“That would be mean,” Karen said from the sofa where she sat with Fluff. Her eyes traced Stacia’s form, a soft sigh escaping her lips unbidden when Stacia covered up.
“Karen?” Fluff asked as she pulled her eyes away from Stacia as well. “Do you still like women?”
Karen blinked, taken by surprise by such a blunt question like that from Fluff. “Err, well, yeah. I mean, I thought that it was kind of clear that I like both sides of the fence. I was happy with Alburet and Stacia, when he used to let me join them.”
“Doesn’t it make you bad? Liking women, I mean?” Fluff asked, curling in on herself where she sat.
“I don’t think so,” Karen replied gently. “Stacia, you want to weigh in?”
“I think love is love, it can never be bad,” Stacia replied.
“I think two women loving each other is a wonderful thing,” Alburet added. “Then again, most men feel that way. I’ll go one farther, though. Two guys in love doesn’t bother me. Well, unless they try to include me, as I just don’t feel that way about other men. I don’t think it’s wrong to love who you want to love, as long as everyone is an adult and consents.”
“Oh,” Fluff said as she huddled more.
Stacia went to Fluff and knelt down next to her, whispering into her ear. Karen leaned in gently, stroking Fluff’s ears, to listen in to what Stacia was saying. Alburet frowned, wondering what kind of hell Fluff had gone through for her to be so reserved and timid around others. He shook his head and was wondering if he should join the other two huddled around her when his message icon began flashing.
Message from Ioaniss Jones:
Alburet, thank you for the opportunity to speak to the Dark Lord. He was gracious enough to grant me both a relic and a book recording its history once we completed his test. This wouldn’t have been possible without you, and I shall remember this in days to come.
Message from Rolland Magiblood:
Alburet, we completed the Dark Lord’s test. Kim will be back to work tomorrow, we need a day to rest as the test was quite difficult. The Dark Lord gave me a text that he says will answer some of my questions. I feel indebted to you and will look to repay it when I am able. Please, if you need any help, let me know and I will do my best for you. You have my thanks.
Message from Kim Magiblood:
My friend will be with me tomorrow when I come back to work. I already informed Erin that I will not be in today. My husband is a little exuberant over the Dark Lord’s gift to him, so thank you for that, and everything you’ve done for us. See you tomorrow.
Alburet closed the interface, just in time for the icon to start flashing again. Sighing, he looked up to see the women wiping their eyes and getting to their feet, so he checked the new message.
Message from Gerald:
We’ll meet you at the Portal Guild in fifteen minutes. I’ll tell Fluff and Karen. See you there.
“Gerald is heading over to the portal Guild,” he told them. “Everyone good to go?”
“I need to grab me blades,” Stacia said, and hurried off to do so.
“We’re good,” Karen said as she and Fluff went to stand next to the door.
Stacia returned a moment later and the group headed out. They met up with Gerald and Marysue, who blinked at Alburet’s change. “I’ll explain as we hunt,” Alburet told them, “it’s a long story.”
“I can’t wait to hear it,” Gerald laughed. “Nothing is ever simple with you, it seems.”
Chapter Seventeen
Alburet caught the receptionist seated at the desk in the Portal Guild staring as they made their way to the stairs. He tipped his crown to her with a smile, “Good day to you as well, miss.”
Stacia glanced from the woman to Alburet as they went past, “Are ya goin’ to do tha’ to all of them?”
“Pretty damn much,” he said as they climbed the stairs. “I can ignore it, get mad about it, or give them a bit of sarcasm.”
“Well, glad to know which one it’s going to be, then,” Karen laughed from in front of them. “Can’t say I’m really surprised, though, am I right?”
“He does tend to go with sarcasm,” Fluff agreed.
Chuckling, Alburet pulled the hood of his cloak up so it covered his face, as much to hide it as to help cut the wind when they stepped out into the cold of the north. “There, now it won’t matter as much.”
They found the right floor and stepped through the archway to the Snowblind Fort. When they arrived, a light snow was falling around them and the guards at the gate were bundled up in parkas. “Two-souled are finally back,” one of them called into the courtyard. Turning back to face the group he continued, “We’re glad you folks are starting to show up again. Going out into the storm is not a pleasant thing.”
Karen shivered, “Colder then I recall.”
“You can dampen it by turning down the settings some, though if you’re not warm enough you’ll get hit with the debuff.” Gerald said, fiddling with his interface, “Frigid, which causes your teeth to chatter making your spells take 10% longer to cast and Shivering, which reduces your melee damage by 10%.”
Karen looked at her status bar, “Clear of it for now.”
“It’s when we get out into the blizzard that it will pick up,” Marysue said. “If you have any extra clothes, put them on over your armor now.”
“Warm clothing is for sale in the store inside the walls if you’re not prepared,” the guard told them.
“Thank you,” Karen said, heading into the keep. “I’ll catch up in a moment. Going to see what they have.”
“We probably all should,” Gerald commented then looked at Alburet and Stacia again. “Well except for them, they probably got extra clothes during the wedding.”
“Aye,” Stacia replied. “We have some suited for the southern climes as well.”
“Okay, see you guys in a few minutes then,” Gerald said as he and the others entered the courtyard and headed for the shop.
“They were not prepared,” the guard chuckled.
Alburet glanced at the guard’s name and suppressed his laughter, “Sums it up pretty well, Illider Snowhater.” He lifted his head and shifted his cloak slightly to meet the guard’s gaze. “No one is always prepared, after all.”
The guard’s eyes went from happy to flat as he looked at Alburet. “You are free to enter the keep, but don’t cause any issues.”
“I never have,” Alburet replied as he took Stacia’s arm and walked past the two guards.
“Now what is a fine lady like that doing with a guy who has tainted blood?” the other guard asked after they went by.
Alburet shook his head and kept walking, he knew this was going to be tougher. He was going to have to deal with all the small-minded digs that would be thrown at him. His reputation with the guards was still good, so if he announced himself it should cut that way down. That seemed like a bit much to have to do, then again, his change was probably not common knowledge yet. Once it got out he was sure it would cause ripples.
The couple walked into the fort proper. Once inside, Alburet put his hood down and brushed at his hair, “It might be slightly more taxing than I had thought to put up with the looks and comments.”
“Ya can do it, Asthore,” Stacia said, giving his arm a squeeze.
“Do all half-blood Succubi show no overt signs, like you?”
“Nay tha’ we know of,” Stacia replied. “Mayhap it be tha’ since Succubi can change form later tha’ it does nay show?”
“Weird, but okay.” Alburet wondered if maybe half-bloods were more common than believed, since Succubi could effectively hide their nature. He was still considering it when Gerald and the others caught up to them, now dressed in thicker clothing.