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The path leading up to Jo'rhun atop the towering spire seemed endless. We had to exercise a higher level of caution because it had become apparent that Meeka could not detect all of the traps that awaited us. Being used as live bait wasn't my idea of ideal, but I was at least equipped for it. The length of the path and constant use of magic by Meeka was obviously having its effect.

The sun had not yet made its appearance through the clouds above the spire, and each time we left the southern face of the spire, the wind threatened to throw us from the path. I held Meeka pressed against my side until we rounded the next bend on the path, then set her aside.

"Wait here," I instructed.

Meeka, eyes half-open while she stared down at the floating book in front of her, dully nodded. She lowered her hand from above the book, and it dropped back to dangle at her side. Her head rested against the spire, and she removed her reading glasses and closed her eyes.

I looked back to see Nadalo round the bend behind us with Sidik right at her side. Of the two, Nadalo was more stable in the wind. But I doubted that Sidik needed to have her hand clasping one of Nadalo's breasts through my cloak.

Nadalo smacked Sidik's hand, and the Sekrit shook it, finally leaving Nadalo's side. "What is wrong?" Nadalo asked simply, her gaze on me.

I cleared my throat to stifle the small snicker at Sidik blowing on her hand. The Athra clearly hadn't been gentle. "I think Meeka needs a moment to rest."

Nadalo glanced at the Suplicyte, then back to me. She stepped past Sidik to look over the edge of the path. Apparently seeing all she wanted to, she walked back to Meeka, put her hand on the young Suplicyte's forehead, then rested the back of her fingers on her cheek. The Athra then slipped her hand back under her cloak. "Very well. But we cannot rest for long."

I nodded. "Of course." Curiosity compelled me to look over the edge of the path myself. We had managed to traverse almost two thirds of the way up the spire. I was uncertain how long it had taken. The absence of the sun did not help.

The sound of heavy cloth ruffling drew my attention, and I turned my head. The Athra was seated against the wall of the spire and had Meeka in her lap. My cloak was wrapped around both of them, making them look like little more than a pair of heads sticking up out of a small tent. Meeka looked briefly surprised, but a whisper in her ear from Nadalo caused the Suplicyte to swiftly relax. She smiled subtly, closed her eyes, and let her head rest back on the Athra's shoulder, cheek to cheek.

I wasn't certain what Nadalo had said, but Meeka looked like she felt comfortable and safe. I wondered if Nadalo had used some small charm as a Shield of Athra to make her feel that way.

The sound of a solid snap over my other shoulder drew my attention to Sidik. In her hand was a circular device made of metal which she tucked into her pocket. The split in her armor gaped briefly, but she caught it and tucked it back into her belt, muttering.

"What was that?" I asked.

Sidik glanced at me, then pulled the metal device out again. She opened the panel on the face of it, and a sundial's gnomon stood up from a face marked with hour lines. "It's a walking sundial," she noted.

I looked up at the clouds, then back down at the 'walking sundial'. Though the sun was absent, there was a distinct shadow cast from a light much brighter than what shown on a cloudy day. "How is it doing that?"

Sidik pointed at the standing gnomon. "This is tebulite."

I straightened. That answer didn't make much sense. "Tebulite only casts a shadow in the light of the sun." I motioned toward the sky. "There is no sunlight here."

"You're half right," Sidik remarked as she closed the walking sundial. "Tebulite does only cast a shadow from sunlight." She pointed toward the sky. "But it always casts a shadow, no matter what is between it and the sun." Tucking the walking sundial into her pocket, she put her hands on the hilts of her short swords. "The Knives of Espara learned of it from miners who found the ore. When they figured out what it does, they used it to tell the time of day while underground. It even casts a shadow at night. All you have to do is invert the walking sundial, and it will tell you the time of night too."

"Why would I want to know the time when I'm asleep?" I asked.

Sidik ticked her finger in the air. "Not all work that is done is done under the sun, Delvara."

I folded my arms. There were still many things I didn't know about the Knives of Espara and the work they did. Most of the night, the Swords of Espara simply slept unless given the night watch or...

An image flashed into my head and I rubbed my eyes. "Sidik, I just have to ask. Why do you have body runes..." I glanced down at her waist and gestured at her lap with my hand, "there?"

Sidik stared at me for a moment, then laughed. She seemed to be briefly attacked by a fit of laughter before turning a grin on me. "Delvara, we Knives work a lot in information gathering and the study of enemy tactics so that the Orders of Espara may exploit a foe's weakness." She folded her arms again, her expression turning calm and serious. "Sometimes, that involves sleeping with enemy soldiers and officers. But it would not do for a Knife of Espara to have a child sired by our enemies." She put her hand on her belly. "Until such a time that I am ready to bear a child of my own, I have been given body runes that will prevent such a thing from happening."

I stared at Sidik, feeling my face heating up. The Knives of Espara used their servants as weapons of a kind I had never considered. It was certainly not a practice of the Swords of Espara. "Oh. I-I see." I cleared my throat and did my best to drive the warmth from my cheeks with the cool backside of my metal gauntlet. "I didn't know the Knives used such tactics."

Sidik turned her head to look at me sidelong. "I know that the Swords don't use those same methods, but you're awfully red right now, Delvara." She stepped up to me, sticking her chest out and nearly rubbing against me. "What did you think that they were there for?"

"I had absolutely no idea," I answered quickly. "It just seemed so... perverse."

"Well, now you know," Sidik replied as she turned away. "I'm no angel either way, but even I'd reconsider body runes _there_if they didn't have a practical use." She walked a short distance up the path ahead and stopped, watching the road.

I turned to look back over the edge of the path. I wasn't certain I'd be comfortable with having body runes inked into place there regardless of whether they had a practical function.

Remembering why we had stopped, I looked back at Meeka and Nadalo. Meeka looked as though she was asleep. I could see Nadalo's hands moving beneath the cloak still wrapped around the two of them. It looked like she was keeping the Suplicyte warm. I walked to the two of them and knelt down.

"Will she be ready to carry on soon?"

"Soon enough," Nadalo replied more quietly than usual. "I have put a sleep charm on her that will help her recover her strength more rapidly than usual. Little will disturb her in this state until she awakens on her own."

Sidik called out. "Aaaaand if we were to be attacked?"

Nadalo answered without looking up. "She would remain asleep."

I heard Sidik's short swords ring as they slid out of her sheathes. "You might want to find a way to wake her up fast, then!"

I jerked my head back to look over my shoulder. Sidik was standing in the middle of the path with her stance wide and her short swords clutched in hand. Beyond and swiftly running toward her was a whole group of Vildekin wolves, their jaws open, their hands and feet gripping the ground as they charged. Each one was significantly larger than Sidik with powerful muscles sheathed in black and grey fur. Males and females alike were rushing toward the Sekrit with hungry eyes.

"Athra--" I started, drawing my bastard sword.

"Go," she interrupted. "Meeka and I will be safe enough."

I turned immediately and rushed up the road to stand at Sidik's side. As the Vildekin reached us, they leapt. I crouched and raised my blade so that the leaping wolf man glided straight across its edge. He crashed to the ground behind me, clutching his bloodied chest.

Sidik thrust her own short swords forward and caught another leaping Vildekin right through the top of his chest, rolled back with his weight and kicked him in the stomach. He sailed into the air, flying over the ledge at the edge of the path and howling as he fell toward the forest below.

Those who trailed behind the lead attackers kept their feet on the ground as they attacked. I quickly pulled my faceplate down to protect myself and swung my blade, lopping off one Vildekin's hand. Sidik fought with more agility than strength, finding openings in their attacks into which to insert her sharp short swords. Unable to muscle past the two of us, we had them stymied as we cut down the vicious brawlers.

I believed that we were holding them back well enough until I heard Nadalo rapidly shout a word from behind us.

"Defenestreth," came her calm, but loud shout.

I could see nothing happen, but the word had the characteristics of a spell phrase. I bashed a Vildekin on top of his head, then struck him in the jaw with my gauntlet-sheathed fist before spinning about to see if the Athra was still all right.

I froze. Nadalo had been yanked up from the ground by a female Vildekin wolf. She had the Athra's shoulders pulled back and her arms stretched out to either side. Meeka remained in the cloak on the ground with her eyes closed. I could see dust whirling around her, and the male Vildekin wolf who thrust his hand at her drew it back with a pained howl. There were cuts on the palm of his hand, and he turned a baleful glare on Nadalo.

I started to charge for the Athra, but a heavy weight crashed down on me from behind. I slammed into the path, my face striking a rock. Though my face plate protected me from the impact, I was jarred by the blow. I felt my arms pried back behind me by overpowering muscle and my ankles grabbed. The Vildekin on top of me used my arms to pry my torso up as a third started clawing at my faceplate. Their claws raked across the Armor of Espara, but they could not penetrate it.

Though I fought to get up, I found myself held tight and staring at the Athra and her attackers.

Nadalo retained her calm expression as she lifted her feet. The Vildekin woman holding her shoulders remained standing, barely noticing the change in weight. It did give Nadalo the chance to kick the Vildekin male in the chest, staggering him back a step. But her strength was meager compared to the powerful beast man.

Grabbing one ankle and then the other, the Vildekin yanked her legs out to either side, openly exposing her loins. As he pulled himself up between them, I gasped. Protruding from the black fur between his thighs was a long, thick pole of pulsing, red meat. He mashed it against her lap, smearing it over her folds and growling at her. Her face looked red, but her expression remained surprisingly calm. Her mouth was moving as though chanting to maintain the protective spell around Meeka.

The Vildekin woman shifted her grip and trapped Nadalo's arms behind her head, using only one of her own powerful limbs to restrain them both. Her hand came up to clutch one of Nadalo's breasts, mashing it so tightly that her flesh bulged between the Vildekin's digits. The Athra faltered in her chanting for a moment, and the swirling dust around Meeka wavered. But Nadalo resumed her chanting, louder, and the whirl of dust around the Suplicyte became strong again.

It only seemed to infuriate the male. He growled something to the female, and she let go of Nadalo's breast. When the male let go of Nadalo's legs, the female knelt down with Nadalo's arms still restrained until the male grabbed her wrists. She tried to turn her head only for the female to grab it and turn it back. Then, the Athra's chanting ceased, and her eyes flew wide open as nearly a foot of hot, throbbing meat was jammed into her mouth. Her throat bulged, and her eyes snapped shut as she gagged and coughed.

The whirling wind around Meeka ceased, and the female Vildekin let go of Nadalo's head. She climbed around the Athra and grabbed my cloak, yanking it from around the Suplicyte and throwing it aside. Meeka simply fell over onto her side, still unconscious. The female Vildekin grabbed Meeka's robe and shoved it up, uncovering her legs and letting her breasts flop free of the garment. The Suplicyte did not stir as she was exposed to the animalistic woman.

I could see no more then as the Vildekin on my back grew tired of clawing at my armor. Yanking me over onto my side, one of them made the mistake of letting my arm slip from his grip. I jammed a sharp punch into the face of one Vildekin and backhanded the other as he tried to grab for my hand. The third got a solid grip on my bicep, but he let out a gurgled grunt of surprise as Sidik's blade thudded into his chest. He fell back limply as I struggled back to my feet.

"Get Meeka!" Sidik shouted as she ducked under a swiping set of claws.

I turned back, grabbed my blade, and charged for the female Vildekin stripping the young Suplicyte. But she was not so fixated on Meeka as to miss my approach. She leaped to her feet and deflected the stroke of my blade with her claws. Though I fought to get past her, she showed more skill than the other Vildekin. She leaped back when I slashed at her legs and ducked under my next stroke, lunging. She caught my shoulder in the crook of her elbow and grabbed the top of my helm. Then, she leaped back and smashed my face down against the ground.

Once more, I felt dazed as she yanked me over onto my back and sat down on my breastplate. She pinned both of my wrists to the ground and shoved her crotch against my chin, forcing my head back. I kicked and tried to push myself up, but she was so strong. I found myself forced to stare upside down at Nadalo again.

The Vildekin male had pulled Nadalo forward and kept her restrained by her wrists. His red phallus disappeared from side with every thrust of his hips. Saliva dribbled down the Athra's chin while he abused her throat, and even over the noise of the nearby wind, I could hear the loud, sloppy slurping sound of Nadalo gulping, gagging, and choking to breath.

Then, he pinned her nose against his lower belly. Keeping her arms yanked back behind him, he let out a long, canine howl. I watched his length swell between her lips and bulge more fully in her throat. She coughed, squeezing her eyes tightly shut, then coughed again. White seven trickled out of her nose before she started swallowing hard, over and over again.

The Vildekin woman pulled her hips back, and I jerked my head down, looking away from the Athra. The female holding me down growled at me, but her ears suddenly flew up, and she leaped off me just as Sidik tried to grab at her.

I rolled over and rose to my feet, ready to charge. The Vildekin woman growled at me, but turned her head and barked at the male now beside her. He looked back over his shoulder at her, then back down at Nadalo. Dragging his length from her mouth, he kicked her onto her side. The Athra coughed raggedly and clutched at her throat, trying to get her breath as white seed dripped from the side of her mouth.

The female looked ready to scoop Meeka up as though to carry her off, but this time, she was too slow. Before she could pick the Suplicyte up, Sidik and I were in range and swiped at her and the male with our blades. The two of them backed off rapidly. I could hear Nadalo struggling to her feet, and the male looked past us to see her rising. He growled at the female who shot him a quick glance.

They immediately turned tail on us and ran into the wind. Sidik and I chased after them, but before we could strike them, they bounded into the air. Their strong claws found purchase on the rocky side of the spire, and they climbed almost as swiftly as I could move on the ground.

"Cowards!" Sidik screamed up at them. "Come back here so I can rip your balls off, you mangy bitchspawn!"

I growled. Our enemies were in flight, and without Meeka, we couldn't reach them. The thought of Meeka and Nadalo compelled me to check on them instead of shouting obscenities at an enemy clearly no longer interested in fighting. Nadalo was leaning on the wall and holding her throat, white strands of semen dripping off her lips. She wiped her arm across her mouth, smearing them away as best she could.

"Are you all right, Athra?" I asked, quickly rushing to her.

She coughed again and cupped her throat again, speaking hoarsely. "I am not injured." She quickly pointed to Meeka. "See that Meeka... is unharmed."

I hesitated, concerned about Nadalo's voice. But unwilling to disobey her order, I moved to Meeka and knelt down over her. Her robes were shoved up to her neck, and her body was bare up to her breasts. The chain which held her book around her waist had been shoved up over her breasts, both holding her robes up and pressing on the top of her breasts, accentuating their shape. I found myself given pause. She had a youthful figure with shapely, curvacious hips and full, beautiful breasts. The sight of her naked made me blush deeply and for a different reason than I had before. She was a beautiful young woman.

I shook my head and yanked her robe back down to cover her again. I had no desire in all Mid Espara for her to wake and see me gawking at her. At least in my staring I had seen that she had not been harmed. Scooping her up in my arms, I turned back to Nadalo.

"She's not hurt," I stated quickly.

"Good." Nadalo's voice remained hoarse as she pushed off the wall.

Sidik grabbed my cloak and quickly threw it around Nadalo. She pulled it tightly closed, then glared back at me. There was anger in her eyes, but I didn't understand why it was fixated on me.

Once Nadalo was on her feet and covered again, Sidik walked up to me. She glared at me, looked down at Meeka, then back up at me. "Pull up your face plate. The Vildekin are gone."

I wasn't certain why she wanted me to uncover my face, but I did as she asked. I leaned my head down so that I could reach my faceplate with the arm I had around Meeka's upper torso. When I pushed up on the metal, the scaled layers of it slid back up into my helm. I straightened, but my head was immediately thrown to the side as Sidik smacked me across the cheek.

"What the hell are you doing here?!" she demanded vehemently. "You're fucking useless!"

I leaned my head back, then tilted further away when she tried to smack me again. I felt the air rush over my face as she missed my nose by the breadth of a fingernail. I ducked down to put Meeka on the ground, but held her against my lap and glared up at Sidik.

"I do not have the strength to lift three Vildekin at once, Sidik!"

"You shouldn't have gotten pinned down in the first place!" she hissed back at me. "Learn to move in that armor, or get rid of it!"

"Sidik," Nadalo said, her voice clearer but still edged by rasp. "None of us were ready for that attack. Do not blame Delvara for me being overpowered."

Sidik jerked her head back to glare at Nadalo, her finger pointed at my face. "Isn't that what she's here for?! To protect you and Meeka?!"

"I ordered her to help you," Nadalo insisted immediately. "This was my error, not hers." She slowly straightened, holding the cloak closed with crossed hands. "I put Meeka to sleep. I faltered in maintaining my concentration on the protective spell. I failed to keep Delvara from being outnumbered. It is my duty to see that you meet your enemies on advantageous or at least even terms."

"What happened?" came Meeka's voice, interrupting the exchange.

Sidik looked back at Meeka, then to Nadalo again. She huffed angrily and turned away, resting her hands on the hilts of her short swords.

Nadalo stepped forward and directed me to stand. I set Meeka's feet down, then straightened up with her. Nadalo let her hands fall from the edges of the cloak. "Nothing about which you need worry, Meeka." She reached down and lifted the Suplicyte's book, holding it up for her. "Are you ready to continue?"

Meeka blinked at Nadalo, then took the book in both hands. "Yes. Yes, I'm ready." She opened the book and held one hand open over it. The book floated in place, and she turned to face the path ahead.

Sidik stomped her way past Meeka, snagging her arm and pulling her ahead a few paces. Then, she simply folded her arms and walked. Meeka looked at her, startled, but quickly turned her attention back to her book, embarrassed.

Nadalo drew in a deep breath and slowly let it out. She turned and started up the path, pausing only to look back at me. "Come. We best not let them get too far ahead."

I moved up to Nadalo's side and bit my lip. "Athra, why did you lie to Meeka?"

"I did not," Nadalo quietly replied. "Meeka does not need to feel guilty that she was asleep when we were attacked. I put her to sleep." She turned to look at me then. "If she thinks she might have been able to help, it will only make her regret that she could not."

I looked back up to Meeka. Looking back down at the ground, I mumbled. "Her magic would have helped."

"I know. But again," she turned her head to look back up at Meeka, "it was my fault that we did not have it." She rubbed her throat, closing her eyes. She coughed again, then wiped away the white from her lip before speaking hoarsely for a moment. "I couldn't even bite."

I looked back at Nadalo one more time, then turned my eyes ahead. The Vildekin could have killed Nadalo and Meeka, but they had chosen to assault and molest them instead, even though Sidik and I had killed several of them. I wondered. The Sorceress had already shown a penchant for traps meant to molest and rape instead of causing physical damage. The Vildekin should have tried to tear Nadalo and Meeka apart. My previous experience told me that well enough.

It became clear to me then that the Vildekin had to be under Tanaleer Ivok's control. And that lent all the more credence to Sidik's rumor that she was responsible for their attack on Kepit and other border towns.