The “camera” flew first over the village of Fimm, which appeared to be safe and sound. Then it went to a northern corner of the island, showing another village —home of the Houlo tribe. Finally, it passed over a nearby bachelor camp.

  Then it turned east, bringing the unexplored mountain range into view. The mountain range got bigger and bigger as the “camera” rapidly flew towards it.

  Chapter forty-three

  SPEEDING OVER THE terrain, the “camera” came within view of a land corridor which led through the mountain range.

  Passing through this corridor, the view brought them to the other side of the mountains. The dancing ocean rose before them.

  Swooping to the right, the “camera” flew south towards the rocky foothills. And there, they saw a large camp of Skrillings.

  Many of these Skrillings were coming in and out of caves in the hills. They carried pickaxes.

  Tex stared with fascination. “Where did they get those tools? Are they mining?”

  Shayla nodded. “Yes. They recently arrived on the island, and they brought tools. Skrillings spend a lot of mining, even though they usually find nothing.

  “Anway, this is what they’re preoccupied with at the moment, so you needn’t worry.”

  Tex watched the scene. What were they mining for, and why was it so important that it took precedence over attacking Fimm?

  Is it what I think it is?

  Tex looked at Shayla. “Are they mining the stones that the Skrilling witch doctors have at the ends of their staffs?”

  “The stone is called Dargild. And yes, that’s what they’re after. It’s the one thing that can conquer the elves.”

  “And, therefore, it must work on Kdar Tol, since he’s an elf. If someone got enough of it, they could kill him.”

  Shayla nodded. “That is likely. However, they will not find Dargild on your island. There’s only one place in this region where it grows.”

  “And where is that?”

  Shayla smiled and shrugged her shoulders, looking away playfully.

  Tex scooted a little closer. “Are you telling me you have a supply of it here?”

  She curled a wayward strand of hair behind her ear and looked at Tex. Her eyes explored his chin and lips, lingering there.

  “Oh, more than some,” she breathed. “I have enough Dargild to make Kdar Tol crumple like a leaf in the fire.”

  Tex swallowed. “Are you serious?”

  She looked him in the eyes. “Yes. But it won’t do you much good — not presently.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because, you can’t use it offensively unless you possess some magic ability.”

  Tex searched her eyes for a moment and then looked down in thought. “The ‘dirt magic’ you offered me… I see.”

  Shayla touched Tex’s forearm. “Please take it. I want to see you win.”

  “But I don’t see why I need magic. Couldn’t I just shove a chunk of Dargild in Kdar Tol’s face — wouldn’t that hurt him?”

  Shayla shook her head. “Okay, you need to know some basics. Dargild is not actually a source of magic, strictly speaking. It’s a conductor of magic.

  “But not just anyone can make it work; you must have some baseline magical ability. Just about any type of magic will do.”

  “Including dirt magic,” Tex murmured thoughtfully.

  “Yes. Are you convinced now?”

  Tex searched her eyes again. He detected neediness, obsessiveness — even desperation.

  “What’s the catch,” he said bluntly. “What do you get out of it?”

  Shayla smirked playfully. “Must there always be a catch?”

  Tex squinted his eyes, mirroring Shayla’s playfulness. “Yes.”

  Shayla’s mouth fell open in mock offense. She rolled her eyes. “Oh, Tex. I know you think I’m just a crazy cat lady-goddess, cooped up on her little island.”

  Tex twisted his mouth, trying to hide his smirk. She was spot on.

  Still, he couldn’t trust her. There was just no way she was offering these advantages without an ulterior motive.

  But maybe it didn’t matter. Maybe he could negotiate. Try to talk her out of making him stay for 200 years. Maybe she’d accept 20 years.

  But would that give me enough time to become sufficiently advanced to beat Kdar Tol?

  One thing was obvious. He had to accept the goddess’s help.

  He needed that Dargild. And he needed that dirt magic.

  They still sat close to one another, and Tex noticed Shayla’s eyes exploring his jawline. He felt the heat coming off her.

  Perhaps all she wanted was sex.

  But for how long? That’s the question. If I give it to her really good, maybe she’ll never let me leave.

  Tex looked at Shayla. “Why do you want me to win?”

  She held his gaze a moment, and then glanced away, blushing. “Because I like you.”

  Tex traced his eye over her soft cheek, her cute little ear, her neck. She sure was kissable.

  “I like you too,” he murmured.

  Those four words were like magic.

  “Really?” Shayla breathed, turning to Tex and putting her hand on his forearm.

  “Really,” he hummed, smirking into her eyes.

  He didn’t like to be manipulative, but if there was ever a time to tell someone what they wanted to hear, this was it.

  Besides, it’s not like he disliked her. She was extremely nice to look at, and she wasn’t boring, that was for sure.

  Shayla glanced away. “You … You don’t think I’m a crazy cat lady?”

  Tex chuckled softly. “No,” he said, reaching for a strand of her hair and gently brushing it behind her shoulder. “Where did you get that from, anyway?”

  “My brother, Nerilock. He calls me ‘the cat lady’”

  Tex’s eyes widened. “Wait, Nerilock’s your brother? Holy crap.”

  She rolled her eyes. “He’s such a pain.”

  Tex looked at her. “Do you really have that much Dargild?”

  She perked up and rested her hand on his shoulder. “I do. Wanna see it?”

  Of course Tex wanted to see it. Shayla immediately led him down a long passage, until they came to a winding staircase carved in the stone.

  The air grew cooler and wetter as they descended several levels.

  “This is the bottom floor,” Shayla said, her voice echoing in the darkness. She led Tex by the hand down another passage.

  As his eyes slowly adjusted, he noticed a purple glow sparkling dimly on the walls. “See that light?” Shayla said. “It’s from trace amounts of Dargild. There’s so much of it down here.”

  After a moment, Tex noticed the same light glowing more brightly at the end of the tunnel.

  The floor slanted upwards slightly as they came into a glistening cavern bathed in a gentle, purple light.

  The ground was soft under Tex’s feet: it was sand, like a beach. Strange, phallus-shaped rocks jutted up here and there, some of them as tall as Shayla.

  The Dargild was everywhere, glinting in the walls and clinging to the ceilings high above, glimmering like purple stars.

  “This just scratches the surface,” Shayla said, watching Tex’s face. She seemed delighted that he was impressed.

  “Most of it is buried inside the walls, but you’ll only need a fraction of what is here.”

  She raised a hand towards the wall and made a fist. A loud crack! split the air, and a head-sized chunk of the gleaming black stone thumped onto the sand.

  Tex walked over and crouched beside it. “Wow. Yeah, this looks like the same stuff that was on the witch doctor’s staff.”

  The large mass of stone was black, but some smaller bits that had fallen off it were purple, and almost transparent.

  Tex hefted the chunk. “Hmm, it’s lighter than I thought,” he said, gazing at it. He kept staring, almost unable to look away. Something about that purple light was captivating.

  “That’s … weird,” he whispered. “It’s like I can … see the universe.”

  He suddenly recoiled, dropping the stone.

  Shayla touched his shoulder. You shouldn’t gaze into it like that, not before I give you the dirt magic.”

  “What was that?”

  “What you said: the ‘universe,’ eternity, what we call ‘The Forever Night’. It’s the Night Magic that makes you see that.”

  “I thought you said Dargild didn’t have any Night Magic until a sorcerer channels it into the stone.”

  “Not quite. All Dargild contains latent Night Magic in it. But it’s only in potency.”

  “In potency… So someone has to activate it?”

  “Yes, a sorcerer or witch doctor.”

  Tex put his head back and looked at the firmament of glittering Dargild high above them. A fresh, earthy breeze blew over him from some unseen opening in the cave.

  There was something strangely relaxing about the cavern. It felt like he was on some uninhabited sandy planet of purple light.

  Shayla’s hair stirred in the breeze as she stood beside him. Tex could see her from the corner of his eye; she was watching his face, looking him up and down like he was a piece of meat.

  He could see her twisting her body impatiently, and he remembered that she wasn’t wearing panties under that tunic shirt.

  But more questions ran through his mind.

  “So, the elves worship the god of the sun, Solis. Whereas Dargild works with Night magic. So it’s basically the opposite?”

  “That’s right,” Shayla said. “The Sundvarr use Light Magic. Dargild conducts Night Magic, so powerfully that even a bit of it easily overcomes the elves.”

  Tex nodded. “How is it that Kdar Tol can use Dargild then? How can he be a sorcerer of Night Magic when it’s so deadly for him? Does he … insulate himself somehow?”

  Shayla smiled. “Exactly.”

  “The armor!”

  “Correct. The armor is magicked with protective wards. He wears it all the time.

  “And before you ask why the elves did not use the same wards, it’s because they never discovered the spells, and the Sundvarr magicians were the first class to be executed.”

  Tex nodded, then pointed at the chunk of Dargild at his feet. “May I… take several pieces like this?”

  Shayla laughed. “If you want, but one piece like that will be more than enough.”

  “Really!” Tex said, amazed. “Even for Kdar Tol?” He turned to pick it up, almost greedily. It felt smooth and glassy in his fingers.

  This is it!, he thought. The cheat code. The key to victory!

  He started chuckling. Soon the chuckles broke out into full-throated laughter. He was like some 19th century adventurer with gold-rush fever.

  “Thank you, Shayla,” he said, grinning at her. “Really … thank you.”

  She looked away, suddenly moody.

  Tex’s grin faded somewhat. “Is … something wrong?”

  Shayla clasped her hand over her wrist and looked down, almost like a little girl. He dropped the Dargild on the sand and walked towards her, trying to read her face.

  But she turned her back to him. “It’s nothing. Never mind.”

  He was standing close enough to smell the fresh fragrance of her blonde hair.

  Glancing down, he saw the round humps of her bum protruding beneath the short tunic. His eyes went down to her milky calves and sandal-clad feet.

  Hottest cat lady ever, Tex thought.

  Chapter forty-four

  TEX AVERTED HIS eyes from the backs of Shayla’s legs and searched his brain. What had he done to hurt her feelings?

  Maybe I seem too hasty in wanting to take the Dargild and go?

  He looked down at the back of her head. “Shayla … If I’ve done anything to offend you, I’m sorry.”

  She shook her head slightly and sniffled.

  “I have upset you somehow,” Tex said. “What is it?”

  He put his hand on her shoulder and leaned around to look at her face. She shook her head, still staring at the ground. But this time she didn’t turn away.

  Tex moved in front of her, taking hold of her shoulders. She kept staring down, hiding her face under her hair. But he saw her body relent slightly under his touch.

  “Is it because I wanted to just … just take the Dargild and leave right away? Is that why you’re upset?”

  Her body tensed up. “You just want to get away from me as soon as possible,” she said irritably. “But I don’t blame you; who’d want to spend time with a crazy—”

  Tex squeezed Shayla’s shoulders, kneading her soft flesh between his strong fingers. As soon as he did so, she drew in a quick, deep breath.

  “Oh, that feels good,” she breathed.

  Tex continued massaging Shayla’s bare arms. Her chest heaved beneath her tunic, and Tex could see her nipples pushing under the fabric. She lolled her head to the side.

  He looked down at her round hips and thighs.

  Momentarily forgetting the Dargild, Tex became inflamed with passion for the goddess. His cock filled up and pushed hard against his animal skin wrap.

  He moved closer. Still gripping one of her arms firmly, he took hold of her hip, squeezing her flesh and groping his way up to her rib cage.

  Shayla’s chest heaved faster, and her eyes blissfully closed.

  Tex leaned down and breathed against her cheek, “I like you, Shayla. I just have responsibilities, that’s all.”

  He released her from his grip. Shayla’s eyes popped open, hungry for more of Tex’s touch. Her eyes met his, and she swooned.

  But Tex slipped his hand beneath her hair and steadied her by clasping his fingers around the back of her neck.

  Her mouth fell open. “Oh, Tex. I love how you touch me … I… I didn’t know you were like this. I wish you could —”

  He interrupted her words with a quick kiss to her lips. She looked at him, eyes glazed. He kissed her again. And again.

  Then, using his free hand, he ran his fingers up her naked thigh and put his hand up her tunic skirt. With his other hand, he gripped her waist, sinking his fingers into her pliant flesh.

  Shayla moaned.

  Tex’s hand explored her ribs, squeezing firmly. Then he gently brushed the tips of his fingers over her stomach, slowly tracing them upwards towards the bottom of one of her breasts.

  Shayla squirmed in anticipation, arching her back. He saw her nipples grow perfectly erect beneath the fabric.

  But instead of groping her breast as she expected, he withdrew his hands and took a step back.

  Shayla faltered on her feet, panting.

  “Still think I just want to get away from you?” Tex said.

  Shayla smiled. “No.” She glanced at the throbbing tent in his animal skin. “I can see that you like me.”

  He gazed at her youthful face, unable to take his eyes away. She was radiant.

  Tex had intended to restrain himself for a while. Make Shayla wait for it. But every muscle in his body yearned to pin Shayla down underneath him.

  Fuck it.

  He strode towards her, taking hold of her wrists. He kissed her again, moving her wrists behind her back and pressing her against himself.

  She was like putty in his hands, so eager to be maneuvered and dominated by him. His hands found her hands, and their fingers intertwined as they continued making out.

  Then Tex ran his fingers up the inside of her thighs. They dripped with Shayla’s arousal.

  He pressed his fingers against her hot, wet mound, entering the folds of her sex. Shayla opened her legs and grabbed Tex’s shoulder as he pushed his thick digit inside her.

  “That’s a tight, juicy little pussy,” he said, removing his finger. “Turn around.”

  Leading her with his hands, he turned her about. She arched her back, sticking her ass out for him as he lifted her tunic, revealing the tight, round hillocks of her ass.

  He ran his hand over her flesh, groping each cheek. Then he abruptly drew his hand back and slapped her bum, sharp and crisp.

  Shayla yelped with pleasure and wiggled her hips. Tex slapped her again and again…

  Smack

  Smack

  Smack

  Smack

  He doled them out and then groped Shayla’s thigh. Her buttocks were still stinging and red as he pressed his fingers into her soaking wet pussy.

  “Alright, that’s it,” Tex growled, unclasping his animal skin and letting it fall to the ground.

  Shayla wiggled her hips as Tex’s cock stiffened out to its full length, straining to be inside her.

  Spreading her cheeks, he lined up his tip with Shayla’s channel and pushed himself into her.

  “Oh!” she exclaimed in surprise. Her moaning and panting became more and more ecstatic as he pushed himself deeper.

  Finally he reached over her back and grabbed her shoulders, thrusting himself all the way in.

  “Oh… it feels so good,” Shayla whined.

  Tex thrust against her, grinding his pelvis between Shayla’s meaty thighs, his tip pressing her cervix.

  “I like being inside you,” Tex rasped. “Filling you up completely.”

  “It’s … so deep,” she breathed.

  He pulled out and made Shayla lie on her back on the soft sand. She spread her legs apart, revealing her glistening labia, opened like a flower, her clitoris perfectly erect.

  He slowly entered her again, gradually pushing himself all the way in until he was thrusting against her uterus.

  Shayla moaned and wiggled her hips wildly, working her pussy along Tex’s shaft, desperate for friction. Finally, Tex started pushing in and out, first slowly and then gradually getting faster.

  “Oh, you fuck me so good,” Shayla whimpered. “You fuck me so good. I’m gonna cum! I’m gonna cum.”

  “Yes, cum for me, Shayla,” Tex grunted, clutching her head in the vice-grip of his hands.

  He continued his relentless thrusting until Shayla convulsed and shuddered. Her pussy muscles tightened, and an explosion of juices splashed out.