Another man joined Hank, and they both searched for her. She wondered if she misunderstood the situation. “Here we go,” said Herman. She saw a flash of blue from a crystal and leaned backward. When the ring touched the necklace, she hissed and squeezed her eyes shut. A fiery glow shot down her spine and up into her skull. Her entire body tingled and a golden fog muddled her thoughts. When she opened her eyes, she staggered and held onto the rough wooden wall for support.

  “What did you do to me?” gasped Alex.

  “The dizziness and the sensitivity will pass,” Herman said. “Ah, I envy you: young and destined for adventure. That necklace is bound to you now. It will protect you from most spells and disease. While other people are sick, you will feel well and whole.” He clasped his hands and focused on her crotch. “Now, how would you like to see some of our chastity piercings? Many masters and mistresses insist upon it.”

  She glanced at her pelvis and said with a shrill voice, “No! I don’t want … well … you know what, locked up.”

  “Ah, I see. Would you like to look at our leashes? I have some beautiful models. The one I’m thinking of has a sturdy leather grip with a silver link chain. It’s most becoming: beautiful but fierce, as any warrior woman deserves.” Herman strolled over to a display wall near him.

  Alex saw Sam. When he spoke with Hank, the stranger withdrew. Then Sam pointed at the ship window and walked toward the door. She sucked in a gasp and grabbed at the necklace. “How do you get this thing off,” she muttered. Her fingers circled the band but could not work the clasp. She danced about and searched for a place to hide.

  “Here we go,” Herman said and clipped the lead to Alex’s choker. “You see. It offers very delicate control.” He held the leash with two fingers and led her around the shop. Something compelled her to follow him and submit to him. When she tried to grab the leash, her hand burnt like fire. “You see. It’s finely tuned and effortless, like a man leading you in a waltz.”

  The door opened with a clang of a doorbell. Hank and Sam entered. Alex’s lips moved, but no sound escaped. She pressed her arms to her side and stood straight and rigid. “Oh my god,” she exclaimed.

  Sam said, “Oh, I see you changed your mind about getting a necklace. You look nice. It’s simple but becoming. I approve.”

  “You must be her master,” Herman said and handed him the leash. “She is a rare gem. You are a very lucky elvan. She declined chastity adornment, but perhaps you are of a different mind. I could show you several attractive accessories.”

  “Ooohhh,” she said and tried to grab the leash again. She stamped her right foot and clenched her fists. “I am not a dog.”

  “I’ll bill council for the necklace and the leash,” Henry said. “Shall I pair it your signet ring. It’s free.”

  “No thank you,” he said.

  “Get this leash off me!” After he let go of the leash, she strode from the shop and stood in the center of the plaza. When Hank and Sam exited the shop, she stamped her right foot and clenched her fists. “Son of a bitch!” she exclaimed. She fought to remove the leash and tugged at it. “Damn it, damn it, damn it.”

  “Here, let me,” Sam said in a soft voice. He tilted his head and examined the leash, drawing close to her. “It comes off real easy like.” When she felt his hot breath on her skin, her legs became weak, and for a moment, she was lost in his eyes. “Here we go.” He unclipped the leash and shoved it in his pocket. Then he released the necklace’s mechanism and let it slid off her neck. He handed it to her and said, “It’s bound to you now, but you don’t have to wear it. However, you do have to keep it on your person.”

  “Oh yeah,” she said and hurled it away from her and watched it fall. A second later, it reappeared on her neck. She tried this two more times, cursing with each throw, and in the end, she crossed her arms and pouted. “I hate this.”

  Sam knew when to avoid a topic with a woman, and he said, “We have a meeting with the rest of our group this afternoon.”

  Chapter 5

  Alex sat near the far window wall, lingered in silence, and brooded. Her right hand slid around her necklace, seeking in vain a means of release the magic that bound it to her. Discovering none, she brooded, slipped her pinky finger through the D-ring, and tugged. The tingle at neck assured her that the choker bonded to her flesh. Random tingles flared in up patches over the surface of her body, and electric surges shot down her spine.

  “… Let’s get started by introducing ourselves. I’m Captain Samuel Ash of the Seventh Calvary.” He turned toward the next person and waited.

  “Oh, it’s my turn. I’m Hank Grafton. I came here as a boy when our car and the highway switched to this world.” He held his hands toward the next person. “Your turn.”

  “Tormod,” the dwarf said. He crossed his arms, leaned back, and puffed his pipe. “I’m a Master Miner, and battle tested.”

  “Tormod has agreed to guide us to Mornkul Mountain and the city of the dead, Glanim,” Sam said. Tormod nodded and blew a plume of smoke.

  “I’m Lyra, and I’m coming.” She glared at them with crossed arms and a scowl. Her necklace was different: her clan’s crest was gone, and it now had wings, the same as Alex’s necklace. The blank oval marked her as an unattached warrior, a freelance agent. Two of the embellishments, symbols of her accomplishments, included black scrollwork. Alex had no idea what they meant, but they gave a clear impression of her prowess as a warrior.

  Kaylin, also an elva, sat next to Lyra. She looked upon the others with dewy eyes, as pleading for them to like her. “I’m Kaylin. I can help,” she said, on the verge of tears.

  “Alex Dubois,” she hissed, and with narrow eyes, she dared anyone to comment on her necklace. The men leaned back and furrowed their brows. Her aggression baffled them.

  “Stirling,” said a callow young man. The name summed up his being, but he felt the need to justify his presence. “I scored highest in my class at archery and survival training. Also, I am a level-one sorcerer. I can start campfires with a snap of my fingers, and my trainers certified in wilderness survival. I can live off leaves and berries.” He laughed. “One time, a recruit wandered into a patch of poison oak and dropped his trousers. He squatted down to take a —“

  “Thanks,” Sam said, cutting off the young man. “Save that story for a more appropriate time.” He glanced at Alex, to indicate that there were ladies present. Alex’s snarl defused into a pout, and her arms slipped down to the armrests, lying limp.

  “I don’t do laundry,” Alex stated.

  “Good to know,” Sam said.

  “But are you a good cook?” asked Hank. Tormod drew the pipe stem from his lips and waited to hear the response. All dwarves share a love of malt beer and rich foods, often giving them gout.

  “I can cook, I guess. I took a few gourmet cooking classes,” she mumbled.

  “Wonderful,” Hank said with a grin. “We’ll eat fine on this trip.”

  “Do you have any medical training,” asked Tormod. “We could use a medic.”

  “I was trained as a field medic in the army. I volunteered for rescues with our local fire brigade.” Alex though the conversation had gone askew. “I can fight, too.”

  “It’s settled,” Tormod said. “Alex will be our expedition mother.”

  “But —“ stammered Alex.

  “Thanks, Alex. It’s always comforting knowing a hot meal and well provision camp awaits you,” Sam said. Alex slouched and sulked. She imagined herself a hero, not a nursemaid. “Let’s take a look at the topographical map of the territory. Our objective is Mornkul Mountain ….”

  Alex crossed her legs, which was distracting, considering the phantom aches of her missing male appendages, and she tried to focus on the briefing. She tugged on the lapel of her bolero jacket, but it provided little covering. Sam discussed the proposed trail, possible dangers, and their ultimate goal, Mornkul Mountain. However, Alex’s breasts proved a great distraction. If one developed breasts over years and had a decade’s worth of experience, then such sensations fade to the back of one’s mind, but a few months ago, she was a man. Now a cacophony of strange sensations barged into her consciousness: Hank on top of her, ripping at her clothes. She snarled and pushed away the unpleasant daydream.

  Oh good, she sarcastically thought, Hank is staring at my boobs. She wanted to scream, “Cut it out!” However, she brooded in silence and avoided eye contact. When he did catch her eyes, the exchange was too powerful and left her feeling naked. Once again, she imagined making love and then pregnancy: life could grow inside her. How strange. Her right hand pressed her abdomen and wondered what that would be like — to create life.

  “… So that’s the plan,” Sam said. “Are there any questions or comments?”

  Alex saw Russell slip into the room and sit on Hanks left. She raised her hand. “I have one. Why bother?” She read the confusion on Sam’s face. “Other search parties have covered this same ground and found nothing. We need to enter Glanim and search the dead city inside Mornkul Mountain. If that’s not possible, we should evacuate with everyone else.” A rumble of conversations broke out between participants and spectators.

  “The Dwarven Council will not permit the desecration of our sacred ground,” Tormod said.

  “Your sacred ground has already been desecrated. We want to find out who is responsible and stop them. Our party could go up the city limits of Glanim, and then a dwarven party could search the city. We would wait for you to return, but someone has to go,” Alex said.

  “Aye,” Tormod said and cleaned his pipe, “that would be acceptable, but it is, or it was a very large city. It will take some time, weeks to perform a thorough search,” Tormod said.

  “We don’t mind. We’ll wait.” She raised an eyebrow and waited. Tormod cleared his throat and nodded.

  “Finally, some progress,” Russell said. When the meeting concluded, Tormod lingered in silence. The Dwarven Council would resist the idea of search parties in Glanim, even if they were dwarves, yet he could not assail her logic. Dark thoughts gathered in his mind. If someone defiled the sacred city, they then had a very long time to do it, and the ancient city offered considerable resources.

  “… We appreciate your assistance,” Russell said.

  “Hmm, oh yes. It is my pleasure. The matter requires resolution. I must leave ahead of you and intercede with the council. It will take some persuading.” He rose to his feet and packed away his pipe. “I will leave now.”

  “But we had a celebration planned in your honor,” Russell said.

  “Which would you rather, to celebrate tonight or to search the dead city?”

  Chapter 6

  The musicians played a lively beat, and dancers spun in wild circles. Men lounged near vats of ale; women chatted about the men, and teens flirted at the edge of the assembly. Sounds of life filled Treetop City that night, but it was bittersweet melody: one of revelry, love, and loss. They might never return; if they did return, what would they find?

  The music slowed, and a melody sweet and sentimental played. A flute joined the piano, and the music made everyone introspective. Alex stared at the wooden deck and thought about Socks. Where was he, was he okay? Then she saw a pair of men’s boots step into her field of view. When she looked up, she saw Sam. He held out his hand, and with a crooked smile, he asked, “May I have this dance.” Kaylin shoved Alex, and she stumbled into his arms.

  When his hand touched her side, a shiver surged through her. He took her right hand to his left and stepped forward. She stepped backward, and the swept around the floor. They glided and moved with an easy grace. The music picked up tempo. Sam spun her and led her around the dance floor. A strange feeling of safety and warmth spread over her. His arms drove away all her fears and made her wish this dance would never end. When she looked up, their eyes met. They spun in each other’s arms and moved around the other dancers. For a moment, she melted into him.

  Too soon the song ended, and he escorted her back to the place he found her. Hank barged past Sam. “My turn,” he said and grabbed Alex’s arm. His breath stunk of whiskey. He yanked her into his arms and pressed their bodies together. It was the first time she felt a man’s harness against her. When she tried to pull away, he yanked her back and pressed against the small of her back.

  He dragged her around the dance floor: laughing at the twin moons and howling. His breath stunk of whiskey, and he reeked of sweat. She tried to end the dance because her male psyche. However, his right hand slid down the small of her back and over the swell of her backside, glided over the slick, black leather, and squeezed. When his fingers pressed into her crevice, she twisted in his arms, so he lifted her up to her tiptoes. As she tried to push him away, squirming to break free, his hand moved between her thighs and lifted. Her feet danced in the air while his hand groped her.

  She squirmed and tried to break free, but he was strong and excited, his hardness pressed against her thigh. He swung her around the dance floor like a ragdoll and laughed at the horrified spectators. The women covered their mouths, but the men scowled, clenched their fists, and furrowed their brows. Alex punched him and tried to knee him in the groin, but he laughed at her feeble attempts and blocked her knee with his thigh. “Let me … mmww.” In a moment of shock and horror, Hank smothered her objections with a whiskey kiss.

  “This dance is over.” Sam yanked Hank’s arms off Alex, causing her to tumble to the floor. Hank threw a wild swing, and Sam responded in kind. He drew back his fist, and with an expression of raw hate, drove it into Hank’s face. A women screamed, and the crowd gasped.

  Hank spat blood and spun in descending circles. He hit the ironwood floor and rolled onto his back. Blood gushing from his nose and soaking into the hair, he wallowed in a drunken stupor. “Hell of a dance,” Hank mumbled and passed out.

  Alex lingered on the floor for a few seconds: dizzy, nauseous, her thoughts vacuous. Sam took a step toward her, his right hand extended, but she scrambled to her feet and stepped backward. She fled the dance floor, running hard and fast, as only an elva can. Off in the distance behind her, she heard Sam call her name. She ignored him and sprinted through the city, only vague lanterns to light her path. The tangled path carried her across the trees until she ran out of boardwalk. Lingering for a long while, she looked out upon the moon over the treetops, and then she gazed at the dark abyss.

  Shame and humiliation welled up within her like vomit. Her male psyche snarled and turned its back toward her, offended by her existence. She danced with men, an offense it would not forgive, and then a man kissed her. She could still taste his kiss on her lips. I’m straight, she thought, but her male mind snubbed her and harrumphed. Hot tears streamed down her cheeks and sobs caused her to convulse. Her entire body quaked, and for a moment, she longed for the relief of the abyss, to jump, to end her suffering.

  “Alex,” called Lyra, “where are you?” Lyra and Kaylin were soon upon her, for they too were elvas. “There you are. Are you okay?”

  “No,” she said and wiped her tears with a trembling hand, but she only managed to smear them. “He grabbed my … you know. Shit, I can’t even say the word.” She screamed at the void, “I HAVE A VAGINA!”

  “Big deal, I have a penis,” a boy said, hidden somewhere out in the darkness, perched on a branch.

  “Vaginas are better than penises,” a girl replied. “Everyone knows that. Who wants a dumb old penis anyway?” While the adults danced, the children scampered through the trees like squirrels, too excited to sleep. A laugh exploded from Alex’s lips, and the others joined her.

  “It is not better,” the boy countered. “What did he do to her?”

  “He touched her hoo-ha,” said another girl.

  The boy replied, “That’s gross. Why would he want to touch that? Grown-ups are weird.”

  “You kids get to bed. You’re leaving early in the morning,” Russell shouted. He and Marion emerged from the darkness and crossed a wooden bridge. “There you are. We’ve been looking for you. It looks like the children found her first. They seem to know more than the adults.” He touched her shoulder and asked, “Are you okay?”

 

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