Helga gasped. "Since when, Child?

"Oh, you know, here and there. When you're not around. I didn't want to worry you."

"This is a blessing. This is incredible. Can you control your power without words at all?"

"For the most part," Shalee replied.

"Goodness-gracious!" Helga giggled, stealing Shalee's phrase. "You're rubbing off on me, Child. To command your power without words is unheard of on Grayham. I don't know of anyone who has this ability. Perhaps Amar can command simple magic without words, but I highly doubt that he can command the power of teleportation without his staff."

The queen smiled. "Well, I'm able to control most everything without Precious. I don't know how, but it feels natural."

"The G.o.ds have blessed you, Child." Helga sighed. "I think we both know this is your decision."

"Shall we give it a trial run then? I'll stand near the statue over there." Shalee looked at the stone figure as she moved to it. "You know what?" the sorceress said in a matter-of-fact tone.

"What, Child?"

"Some things never change from one world to another. Look at him. Back on Earth, we had statues of men that didn't have their privates covered. They called it art, but I thought it was silly. I like the leaf the sculptor put over his privates."

Helga thought a moment. "I would prefer to see him without the leaf." Her smile widened. "His anatomy is always rock solid, Child." She jumped up and smacked the statue's behind.

Shalee rolled her eyes. "Lordy, I've tainted you. You're becoming incorrigible."

The ladies gave each other a high-five. Helga kissed her hand and blew it in the direction of the leaf for good luck.

Helga then reached out and grabbed Shalee's shoulder. "Oh Child, I forgot to tell you. I did what you said and had BJ touch me on that one spot you told me about and-"

"Stop!" Shalee cried as she covered her ears. "T.M.I." Again, the ladies laughed.

A fair series of moments pa.s.sed before the ladies could collect themselves. Helga continued. "If you aren't going to use words, you should try concentrating, Child. Close your eyes and focus on where you want to be. That's what I would do."

Without answering, Shalee closed her eyes and took a deep breath, then thought of the gra.s.sy area next to the blossoming bushes. She pictured herself standing there.

Helga screamed. "Ohhhh, Child, Child, Child!"

Shalee did not want to open her eyes. She could not tell if her friend's tone was good or bad.

"You did it! I'm so proud of you!"

Shalee opened her eyes and looked around. A big grin appeared on her face. She pulled Helga into her arms and both ladies began to bounce around the garden to celebrate.

Sam walked up. "Is there something you two need to tell me? What's going on?"

Shalee let go of Helga and then pulled Sam into her arms. After a quick wink in Helga's direction, Shalee told Sam to close his eyes.

The next thing the king knew, he was standing in their bedroom. He would have said something, but Shalee held her hands over his lips.

"Shhh. Don't say anything. We have something to celebrate." She pushed him down on the bed and licked her lips.

Sam smiled.

Shalee used her magic to break the leather string that tied the front of his shirt and then ripped it open.

The City of Bloodvain Later that Peak George teleported to an area near the wooden bridge outside the king's castle-lodge. Arriving with all his cats cloaked in a veil of invisibility, he wanted to know how he would be received if the people thought he had arrived alone. The people's faces were cold, but to his surprise, they bowed as he pa.s.sed.

He had left Maldwin visible, and on this sunny Peak, the rat was sitting inside George's pack. The rodent's head was sticking out, and he was shouting gleefully at everyone as they pa.s.sed, "Everything is A-okay, man!"

As the mage entered the throne room, seven barbarian men and six large women were collecting the general's body. One of the men had climbed up onto the beam where Fergus' body was suspended and had a hammer in his hand. No one spoke as George pa.s.sed and took a position next to the king's throne.

Senchae entered the room. Stopping next to George, he lowered into his royal chair and then looked up. "The man on top of the beam is the champion of my arena. His name is Churnach Fergus. He's the general's son. I wouldn't expect a warm reception. I had a long conversation with the family this morning. They understand the general challenged you, but still..."

George turned away and made sure Senchae was the only one who could see his smile. "This is an awkward series of moments. I've never faced a family of someone I've killed before."

Senchae did not appreciate George's lack of sensitivity, but he smiled anyway to appease the mage. "Walk with me for a moment. I think it's best if we take our leave and allow the family the opportunity to retrieve the body and grieve."

The king walked with George into the hallway leading south out of the throne room. The mage shook his head. Everywhere he looked, more of the king's stupid trophies lined the hallway.

"I've been doing some thinking, George. It should take the Serpent King 20 Peaks to arrive once he leaves his city. Do you know how long he's been traveling?"

"I do," the mage responded.

Suddenly, screams echoed from the throne room behind them. George glanced at Senchae and then ran toward the doorway. As they entered, bodies were flying everywhere and falling lifeless to the floor.

The king watched one of the heavyset ladies. .h.i.t the wall on the far side of the room. As she fell limp to the floor, all Senchae could hear was the angry roars of the invisible beasts. A few moments later, the only one left alive was the barbarian champion. He was swinging his hammer through the air, but it was not long before he was disemboweled.

George waited for the commotion to stop. He waved his hand through the air. Seven blood-soaked cats appeared, standing over the bodies, some with large mouthfuls of fresh barbarian. Between Kepler, his brothers' 4,000 pound frames, the 13 deceased barbarians, and the four 2,500 pound tigers, the throne room felt like he had stepped into an episode of The Twilight Zone.

The mage glanced at the king and shrugged. He walked into the room, careful to avoid the pools of blood. "Kep, what the h.e.l.l's going on? Look at the mess you made."

The demon's eyes flashed. "The son of the general said they were going to end you. The men with him said they should do it now while you were close and not heavily guarded. The women agreed and said you were ripe for fertilizing the soil of their gardens. It wasn't wise to wait. Me and the boys ... well ... we took care of it. That's what the Master of the Hunt does."

Senchae responded before George could reply. "I can see that. George, your friends are creating quite the body count. Perhaps we could save the slaughter for the people of the south from now on."

Kepler walked over to the king, looked Senchae in the eyes and growled as he spoke to George. "The big one ... the one he called Churnach Fergus, stated his king wanted you executed, George. I heard him say there was a reward for spilling your life's source." The jaguar anxiously waited to see what Senchae's reaction would be.

Bloodvain turned to look at George. "My friend, I've said nothing. I've sworn my allegiance, and I would not break this oath. I say this on my son's honor."

The demon stared at the king as he made his judgment. He knew George would be angry and would believe the king was untrustworthy. The demon spoke before George could use his magic. "George, speak with me for a moment." Kepler's tone was strong enough to capture the mage's attention. "This is important! You can end him later just as easily as you can end him now. Speak with me in private."

The king found that he was unable to move. Since he had been bound like this before, he knew it was pointless to struggle against George's magic.

The mage followed the demon to the other side of the throne room, weaving their way through the shredded bodies and the snarling cats. The beasts were feasting as if they had gone Peaks without eating.

"What is it, Kep?" George snapped. "I should've gutted him already."

"No, George. I lied. The barbarian's family said nothing about attacking you."

The skin between George's eyes tightened. "Are you trying to mess things up? A deception like this could ruin our relationship with Senchae. I hope you have a good explanation."

Kepler scowled. "I do, but I feel I must remind you that we are partners, and I don't need to explain myself."

George took a step back and held up his hands. "You're right, stud. But if you don't mind, I'd love to know what you're thinking. It would make it easier to seize kingdoms if we're on the same page."

Kepler did not like George's response. It was annoying. After a moment, he set his irritation aside and explained, "The general's family had suffered loss by your claws."

George cut in. "I don't have claws."

The demon-cat rolled his eyes. "Claws, paws, hands ... you know what I meant."

George grinned. "You're right. Just tell me what's up."

The jaguar lowered to his haunches. "I didn't feel it wise to let an angry family live. With their pa.s.sing, there's no one to seek vengeance. Besides, their pa.s.sing served three purposes."

"And what are they?" George queried.

"The first gave me the chance to see if the king was loyal. When I told Senchae his champion said he ordered the attack, I watched his eyes to see if there were signs of deception. If he had ill will toward you, I would've known it. The king considers himself a true ally. He won't be a threat as we dominate territories."

"And the other reasons?"

The demon's tone was sarcastic. "The barbarians gave me and my subjects something to eat, and the third ... I now have a few fresh skeleton warriors to command. Granted, their meat must be devoured, and it will take Peaks before their bones are completely clean. But soon, they'll make a fine addition to my army."

George turned to look as one of the cats tore off a large chunk of a b.l.o.o.d.y thigh muscle off one of the future skeleton's legs. The fresh warriors rose off the floor one by one and stood in formation in front of the demon.

"Are you commanding them with your thoughts?" George queried.

Kepler nodded as the deceased left the throne room to sit amongst the trees outside the castle-lodge with his subjects in tow.

Kepler smiled. "I find that if I let them sit in an open area of the forest, the other animals and the bugs help to clean their bones in an expeditious manner. Give it about 10 Peaks, and they'll be ready to serve."

George reached up to scratch Kepler beneath his chin. "You're one sick cat. I'm so glad you're on my side, but could you please give me some notice before you decide to rip someone else apart?" He leaned forward and gave the cat a quick hug.

Kepler cringed. "Your affection is unnecessary, George. It's degrading."

With a smile, George turned to walk across the room. As he pa.s.sed the king, he waved his hand across Senchae's body. The mage did not offer the king an explanation. Instead, he continued on with the conversation that they were having earlier. "Nine Peaks. The Serpent King has been traveling for 9 Peaks. Where does this leave us?"

The king just stared into the throne room and marveled at the b.l.o.o.d.y scene.

After a moment, George yelled back over his shoulder from down the hallway, "Senchae, are you coming, or what?"

CHAPTER 35.

Water Mist Mares The Hidden G.o.d World Ancients Sovereign IT WAS ALMOST LATE BAILEM before Lasidious showed up at the Hall of Judgment to announce where the first piece of crystal was. The G.o.d knew the other members of the Collective and the Book of Immortality had been waiting. They were all sitting around the large, stone table where the Book's golden stand rested.

"Thank you for coming," Lasidious announced. "The moment has come to give the location of the first piece of the Crystal Moon. As I'm sure you can imagine, it has been hidden on Grayham."

Mosley interrupted. "I was under the impression you were going to divulge the location of the first two pieces."

"And I shall do that, but not on this Peak. Shall I continue, or does anyone else have a question?" Lasidious looked around the table. "As I was about to say, the first piece has been hidden on Scorpion Island at the center of Lake Zandra. I'll-"

Alistar interrupted. After adjusting his robe and running his hands through his short, brown hair, he looked at Lasidious through a pair of brown eyes that complemented his thin face. "That lake is haunted by the mares you created when we crafted these worlds. You know they're deadly. The people of Southern Grayham make it a point to steer clear of the lake. The mares could destroy the armies of every kingdom if you had not bound them to the water."

Hosseff, the shade-G.o.d, cut in, "How do you expect the mortals to get to the island? The mares patrol the lake's surface. If they aren't there when the armies try to cross, they'll be there before they get to the other side. We all know what will happen then. Their demise will be quick, and if they do manage to get to the island, the Scorpion King's kind will rip them apart. I don't see any way for either side to get this piece of crystal."

Lasidious chuckled. "Do you really think that I'd put the crystal where it stood no chance of recovery? There's no fun in failure. I told you I don't want the worlds destroyed. This is just a game. The mist mares do have a weakness."

Everyone in the room nodded, but Calla was the one to speak. Her voice was soft and silky. "I would like to be reminded of this weakness. Too many seasons have pa.s.sed." She brushed her short, auburn hair aside and then made sure the sapphires on her headpiece were centered on her forehead before she reached down to ensure her dress was tucked around her knees.

Lasidious shook his head. "I'm not going to tell you the answer. It would ruin the game."

Mosley could not believe the ignorance of his team. They had known the G.o.d of Mischief for too many seasons, yet they still insisted on asking questions that they knew would never be answered.

Walking around the table, the wolf decided to take control the conversation. "Lasidious, correct me if I'm wrong, but there must be a twist. I believe you should provide a clue to the people. This way, they might stand a chance against the mares."

Lasidious admired the wolf as he watched Mosley sniff the base of Yaloom's chair. "You know, Mosley, I'm proud to have you as one of us. There are moments when I get sick of how witless the others have become."

As the room exploded, Mosley and Lasidious held each other's gaze, a mutual respect pa.s.sing between them as the voices of the Collective echoed off the marble walls. The fact they were pursuing different goals did not matter.

Lasidious ignored the fuss for a bit longer before he turned his attention back to the table. "Shut up! I don't care if you dislike how I feel. If it was up to me, the only one in this room I'd keep around would be Mosley. If I had the power to do so, I'd destroy all of you."

The G.o.d glanced around the table at the angry faces. When he came to Mieonus and Calla, he offered peace of mind. "Now that I think about it, I would also keep the two of you. You too, Jervaise ... your beauty is without equal when you've materialized. Your ghostly form is far too beautiful to destroy." The Mischievous One's attention turned to the lizardian. "But you, Lictina ... you're about the most unsightly thing I've ever seen. Put your tongue back in your mouth, and sit down."

Those complimented smiled as Lictina lowered to her chair and continued to express her hostility.

The Book of Immortality floated across the table toward Lasidious and then commanded everyone's attention. "It doesn't matter how Lasidious feels. As long as he doesn't act on his impulses, he's allowed to hate the members of this collective. You all came for a reason. Get the information you're after, and then leave my hall until Lasidious is ready to reveal the location of the next piece."

Lasidious reached into his robe and produced two scrolls. He tossed them onto the table. "I have written a riddle on each. They read the same. I'll give one to both teams. If any of you give the answer to the beings on Grayham, or a.s.sist in any way, the scrolls will disappear and return to me. If this happens, I shall destroy the Crystal Moon."

Mosley walked to the head of the table. He reared up and placed his front paws on its edge and then used his power to open one of the scrolls. It read: Water mist mares of Zandra, Beautiful, yet deadly.

A soul reflection, Their nature is in war, Governing the lake from sh.o.r.e to sh.o.r.e.

Mosley dropped to his hind quarters and then scratched the back of his neck. "Sam will figure this out before he's finished reading. It's clear what you're trying to say."

Yaloom looked at Mosley. The G.o.d of Greed played with the rings on his fingers as he spoke. "You understand what has been written? Speak, wolf. What's so clear about it?"

Mosley shook his head. "Yaloom, I would rather leave you in a state of confusion. You dominate no pack of your own, and you would divulge the answer to George."

"Who says I'm going to give the parchment to George?" Yaloom snapped. "Maybe I intend to take this information elsewhere."

Mosley shook his head. "Only you would make a fool's decision. Perhaps I should give you the answer to the riddle. You'd only end up helping my team anyway, Yaloom."

The wolf turned his attention back to the laughing G.o.d of Mischief. "You're right, Lasidious, the intelligence in this room is far from suffocating. I've never seen this much stupidity in one den."