by Tom Gallier
“So you lift those big ships?” he asked.
“I do,” she said. Their pilot glanced enviously back at her. “And it works just like how this flup-flup works, only I need a lot more blood.”
“I hope someone helps you pedal.”
She laughed. “No pedaling. Sails.”
They flew around the city’s three hills. One was Temple Hill and another was Boot Hill. Temple Hill loomed over the docks, crowned by a large, circular temple of bright white marble. The other temples surrounding it were all painted garishly, in every color imaginable. Boot Hill wasn’t too far away, and proved aptly named. It really looked like a high-heeled boot from the air. It was sheathed in row upon row of tall townhouses. Helene said the city’s gentry lived there. The last hill, which was across the city and next to the river, was Palace Hill, upon which the king and most of the nobility lived. The royal palace proved a sprawling affair crowning the hill, with bright white-washed walls and red terracotta roofs. Smaller palaces circled the lower slopes.
“Take us back to the Forum,” Helene called to the driver.
The pilot banked hard right, and began to descend. Alex spotted the plaza where they found the flup-flup. He tried to locate Helene’s place in the tangle of city streets below, but then she looked off in the distance and grunted.
Alex followed her eyes to an approaching ship. The ship’s hull was painted red, with black and gold trim and decorations. The sails were striped red and white.
“Is that a…”
“Galleon,” she said absently. “One hundred feet long, she has three masts. Her name is Wraith.”
“Have you sailed on her before?”
“I have,” Helene said, not looking happy. “Her captain paid for my heavy-lift tats. I owe her my service and loyalty now.”
A cold lump formed in Alex’s belly. “You’re leaving now, aren’t you?”
“Yes. Wraith is here to pick me up,” she said. “I probably won’t be back for many years, if at all. It’s going to be a long, dark voyage.”
Chapter 6
The Forum proved to be the same plaza from which they began their tourist flight around the city. The crowd looked a bit thinner, and the sun was low enough on the western horizon to start painting the sky burnt orange and purple. No one on the ground paid the sunset or their quickly descending flup-flup any notice.
“They’ll get out of the way,” Helene whispered when she noticed his concern.
“If they don’t?”
“There will be a fight.”
Like on an airplane, the flup-flup landing was the scariest part. He descended way too fast for Alex’s comfort. Even Helene gave the pilot a sharp look. To Alex, the young male witch appeared to be struggling, but they pulled up and hovered a good foot above the heads of the crowd for a bare second before slowly settling to the cobbled plaza. As Helene said, the men and women quickly vacated the spot, most giving the pilot rude hand gestures, dirty looks, and muttered curses.
Helene glanced up at the approaching ship. Wraith was dropping quickly to the river below.
“She seems to be coming down kind of fast,” Alex said.
“My thoughts exactly,” Helene muttered. “But Benarus is pretty young.”
“Who?”
“Wraith has three Lift Witches,” she said. “I am senior, with Samara my second, and Benarus our recently elevated apprentice. He better slow her down, or the captain will take a hard landing out of his hide.”
“That answers my next question. How is the ship flying without you?”
“One of the witches has to be onboard at all times, even between voyages,” she said with a grim expression. “That’ll be my duty after this voyage.”
That soured Alex’s mood, too. He barely knew her, but she’d gotten under his skin already. She gave every indication she wasn’t happy about leaving him, either. Still, it was only a dream, so how long could their relationship last?
Well, probably a dream, he thought. The fact he didn’t wake up during their amazing sex still concerned him. I mean, what else could it be?
“So, how long is a voyage? Three to six months? Then a layover between voyages of a month or so?”
She barked a laugh. “You really don’t know anything, do you?”
He shrugged with a grin. “Barbarian.”
“I think you are too quick to name yourself a barbarian,” she said with a put-upon look. “A typical voyage is two years, but can last up to five or more depending on the destination. I expect to be gone at least five years. Two voyages and, as you call it, a layover between.”
“Wow. That must be rough on your love life.”
“Not really. I have Nicanor aboard the ship and lovers at every port,” she said, and grinned wickedly at his shocked expression. “I’m not a one-man kinda woman. Lucky you.” She winked. “Life is too short to put limits on the best parts of it.”
“I think I love you.”
She laughed. “I love you, too, my big beautiful barbarian. But if I meet someone I want to have a go at, then I will. You’re free to tumble any wench you favor, as well. No jealousy. Hell, I might even join you two.”
“Now I know I love you,” he said, and they both laughed. “I knew it wouldn’t last, but I did hope for more time with you. After all, you are my first witch.”
The joy left her face. Alex’s breath caught. What did he say so wrong? Then he noticed she was glaring at something or someone behind him. Turning, his eyes locked on the spot where the crowd was quickly falling back from, bowing all the way.
Princess Thaleia emerged from the crowd, strutting in her near naked glory in the middle of a contingent of heavily armed and very angry looking guards. All twelve marched with spears presented to drive back the crowd. Thaleia glanced left and right, a smug little smile on her face. Yet, Alex’s eyes continued returning her jostling boobs.
My god, that woman has the most amazing body! he thought. And for a princess, she certainly has her super model strut down. I’ve never even seen a stripper put more oomph in her strut.
The Kandosian princess had changed since last they met. She wore an elaborate golden tiara, golden chain choker, and gold nipple plates. Okay, pasties. Gold encircled her upper arms, with matching bracers on her wrists. Rings adorned her long, delicate fingers, and a golden thong covered her modesty, with narrow purple silk strips hanging front and back. Golden gladiator boots with sky-high stilettos protected her feet.
“She has a nice, sassy strut,” he said. “But she’s all trouble. I know.”
“Princess Thaleia is a beautiful viper,” Helene said, more than a hint of animosity in her voice. Her eyes narrowed even further. “I don’t like her, or any member of the Royal House. They frequently conduct sweeps through the Witches Quarter and take any teen witches they find into, um, royal servitude.”
“You?”
“No, but I’ve lost a few cousins and friends.” She stopped, cocked her head. “Oh, that’s interesting.”
Alex realized what she meant immediately. Men were stealthily stalking the proud princess. They outnumbered the guards three to one, and those were just the men Alex could pick out of the crowd. It looked like Princess Thaleia was walking into a trap.
“We have to help her,” he said.
“Why? She wouldn’t help us.”
Not the answer he expected. Weren’t badass dream babes all for action and adventure?
“I’m a hero, remember? Saving beautiful women is kind of what I do.”
Helene’s jaw dropped, and then she smiled. Yeah, he’d included her in that statement. Then she did a double-take on one of the bad guys.
“Pyotr!” she cried out softly, and then her eyes blazed with fury. “If I’d known he was back in town, I’d have already gutted that stinking lizard.”
Helene’s hand dropped to one of her pouches, and pulled out a long cord with a little leather cup in the middle. It took Alex a second to realize it was a sling. An ancient style slingshot.
> Alex looked Pyotr over more closely. He had to be at least six eight, three hundred pounds. He wore a dirty brown cloak, with the hood up. Then he noticed Pyotr’s hands were scaly, and was that a bit of a snout on his face. Yeah, Pyotr had a decided reptilian look about him.
Shit hit the fan.
Bad guys rushed up through the crowd and threw javelins into all the guards. Alex cried out in surprise as all twelve guards died before they even realized the danger. Princess Thaleia cried out in fear, and then Alex spotted Pyotr rush up behind her. He swept the princess up in his arms and bellowed in victory.
“Hey! Put her down!” Alex shouted, pulling his sword.
The crowd started screaming and shouting. It was pure pandemonium. He saw the bad guys quickly disperse, vanishing. Well, most of them. Ten of them, including Pyotr, stopped to stare at Alex. They didn’t look worried at all. And then Helene pulled a black stone from a pouch, placed it in her sling, and started swinging it around and around, faster and faster.
“Pyotr! I’m taking you down for taking Lydia and Tamaris from me!” she cried. “You stinking slaver!”
She released her shot at the slaver. One of his men leapt in the way, and the stone exploded on his chest. Alex gasped when the stone shot burst into hundreds of tiny black spiders. The poor fool started beating at them, screaming in terror the whole time. His cohorts in crime moved away from him. Within seconds he stilled, and then toppled over dead.
“You could’ve killed the princess with that shot,” he said.
Helene shrugged as she dug out another shot. “Your point?”
“Cover me,” Alex said. “Take out his men, and I’ll get Pyotr for you.”
He heard her growl in frustration when he charged the big, scaly slaver holding the princess. For her part, Thaleia was kicking and scratching like a wildcat. His hood fell back to reveal a face and head halfway between human and reptile. Her tiara, one nipple plate, and her thong bottoms came off in her struggle.
Another shot zipped past Alex. It hit the man moving to intercept him, exploding into small biting snakes. He didn’t last any longer than the first man. The third shot burst into hornets, which went after three men huddled together.
Five down, he thought. Five to go, and I save the princess!
Pyotr pounded an uppercut to Thaleia’s chin, before throwing her limp body over his shoulder. He paused to scowl at Helene, and then hurried away. Alex went after him, but had to engage one of his men first. More frantic screams behind him proved Helene was still giving them hell. But the slaver crouched over with a spear was all his.
“Didn’t your daddy ever warn you against bringing a spear to a sword fight?”
“Spears are better.”
The slaver thrust at Alex’s chest, which he blocked aside with his forearm. Alex went into full attack mode, thrust at his belly, then his face, and finally managing to slice his left arm. The slaver cursed and spat, and then determination spread across his brutish features.
“I’m going to gut you like a goat,” the slaver snarled.
In reply, Alex swung his sword with all his might, catching the spear right behind the head. The slaver’s jaw dropped when his spearhead went flying away. Alex stepped inside his guard in a flash, thrusting his blade up under the man’s chin. The sword’s bloody point came out the top of the slaver’s head.
“No, you’re going to hell,” Alex said.
Foot on the dead man’s neck, Alex twisted and yanked his sword free. It went in a lot easier. Then a quick look around showed all but one slaver down, and Helene was already swinging her sling around for another shot. The slaver started to throw a javelin at her, so Alex pulled his belt knife and threw it between the slaver’s shoulder blades. Helene’s shot struck a second later, and covered him with black scorpions.
Alex didn’t hesitate. He took off after Pyotr and Thaleia.
It might be a dream, but I’ve never felt so alive!
Pyotr moved inhumanly fast. He was already around the bend and out of sight. Alex ran after him, but Helene quickly caught up.
“No, Alex,” she gasped out. She pointed to an alley. “Take the short cut.”
He veered to the right and plunged into the alley. Alex immediately stepped on a sleeping drunk and did a header into a pile of trash. Helene was right there, pulling him back to his feet. After finding his dropped sword, Alex followed the witch down the alley.
“I’m glad you’ve decided to help save the princess.”
“I’ve decided to kill the slaver that took my best friend and my cousin,” she replied. “You can have the princess.” She stopped at the end of the alley, huffing and puffing as she fished a red stone shot out. It had a coil symbol on it. “Though, she does have an amazing body, and I hear she has a taste for other women, so maybe I’ll join you and get my share of her reward.”
Alex’s jaw dropped. Was she joking? Was Thaleia really into other women? Was Helene into other women? What kind of dream world was it?
The best kind, he thought with a grin. Then aloud, “Deal.”
She just laughed. “Men are all the same. And here comes our opportunity for fleeting glory.”
Alex spotted them. Pyotr had slowed to a jog, with Thaleia still unconscious over his shoulder. Amazingly, no one gave them more than a second look. Not a man or woman questioned him about carrying an unconscious woman, much less their beautiful princess, in that manner. So no one moved to stop him. Indeed, they quickly moved out of his way.
“You distract him, and I’ll stone him,” she said. “Go!”
Alex hesitated. Why did she suddenly get so bossy? It was his dream, so he should be in charge. Right? Yet, Helene was right. It was now or never, so Alex jumped out into the middle of the narrow, twisting street.
Pyotr slowed to a stop. His scowl slowly turned to scorn. “I suggest you get out of my way, pretty boy.”
“I will, but only after you hand over the princess.”
“No, no,” he said, shaking his head and stroking her bare buttocks in a way that made her feet start to kick. “I have a buyer for this tasty morsel.”
“Wrong answer,” Alex cried, and lunged at him behind his sword.
Pyotr blocked the thrust aside with a kick, and dropped the princess. Then he pulled his sword and rolled into a fighting stance. Alex’s barbarian warrior brain quickly ascertained the lizardman had lots of experience sword fighting.
“If you’re lucky, I’ll kill you,” Pyotr sneered. “But I intend to capture you, pretty boy. I know a few rich, powerful men who’d love to add you to their harem.”
Alex froze. That possibility never occurred to him. And that’s when Pyotr made his move.
And when Helene released.
The red shot slammed into Pyotr’s thick chest with a meaty thunk, and exploded into a swirling mist that quickly spun around and around his body. In a flash, the mist coalesced into thick rope, and snapped tightly around him. The slaver’s sword clattered to the ground, and then he toppled over on his face.
“Go save your pretty princess,” Helene snarled, stomping up to the struggling slaver. She put away her sling, and pulled her athame. “I have a few questions to ask our friend Pyotr. Like to whom he sold Lydia and Tamaris. And he better have an answer.”
He watched her press a knee between his shoulder blades, yank his head back, and then place her blade at his throat. Alex didn’t want to watch the woman he was sleeping with slit a throat, so hurried over to Princess Thaleia.
The princess lay writhing on the hard-packed dirt street. The fine dust clung to her body. It took a second to realize her skin was oiled, which explained why her body looked so damn amazing.
“Are you hurt, Princess Thaleia?” he asked, dropping to his knees and pulling her onto his lap.
Her eyes fluttered open. “Alexandros?”
“You remember me?” He grinned down at her. “Call me Alex.”
“It’s hard to forget the only man to ever spank me,” she said, and then looked
alarmed. “Where is… Oh, you caught him! Thank you for saving me!”
“My pleas…” he started to say, but was cut off when she pulled him down into a passionate kiss.
“To the victor go the spoils,” she whispered. “But we must hurry.”
Thaleia wiggled out of his grasp in a way that made him think she had lots of practice. What was it like in the royal palace? Then she grabbed his hand, half-dragging him to the nearest doorway. He found himself with her inside a small cloth shop.
Alex was pushed back against the wall. The princess was all over him, hands and lips exploring his body, lips, neck. His hand found her firm, heavy breasts first thing. A thumb easily flicked her remaining nipple cover off, before she wrapped a leg around him and started grinding her sex against his growing bulge.
“We don’t have long, my hero,” she gasped.
I love this world! he thought, and started kissing a line down her neck. I love my life!
Then it all went to hell.
“Alex! Where are you?” Helene shouted. She sounded stressed. Did Pyotr escape her magic ropes? “Palace guards!”
“Uh oh.”
“Dammit,” Thaleia said, and started tugging at his belt. “Hurry!”
“Run!” Helene screamed.
“Go,” Thaleia snapped. She looked angry and frustrated. “My father will have you castrated and impaled, despite the fact you rescued me. Go!”
That’s all Alex had to hear. He darted out the door to see Pyotr was still bound, lying in a widening pool of blood. Helene stood in a nearby alley looking frantic. He raced over to her as armored men charged into view.
They shouted for him to stop, but Alex wasn’t in an obeying mood. Not after what Thaleia said about her royal father. Oh no. Heroics were over, time to escape his unjust reward.
Chapter 7
Kandos at night had a unique sound. Alex lay on his back under the window, with Helene asleep with her head on his chest. She looked so serene as he stroked her long, silky hair. Cool night air rolled in through the window, but wasn’t quite enough for the boy from Southern California’s central AC world.
