Tex’s cock stiffened even more, and he felt streams of cum shooting down his shaft, spurting deep into Shayla’s very center, her divine womb.

  ***

  Tex lay on the sand, gazing at the purple light twinkling in the walls. Shayla was all snuggled up to him, watching his face with admiration.

  For the moment, he could do no wrong in her eyes. It was the perfect time to bring up that dirt magic she’d promised him.

  “So,” he said, tracing his fingers over her hand. “How does one acquire dirt magic?”

  “There’s more than one way,” Shayla said dreamily. “Some are more effective than others.”

  “Yeah? So what’s the most effective way?”

  Shayla giggled softly.

  Tex tried to look at her face. “Well? What is it?”

  She turned her head and looked up at him, grinning. “Transmission from a god who possesses magic.”

  Tex reflected for a moment. “Is that allowed, though? I mean, I thought gods weren’t supposed to intervene.”

  “Love is love. The Fates are not so cruel as to stop it.”

  “So … how, exactly, does this ‘transmission’ happen?”

  Shayla smooshed her cheek into Tex’s chest and sighed luxuriously. Then she started tittering again.

  Tex smirked. “What’s so funny, Giggle Face? You gonna answer me?”

  Shayla pushed herself up and looked at him. “Through intercourse. That’s how it’s transmitted.”

  “I see.” He was silent for a moment. “But the transmission obviously isn’t guaranteed to occur … right?”

  “Why do you say that?”

  “Because … I don’t have the magic now … do I?”

  Shayla started giggling again.

  “What?”

  Shayla sighed. “You do have it.”

  “I do?” Tex said in surprise.

  He searched his senses, trying to see if he noticed any odd sensations. But there was nothing.

  “Are you sure? I don’t feel any different.”

  “Of course you don’t feel it. You won’t until you learn how to recognize the magic.” She patted his chest. “Don’t worry. We’ll start your training today, if you want.”

  Then she snuggled up to him again and sighed. “Not that there’s any hurry. You’ve got lots of time.”

  Chapter forty-five

  GRENDEL SAT WITH Bmimi and Zila at the table in Utu’s hut, waiting impatiently for the warrior woman’s return.

  She stared at the door, cracking her knuckles.

  Bmimi’s ears went back. “Grendel!” She swatted her friend’s hands. “That’s gross.”

  They sat in silence for a moment. Then Zila started drumming her fingers on the table.

  Bmimi’s ears flattened again. She stared at the Neanderthal’s fingers, which kept drumming relentlessly. She opened her mouth, as if to say something.

  But she closed it without a word, probably because she didn’t want to seem like a nag.

  Since the irritation couldn’t escape from her mouth, it seemed to go into her tail instead; the furry appendage spasmed nervously, swatting Grendel’s leg.

  Zila suddenly stopped tapping the table. Her unibrow bent into a determined frown. She stood up.

  “Zila, where are you going?” Grendel said.

  The Neanderthal crossed her arms beneath her boobs, making them look like voluptuous fruit on a platter. “I very boring!”

  Grendel smiled. “You mean you’re bored. But Utu and Neesha will be back soon. Please wait … We must have a meeting, all of us together.”

  Zila nodded slowly and sat down again.

  “I can’t believe how friendly those two are,” Bmimi said, referring to Neesha and Utu. “They wanted to cut each other’s throats not long ago.”

  Grendel nodded. “Well, they share the same hobbies, like walking around the perimeter for hours on end.”

  The door finally opened, and Utu walked in, looking like she was ready to gouge someone in the eye with her spear. She’d been stressed out ever since Tex had left.

  “Oh, everybody’s here,” Utu said as Neesha came in behind her. “You come for lunch?”

  Grendel stood up. “There’s something I have to talk about with everyone, something … concerning.”

  Everyone sat down at the table, and Grendel described what she’d seen in the forest.

  Utu’s eyes smoldered. “I knew it,” she said, slapping the table. “These people are stupid. A Gypso woman just shows up and they’re ready to fall at her feet because she performs magic? It should be just the opposite!”

  “It’s true,” Grendel said. “Miss Weevol gushes over her — Nikrilda this and Nikrilda that.”

  “It’s because she’s so beautiful,” Bmimi said, resting her chin on her palm.

  Utu squinted her eyes. “It’s more than that. She’s using some kind of magic to control our emotions. I felt it that night when she spoke in the longhouse … I was caught up in the moment, just like everyone else.

  “I felt excited about her arrival. It was only later that I realized how strange those feelings were. It was like someone was pulling my strings.”

  Neesha watched the conversation with her usual aloofness. It always made Grendel wonder what she was thinking. So she asked her.

  The elf tilted her head for a moment, collecting her thoughts. Then she nodded. “I agree with you. But the problem is, you didn’t see anything definite.”

  “Nothing definite?” Utu said hotly. “What was she doing out there in the middle of the night? And who was she talking to?”

  “It’s suspicious, yes. But it won’t be enough to rouse the people against Nikrilda, especially when they’re so much in her thrall.”

  “We certainly won’t get far telling Yarolk about it,” Grendel agreed. “Have you seen the way he hangs on her every word?”

  Neesha nodded. “And they’re always together now. She’s like his shadow.”

  Grendel balled her fists. “I know! Let’s tell Lorelei. She’ll know what to do!”

  Neesha and Utu looked at each other regretfully.

  “Lorelei’s gone,” Utu said.

  Grendel’s face fell. “W-what do you mean she’s gone?”

  “She’s been gone since last night, apparently,” Neesha said. ”She just … vanished without explanation.”

  Grendel put her hands on her cheeks. “Oh, no. But don’t you think she’ll come back?”

  Neesha shrugged. “We don’t know. But we do know she was going to start prayers to Solis, and that was the last anyone heard from her. Perhaps he admonished her for lingering too long among us.”

  Grendel sighed. “So Solis made her go back to her forest.”

  “Perhaps,” Neesha said. “Even so, we can take still take encouragement from the fact that she asked Solis to help with the… situation.

  “Since we’re talking about another god, there’s no reason for him not to intervene.”

  The girls sat in silence for a moment.

  Bmimi perked up suddenly. “What about Broden? He’s too boneheaded for Nikrilda’s magic to work, I bet!”

  Grendel’s eyes widened. “Bmimi! That’s rude.”

  “Oh, I didn’t mean it in a bad way. I just meant that his skull is abnormally large. Haven’t you noticed how small his face is? Well, it isn’t really. It only looks small because his head is excessively large.”

  “That doesn’t sound any better, Bmimi,” Utu said with a smirk. “But I think you’re right. Maybe we should try Broden.”

  Everyone agreed it was worth a shot, since the young bruiser was the only one who’d shown considerable skepticism about Nikrilda.

  So they ventured out to find Broden.

  Unfortunately, he was far less receptive than they’d hoped. For one thing, he was distracted with … more important issues.

  The Great Contest was just days away, and everyone was busy with preparations.

  Further, the messenger had returned from his visit to the northern village, and he brought stunning news. The chief, Houlo, was dead, assassinated by his own men. Of these, a man named Golin, had emerged as the new leader.

  However, Golin insisted he was merely the interim chief, and the new leadership would be determined by a Great Contest.

  To that end, he was bringing Houlo’s former tribe down to Fimm, and he’d invited the local bachelor group from his region to join him.

  Yarolk and others rightly grumbled about the fact that Houlo was ousted by way of assassination, rather than the traditional means of challenging him to a duel.

  But everyone eventually agreed to put that aside. It wouldn’t have been pragmatic to exclude the tribe because of it.

  So, Yarolk decided to hold the Great Contest at Fimm. The remainder of Alok’s former tribe, which had been staying in another village to the south, was already on its way to Fimm.

  Given these monumental events, the discussion about Nikrilda had faded into the background.

  In a matter of days, a Great Contest would take place in the fields outside of Fimm. The village bustled with activity. Men were constructing tipis to accommodate the coming influx of people.

  Grendel and the other girls found Broden overseeing this tipi construction in the field near the forest — near the very spot where Grendel had observed Nikrilda walk into the woods.

  Grendel knew perfectly well that Broden saw them coming, because he suddenly puffed his chest out and began bossing the men with more gusto.

  But she still had to go right up and pat his arm before he finally acknowledged her.

  “Oh, hey Grendel.”

  “Um, I need to talk to you,” she said in a small, nervous voice. “Alone.”

  “Eh? Speak up. I can’t hear you.”

  Grendel glanced around. Why am I so sheepish? She thought to herself. I’m on the good side!

  “Alone,” she said. “We need to talk to you alone.”

  Broden scratched his chin. “Alright, alright. There’s an empty hut over here. Come on.”

  They all shuffled into the hut, and Grendel told Broden her story.

  Once she’d finished, Broden shrugged. “Is that it? Maybe she just likes an evening walk in the woods.”

  “Ugh!” Utu erupted, rolling her eyes. “I can’t believe it!”

  Grendel raised her hands pleadingly. “But who was the man she was speaking with?”

  Broden shrugged again. “Probably one of the guards.” He put his hand on the door, but Grendel grabbed his arm, exasperated.

  “Wait! Broden, don’t you think she’s … a little suspicious? You said so yourself; you didn’t know if she was the real thing.”

  “That was before she floated. She’s proved she’s a Gypso. Who else has magic in this day and age—” He glanced at Neesha. “— apart from the odd elf?”

  Utu scoffed. “Since when do we trust Gypsos? You talk as if her magic is a testament to her character, rather than a cause for suspicion!”

  “Gypsos were never known for offensive magic,” Broden said. “It’s not like she could use it to attack us.”

  “They’re known for trickery and theft!” Utu shot back.

  “Well, what would you have me do, toss her out of the village? See how Yarolk likes that.” Broden chuckled. “He’d cut my balls off. Now really, I must get back to work.”

  He extricated his arm from Grendel’s grasp and opened the door.

  But then he hesitated.

  “Look, we’ll keep an eye on her, alright? If she gets up to any trouble, then maybe I will pitch her out. Now, good day.”

  Broden strutted away, eager to get back to bossing the men around. Bmimi put her hand on Grendel’s shoulder. “Well, at least you tried.”

  Grendel hugged herself. “Maybe everyone’s right. Maybe I’m just imagining things. That man probably was just a guard. Nikrilda certainly enjoys flirting.”

  Neesha stroked Grendel’s arm. She liked the little human; she and Emi were peas in a pod.

  “No, you’re right to be suspicious,” Neesha said. “Don’t doubt yourself. We’ll all watch her closely.”

  Chapter forty-six

  YAROLK STARED AT the fire, listening to the rain beating on the roof of his hut.

  Ten days. It had been ten days since Tex had left for the Isle of Shayla. This was a bad sign. Tex had certainly not intended it to take that long, so it must mean he’d met with trouble.

  It had better not be anything too serious.

  What can I do to help him? Nothing!

  They wouldn’t be able to send a search party unless Lorelei allowed them to build a craft from one of her trees. But the nymph insisted that such an expedition would be fruitless.

  And now she’s up and disappeared.

  He chewed on his cheek. She did say she was going to pray to Solis. Perhaps something would come of that. Solis was Shayla’s father, after all.

  That is, if he really existed. Yarolk had always had doubts. Solis was supposed to be a god of light and virtue. But why, then, would he allow the Necromancer of Darkoveld to rule the world? Why would he let evil flourish?

  Someone stirred in the bed behind him, and a soothing female voice spoke. That voice was the most alluring sound Yarolk had ever heard.

  “Yarolk, please come to bed. Lie with me.”

  He turned and looked at Nikrilda, who put her fists on either side of her head and stretched, making the blanket travel down to her stomach.

  Yarolk’s chest fluttered at the sight of her body. She was the best thing that ever happened to him.

  But… Something still troubled him. It was related to a passing comment Nikrilda had made. He’d tried to dismiss it many times, but it festered in the back of his mind.

  He couldn’t get rid of it, for all the shame he felt. It had grown into something monstrous. It was time to speak of it again.

  He looked at the fire. “I was … thinking. About something you said the other day… Remember? You said something about …”

  He hesitated a moment, and then spat out the rest of the words distastefully: “Something you’d heard people say about Lord Tex.”

  Yarolk grimaced. Saying it out loud felt so sordid! “Never mind,” he blurted out, disgusted with himself. “It’s nothing.”

  Nikrilda sat up, yawning. “Oh, are you still thinking about that? I’m surprised you even remember. I wouldn’t worry about it. That was just gossip.”

  Yarolk stood rigidly for a long moment, hating himself. But he still waited eagerly for Nikrilda to address his question.

  She said nothing.

  He suddenly whipped around. “No! Tell me again — What was it you said?”

  Nikrilda looked surprised. “Oh, well, I merely said that where I come from, everyone had heard about Lord Tex, of course.

  “Soothsayers and gods had been watching him, and the news had trickled down to everyone else.

  “But everyone was under the impression that Tex was not actually a wizard; he merely possessed a wand that anyone could use, that’s all.”

  Yarolk listened silently, gazing at the fire.

  The instrument he carries, Yarolk thought. What he calls a rifle. Could anyone use it?

  Nikrilda rubbed her legs together under the blanket. “But, Yarolk… As I said before, it was not my intention to speak ill of Lord Tex. This was merely the impression everyone had, and I didn’t know it was wrong.”

  Yarolk turned and looked at her. “I know, darling. I don’t blame you for it. But please … tell me more.”

  “More?”

  “Yes. There was something else you mentioned in passing.” Sweat beaded on his brow. “Come, tell me quick! We might as well have it out right now.”

  Nikrilda’s eyes widened. “Yarolk, I’ve never seen you like this. I… I don’t want to speak ill of Lord Tex. I’m sure it was all wrong, those things I heard. Just gossip.”

  Yarolk rushed to the bed and sat beside Nikrilda, taking her hands.

  “Don’t be afraid, my darling. You know I wouldn’t allow any harm to come to you. This is just between you and me. It will not leave this hut, I promise you.”

  “Well, alright. People said Lord Tex was crafty; he presented himself as a man of virtue, but it was only to deceive.”

  “And what did they mean by that?” Yarolk urged, squeezing her hands.

  “Well, I suppose they meant that he only told you what you wanted to hear in order to gain mastery over you. That’s what they meant; Lord Tex tricked all of you — He tricked you into thinking he was liberating you, when really he was enslaving you.”

  Yarolk’s mouth tensed. Nikrilda watched for a moment and then continued.

  “Why, just look at how things have ended up. Tex worked it out so that you were begging him to take the entire Rama tribe. He made a show of refusing, but in the end, he acquired even more women than Fogu had.”

  “I see,” Yarolk said thoughtfully, not thinking it odd that Nikrilda knew every detail. He nodded, frowning at the fire. “Yes, he ended up doing the very opposite of what he said his intentions were. And he was so easily persuaded, too. It was as if…”

  “As if he’d planned it that way,” Nikrilda finished. “And what is it all for? What is the purpose of his grand vision of unification? Why, to enlist all the Aramantha men into a war against the Necromancer of Darkoveld — a war they can never win.

  “Now, as I said, I don’t believe these lies anymore. But I don’t blame others for believing them. Indeed, when I first heard this gossip, it seemed obvious: of course his actual plan is to send all the men to their slaughter! That will allow him to achieve exactly what Alok was trying to do.”

  “Of course,” Yarolk whispered in horror. “All the men would be annihilated, and …”

  Nikrilda put her hand on Yarolk’s chest. “My love, you don’t believe it, do you? It’s all nonsense. I … I’m sorry I ever spoke it!”

  “No,” Yarolk said. “Nonsense or not, I must hear it. What else did they say?”

  Shayla sighed and looked away. “I… I cannot repeat it.”

  Yarolk turned her about and made her look at him. “Nikrilda. Please.” He dug his fingers into her arm. “I must know. Tell me.”

  “Yarolk, ow! That hurts. Alright, alright.” She looked down. “They … They said the men who follow Lord Tex are fools. And… they said ‘Yarolk is the biggest fool of them all. Why, look at him. So loyal! So honorable! A fool is what he is!