The arm thrust around Lyall’s neck to drag him into this near-violent embrace knocked his tongue to the back of his throat. He coughed and wheezed out air to not choke on his next inhale, and Luther went the route of holding his breath entirely. However, Lyall couldn’t claim the situation entirely unpleasant. The humidity hazing off the lake burrowed underneath his clothes, uncomfortably clinging the fabric to him with a chilled stickiness. The woman’s touch combated that. Not only was she warm, but she was unnaturally warm. Her proximity was the wrapping of a favorite, fluffy blanket hung by the fire after coming in from the cold. Curls of perfect sheen brushing against his cheek tickled his nose with the nostalgic scent of a spring-blossomed forest livened by clean wind. Strange, though, how the woman also bore Luther’s scent of huckleberry mixed with honey. 

“Mistress Aurae!” 

An adolescent small folk girl, barely two feet, charged out of the open temple doors. She ignored the shorter steps carved along the outer sides of the normal ones to accommodate the shorter races and bounded two-by-two down the big ones. Aurae pulled back from Lyall and Luther with an entertained giggle. 

“Eloise got caught stealing coins from the donation box and so has become my caretaker as punishment.” 

Luther, composure regained, fixed his collar with a smile. “I hope you haven’t caused her too much trouble.” 

“She has!” Eloise heaved, screeching to a halt before them. Her brown hair was short and impossibly curly, her hazel eyes sported flecks of gold, and a dusting of freckles stretched across her cheeks like the cresting of a wave. “I’ve told her to at least not run so fast, but she doesn’t listen to anyone but Priest Khessyd!” 

“These are the companions I’m to work with. Should I not greet them eagerly?” Aurae put her hand on her cheek. 

Her voice swayed melodious as a low note on the violin, and Lyall was unable to ignore the gleam of her obsidian eyes. His mind knew numerous words to compliment a woman’s appearance favorably—pretty, cute, beautiful, and so on. Aurae could be described as nothing other than gorgeous. Mature lines sculpted her face while her curvaceous form plump in all the preferred places seemed more the dream of the common man than anything viable in reality, even turning the near-shapeless priest robes of Caxtune’s muted red and off-white colors into a piece of allure. Aurae’s curls cascaded in the ombréd red, oranges, and yellows of fire tinged with the black of smoke, and her black horns curving halfway back glittered jewel-like in the overcast sun. 

It was a lot to take in, and Lyall’s quiet shock turned to deep confusion when his admirably quick processing of the clearly fiend-touched heritage Aurae held was thrown into disarray from Aurae immediately changing. The sharp lines of her face seemed to soften, and the intensity of her curves eased. So subtle these changes were though that Lyall blinked slower wondering if he’d imagined them. Aurae met his eye and smiled warmly. 

“I apologize for my eager greeting,” she gracefully linked her fingers together underneath her chin. “I’ve been begging Priest Khessyd to let me do something other than ambassador work for over a year now, and he finally granted me permission to go into the field!” 

“Was it that he felt you not ready for field work?” Luther wondered. 

Eloise answered instead. “No, it’s that Mistress Aurae is the best ambassador our branch has ever had, so much so that the main temple in Ammathlin keeps trying to take her away. Mistress Aurae gave Priest Khessyd the ultimatum that she would leave if he didn’t let her do field work.” 

“He had me show off my skills in front of some influential people, and that’s how Lady Herwinde recommended me to Lady Sabine,” Aurae boasted. 

“We are glad to have you,” Luther genially bowed his head. 

“I’m glad to have you! The fact that—!” 

“Mistress Aurae, should this not be the point where you invite them into the temple?” Eloise chided. 

“Oh! Of course. Please come inside!” 

Eloise shook her head and moved towards the steps. Lyall and Luther both managed one foot forward before having their hands grasped and tugged by Aurae as she all but skipped between them. Eloise shook her head harder. They passed the two massive lioness statues striking proud poses before the arched doors Eloise refused to accept help closing. An entranceway with several wooden benches and a small directory marked the humble beginning to the grandeur within. Lyall knew the small chapels in Luteria—the seven Infinites had to share three buildings—and hadn’t been enticed into the temples in Riath. Golden sun pierced through the cloudy barrier to crash upon the stained-glass windows depicting more regal lionesses where the decorative stonework in-between guided one’s eye to the painted mural on the ceiling showing the lions patrolling civilizations and people going about their peaceful lives. The center carving of a muscular man, arms outstretched, with a striking beard and showing off much of his chest by way of a loose robe tossed over one shoulder personified Caxtune, the god exemplifying those who protect and take charge. 

Several citizens prayed or chatted softly with one another among the long stretch of cushioned pews. Aurae fell silent now, and their footsteps gently echoed to the tall ceiling upon their crossing of the floor. They naturally drew attention, but Eloise ushered them successfully through a door at the end of the front preaching area. 

“My companions have arrived,” Aurae beamed at the five disciples preparing themselves for the day’s work in the comfortable but narrow waiting room they entered. Aurae raised her hand held in Luther’s before raising hers held with Lyall’s. “I believe this one is Luther and this one is Lyall.” 

“Please forgive her peculiarities,” an elderly human woman hopelessly grinned. “Aurae’s heart is in everything she says, even if the words don’t lend themselves to social norms.” 

“We have known no insult,” Luther assuaged. 

“If you two have arrived, will you be heading out soon?” asked a middle-aged wildkin man resembling a mouse. 

“That...is an excellent question,” Luther freed his hand to fold his arms and ponder. “One that we, will, unfortunately,” he glanced at Eloise and the others, “have to discuss in private.” 

“We can use this office,” Aurae pointed to the central door on the other side of the waiting room. It was the largest and the most intricate of the five lining the wall. 

“Mistress Aurae...” Eloise sighed. 

“Come,” Aurae ignored her. She released Lyall’s hand after the three of them entered the lush office alone. It featured the expected large desk, impressive chair behind it, seating before it, and carefully carved wooden shelves hosting books, files, and artifacts aplenty. Lyall’s neck prickled at the omnipresent aura of divine energy. 

“This is Priest Khessyd’s office, isn’t it?” Lyall reasoned. 

“Hehe, you caught me! He won’t mind,” Aurae sat in his chair, squaring her shoulders with self-importance and mimicking what had to be the head priest’s exquisite style of speech, “So, what details do you bring of the noble task bestowed upon us?” 

“I had hoped you’d have details to offer us,” Luther tried to hide how his eye searched out the title of every book. “Lyall and I assumed our task to take place upon the Ironhold mountains, but Lady Sabine abruptly instructed us to head here to meet with you. Has anything strange happened on your end?” 

“The only strange thing is that I was told to stay,” Aurae stopped the mimicry. “Everything was packed for me to leave in the morning when Khessy told me word had arrived that I was to wait for you.” 

“Removing the formalities?” Luther chuckled. 

“Khessy is like my father, which makes me able to get away with a lot.” 

“It’s through him you’ve been receiving information from Lady Sabine?” Lyall checked. 

“Yes. He knows a spell to contact her telepathically, and she’ll contact him when needed as well. He’s over at Luto’s temple. When Khessy gets back, I’m sure he’ll figure out what’s going on.” Aurae leaned back until the chair began to tilt. “We can get to know each other in the meantime. I know you’ve got a good eye, which is why you’re a bit wary of me. Or are you normally this quiet?” 

Lyall’s expression remained steady at her pointing finger intending no indignity. “My state is more uncertain than wary, for I do not believe you suspicious.” 

“Now I’m uncertain,” Luther tilted his head. 

“There’s no hiding that I have fiendish heritage. In truth, I am a half-succubus.” Aurae motioned her whole hand at Lyall this time. “My body holds its consistent, natural appearance, but it is also an amorphous form that alters itself slightly to fit the preferences of those who view me. Lyall noticed that change occurring. Most don’t.” 

“I didn’t notice anything,” Luther admitted. “Is the form illusory?” 

“No. Isn’t it interesting?” Aurae dropped the chair down and slammed her hands on the desk. “Every version of me that people see is entirely real all at the same time! I find it fascinating!” 

Luther pulled out his notebook and pencil. “As do I. Since we have time, would you be willing to discuss—” 

Someone knocked on the door. The person did not wait for permission. That was because the man with coiffed hair golden as the sun, blue eyes searing as fire, and a distinctive crystalline sheen over his pale skin could be none other than Priest Khessyd. His intricate robes billowed as he approached his desk and giggling Aurae. 

“You had to knock to enter your own office,” she teased. 

“Do I need to ask to sit in my own chair?” Priest Khessyd prodded. Though his voice was commandingly low, it bore no irritation. 

Aurae bounced up, let him sit, and once more linked herself between Lyall and Luther. “This is Luther and Lyall. We were discussing how curious it is that Lady Sabine sent them here. Can you ask her what we’re supposed to do next?” 

“Hello, Luther. Hello, Lyall. I can gauge from your expressions that you are tolerating Aurae’s personality well, so I hope you’ll be able to continue to get along,” Priest Khessyd spoke first, although Lyall wasn’t sure of how it felt like he was a child again being nudged to be friendly with a new classmate. “I will contact Lady Sabine.” 

Priest Khessyd pulled two candles before him, muttered an incantation, and, with eyes and finger glowing, drew a rune between them on the desk. Luther leaned a little closer at the priest pressing his hand upon the rune, closing his eyes, and going silent. The longer the silence lasted, the more intense the white sparkles on his skin from the candles’ light hitting him became. 

“We’re a funny combination,” Aurae whispered cheerfully. “I’m a fiend, and Khessy has divine blood. I like his ritual casting, because he always sparkles so prettily.” 

“Does the increasing of the sparkle correspond—” Luther tried and failed yet again for a question. 

“I have bad news,” Priest Khessyd broke free of the spell to announce. Lyall’s tongue dried fearing the collapse of the job entirely. “Lady Sabine understands it is perplexing, but her instructions are for you three to return to Perrine immediately.” 

Neither Lyall nor Luther had words, but Aurae did. 

“That’s mean! It’s not a simple walk between here and Perrine, and she’s making these two go right back after they just traveled all this way!?” 

“I agree with your frustration. However, what I know about Lady Sabine cautions me that the conflicting instructions have merit. I advise you each to hold fast to that which drove you to accept the request initially.” 

“I do not find it inconvenient enough to shake my will,” Luther considered slowly. 

“I will press on,” Lyall said. 

“Then, I’ll go gather my things since we’re to leave immediately,” Aurae decided, and she left after receiving Priest Khessyd’s nod of approval. 

“While we wait, may I offer either of you a blessing to impart Caxtune’s protection upon you?” Priest Khessyd surveyed them heavily, though his words remained free of any apparent judgment. “I know of Aurae’s competency, and I trust Lady Sabine’s gauging of your skills. Still, it would steady my heart knowing I am sending Aurae off with the best chance of success possible.” 

“It would be an honor,” Luther didn’t hesitate. 

“...The same for me,” Lyall found his breath caught before his voice unlocked. 

Priest Khessyd brought them to the worship hall where they knelt on pillows before him at the pulpit. Lyall bit his inner lip at the multitude of stares on them from the other disciples and citizens, especially when the standard prayer Priest Khessyd spoke morphed into one in the divine language Lyall didn’t know that conjured a glowing circle of red around him and Luther. Nothing felt different when the ritual faded, but Priest Khessyd’s shoulders were less stiff. The embrace he shared with Aurae when she returned in traveling clothes and with bags of supplies was close, dear, and long. 

After a quick stop for more rolls and a loaf to bring along, their pair now turned trio caught the next caravan heading north.

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Until the next chapter is available, these other Action Fantasy entries are sure to entertain you. Links to each are in the description below.

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