.

Chapter 13

Lucien Warrick sat at the dining table in the suite he'd taken over from his father. His art now adorned the walls, and aside from the grand table and chairs, every reminder of his father had been expunged from the apartment. It now belonged to Lucien, and he was making his mark on it.

He was enjoying his breakfast, munching on toast with preserves, as he gazed out the window over his new view of Grennesh below. He had plans for the city now that he was the head of one of its leading families. He knew he'd be a busy man in the days ahead.

He frowned as he recalled he'd be busy today hiring a new Chief of Security as Taggart was found hanging in his apartment, seemingly a suicide. That would also need to be investigated.

He wiped his lips as he felt some jam residue. Messy stuff.

He heard a knock, then the door opened, and in walked his sister, who was a year younger than him. He wasn't expecting guests, and more importantly, he'd told his staff he wasn't to be disturbed. Heads would roll after she left.

He looked at Geneviere and sighed. She was plain and lacked any fashion sense, but he admitted she was keenly intelligent. But it was all book smarts as she was forever losing herself in her books.

Then he noticed his younger brother, Harold, hiding behind her. He was three years younger than his sister and no threat due to a sad lack of ambition and his obsession with his stupid plants.

He forced a pleasant smile on his lips, which he wiped once more as it still felt like there was something on them.

"Geneviere, Harold, what brings you two around so early in the day?" He managed to keep his annoyance out of his voice.

His sister did the talking as Harold was the quiet one. "We came here to congratulate you on achieving your goal of becoming the master of the family." Harold remained silent but watched him with a slight smile.

Lucien found that a little odd, but Harold was always bizarre. He was pleased to hear his sister acknowledge his title. "Thank you."

"How you achieved it was more bloodthirsty than I'd have done, but I shouldn't have expected more from a man with so little imagination," Geneviere sighed.

Lucien scowled at his sister's sharp words and rubbed his napkin across his mouth angrily before tossing it on the table's surface.

"What are you going on about?" he snapped.

"The collateral damage you caused, taking out so many of the household staff and then random travelers from Portoa. So messy and unnecessary," she said critically.

Lucien froze as they shouldn't have known anything about that. He cleared his throat. "Whatever do you mean?" He tried to inflect as much innocence into his voice as he could. It sounded convincing to him.

She shook her head in disappointment. "Your effort to prevent our father from receiving some promised mystical cure from Magus Thaneblood. Hiring the bandits to steal and a wizard to open the courier pouch. An empty pouch, proving father to be a bigger fool than his eldest son. So many needlessly dead. Sloppy. And seriously, for what? So you could join the other families squabbling over meaningless issues? Pathetic."

Lucien was truly angry now, but he was having difficulty getting a breath. He touched his mouth, and his lips were severely swollen.

His eyes slid to Harold, who was openly grinning now.

Geneviere continued. "If you'd shown any interest in your family, you would have realized how outclassed you were. Even the Commander of the Grennesh Guardsmen figured out your feeble plotting. He was concerned with our safety, so he shared his findings with us."

Lucien tried to stand, but his body betrayed him as paralysis seeped into his muscles. He fell to the floor, his throat closing up completely.

His sister and brother moved to stand over him, examining his reddening face.

"That's quite a strong allergic reaction to your jam, Harold," she said with interest. Harold just nodded with a smile as he switched the jar of preserves on the table with one in his pocket. "Is it time?" she asked, and Harold nodded again. She walked to the door and screamed for help. She returned and knelt next to Lucien, who was quickly fading. Harold took his hand, and after an amused glance at her younger brother, Geneviere took his other.

"Say hello to Papa in Hell, brother," she said as life faded from his eyes.

-=-

Magus Thaneblood was feeling particularly grumpy this morning. His family was causing him distress as they'd expressed concerns about his inability to lead the family during a meeting the night before.

Kess was scheduled to return this morning from his little trip to Grennesh. Magus would sit down with him later to discuss which members were the biggest threat to the family's stability. Some pruning of the family tree was in order.

Meanwhile, he needed to visit his special chamber to get his daily health elixir.

Thinking about Kess, he recalled there'd been some more rumblings of trouble from Grennesh aimed his way. Kess said it was a credible threat, so he'd left to ensure that danger never reached Portoa.

The room was in the northeast corner of his private suite and only accessible to him. The door was hidden and keyed to only open with his or his wizard's touch. As he walked down the hall, he ritually counted out his steps, turned to face the wall, looked in both directions to ensure no eyes were watching, then placed his palm on the enchanted section of wall and heard the distinct click. The hidden panel opened, and he smiled as he stepped forward.

The large boot that smashed into his back launched him forward and onto his face, which bounced off the stone floor.

It took minutes before his faculties returned, and he painfully rolled onto his back.

The first thing that registered was a strong smell of ozone, like after a lightning storm.

Then he smelled scorched flesh.

He turned his head toward the door to his wizard's studio and saw the old man sitting on the floor, leaning back against his open door, with a large hole where his face should have been.

Magus screamed, but he couldn't move or look away.

When his terror finally dulled enough for him to stop screaming, he blinked his eyes at the monstrous brute of a Wood Elf standing a short distance away, watching him like he was a disgusting insect.

"H-how did you get into the mansion?" Magus asked.

"We were invited in," the Elf said, and that's when Magus spotted an equally tall female Wood Elf leaving the wizard's room, stepping past the corpse. She was holding a glowing staff.

She smiled at the male. "His journals and all his possessions are dust now." She joined the male and smiled at him, then she turned to frown at Magus like she'd discovered shit on her shoe.

"How did you get onto my floor? Into my suite?" Magus' voice began to become slightly panicked.

The brute patted the sword on his hip. "This was all I needed to get past your guards."

The female held up something. "We were given a key to your suite. You aren't a well-liked man."

"But... I didn't see you in the hall!" Magus yelped.

"Big-time magic user," the male said, pointing to the female, and then he looked at her with a slight frown. "It was hard holding my breath that long, though." She nodded in agreement.

Magus could feel the lethargy seeping into his body. He needed the elixir. "What-what do you want?"

The dark-skinned male glanced at his female companion, then back to Magus. "Us? Nothing. Oh, by the way, your man Kess? He says hello." He tossed a bag he'd hung from his hip onto Magus' stomach. It was fairly heavy, so it hit with a thump.

Wheezing, Magus glanced warily at the bag and opened it cautiously. He flung Kess' head to the side and vigorously wiped his hands against his body.

"He was a nasty piece of work. A very skilled fighter with a lot of dirty tricks, but hey, once you lose your head, those skills are moot," the big thug said.

Magus was trembling uncontrollably now. They killed Kess. A Master Assassin.

"What do you want?"

The female leaned closer and frowned. "You already asked us that, and we answered honestly. We want nothing because we aren't here for us. We're here for a friend of ours, who you ordered that man," she pointed to the head, "to abduct from her home. She said you also had one of her people imprisoned here. That's why we're here."

"I have her."

Magus craned his head to look behind him. He saw the new Pixie assisting his possession down the hall.

"NO! You can't take her! I need her!" Magus suddenly shouted and tried to stand.

The heavy boot hit him in the chest, and his breath wheezed out as he fell onto his back again.

His world spiraled down into a pinpoint but didn't quite go out.

-=-

"Is she going to be all right?" Eryllis asked in concern, seeing how weak the Pixie under Tawna's arm was.

Tawna smiled at Eryllis as her charge watched the two large beings cautiously. "Yes. This is Emmita, and she'll be fine once I get her home."

Dell watched her in concern. "You may have troubles of your own when you go back."

Tawna raised a hand. "I'll deal with that. Your kindness and generosity have given me the strength to face them. I know what I must do now. You two have my undying thanks for saving me and fulfilling your promise." She looked at Kess' head, and her lips twitched slightly from an echo of her rage. "I'm grateful I was able to take my revenge, but I now understand what you meant, Dell."

"Love and life," he repeated softly.

Tawna nodded, then looked at the female she was supporting. "Emmita, would you care to say goodbye to your former captor?"

Emmita immediately bared her teeth, then glanced nervously at Dell and Eryllis. They smiled and took a step back to show they wouldn't interfere. She gave them a shaky smile of gratitude, then glared back down at the older man, who was again opening his eyes. She held out a hand over his body.

"I take back that which was taken from me!" she snarled and whispered silent words as her eyes glowed brighter. Tawna was feeding her power for this.

Magus stiffened, then began to tremble hard. His muscles tightened and his head, heels, and elbows drummed against the floor as the tremors grew in severity.

The old man began to bleed, but it was a fine red mist that rose from his body to collect in a shiny orb hovering just below Emmita's outstretched palm.

The pain of its extraction was contorting Magus's face into a rictus of absolute agony. Once the orb completely absorbed the mist, it rose to touch her palm and sank inside until it was gone. She sagged, and Tawna tightened her grip on the young female.

Magus was quite dead, and from his frozen expression, it hadn't been a pleasant way to go.

Tawna held Dell's eyes. "I will speak to Emmita of the meaning of your words and my own experience. She has a road ahead of her, but she will survive. We must go."

Eryllis leaned forward and kissed Tawna's cheek. "Be well, and you know where to find us."

Tawna had a tear in her eye as she smiled at Eryllis. "You as well."

Dell leaned down and caressed her mouth with his. She leaned into the kiss, which deepened. Tawna once more felt herself being swept away.

When he pulled back, she leaned forward slightly, then blinked her eyes open.

Dell's voice was a little rough with emotion. "You will always have a home with us."

Emmita was watching this, her wide eyes jumping between their faces. Tawna blushed as she smiled at the young woman. "They are my friends and are beautiful souls. Let's get you home."

As she wrapped her arms around Emmita, she looked into Dell's eyes, then closed hers.

Blue butterflies faded into existence to flutter and land on them. Moments later, they beat their wings again to fly and fade away. The Pixies were gone.

-=-

Queen Stella was silently fuming as her youngest had thrown a lit torch into the grain storage silo of her court with her little stunt of stealing away their prize breeding stud. News had gotten out amongst the senior court matriarchs of his fertility, prowess, and performance, and they were expecting to be serviced, too.

Seeing their Queen and a small group of their peers glowing with gravid bliss made them annoyingly impatient.

If only she could think of a means of recapturing him!

In the meantime, she was addressing the full court with an open gallery of her people as their mid-season celebrations would begin in just days.

The mood of her people was high as they were so pleased to see her carrying another child. It was a fortunate sign for the year ahead!

She stood, and a cheer went up. She caught the eye of several of her senior-most councilors, who watched her enviously. She sighed.

"Greetings! We have some exciting times ahead. The crops are doing well, and it looks like we have a very fertile growing season," she said, and the gallery cheered.

There was a sudden commotion on the floor below the podium as people pushed back from the center of the court.

Blue butterflies were appearing, and the people gave them room. The moment they dissipated, the Queen stared in shock at Tawna supporting another Pixie.

"Emmita!" two voices cried out from the gallery.

The young female in Tawna's arms turned to face her parents. "Mama! Papa!" she cried.

Tawna gently handed Emmita off to two guards who helped guide her to where her parents were waiting for her with tears in their eyes. Everyone turned back to Tawna.

"Mother, as requested, I rescued young Emmita from her captor with the assistance of our new friends Dell du Krane and Eryllis Harrowane of Grennesh. The Human who kept her captive, his wizard, and the Human who stole her from our lands have been executed for their crimes against your citizen." Tawna bowed her head forward in respect to her mother.

Everyone looked at Stella as she quickly got up to speed with Tawna's maneuvering. Despite how pissed she was inside, she was surprised to find how impressed she was with her youngest.

"Thank you, Tawna. You have served my citizens and me well. We must discuss how we can thank our new friends for their efforts."

A great cheer went up for Tawna and Queen Stella as the two women faced each other with smiles on their lips.

The Queen had to return to her presentation for the mid-season celebrations, but eventually, she was able to wave to her adoring people and leave the podium.

She had a crafty young daughter to strangle.

-=-

As the butterflies disappeared, Dell sighed and looked at Eryllis. "It would be so nice to go home that way. So much faster."

Eryllis snorted in amusement.

She did another inspection of the rooms and found no evidence of the method Magus used to extract his cure from the Pixie. Her belief was that information had been in the wizard's journals. Perhaps she'd been a little overzealous to turn everything in the wizard's room to dust, but better safe than sorry.

The fact that Emmita was kept alive meant if someone did learn how to repeat this foul experiment, she and Dell would have the opportunity to save them.

It was time to leave.

As they left the suite, they picked their way through the groaning guards who'd taken a beating from the flat of Dell's sword. They'd recover.

When they reached the main hall on the ground floor, they nodded to the Thaneblood family members gathered and waiting in the lounge off the corridor. Eryllis handed the suite key to the woman closest to the door with a folded sheet of paper, then addressed the silent room.

"Uh, the evil curse has been lifted, and the instigators of the curse have been terminated. Your patriarch's unnatural life extension has expired. You have our condolences for your loss. Here is your copy of the Topaz Order's contract. Have a good day."

They left the mansion and walked back toward the inn where they'd left their traveling gear.

Once they were sufficiently far from the Thaneblood home, walking along the city streets, Dell could no longer suppress his laughter.

"I can't believe the curse story worked!" he chuckled.

She grinned at him. "What? It fit! Morgan told us Magis' Wizard was once a Life Mage but was cast out of the Topaz Order in dishonor. Harris Kess, the Master Assassin, was also kicked out of the Order for abusing his studies to be a Body Mage. He was probably trying to become a deadlier killer. Informing the Topaz Order that these two rejects from their school were using their forbidden knowledge to create a curse wasn't outrageous. They were only too pleased to hand off the responsibility to us to clean up their mess. After all, we do have a reputation for dealing with curses. They gave us the contract only for the two as that's all we needed. And you'd already dealt with Kess." She smiled at Dell, and he just shook his head in wonder at her clever mind.

"As for the Thaneblood family, Karter told us he'd heard that Magus was on the outs with all of them. When we got to the mansion with the contract from the Topaz Order and explained the curse removal and what might happen, you could see they all desperately wanted Magus gone. We gave them an excuse to step back and leave it to the experts. Should any of the family try to double-cross us, we can honestly say we didn't kill Magus. Any truth reader would see it on our faces. We get to walk away with clear consciences."

Dell gave Eryllis a big kiss and once they were done, they saw scowls aimed at them from some of the locals, so they continued on their way.

They had a long way to go, and both were eager to return to their children and the rest of their extended family, so they collected their bags from the inn and left the city to put in as much distance as they could with the rest of the day. There wouldn't be a wagon going back to Grennesh for a week, so they decided to get started.

Besides, leaving Portoa's city limits was a wise move in light of their activities in the Thaneblood mansion.

Mid-morning, Dell glanced over at Eryllis' pretty face as she was lost in thought and reached out to take her hand. "A silver for your thoughts," he said with a grin.

Her smile bloomed, and she stopped to pull him into a hug.

"I was just going over my Druid spells to see if there was anything like the butterfly spell," she sighed.

He grinned. "Any luck?"

She pouted, and he grinned, seeing her lip poking out so temptingly. He leaned in and kissed her until she patted his chest.

"We should keep walking, or we'll never get home," she sighed.

He continued to hug her and closed his eyes with a smile on his face. "If I still had Tawna's magic in my head, I would concentrate on going home really hard... oh, I can almost feel it," he said with a grin as he bumped his pelvis into hers.

Eryllis felt that delicious pressure down below and was about to slap his chest playfully when she suddenly realized she was sensing something else. "...and how would you call the butterflies?" she asked quietly.

Dell was marveling at how strange it felt to recall the sensations of Tawna's mind brushing against his and her feeding the translocation spell into his head. "Home," he said as he brought up the image of his bedroom like last time and pushed with all his will. He felt the word reverberate in his head like the sound of a cathedral bell but slower and much deeper. This was accompanied by a sudden lethargy as it was so much effort.

Eryllis' eyes widened as they were suddenly surrounded by the delicate blue creatures until she couldn't see anything but the color.

There was a strange lightness then they fell and hit the edge of the bed before crashing to the floor in a pile.

Eryllis' pack slid upward onto her shoulders as her legs were on the bed, and she was sprawled across Dell's chest.

She heard the thump of running feet, and the door to the bedroom burst open. Kharza was there with Karter directly behind.

"Did Tawna use her magic butterflies again?" the Orc warrior asked as she helped Eryllis get her pack off. "Where is she?"

Eryllis managed to climb off Dell and touched his face. He was unconscious again.

"What's wrong with Dell?" Karter asked in concern.

"Tawna didn't use the butterfly spell to get us back from Portoa. Dell did!" Eryllis exclaimed.

Karter's eyes widened. "What? He can use magic?" he asked in shock.

Eryllis was frowning as she tried to recall the sensations she felt as Dell triggered the spell. "I-I'm not sure if it was him or not, but it worked. We were just outside of Portoa on the road back. He said wouldn't it be nice and then he tried."

"Where is Tawna?" Kharza asked again.

"Hmm? Oh! She took the rescued Pixie back to the Tanglewood. We said goodbye in the chamber where we found the captive Pixie."

"So, your mission was successful," Karter asked as he felt Dell's strong pulse. He and Kharza got Dell's pack off, then lifted him onto his bed.

"Yes, Magus Thaneblood is dead. Killed by his captive Pixie's hand. I told the Thornblood family that Magus was afflicted with an evil curse that kept him alive unnaturally. They were quite willing to cooperate with our removing the curse. As we didn't personally kill him, we're not concerned about this coming back to haunt us," Eryllis explained.

Karter chuckled. "Clever, and no one is the wiser."

"Speaking of Magus' use of his Pixie, I killed his wizard, then turned everything in his studio to ash. If he had written instructions anywhere in his room on how he used Pixies for medical purposes, they're gone," Eryllis said.

"What about Kess? Falco told me some frightening things about him," Karter asked.

Eryllis nodded. "That fucker shot a poison dart at us from the side of the trade route on our way to Portoa! His ambush might have worked, except Tawna warned me he coated himself in mud for camouflage. We knew there was a chance he'd be coming for us as we were coming for him. On our second night out, Tawna had a flashback from her abduction and remembered seeing him through the mesh of the trap he caught her in. I adjusted my detection spell to give us an advance warning of his location. The next day, we walked through his ambush point, and he grunted when the dart he fired reversed course and struck him on the shoulder. I prevented him from fleeing while Dell and Tawna fought him. Every blade he threw struck him instead, thanks to Tawna. Then Dell diced him into pieces and took his head off. The fight left him after that."

Karter and Kharza grinned in relief.

The father looked back at Dell. "How long is he going to be out?"

Eryllis shook her head. "I'm not sure. It was overnight last time. We'll have to wait and just keep an eye on him."

"Helluva way to travel. Why does he always fall to the floor when he arrives?" Karter asked.

Eryllis gestured to where she thought they appeared and realized they were in the direct center of the room. "We arrived here. At the center."

"Huh. Next time Dell travels, we'll move the bed before he goes, so there will be a soft landing when he returns this way," Kharza said with a grin.

Eryllis smiled as she saw how sweet Dell looked resting on the bed. "That does look temptingly comfortable." She sighed. Tonight was soon enough.

"Where are my children?"

Karter and Kharza smiled and pointed upstairs, and then Kharza headed downstairs.

Touching her arm to make her pause, Karter gave her a quick message. "By the way, we had a delivery today, which should make future trips easier. Geneviere Warrick sent you and Dell her two-wheeled cart as compensation for her late brother's bogus warrant."

Eryllis smiled happily, then paused to consider that act. "Can we trust gifts from a high family member?"

Karter nodded thoughtfully. "My impression of Geneviere is she's a brilliant tactician who will use her family's influence with far more subtlety and care than her older brother. That said, I wouldn't put it past her to have arranged for his demise."

Eryllis' eyes widened. "We want to accept a gift from such a person?"

"I don't believe she's an enemy, and she did the people of Grennesh a service by removing the very real danger Lucien represented. A gracious acceptance note would be my recommendation," Karter said.

Eryllis nodded thoughtfully. "Fine. I'll send her one tomorrow. Now, I need to see my babies!"

-=-

Tawna was standing in her mother's private chamber with her sister Marlah glaring at her from the side of the room. Her mother was sitting in her favorite chair, matching Marlah's expression. Tawna was suddenly struck by their similarity.

"You jeopardized the future of our race by stealing him away!" Stella snapped.

"No, I saved the integrity of our race by freeing an innocent being from cruel incarceration," Tawna said reasonably.

"Oh, please! We were hardly being cruel! He was treated very well—"

"No. You were going to prevent him from ever seeing his family again. That's cruel. If you cannot see that, then there is no point in trying to save our people. If we have lost the ability to feel empathy toward others, then we have already passed the point of no return," Tawna insisted.

Stella was frowning, but she wasn't yelling. "Do you understand the importance of reversing the genetic weakness in our people?"

"I do, but you can't forget the importance of kindness, empathy, and love. I have seen Dell's love for his partners and his children. I have... felt his affection for me. He saved me in many ways. Yet, he had no expectation of reward for his actions. He did them because he believed it was right."

She felt a strange tug and turned to face west. "Dell wanted to be our friend and offered to assist—OH!" She suddenly wobbled as she had a momentary burst of vertigo from seeing two different viewpoints simultaneously. She felt Dell's mind reaching for hers, calling for the magic. She staggered as she intimately recalled the sensation of sharing her magic with Dell. He was asking again, so she assisted. Then he wasn't there any longer, and she was sitting on the floor in her mother's and sister's arms.

"What happened?" Stella asked.

"I-I'm linked to Dell," she said in wonder.

"What does that mean?" Marlah asked.

"He just used the butterflies to go home... to the Wood Knot Inn!" she replied in awe.

Marlah was aghast. "You can't let a non-Pixie have access to that spell! That's for Pixies! Royal Pixies, at that! Mother! Tell her!" she shrieked.

But Stella was quiet as she contemplated her youngest daughter.

Tawna caught her look and quickly followed where her mother's mind was going. They locked eyes, and wills were tested, and Stella was surprised and, truthfully, delighted when she didn't immediately win. A smile came to her lips, and Tawna matched her expression.

"Do you think you could use the spell to visit him?" the Queen asked calmly.

Tawna recalled her connection to Dell and how he said she'd always have a home with them. She nodded. "I'm sure I could."

Stella accepted that with a slow nod. "What about returning with him?"

Tawna sighed then her gaze hardened. "Dell is now aware of what your intentions were for him. He is not going to be willing to participate in that manner again," she said bluntly. "You and Marlah will need to apologize for your treatment of him. He is not an animal to be used thoughtlessly. If he accepts a sincere apology, which must be heartfelt, you will need to request his help saving our people. If he agrees, then he can set the terms. I'm sure one of those terms will be visitation rights. He loves all his children, and they should know how much they are loved!"

Stella felt distinctly uncomfortable, and Marlah was staring at Tawna like a complete stranger was asking her to strip naked in public. Tawna pinned her elder sister with a fierce glare.

"Are you so conceited that you cannot accept the truth that beings other than Pixies have value?" she growled.

Marlah blinked in surprise at the strength in her little sister's voice and the contempt in her tone. She suddenly felt off-balance and defensive. She looked to her mother for support and was shocked to see a critical expression on her face as well. Now, her world was shifting under her feet. She looked at her mother incredulously. "Weren't you the one who insisted that Pixies needed to protect ourselves from the lesser races outside the Tanglewood?"

Stella frowned but owned up to her words. "Yes, I did, and now our race is on the brink of becoming extinct due to those intentions. We're also culturally stagnant. We must do something drastic and dramatic to breathe new life into the Tanglewood." She held up a hand to prevent Marlah from speaking. "I'm not suggesting we let other races visit without restriction. We are also a delicate people. We will need to ease into this. The first and most critical step is owning up to our own conceits. I made a serious mistake. Other races are different, not inherently inferior."

Tawna was beaming a proud smile at her mother, and Stella felt... unreasonably pleased by that. She looked to her other daughter, and her joy dimmed. Marlah looked a little lost.

"I'm sorry for poisoning your mind. I'm definitely to blame for that, but we can do better. We must, as we'll have fresh young minds to nurture soon, and they must not be tainted by our mistakes." She touched her tummy, and Marlah's expression lightened.

"We all will," Tawna said with a sweet smile.

Stella's face lit up, and she rushed forward to take her youngest into her arms. "Dell?" she asked.

Tawna nodded with happy tears in her eyes.

Stella looked at Marlah, who still appeared a little lost, so she held open an arm to include her in the hug. Tawna copied the gesture, and Marlah rushed forward to hug her sister and mother.

Once they felt warmed by the hug and their love for each other, they pulled back to look into each other's eyes.

Stella nodded to Tawna. "We will prepare our sincerest apologies to Dell and an impassioned request for his assistance. That said, we cannot expect him to have sex with all the available Pixies."

"His father is very handsome too, though he's Human," Tawna offered.

Stella gave her daughter a thoughtful look. "Is he."

It was Tawna's turn to look pensive. "It might be a better idea for me to bring the available Pixies to the Wood Knot Inn as it is considered neutral and protected territory. That's where Dell lives and works as a chef in the kitchen."

Stella and Marlah both chuckled in surprise at Tawna's teasing, but their humor turned to shock when she just gave them a smug smile.

"Our Royal Chef wasn't joking? Dell really is a cook? I thought he was a warrior!" Marlah exclaimed.

Tawna beamed them a proud smile. "He is a master chef but also a reluctant master warrior."

Then her smile turned wicked. "As you know, he's a wonderful lover, and now you know he prepares wondrous meals, but Kharza says he can do the most delicious things with his mouth... down there."

"I do know that!" Stella blurted.

The Queen's private chamber filled with the sound of excited shrieks and laughter.

All was well in the Pixie nation of the Tanglewood.

At least it was on its way there.