Chapter 1

“I know Brena,” said Hara. “I am the same way. I did have time with other women when my former masters ordered me to, but I never felt drawn to them.” Hara looked Brena in the eyes and blushed, “You, on the other hand, I want to lay you down and ravish you. I feel as if I have known and loved you my entire life after what you did for me.”

“It had something to do with the damage you had to your body. You must have had some severe head trauma at some time for me to have gained your memories and you mine.” Brena was blushing now. She took a deep breath, steeled herself, and grabbed Hara, pulling her face around and kissed her hard on the lips. Hara struggled for a few seconds, then relaxed and kissed Brena back. They held the kiss for a minute, then broke it. Both women were panting, fighting urges they knew that they should wait to satisfy. Both women wanted their man with them so they could ravish him together.

Andrew

Andrew had pushed through the heavy brush for close to an hour before deciding to stop and rest. He knew he could find his way back to the mill without any trouble now. The place he stopped on was on a small hill. This section of forest had been cleared at some point in the last decade. The regrowth was still low enough that he could get a good view of the surrounding area. Off to the south, he could see what appeared to be smoke from a town. He could also see the river the mill was on as it passed the town. To the north, the forest increased in age, and the trees were tall and full. To the west, he could see the distant haze created by Fairham’s Cove. To the east, Andrew could see they were still a few days from the beginnings of the Rampart Range Mountains. He could see a smoky haze a third of the way up the mountainside where the old road had been before the flooding. He was glad to see that progress was being made to restore the roads between the east and western Kingdom. This also meant that Tara and her people might cross the range before the next freeze.

Finding a convenient rock to sit on, he began to think about his current situation. Brena seemed to want him to take Hara on as a second mate. He had never thought about having more than one woman as a wife. Andrew, admittedly, had fantasized about being with several women in bed but never expected it to become a reality. ‘What about Brena,’ he thought. ‘She had never had an interest in women before. She had repeatedly rebuffed Aco and Robin when they came on to her.’ He stood and began pacing back and forth across the relatively flat top of the hill. ‘Is she willing to take on another woman, become a lover to the new woman?’ The thought of seeing Brena getting it on with Hara caused an instant erection. ‘Of course, I would love to watch and join in, but is the risk worth it? Will one or the other, or worse, both become jealous of the other.’ He froze at a worse thought, ‘What if they both decide they need a third.’ His interest vanished as the cold shiver of terror ran up and down his spine. ‘I fled home for reasons similar to this. Kaara, his sister, Cinda. His sister-in-law. He had a sneaking suspicion even his mother was beginning to develop sexual feelings towards him. That would have been the worst thing that could have happened. As he sat and thought about his journey to date, he remembered all the different women and girls that had taken an instant liking to him, and the attraction was mutual. He had resisted taking advantage of them until he had arrived at the Rusty Shovel in Terins Crossing. That older woman had taught him many ways to please a woman. Brena was the one who benefitted from the training he had received at Jessa’s hands.

He paused in his thoughts as it suddenly began to make sense. ‘Could I have a natural talent that attracts women?’ He sat back on the rock and continued his train of thought. ‘I could have as many women as I want if this were the case, but I don’t want a harem. Brena sometimes complains after a good night of loving that she is too sore to go again for a day or two. Having two mates would take the load off her. Three might be too many, though.’

Andrew pushed a thought out to Bloodrend, ‘How is it going, my friend?’ he asked.

‘Ah, Master, it is good that you finally ask a question that needs answering. There have been eight, count them eight attempts to break into the vault to reach me so far, and by the tenor of the thought around here now, there will be a ninth attempt shortly. I will call Aco and Robin in, and they will keep these idiots out.’

Andrew was aghast, his questions and thoughts momentarily forgotten. ‘Eight different groups have tried to reach you? Why?’

‘It seems somebody has finally tracked me down now that this world is again part of reality’s magical weave. Several entities have sent out a bounty call to bring me in. If they know my history, they don’t know I cannot be taken, so they persist. In other news, little Weena has woken up, and her mind-speak talent is restored. The Ice Spine kingdom is in deep trouble right now. Something or someone had made it impossible for any woman in the hands of the Ice Spine to become pregnant. Any woman that is already pregnant loses the child as soon as they cross into the northern lands. Aston is trying to raise a force to go and wipe them out, but the prince and guards are refusing.’

‘That sounds about right. The loss of the leadership to the Blood Queen hurt the Royal knights. I suspect a new command structure will be created soon,” Bloodrend said. ‘Now you need to return to your women and comfort them. They need you.’

‘Oh, thank you so very much,’ Andrew said. ‘I have been trying to figure out a way not to have more than one woman, and you say I should keep Hara?’

‘Master, she is perfect for you and Brena. You will find her skills and abilities useful, and when they double team you,’ Bloodrend said. ‘Now off with you.’ Bloodrend ended the direct connection.

Andrew sat on the rock, bemused that he had just been ordered to take Hara as a second mate alongside Brena. ‘Double team me?’ Andrew thought. ‘Two women in my sleeping roll with me. Why the hell am I objecting to every guy’s fantasy.’ He gathered his gear and then began the trek back to the mill.

Aston

Aston listened as Weena updated him on the situation around her. ‘Weena, try not to be caught mind-talking again. Next time, they may just kill you,’ Aston thought to her.

‘I am quite aware of the danger I am in Aston Grey,’ Weena replied. ‘You need to know everything I can send to you. You take care now as well.’ She ended the link.

Aco had sat quietly while Aston spoke to Weena. When Aston opened his eyes and looked at her, she knew the call had ended. “So, lover boy, what did Weena have to report,” Aco asked.

“Nothing new; her captors have gone insane now that none of the women above the ice line can have children.” He joined Aco on the bed and held her as he spoke. “They took several of the captives south of the range further east, and they were able to become pregnant. But as soon as they crossed the line north, bam. Instant miscarriage.”

“Ouch,” Aco said. She reached around Aston and pulled him close. After kissing him, she continued. “Aston, there isn’t anything you can do to help her right now. Any attempt to breach the north wall will cause them to swarm south. These Ice lizards sound like a nasty bunch in a fight.”

“That’s just it, Aco; I don’t think they can come south of the wall. At no time in any record does it show they invaded south,” Aston said.

Aco lay silent for a minute, and then her eyes went wide, “Aston, my love, they are in prison up there. If they try to come south, something must happen to them. I wish I could talk to the Judge. She may know the answer to these questions.”

Aston pondered, “You may be right in that assumption. I suspect if we visit the temple, we might have a chance at an answer to the question.”

“You think she would reply?” Aco said.

“With the way things are going? She might,” Aston said. He sat up and removed his shirt, then rolled off the bed to finish undressing for sleep. Aston watched as Aco sat up and pulled her night clothing off, showing him her well-muscled, shapely body. She held out a hand to him, and he stripped all the way, joining her in bed.

Ledger

Ledger returned to the Broken Sword with a question on his mind. He had heard what was happening up north and wondered at the power that would have been needed, along with the skill to wield it. He knew of two beings that could pull off the miscarry spell. A spell is all he could call it. He found something like it in one of the old magic books from Brena’s bag of holding. He wanted to use the sphere to chat with the Blood Queen. The first thing was to find Gareth and get the room key. He questioned several of the staff, and he soon had the key and Gareth heading to room 102.

Once in room 102, with the door closed and locked, Ledger applied power to the sphere, waking it up. It glowed with a faint white light from deep within. Ledger sent out a thought to the Blood Queen. He knew she would hear him. He just hoped she would answer. It took less than a minute before she appeared.