A few hours after the council meeting we were back in the Encve District and I was ying on the moss with my head in Weren’s p as she brushed and toyed with my hair. This really was the best. But I had something important to do, thus Wen’s patience and good behavior for the moment.

  I pulled up my status screen and got to work, quickly spending my points and checking over my skill growth before I even looked at the advancement I had earned. I had in fact, been right. All of us except Luvetra had gained an advancement.

  Jaina had advanced to Soultouched Artisan in her primary css and could actually use some magic to help her design and create artistic works. Redagga’s primary had become Naturalist Bastion, a css devoted to supporting your community through action and words. The kind of thing a grassroots politician would kill for honestly. Ephirin’s primary had become Truthbinder, which apparently was about honesty and self-actualization. Appropriate for one who was only recently able to discover herself. Luv said she had one more level to go to hit fifty and gain her tertiary css, which we were all excited to see.

  Though it did bring up a point. Apparently we’d been blitzing through levels faster than expected. Dekarru believed it was likely some hidden Skill from me being a Saint. Which I would see once I hit fifty myself. Turns out Saints and Oracles have their tertiary css pre-chosen for them, which was a bit of a bummer if I’m being honest. But that would be a worry for ter.

  I looked over my updated status to take things in.

  [Esme Dreamsinger: lvl 41]

  [Health Pool: 500/500]

  [Mana Pool: 930/930]

  [Strength: 45]

  [Coordination: 121]

  [Endurance: 50]

  [Focus: 93]

  [Willpower: 55]

  [Force: 55]

  The fact that my Mana was generating properly now that Soul Containment had ended was a relief, I really wanted to cast spells more. Even just for fun. My Coordination was getting pretty damned high, I could hop around on my leg without wobbling much now, though it felt ridiculous and I immediately stopped after seeing Wen holding in jokes about it.

  Several skills had improved as well, some of them significantly.

  [Sixth Sense: S]

  [Soldier’s March: A]

  [Heartbreaker: A]

  [Racing Heart: B]

  [Untouchable Heart: B]

  [Heavy Heart Piercer: B]

  [As a Statue: B]

  [Embrace of the Endless Dream: C]

  [Touch of Refuge: B]

  [Between Heart and Mind: D]

  [Map of Pleasure: C]

  [Drink of your Lust and Rejoice: D]

  [Above the Highest Peak: D]

  [Bask in the Afterglow: D]

  Some spells had gained power as well, [Vision Quest], [We’re not Ready Yet], and [Gift and Responsibility] had all reached D. While [Kintsug had grown to rank B from E after only a single use. I suppose that use potentially creating an entirely new race of peoples was rather a potent application of a spell.

  With that covered, I brought up my advancement list.

  [Undying Dream Mender]

  [Heartseeking Crusader]

  [Heartseeking Elemental Savant]

  All there as expected. As was the option I had ignored to immediately grab Sensualist st advancement.

  [Dream Mending Peacebringer: Peacebringer gives benefits to negotiation, deescation, and diplomatic efforts. Peacebringers gain access to Skills and Spells that aid in cooperative efforts and reduction of hostile intent. Peacebringers may produce an effect that prevents all violence nearby under certain conditions.]

  That… That sounded useful. Though honestly I was already pretty good at diplomacy without a css boost. So I turned to examine my new option.

  [Heartseeking Wraith: Wraith gives benefits to stealth and awareness, allowing one to pass unseen while also able to more easily notice details others would miss. Wraiths gain access to Skills and Spells that increase ones ability to remain undiscovered or manipute the perceptions of others with illusions. Wraiths may also be able to manipute the emotional state of targets under certain conditions.]

  Holy Moly. First off, Heartseeking Wraith sounded super badass, I could feel my inner emo fourteen year old cheering at that. Secondly, that was more than just a stealth css. Illusions? Useful for more than combat. Emotional manipution sounded potentially problematic, but if that included the ability to calm tempers, subdue panic, or even terrify an enemy into surrendering peacefully? Very powerful.

  Peacebringer was not a bad option. But Wraith? Wraith had the same feeling Heartseeker did so long ago, an option with more than a cursory gnce suggested. I picked that and eagerly read through my new abilities.

  [Skills]

  [As a Statue: A]

  Just like that I learned that csses sometimes have overp and it apparently just boosts the pre-existing skill.

  [Without a Trace: E - When moving with the intent to remain undetected, noise you make is suppressed, your movements draw less attention, and you leave less sign of your passing.]

  [Sight Beyond Sight: E - Your ability to notice details is increased, as is your resistance to illusions. Additionally, your awareness of things beyond the physical is enhanced.]

  Woah, okay immediately worth it. [Without a Trace] was very nice, but [Sight Beyond Sight] sounded incredible. Awareness of things beyond the physical? I’d certainly be speaking to Dekarru about that.

  [Spells]

  [Veil of Dreams: E

  Cost: 50 Mana per target or 20 mana per cubic yard effected

  Range: 20 Yards

  Target: 1 or more living beings or 1 or more cubic yards of space within range and line of sight

  Generate a highly realistic illusion of your choice. If the target is a living being, it will follow the target as long as they remain with range of the caster. Spell sts for 10 minutes or until dispelled or the caster moves out of range of the illusion. Can be re-cast to restart timer without interrupting existing illusion.]

  [Breath of the Grave: E

  Cost: 10 Mana

  Range: -

  Target: Self

  When Cast, any and all sounds produced by you are completely silenced for 10 seconds]

  [Fuel to the Fire: E

  Cost: 50 Mana per target

  Range: 20 Yards

  Target: 1 or more living beings

  When cast, pick an emotion the target is currently experiencing and drastically increase the strength of that emotion in them while simultaneously reducing the strength of other emotions. This is a mental effect and can be resisted.]

  I was a bit disappointed that I couldn’t simply generate emotions in a target, but I could still work within these confines. I wouldn’t be able to just cast ‘Stop Panicking’ but I could talk a spark of calm or hope or simir into someone and then boost it. The only issue would be picking up on what specific emotions a target is going through. But I already had a leg up on that one.

  Breath of the Grave was a hell of a creepy name, once again inner fourteen year old emo was absolutely loving it though. Ten seconds of complete silence. That may not sound like much but I could get off a few shots in that window without the report of my rifle alerting anyone. That had serious potential to be strong.

  But the big catch from this css? The flexible and powerful illusion spell. That was going to absolutely change how I faced combat. But I was also thinking about how I could use it in my role as a Saint. Just have my own special effects when I wanted to make an entrance or stun a crowd. Oh I was going to have fun with this.

  “Hey Weren?” I said, looking up at the cook.

  “Hmm? What’s up, got something fun?” She grinned down at me.

  I focused on the air a few feet in front of me and channeled mana into the spell. Within seconds a pixeted breakfast pastry cat trailing a rainbow started flying around in circles and singing an annoying digitized nya nya nya song. Funny, Dani was far more fond of it than I felt in that moment.

  Wen toppled backwards and I found my head thumping on the thankfully soft mossy ground as she cried out in shock and confusion. I ughed and turned to grin at her and she shot me an icy gre for the briefest of moments before she chuckled and shook her head. “Fine! Fine you got me with that one, I admit when I have been bested. By… whatever the hells that thing is.”

  “A very, very dumb joke from Dani’s memories. Don’t ask, I refuse to expin what I barely understand myself. But I have access to some illusion magic now.”

  Wen sighed and poked my face with her toe. “You start using it to spook me and I’ll poison your dinner.”

  “I promise to use Veil of Dreams only for good, or at least limit my pranks in scale, frequency, and intensity.” I looked up at her and saw a rare, serious look in her eyes. The silence sted just a bit too long, making me sit up and turn to face her. “Wen? Are you alright?”

  She forced a small smile and shook her head as if clearing her thoughts. “You don’t have to answer, obviously status stuff is a personal thing, but what… no, no never mind. I’m being dumb.”

  “If you’re asking what my new css is, Wraith. You know I trust you enough to-, Weren?” I was cut off by the cook suddenly turning and quickly rushing away, her body nguage screaming to me that she was barely controlling a sudden rush of panic.

  I started to crawl after her when Briggavel made her way over to me. “Somethin’ happen, pale arse?”

  “I told her my new css was Wraith and she just…” I motioned towards the direction she had rushed away in.

  “Ahhh fek. Absolute fekkin perfect.” The dwarf sighed heavily. “Give her space. Personal shit. Nothin’ you knew about. Nothin’ I’m gonna speak on without her permission either, but I promise she just needs to freak out for a bit then she’ll calm down.”

  I took a breath and nodded. “She’ll be okay then?”

  “Aye, then she’ll come and start apologizin’ and expinin’ and beggin’ for forgiveness and shit. Just let her get it out, let her dote on ya a day or two to get it out of her system.”

  “Will do.” I sighed, turning my attention to Brigga. “But in the meantime, how’s the leg looking?”

  “Like fekkin scrap metal. I’m callin’ her dead and makin’ a repcement, Jaina’s workin’ on the design and Tendri knows some inscriptions fer bance and to resist wear and corrosion. So yer gettin’ a fancy arcanicraft leg soon.” She chuckled when I groaned unhappily at the news. “In the meantime, I hammered together a basic peg so ya can go on that date tomorrow.”

  “Oh really!? Oh you are the absolute best Brigga!” I pulled myself up against her side and leaned in to give her a joy filled kiss. “I did not want to have to do that in a wheelchair. It would have ruined the effect of the dress I picked out.”

  She kissed back and gave me a loving squeeze. “Aye, I figured. I warn ya, it’s seriously just a damn peg. You won’t have the same bance and range of motion with it, I’d suggest using yer cane.”

  “Better than nothing.” I leaned on her as she helped my back to the yurt. “She is okay though?”

  “Fer fek’s sake. She’s fine, just got reminded of a load of bollocks she went through that she don’t like thinkin’ about.”

  I rexed, feeling the calm certainty coming from her and realizing this was not so bad as it appeared at first. I trusted my tribe, I just needed to be patient. Once in the yurt, Dekarru told me about the same thing. Wen was going to go stay with our friends Mahrk and Divh just to get some distance but would certainly be ready to talk tomorrow. This wasn’t the first time something like this had happened, so they knew what to expect.

  I let myself rex for the rest of the evening, something easier to do once dinner came. Thought she didn’t join us, she did cook and the meal was filled with the usual passion and care. I had no doubt that if things were actually bad her food would suffer for it. You could taste the love in her culinary creations, the joy for the art that bled into the seasonings. That evening’s meal was no different.

  That night I had an additional reason to smile, Azuriel came over to join the cuddle pile with me, Luv, and Carmil. Though nervous at first, once she found herself ying against me, I felt the tension drain from her. An obsidian arm wrapped around my waist and a wing draped over me as her face nestled against my neck. I wrapped an arm around her in return and smiled.

  “I thought-,” she muttered out with quickly rexing nerves. “I thought this would be more, sexual?”

  I ughed softly and kissed her forehead. “No, this is just comfort. Simply holding each other while we rest. Though in some ways, it can be more intimate. Letting someone this close while you’re asleep requires a certain level of trust. Letting them touch you like this as well? It’s not a simple thing, is it?”

  She squeezed me softly. “I wish I had known sooner.”

  Carmil reached from my other side and stroked Azuriel’s hair. “You have time to make up for all that. I promise you.”

  That night I rested incredibly well. Daisy and I had a picnic with Vei’Ryn, my dream buddy and my Goddess growing closer made my heart leap with joy. There was no talk of the serious matters that night, the Dreamer telling me that I needed rest now and then. I wasn’t going to compin.

  The next day was a flurry of activity, or at least it felt like it to me. I had slept in without meaning to, but gods did I feel good when I finally awoke. Weren prepared breakfast for us, then gave me as tight a hug as she was capable of and apologized for running off. She promised to tell me what had happened, but didn’t want to take my attention away from the date. So it would be ter that night. But the honest smile and deep kiss she gave me soothed my remaining worries.

  As evening approached, I found myself waiting by the exit to the district for Carmil. I had a pale violet sundress that ended just below my knee with white flower designs stitched into it and a slightly darker violet ft on my foot. The simple metal peg that Brigga had made was thankfully comfortable and properly sized, though walking on it was harder than it had been with my now destroyed prosthetic. Thankfully, my cane made walking easy enough and it also matched my outfit. Weren had fixed up my hair, the wild curls held back in a thick, loose braid that rested between my shoulder bdes.

  “Gods, you are art in the flesh, beloved.” I heard Carmil’s voice and turned to face her. My jaw hung nearly to the ground, my eyes unable to blink as I took in the sight of her.

  A bck dress draped elegantly over her form, long sleeves ending in wide, flowing cuffs. The skirt nearly reached her ankles and shifted in the gentle breeze, revealing just how light the fabric was. The cut was more conservative than I would have expected, but the high neckline and light ce along it worked to draw the eye towards her face. Her hair had been cut shorter and flowed like waterfalls around her blushing features, simple but lovely. On her feet were a pair of bck low pumps that she clearly practiced walking in. Gods she was beautiful.

  I stammered out noises that someone might confuse for words and she turned bright red. She stepped closer and kissed my cheek before speaking softly in my ear. “Had I known clothing would draw such a reaction from you, I would have sought it out sooner.”

  I smiled as I gazed into her eyes. “You are too incredible, too perfect to be real. I see the wonder that you are and fear the day I awake from this perfect dream.”

  A soft kiss to my lips followed. “How lucky I am that you have power over dreams then.”

  I slipped my arm into hers, leading my elemental lover out into the city. I had decided to have the slightest little abuse of power and requested a chauffeur and car from the Elders. The middle aged orc who was assigned to us had stars in his eyes, obviously excited and proud to drive for a Saint. But thankfully, he was also quite professional.

  When we arrived at our destination, I was confused at first. It looked almost like a warehouse, but then I noticed that there were doors with signs for various businesses every fifty feet or so on it. Ahh, some version of a strip mall. We were helped out by our driver, Nirran, and saw Gina and Tulip walking towards us.

  Gina looked sharp in a suit with clean lines and well polished boots, all in shades of forest green and brown. It went well with her skin tone and made her look downright dashing. Tulip wore a beautiful tan dress that hung loosely on her body with a cord cinching the waist tight. It had colorful patterns of flowers and trees and birds and boats across it in ways that seemed somehow meaningful, and instead of looking busy it simply looked alive. Around her ankles were bands of leather covered in little metal bells that jingled softly as she walked.

  “Oh my word, you two look incredible.” I said as they reached us. I gave them each a hug, Carmil doing the same.

  “Oh I think there is more than enough beautiful from you and Carmil tonight.” Gina said with a bright smile.

  Tulip fluffed in nervous embarrassment. “Y-you really think I look alright? Some people find faun fashion a bit gaudy.”

  Carmil kissed the professor’s cheek. “Tulip dear, you are stunning. I can tell you with certainty that Esme has been looking at your dress with jealousy since she saw you.”

  I nodded. “Oh true, I love it. Would it be appropriate for me to have one or is there a cultural meaning to it that I would be stepping on?”

  She ughed. “Well traditionally the patterns are meant to have meaning to a family or individual, this one is actually a story of my flight from the Empire and finding a home here in Beaver Valley. But I think as long as the story it tells is important to your heart, it would be appropriate for you to wear.”

  Camil smiled and gave me a knowing look. “My beloved does certainly have a story to tell, I wonder how it would look spread across fabric?”

  I smiled and gave Carmil’s hand a squeeze. “Okay okay, lets go get settled in and order something before we end up just flirting on the sidewalk for an hour. I am eager to see the pce you picked.”

  Gina led us into one of the doors and we found ourselves in a lovely little restaurant that smelled of vanil and had lights turned low, casting over brown and blue furniture and seats giving it a cozy atmosphere that made me feel warm and welcome.

  Gina had reserved a private booth for us. Once we settled in I gave her a look. “A bit more fancy than a simple cafe.”

  “True, but it will be difficult to have real privacy at one now that the city knows you.” She countered with a smirk telling me she didn’t bme me for that issue at all. “Besides, I’ve been promising myself I would bring Tulip here on a date for ages.”

  The faun’s fur fluffed as she gnced at her date, a nervous but happy smile on her lips. “Well I’m gd I never came before then, since, uh, now you get to be the one to bring this experience to me.”

  Carmil leaned against me and watched the two, warmth and affection pouring from their every smile and word. I had a feeling these two were going to st.

  The waitress came and had to spend a few moments recovering from the sudden realization that she was serving a Saint. I had already prepared myself for this reaction, but it was still serving as a needling in the back of my mind reminding me that I would never have a simple life or anonymity in public again. But hey, I could live with that if it also came with the power to help people.

  Once she calmed, we ordered. It seemed this pce served mostly traditional food from the Father’s Fingers territory. Which it turns out, included snake-kebabs and gator wraps. I mean, they weren’t called that, but that is an accurate description of the meal. Also accurate? Delicious. Tulip and I both found ourselves a bit hesitant at first, but after the first bites we were both eager for the full meal.

  Gin grinned. “That’s why I wanted it to be this pce. The idea of the food throws people off if they aren’t from the deltas, but the taste? You start rethinking your opinions on things once it hits your tongue.”

  Tulip smiled at her date, finishing a mouthful before turning to pnt a small kiss directly on the orc’s lips. “You wanted it to be an experience, I appreciate that a great deal.”

  Carmil grinned and leaned against me. “The thoughtful ones are the best lovers as well.” Blushing and fluffed fur marked the two of them at Carmil’s words, but smiles fought against the embarrassment.

  We talked for some time about, of all things, traditional clothing. Faun clothing trended towards simple in cut and complex in pattern, with stories told in imagery being a common theme in more expensive or important outfits. They also liked ankle wear, particurly anything that could make sound. Many faun dancers were also percussion for musical performances, with the most complex dances involving having two to four small drums and mallets strapped to their legs that they would py with complex prancing movements.

  Orc clothing varied heavily across their nds, but durability was often the most important factor and thus only regalia meant for rituals or celebrations had much aesthetic purpose. But when they did go for style, feathers woven into dyed cloth were almost universal as accent pieces. The colors and patterns would change, and the cut of what was worn was a sign of the people who made it. Ash Landers tended towards comfortable loose fits, Wavecrest folks wore light, open outfits with a lot of exposed skin in the hot climate of their homends, Howling Rock tribes favored heavy furs to keep themselves warm as they tended their herds, and in Eternal Pilrs people wore extremely thick boots and pants to protect from bites and stings of the native crawling dangers, things like that. But those cuts were exaggerated in ritual wear, a sort of fashion caricature worn proudly to show love of their homes and their adaptations to them.

  It was honestly fascinating, and I was gd I wasn’t the only one who thought so. Carmil was particurly enraptured by the discussion. “I had not realized clothing could be so meaningful. I suppose I had simply assumed it was either a matter of comfort or a cultural taboo against nudity. Well now I find myself desiring a wardrobe. How awkward for one already on the Path.”

  I ughed and kissed her cheek. “I imagine that wanting to dress up now and then doesn’t mean you have to leave the Path, love.”

  Tulip looked at us, a soft longing in her gaze. She turned to Gina and I saw the meaning. She wanted to feel as close to the captain and I and Carmil were. There was a nervousness, a worry, a little whisper in her head telling her this wasn’t going to work.

  “So Gina,” I spoke suddenly, snapping all attention to me. “What made you fall for the professor here?”

  Tulip’s fur fluffed incredibly hard and Gina blushed a bit herself. “Uh… a lot of things honestly. For one she’s the perfect combination of adorable and sexy, the first time I saw her I forgot to breathe.” She gave a nervous ugh and gnced shyly at her date. “But that’s the most shallow reason, the base physical attraction. It started turning into more than just wanting to sleep with her the first time I had to go put in a request for more infusions and she was the one on duty. She had what we needed ready before I even asked for it. She’d heard about the mission we’d run the day before and calcuted our likely expenditures, then prepared a repcement batch that night. Actually had a couple extra vials, just in case.”

  Tulip sipped her drink to give herself a moment to steady herself. “Oscar had told me the very broad strokes of the operation after he got back so I had more than just a guess to work with.”

  “You’re brilliant, and dedicated, and kind.” Gina said, taking the faun’s hand and kissing it softly. “You work your ass off to make sure the rescue unit stays supplied, all while teaching university courses AND researching a way to undo your ancestor’s unethical work.”

  “I have a lot of free time and-”

  “You deserve more than what you have been given. You have every reason to be bitter and angry and cruel after what the world has done to you and your family. But instead you focus on trying to make it better for as many people as you can.”

  Tulip bit her lip, her fingers sliding between Gina’s and squeezing her hand. “Why would I want to put others through even a tenth of the horror’s I’ve seen?”

  “A lot of others would. There are people who hurt and decide that it means they should make everyone else hurt as much as they are. But you?” Gina smiled and leaned in, pressing her forehead against the faun’s. “One night I came by te to drop of a request for more infusions and you were still there, working on that batch you knew we’d need at one in the damned morning. You wanted us to not go a single day without our reserves fully stocked because you know what we do and you want to help people. You looked like shit that night.”

  Tulip gave a small ugh. “Oh gods, I remember. I was so tired I could hardly stand, you came in and ordered me to get some sleep. I tried to tell you that I wasn’t part of your chain of command and you just picked me up and carried me a mile to Oscar’s pce and ordered him to force me to sleep.”

  Gina looked into her date’s eyes. “That was the night I fell in love with you.” Tulip’s breath caught for a moment, then she moved forward and kissed Gina softly.

  I felt Carmil’s fingers intertwine with my own, her head resting on my shoulder. She whispered into my ear, “you are a wonderful friend, helping these two find their hearts like this.”

  A few long moments passed as the two’s kiss turned more and more intense and passionate, I cleared my throat to snap them back to the moment. “I think this date has been a wonderful success. Don’t you all?”

  Gina and Tulip both fight back nervous ughter, the professor speaking first. “Yes. Yes I think it has been. Thank you, both of you, for pushing me.”

  The captain smiled and nodded her head softly. “I concur, I owe you a great deal. I was starting to lose hope that this wonderful woman would ever see me as more than a co-worker.”

  Carmil pressed her lips lightly to my colrbone, holding herself against my side. “Love, like most emotions, is a complex beast. It doesn’t always work the way it should. It doesn’t always let you behave in ways that would help it. It doesn’t always want what is best for us. But it is still a lovely and blessed thing that we should celebrate and seek with open hearts and minds. I am grateful beyond the ability of words to convey that I have grown into one able to experience it. But more deeply, I am overjoyed that I am able to help others experience it as well. The love I feel between you two is deep and strong, woven with respect and admiration. I do not cim to be an oracle, I cannot know what the future holds for you both. But the love you share is not the kind of thing that would break easily.”

  I held my poetic love close. “I agree with Carmil, you two have a history together that has built a strong connection between you both. I won’t cim to see the future either, but I do predict a wedding invitation at some point.”

  The remainder of the night with them was lovely, they got over their embarrassment quickly and we spoke on a number of small but personal subjects. I got a funny story about the day I announced myself as a Saint openly. Oscar had come to visit Tulip after we split up and raided her liquor cabinet. She though he’d gone crazy talking about how I was a Saint and was blessing people and capturing princesses. It was pretty funny in retrospect actually.

  But eventually the night had to end. As we said our goodbyes, it was obvious those two were spending the night together. So we wished them well before we departed. In the car back, Carmil leaned against me and hummed happily. I promised her many more dates in the future and she squeezed me in excitement. Once we were home we carefully disrobed and put our dresses away, knowing they would see much more use on dates yet to come.

  Once we approached the yurt, we heard the sounds of celebration within. Stepping inside I saw we had guests, this was turning into a nightly occurrence at this point. Olivia, Henna, and Sellian were all inside with my tribe enjoying some wine.

  “Heeeey! How’d the date go?” Redagga cheered to us with a mile wide grin.

  Carmil’s smile in response was blindingly bright. “I now completely understand the appeal of dates, that was far more enjoyable than I had imagined it would be.”

  I chuckled as we made our way to the center area of the yurt and flopped down. “Gina and Tulip hit it off well, pretty sure they’re all over each other in one of their beds at this point.” I grunted as I pulled the peg off and set it aside. “I see there is a party here however, what’s the occasion?”

  “Pns.” Olivia said with a nod. “I have a task ahead of me rather than vague goals and it even sounds like fun.”

  “Oh?”

  Sellian snorted. “I’m just here as an excuse to see all the sexy naked bodies.” She waggled her eyebrows and looked over the room, then let out a ugh. “Okay not really. I’m here to support my fellow Saints and get to know you both better. Considering we’re all likely to spend the next several centuries frequently interacting, we should probably try and be friends.”

  Henna smirked. “The fact that you can do that while also drooling over the men and women in the district is just a bonus, right?”

  The Mentor’s Saint grinned. “A damned good bonus. But only because I have been assured that no one in this particur… uh, encve is the modern term right? No one in this encve will be offended. Last thing I want is to be a creep leering at people who don’t want the attention.”

  Dekarru swallowed her wine and spoke. “Encve is the modern term yes, but I am old enough to remember when tribe was the common word so that’s what I say. Other groups may find the term reductive or offensive and they are allowed their feelings, but this is my tribe.”

  “Good to know, this is a tribe, others are encves unless specified otherwise. I will remember. But the point remains that apparently I can lust after all of these fine bodies present before us without causing offense.” Sellian winked at me.

  “Without offense? I’d be offended if you didn’t want to fuck me!” Weren said in mock anger, causing a fit of ughter from Sellian, who was getting along fantastically with our cook by all appearances since Wen was in fact draped against the Saint’s side with one of Sellian’s hands full of the orc’s ass.

  “Okay okay, back on task. What’s this task the Warcry gave you?” I asked Olivia.

  “Simple, I need an honor guard. Kai wants me to project strength, to be seen as a force not to be taken lightly so that our enemies will hesitate to even consider striking us. As a Saint to a war god I’m already far more powerful than I would have thought a mortal could be just a week ago, but reality and appearance are not the same thing. So I need a team not unlike your own, Dreamsinger. One that not only is powerful but looks the part. People capable of not only great violence if needed, but projecting confidence to our allies and fear to our foes in hopes of preventing said violence in the first pce.”

  Wen sighed heavily and id her face directly onto Sellian’s breast. Dekarru sighed as well, looking Weren’s way. “Yeah, they do sound perfect for that role, don’t they?”

  I blinked and looked between them. “Who?”

  Olivia also found her attention fully drawn to Weren and Dekarru. “You know some potentials?”

  Wen sat up and looked at me with an apology in her eyes. “Yeah. Wraiths. A whole extended asshole death cult family of them.” She drained her gss of wine and leaned more heavily against Sellian. “My extended asshole death cult family.”