Dekarru opehe outer wall into the Encve District for us whe back, meaning we didn’t have to gh tootentially run into one or more people from the envoys that had presumably arrived today. We said oodbyes to Qwil and her rades, then slipped inside so we could strip and rex.

  As soon as the wall was closed, Jaina nervously poked Dekarru and gave her an expet look. The sage sighed as she shook her head. “Not today, not cheg anyone for some days yet. You’ll have to be as patient as everyone else.” Jaina’s face was a mask of fusion with just a hint of anger and indignation—but before she could speak, Dekarru cut her off. “Look, ohing healing magic figured out a long time ago was sometimes pregnaart, but don’t stick. We don’t kly why but sometimes we check a day or two after, get a positive result, then a few days ter get a ive one. So I’m waiting a week to start cheg people over.”

  Jaina seemed unhappy with this. “Then why check me so soon after that first time? Why give Red and Brigga and even yourself the thumbs up so soon after?”

  The shaman blushed slightly and rubbed the back of your neck. “I um… I knew you weren’t pregnant the first time because I hadn’t actually boosted your ces with magiuch as removed said ces for that night. I’m sorry Jaina but-”

  The errupted, reag out and giving the oracle’s hand a squeeze. “It would have been too painful for Red and Brigga. No, that was the right thing to do. But the other stuff?”

  “I use a spell to ensure an early positive stays a positive. I used it avel, and… on myself. It was selfish I know, but even my Goddess had gratuted me so it robably secure anyway. But I wao be sure, wao know for certain this was happening and my oracle line was going to tinue. I’m not using it on anyone else for what happe the party though. Too damned many people were trying and if I do one I’ll be expected to do them all and that would take hours and probably drain me pletely before I was even finished.”

  Jaina sighed and gave a look of mild annoya Dekarru. “I guess I accept that. But I’m gonhe first one you check when it’s time, you hear me?” The nurse demanded before she leaned in to kiss our shaman tenderly.

  I looked at Ephi, she looked at me, our eyes met ah blushed furiously. A week or so before we knew. I mean, I probably wasn’t, right? I shook my head and started to head towards the yurt, but Dekarru grabbed me and Jaina by the arms.

  “Stop, both of you. Sit. Rex. Get whatever you o think about done, a your heads ht.” Her tone was soft but final.

  My breath caught in uanding. “She’s in there?” The oraodded at me. “Okay… okay we’ll take a few mio… get our heads right, like you said.”

  Jaina’s hand slipped into mine and she squeezed it tight. She was as nervous as I was. I squeezed bad we made our way to the keside a good way away from our yurt before settling in to try and calm ourselves.

  She spoke up after a few moments of awkward silence. “You got an Adva, right?”

  I nodded slowly. “Yeah, it was a tough choice actually. I got a new, more stealth focused option but I decided to pick the sex css I skipped over st time instead. Now I’m a Dream Mending Sensualist.”

  She ughed and shook her head. “Of course you are.”

  I gave her a mock gre. “Hey now, you’re the tribe slut.” I stuck my to at her and she smirked.

  “You’re damn right I am. But I’m our slut, not just a general slut, so it’s a position of honor.”

  I kissed her cheek. “My passive Attribute increasing Skills both ranked up by o some point too. Which is… holy a little scary. Are those rare?”

  She shook her head. “Somewhat unon, but frankly expected for a Saint. It would be weird if you didn’t have some unfairly powerful Skills.”

  I’d dumped half of the twenty Attribute points I’d earned intth and split the rest between Willpower and Force. With Coordination now gaining three points every level I could afford to ig for the moment in favor of being able to easily lift my rifle. The one I’d been using so far felt very light, so the hefty thing Briggavel was making would probably be manageable.

  I looked at my Status.

  [Health Pool: 400/400]

  [Mana Pool: 545/690

  [Strength: 40]

  [Coordination: 84]

  [Endurance: 40]

  [Focus: 69]

  [Willpower: 45]

  [Force: 45]

  At least now I knew why I found Focus’s number funny. Dani’s memories were absolutely insane for this world. But my new Skills and Spells were more iing.

  [Skills]

  [Map of Pleasure: E – By running your fingers over a partner’s body, you easily find the erogenous zones most effective on them and remember them easily from then on.]

  [Drink of your Lust and Rejoice: E – Your body’s sexual fluids act as an aphrodisiac that also increase the sexual pleasure and stamina of those who drink from you.]

  [Above the Highest Peak: E – When y a partasm it is enhao be strohan normal.]

  [Bask ierglow: E – When a partner asms from your toud for an hour afterward, physical tact with you has a heightened increase in feelings of fort and safety.]

  [Spells]

  [ and Pure: E

  Cost: 10 Mana

  Raouch

  Target: 1 senting sapient being

  You purge all sexual iions from the target and make them heavily resistant to additional iions for 48 hours. This has a ce to fail against mana imbued iions.]

  [We’re Not Ready Yet: E

  Cost: 20 Mana

  Raouch

  Target: 1 senting sapient being

  You reduce the effective fertility of the target to 0, preventing pregnancy from . This effect sts for 12 hours.]

  [Gift and Responsibility: E

  Cost: 50 Mana

  Raouch

  Target: 1 senting sapient being.

  Drastically increase effective fertility iarget, making successful impregnation far more likely to occur. This effect sts for 12 hours.]

  [Instant Gratification: E

  Cost: 100 Mana

  Range: 30 yards

  Target: 1 sapient being.

  The target immediately has an asm. This is a mental effect that be resisted with Willpower or accepted without resistance.]

  Sex mage, damn. I was going to o fix this slow mana geion issue. I kept fetting to ask Vei’Ryn if that was somehow reted to Soul tai. To be fair, every time I’d talked to her something had been going on that had my attention firmly in its grasp.

  “So you and her, looking forward to tinuing that?” I asked Jaina, deg we should actually talk about this, even if we were both nervous. Especially if we were both nervous, really.

  She took a slow breath and gave a nod. “It’s a weird feeling. Being gd that stuff orain happehe attack, I mean. If it hadn’t happened, we wouldn’t have met Dekarru and our tribe. You wouldn’t be here to help with all this politig. Yods might still be looking for an ally. Willow Creek and Uvtrayl wouldn’t have the link they have thanks to you.” She snorted and sighed. “But also I think about how her hand had just gotten into my panties when things happened and I ’t help but still be frustrated over it.”

  I leaned over and kissed her cheek. “Well now you won’t have panties in the way.”

  She rolled her eyes and swatted me. “And what about you? You like her too, a lht?”

  [As do I. She feels very safe. Sexual attra is most certainly there for me, but the stronger pull I have towards our dear general is one of fort and safety. She feels like I could fall asleep in her arms even in the midst of a battle, knowing beyond doubt that I would awaken unharmed.]

  Jaina and I both smiled at Carmil’s words. I stroked the runes on my arm gently. “Yeah. Yeah she does have that feeling about her, doesn’t she?”

  Jaina grunted as she pulled herself to her feet. “I think I’m ready. At the very least, just sitting here is making the wait worse for me.”

  I looked up at her. “Carmil, would you and Jaina go on ahead of me? I think I need a few moments alone.”

  My elemental love poured out of me and gave me a soft kiss once she was in her mortal form. “Do not sit out here fretting for overly long, beloved. I will ask Luvetra t you home if I must, ah know she would do so.”

  I nodded and gave her hand a squeeze. “I just need a few minutes. I’ll be there soon. I promise.”

  Without another word the two gave me my spad I found myself watg the sun slowly disappear over the mountains. The stars barely lit the night, the moons both bare slivers of silver in the sky. The lights from the District were starting to be lit, torches, bonfires, cooking pits, all casting a light e glow from behind me as I stared at the water.

  Then they were joined by a single soft blue glow close to me. It took only a moment t and I felt a small, sad smile form on my lips. “Didn’t think we could meet this way.”

  Charon sat o me with a grunt. “I’m the Ferryman, this is a river. Dammed into a ke it might be, I am still home here.”

  I looked at him and the soft smile he gave me. “I remember meeting you now. I remember who I was, both of them.”

  He nodded slowly. “Soohan I would have thought, but not really surprising. How are you holding up?”

  “sidering I’m built on the remains of two destroyed souls, I’m pretty okay I think. I remembered what you said and I’m stig with Vei’Ryn and her pantheon.”

  He raised a brow. “Destroyed? I suppose that’s one way to look at it.”

  “How else could I?” I let the hurt and frustration bleed into my voice, a few tears esg my eyes.

  “Well, I’ll tell you this, I see enough of Dani in you that I don’t believe she’s just gone. You may not be her, but that doesn’t mean she’s destroyed. ly. I suppose in the end its a matter of perspective, but that means it’s not set in stone, doesn’t it?” He chuckled and gave a small friendly puny shoulder.

  I couldn’t help but smirk. “I’m still not pying Monopoly with you. That thing is a friendship killer. y Uno and argue about house-rules instead.”

  He ughed. “What about that orading game, the settler one?”

  I gave him a dry look. “Ahh, I see you want wood for sheep.”

  We both broke into ughter and I leaned my head on his shoulder. “Really Esme, you’re you no matter what else. But Dani and Lietri aren’t necessarily gone. Are the flour and eggs gone just because they made a cake?” He put an arm over my shoulders and squeezed softly. I missed this. Missed my friend.

  “Teically they are not what they were, but I get the point. I’ll think about it more.” I looked over the water and things were incredibly still. “So how long do we have?”

  “In your current perception, ten, maybe twenty minutes. It will only be about as long in seds outside of this though.”

  I gave him a broad smile. “Then I want to finish telling you about Betty. We got interrupted st time.”

  His own smile matched my own. “I’d love to hear more about her. I believe we left off ohrowing a brick at a cop for harassing one of her friends?”

  Eventually the time assed and we said oodbyes. As the blue light vanished and I returo the moment, I smiled and stretched. It was good to be reminded of the things that made me happy. It also gave me a ce to get some of that nervous energy out and feel more rexed.

  As I made my way to the yurt I let myself believe that things would be okay. Hope filled my heart as I allowed it to. I took a breath and stepped in. Almost immediately, I felt tears streaming down my face as my eyes nded on Henna. She was ughing at something I’d missed. She was naked, a hint of nervousness in her shoulders, but absolute joy in her eyes. Jaina was sitting sideways in her p, resting her head against the general’s shoulder. Carmil was behind her, draped over the older woman with her head on the opposite shoulder kissing her cheek.

  She and my tribe were sitting around telling stories about something, maybe me? Probably me. It took them all a few moments to notice me enter.

  Henna looked up and her face rofound mix of worry, relief, joy, anger, all covered by an ho afelt smile. Jaina hopped off of her p and Henna immediately stood. We started walking at the same time a in seds. Her arms ed around me and I felt exactly what Carmil had been talking about, I felt safe.

  My shoulder grew wet, far too many moments passe before I realized it was her tears. Of course she was g, why wouldn’t she? Gods I felt stupid for not realizing it. She cared about me, she was starting to care about Jaina, then we died. Now we’re back, happy ahy and different.

  I pulled from the hug just enough t my lips to hers and show her hoy I was to see her again in person. The world trembled with our kiss and I felt firewoing off in my heart. I missed her so much more than I wao admit. By the time our kiss broke we were panting softly.

  She looked into my eyes, resting her forehead against my own. “Don’t you ever take so fug long to tact me again, you hear me?”

  I nodded softly. “I won’t. I promise. I was scared and stupid.”

  Dekarru snorted nearby. “Scared and stupid is a bit of a habit of yours, Stareyes. But we’re all happy to know you’re w on it.”

  I smiled and motioned for Henna to e sit with me as I made my way to the group. I sat dowo Dekarru and leaned over to kiss her while Henna cimed the py other side.

  Weren looked betweehree of us and smirked. “You have a type, huh? Should I start talking up all the gray haired old dies for you? Get all the grandmas to e get a good time?”

  I leveled a slight gre at the cook befrinning. “Don’t worry Wen, I’ll still have the time and drive to turn you into a dripping, mindless mess, no matter how many other women wahe bite of her lip and flush to her cheeks was glorious. Sadly, I had t things away from that topic for now. “I o talk to you all.”

  Faces turned serious, looks of worry spread through my loved ones. Dekarru rested a hand on my leg and squeezed fly. “I know you’ve been worried about something for a couple of days. Normally I’d have pushed you on it, but I got the feeling it had something to do with yoddess.”

  I nodded. “Yeah, I had to talk to Vei’Ryn and deal with some stuff. Then when Henna was on the way I realized it would be best to wait for her. Which brings us to now.” I reached over and threaded my fihrough the general’s. I took a deep, slow breath a out even slower, fog my thoughts so I could get through this. “I remember a lot more now. Including dying.”

  Luv gave me a look that promised love and support the sed I , I smiled back at her before I tinued. “But Lietri Dawnlight didn’t die.” The fused silence around me gave me time to keep talking, telling them all that I had learhis was my tribe, they deserved to know me and I WAhem to know me. I uood better how opeh was and I loo be a part of it in whole. So I let the truth in its ey pour from me while they all listened.

  Half an hour ter they knew all I had to tell them. Halfway through I saw Azuriel in the er, listening with eyes wide. But I was already viewing her like she art of the tribe so I just kept going. In the end, everyone retty overwhelmed.

  Weren spoke first. “Wait… so half of your soul is from another world, without magid with only humans and with non-mana fueled teology on par with aricraft?”

  I barely fought the urge to ugh, but a snort escaped before I cleared my throat. “Um… don’t take this the wrong way, I do not mean it as an insult. But the teology of Dani’s world is vastly more advahan anything aricraft has made so far. In both incredible and terrible ways. This pce? It’s like a look into that world’s past. But!” I quickly kept going to forestall interruptions. “Aricraft has reached a sort of equivalent point to where that world’s teology started absolutely exploding forward and making more progress in a decade than in the previous thousand years. So I’d put mohat aricraft is going to have a simir burst of adva. Also, just so we’re clear. Most people on that world don’t actually know how the tech they use works, just how to use it. We need experts to design, build, and repair it all. Dani was included in that ignorance so don’t bother askio expin anything, I don’t know. Best I remember is that mitodria is the powerhouse of the cell.”

  I got stared at. Henna cleared her throat and squeezed my hand. “You know I’ll have to ask you questions at some point, right? Professionally speaking.”

  I smiled. “Yeah, and for you I’ll answer what I but I really know so damned little. Dani barely passed basic schooling and was in a rather low quality uy studying bird behavior when-…” I ched Henna’s hand tight, a wave of dread washed over me.

  Henna pulled me close. “Esme, what’s wrong?”

  I rested against her and took a breath. “Sorry, I… Dani’s life was not good. Her mother was a monster. Dani had this fund, these savings to pay for school. Her mother found out and mao get into it and take it all. That was when she ended up homeless. She couldn’t pay for school and refused to ever go back to her main so she moved to a big city and-” I choked on the words.

  I felt my tribe around me, all ed up into one giant hug. It was slightly stifling but I didn’t care, they were all showihe love I needed. I think maybe Charon was right, maybe Dani and Lietri weren’t pletely gone. I may not have beeher of them, but that didn’t mean that the two of them were not a part of me.

  I let my tribe, my lovers hold me as I sank into the f knowledge that I was home.