by M. L. Ryan
A guy dressed like a nineteenth-century British butler greeted us. “Your Highness, Miss Parrish,” he began in perfect English, “we’ve made it as comfortable as possible on such short notice. Tomorrow, we will add suitable furniture in which to store your clothing.”
Alex set his hand on the man’s shoulder. “As usual, you’ve outdone yourself. This is great, thank you.”
Mr. Belvedere beamed. “If there is anything else, please use the strixychiplix on the far wall.” He ushered the staff out of the room, bowed, and made his exit as well.
“What’s a strixchi-whatever?” I asked once Alex and I were alone.
“Strixychiplix. It’s sort of like an intercom.” He guided me toward two thick, elaborately embroidered fabric ribbons hanging from the ceiling in the corner. “If you want food, or towels or something, pull this one,” he directed, pointing at the one decorated with purple birds.
“What’s the red one for?”
“Emergencies. The generals call it the strixychiplix fritintaja flyx. Loosely translated, it means, ‘summoner for when all Hell breaks loose’.”
“Like if they are under siege or something?”
“Probably more for when their heated arguments escalate into outright brawling. But either way, it indicates something is very wrong and reinforcements will be dispatched immediately. Try to not mix up the cords,” he teased.
I rolled my eyes. “I’ll do my best, Your Highness.” Examining the fabric, it seemed like an antiquated way to communicate, even for the Courso. “Isn’t there some better way to call room service? Why not use your cell phone?”
“Courso cell phones transmit using magically produced waves. That’s why they don’t work in your dimension. With all the praseodymium in the summer residence, cellular coverage is always spotty at best. In here,” he continued, spreading his arms wide, “definitely no bars.”
Duh, I thought, mentally slapping myself in the head. I knew everything in this dimension was powered through supernatural means. Even though Alex and Sebastian said one could learn to compensate for the rare earth mineral-induced dulling of magic, they also implied it wasn’t something the average Courso could accomplish easily. It probably takes piles of arcane energy just to power the lights. I pictured a room filled with stern-faced Courso, all focused on keeping the bulbs burning. Or maybe they just ran on treadmills to generate electricity like giant hamsters.
“Could you or Sebastian communicate magically here?”
“In the Residence, yes, but only by expending a great deal of energy; that’s why I went to get him earlier. The safe room doesn’t just make magic inside its walls more difficult, it is almost impossible for magic to go in or out. Which is why this is the perfect place for you.” He leaned toward me, sultry eyes full of promise. “The general’s always worry their machinations will be misinterpreted, so the room has been sound-proofed. There will be no reason to hold anything back if you have been concerned about anyone hearing us.”
“I hadn’t thought of that, but now that you reminded me of the super auditory abilities of your brethren, I’m almost glad we were interrupted before. Wouldn’t want everyone in the place to hear me call out something embarrassing.”
A slow grin blossomed on Alex’s lips, and he wrapped his arms around me. “Perhaps we should take advantage of the general’s paranoia while we have the chance.”
Normally, I’d jump at any chance to get down and dirty with Alex. Maybe being slumber-stalked played havoc on my libido, because his proposition didn’t even elicit the slightest loin clench.
“I’m really sorry,” I began, grimacing slightly at the upcoming rebuff, “but I’m so not in the mood.” It was the first time I’d ever said that to Alex. Hell, it was the first time I’d ever felt that. Son of a bitch, it’s bad enough Doc’s screwing with planetary geology, now he’s screwing with my screwing.
If Alex was disappointed, he didn’t let on. He nodded, turned out the lights, and guided me to the bed. No cajoling, no caressing to get me to change my mind. We just curled up together, with my head resting on his broad chest. I felt totally safe, perfectly cherished. It was at that moment that any lingering baggage from my previous relationship failures fell away.
“I love you, Alex.”
He kissed the top of my head and whispered, “I love you too.”
This was the first time we’d ever said that to each other. I knew Alex loved me ever since he revealed what carisa actually meant. Wisely, he chose to utilize a Courso endearment so as not to freak me out with those three little words. I knew that I loved him for a long time; I just had to let my brain catch up with my feelings before I could verbalize it. Now, as we clung to one another, exhaustion from the day’s events finally overtaking us both, saying the words seemed kind of anticlimactic. How we felt about each other was a given, and there really was no need for a romantic declaration. But my heart was smiling as I fell asleep in his arms.
I wasn’t sure how long I slept. There was no clock in the safe room, and the absence of windows made it impossible to judge the time based on sunlight. Alex wasn’t in bed, but the sound of the shower gave me a pretty good idea of where he was. Stretching out, I immediately became aware of an uncomfortable irritation along both outer thighs. Damn, I knew I should have changed into something more appropriate for sleeping than the jeans and sweatshirt I threw on for the move to the safe room. I could feel the double-seam lines embedded in my flesh. It could have been worse, I noted. I could’ve been wearing an underwire bra and stabbed myself in the boob.
Alex emerged from the bathroom toweling his hair. He was naked, and the action of vigorous drying coupled with his raised arms made his muscles ripple to perfection. Yum. I watched him remove the last droplets of water from his flesh and let my imagination wander along with the towel. My lustful fantasies must have shown in my expression because when he looked up, he said, “Hold that thought, carisa. I have a meeting in a few minutes and don’t have nearly enough time to accomplish all the things I’d like to do to you right now.”
A sly grin spread across my face. Regardless of the time constraint, it was obvious he was now more than ready to put those thoughts into action. “I’m okay with a quickie,” I coaxed, patting the bed. “Besides, that way we’ll be less likely to be interrupted.”
He paused, considering his options. Finally, Alex let out a huge breath and groaned, “Don’t tempt me like that. I’m late already.” Grabbing a pair of pants from a suitcase, he yanked them on and struggled to zip up without damaging any important bits. He threw on a shirt and leaned down to kiss me goodbye. When my tongue grazed his, he shuddered and pulled away. “Not fair,” he scolded.
There was a certain sense of satisfaction as I watched him walk out the door with a somewhat stiffer gait than normal. Unfortunately, only my senses were satisfied. A cold shower should do the trick, I figured.
I threw off my clothes and headed into the bathroom. Based on the bare-bones structure of the safe room, the facilities were surprisingly more posh than I’d imagined. It wasn’t spacious, but all the fixtures were modern and the room was decorated in warm earth tones. The only thing it lacked was actual warmth. I hadn’t noticed that the main room where Alex and I had slept was uncomfortably cool, but then again, I had blankets and clothes on in there. Arousal-dousing aside, I set the shower temperature to something warmer than the frigid I’d planned and stepped in. I was immediately pleased I’d opted for a more body-temperature experience, but as the water sluiced over my skin, the warm rivulets did nothing to assuage my lust.
I started to reach for the faucet handle to dial down the hot when it occurred to me that there was no need to freeze my ass off and no reason to curb my libido. After all, when I jettisoned Sebastian across the room, it was kind of like transcendental arousal. I’d affected a physical presence without actually laying hands on him. While that experience showed me I didn’t have the kind of control I’d like, as long as I didn’t break off my clit, I figured it wa
s worth a try.
I closed my eyes and imagined Alex’s fingers caressing where I touched myself. Suddenly, in a flash of inspiration, I placed my hands against the shower wall and concentrated on the growing heat between my legs. I still pictured Alex, but tried to conjure the sensation with my magic instead of my digits. Nothing happened at first, and I was about to give up and return to the tried-and-true means for jilling-off, when I felt it. A little flick, and then another.
Somewhere between my amazement that I had accomplished TA—well, transcendental self-arousal, actually—and reveling in the sensations, the water went from toasty to frosty. I leapt backwards away from the icy flow and lost my balance, windmilling my arms to keep myself upright.
“Shit!” I grumbled as I quickly soaped up and rinsed. “I should have guessed these digs wouldn’t have adequate hot water heaters.”
Shivering as I wrapped myself in a big, fluffy towel, I sat on the toilet seat and contemplated the last few minutes. I wasn’t completely convinced I’d done anything more than fantasy-induced arousal. After all, orgasms could be achieved in one’s sleep. Maybe this was like a nocturnal-O. Although, I hadn’t actually O-ed; I had just sort of hit somewhere earlier in the alphabet. I even tried to recreate the moment, but it was most definitely gone. Maybe it was just wishful thinking, I reluctantly admitted to myself.
My day was starting off a lot like the day before had ended—crappy. My mood was bolstered by the impending visit by Hewlyxnathin, however; I’d been itching to form bend. I had found if I didn’t shift at regular intervals, both my physical and mental health suffered. Nothing major, but I just didn’t feel like myself if I went more than a week without transforming. I’d gotten good at changing into my hawk form in both dimensions, but with all the magic-blunting around the area, I wasn’t sure what might happen. Having my Yterixa mentor around when I tried it here made me feel a lot more comfortable. Besides, I hadn’t seen him in a while.
Hewlyxnathin arrived just as I finished breakfast. His long, silvery hair was pulled back into a braid and today’s tie-dyed shirt was varying shades of green. We spent a few minutes lamenting the events that brought us together and then went outside. The Tryplexyn Sea loomed beneath the large balcony on which we stood, white foam and waves crashing against the rocky crags along the shoreline. The salty air carried a faint hint of the creatures swimming below the water’s surface, detectable even to my human nose. Harris’s Hawks may be desert raptors and not naturally inclined to hunt on water, but my love of seafood must have carried over to my avian self. Even though I’d just eaten, the thought of tearing into a juicy fish made me salivate in anticipation.
I removed my clothes—except for my underwear—and folded them neatly. You’d think I’d be less self-conscious of being naked after all the form-bends, but I hadn’t reached the point where I could just strip completely. This way, only some of my clothes might be destroyed and there would still be something to put on after.
Ready to proceed, I concentrated on forming wings and feathers, but the change was difficult. Hewlyxnathin coached me to relax and clear my mind. It took three tries and my full concentration before I was successful.
I never did catch anything, but I didn’t care. Skimming over the surface of the choppy sea was exhilarating, just the thing to erase—at least for a while—all thoughts of Doc Martens. Soaring over the summer residence, I noticed Rufus on a walk in an interior garden. He was accompanied by four guards, not including the guy who held his harness and leash. Really? Where do they think he’s going to go? There are walls surrounding the whole thing.
I swooped down, low enough to attract Rufus’ attention. He sat down and wagged his tail as I flew over, but the guards didn’t look nearly as happy to see me. They all eyed me warily and when I noticed one raising something that looked suspiciously like a crossbow, I decided to cut my buzzing short. Banking quickly to the left, I barely avoided the projectile that Hawkeye let off before soaring around the Residence and out of the line of fire.
The avoidance maneuvers zapped my strength and fatigue overcame me with such surprising speed I wasn’t sure I’d make it back to the balcony. Somehow, I managed to find my way but landing was unusually difficult. Flapping awkwardly until my talons grasped the railing, Hewlyxnathin pried me off and set me on the tile floor of the elevated porch. He had to use some of his own magic to get me to transform back into my human form, which was a little embarrassing since I hadn’t needed help since the very first time I’d changed. “The praseodymium really kicked my ass,” I panted when I finally had enough energy to speak.
Hewlyxnathin spoke softly in reply. “I concur.” He was sprawled next to me. His thin frame was leaning against the balustrade and beads of sweat rolled down his forehead. He looked as drained as I felt. We lay there for a good fifteen minutes before either of us could even consider moving. Once I was able, I got dressed. My bra didn’t survive the transformation, but I was thrilled my panties were still wearable because I wasn’t in the mood to go commando.
Hewlyxnathin praised my ability to transform at all, even with his help. “With as much magic-dampening as this place has, it is remarkable you did so well.”
Remarkable or not, I still felt a little woozy and was thrilled when Hewlyxnathin yanked a small, square package from his pocket. “I hope you like peanut butter and jelly,” he inquired while handing me the sandwich.
“Thanks,” I replied, peeling back the brown paper wrapper. “I forgot to bring a snack for after.”
I’d forgotten one of the first things Hewlyxnathin had taught me about form-bending: always bring something to eat for when you return to human form. Everyone uses lots of calories during the transformations, and in this case, I think I used about twice as many as usual. In truth, between whatever might be swimming in the sea and the furry creatures I’d noticed running around the steep rocks around the residence, I didn’t think I’d need one. I stupidly hadn’t factored in the rare-earth metal effects on both my metabolism and mind-set because once I struck out on catching any fish, additional hunting completely slipped my mind.
I gobbled down the sandwich, which was the most delicious PB&J ever. Probably anything would have tasted divine at that moment but everything—even the peanut butter—seemed freshly made and inordinately yummy.
“Nothing like protein, fat, and carbs to replenish a depleted Yterixa,” I mumbled as I swallowed the last bite. He then handed me a very cold bottle of water, which I emptied in one continuous chug. “Ah, much better.”
Now that the dizziness was gone, Rufus came to mind. While it was good to see his outdoor exercise needs were being attended to, his post Hailey-making-a-scene quarters still required inspection. “I need to go to the lower level and visit my dog,” I explained as I walked back into the Palace.
Hewlyxnathin’s brow creased. “I thought you were a cat person?”
“Me too,” I responded. I explained how we found Rufus, and the unusual events leading to his current imprisonment in the basement.
“If you don’t mind, I would like to meet this dog of yours. Perhaps I can allay any fears that he is something more than he seems.”
15
I accepted his offer, and we began the trek downstairs. Not only was Hewlyxnathin the Zen-master when it came to all things Yterixa, but he too could form bend. We often kidded each other that our animal forms were somewhat lacking in the cool department, nothing intimidating or awe inspiring about a hawk or a beaver. But you couldn’t pick what you turned into any more than you could make yourself Yterixa, so a big bird and a dam-building rodent we were.
“I appreciate your help, but I thought it was impossible to tell if someone was a form-bender just by looking at them?”
Hewlyxnathin nodded. “True, assuming he is a form-bender,” he added as we neared the door to Rufus’ cell. “In any case, it certainly won’t hurt to take a look; sometimes I can sense one’s ability to transform.”
The guards were the same ones I saw whi
le buzzing Rufus earlier. They all seemed to know who I was in human form, and wordlessly unlocked the door. Describing my close encounter with an arrow to Hewlyxnathin, I griped, “What was with the deadly force? Were they really so worried about a random bird of prey they decided to shoot first and ask questions later?”
“I assume the guards were concerned you might be a threat to their prisoner. Or perhaps with all that is going on, they are more skittish than usual. You must be more careful.”
I hadn’t really thought about how a large hawk swooping around may have looked from the guards’ point of view. With Hewlyxnathin translating, I explained the raptor they almost skewered earlier was actually me. All five looked horrified, and I was immediately wracked with guilt for saying anything.
“This is just between you guys and me, okay?” I promised. “You were just doing your job, and the only reason I brought it up was so if you see me flying around again, you’ll know I’m no threat.”
They seemed relieved, and as Hewlyxnathin and I walked into Rufus’ room, I couldn’t help commenting on the guards’ reaction. “Geez, they really need to chill out. It’s not like anything happened.”
“Yes, but imagine the ramifications had they injured you. This is prime duty, guarding the royal family. Killing the prince’s main-squeeze would most certainly result in a substantial demotion.”
He grinned as he said the last part. I could imagine Alex’s reaction to the mere possibility I was in danger, and it wouldn’t be pretty. “Particularly because their job is to make sure his main-squeeze’s dog doesn’t kill her first,” I remarked, sarcasm dripping with each word.
“Yes, quite ironic indeed.”
At that moment, the canine in question trotted over and nuzzled my hand. “Hey, Buddy,” I cooed while scratching under his chin, “I brought another visitor.”
