Authors: Tina Gerow
A smile split his wrinkled face revealing perfect white teeth.
“Welcome to Verrath, my dear.
I’m sorry it must be under such circumstances.”
Marsoon pushed his bulk from Lerik’s chair leaving a large dark stain against the once pristine blue fabric.
“If you’re done with the niceties, Ocam, hand over my property and mete out punishment so I can begin to enjoy my new…holdings.”
His lecherous gaze raked over every inch of Astiria making her skin crawl.
A pointed look from the Council Master silenced the goblin, but he continued to scowl and grumble under his breath.
Kind blue eyes turned back toward her.
“I realize you are unfamiliar with our culture, but as in any civilized society, ignorance of the law cannot be an excuse.”
She stepped forward out of the circle of Lerik’s comfort and gazed down at the small man.
“Council Master, I am declared to Lord Lerik.
I did nothing to declare myself to…”
She gazed at Marsoon, searching for the correct words.
Finally she settled on, “anyone else.”
Marsoon’s grin widened.
“If that was nothing, I can’t wait to try out something.”
Unease trickled along Astiria’s spine.
The goblin master’s glee seemed to indicate that he knew something she didn’t.
But even as crazy as she might be, she’d definitely remember having sexual contact with someone or declaring as she’d done with Lerik.
Ocam waved a hand in the air leaving behind a shimmery circle of silver light.
“Show me…”
The circle swirled into a picture of Astiria and Max on the beach when they were attacked by goblins.
Heat filled Astiria’s face as she watched herself reach out and grab the goblin’s privates and twist hard.
Oh no…
They can’t interpret that as sexual contact, can they?
“Freeze!”
Ocam’s words stopped the picture and a collective gasp rose from the crowd.
Lerik pulled Astiria close as if ready to protect her from every being in the room if necessary.
“It’s obvious she was defending herself from being attacked, not declaring!”
“The law is clear.
Any sexual contact is considered a declaration.”
Marsoon licked his lips as he spoke, revealing a slimy green tongue.
“And since I own my minions, any sexual contact with them is considered a declaration to me.”
He wrapped bony fingers around Astiria’s free arm and pulled.
“I demand my declared be returned to me at once.”
Without thinking, Astiria kneed him in the groin.
The goblin crumpled to the floor yelling something about foreplay.
“There’s some sexual contact for you, you slimy bastard.”
She pulled out of Lerik’s grasp and glared around the room, suddenly angry with the entire populace of Verrath.
“You can’t be serious!
I was fending off a rapist and avoiding becoming their evening meal, not feeling him up.
What kind of world do you people have here, anyway?”
Ocam laid a comforting hand on her arm.
“My dear, as I said, our culture is very different from what you’re used to, but ignorance of the law is no excuse.”
She took a breath to rant some more, but he held up a hand, deflating her arguments.
“However, there are other laws that apply to this situation.”
Ocam shot a meaningful look around the room, which silenced even the murmurs.
“Not only is she officially declared to Lord Lerik through a vow, but neither declaration may be legal.
Astiria, please hold out your hands, palm up.”
Confused, she slid a look toward Lerik.
When he gave her an imperceptible nod, she acceded.
Ocam snapped his fingers, and a small blue stone appeared instantly cupped in his hand.
He waved the stone over her open palms spreading a warm tingling sensation.
When the tingling receded, she noticed a large number two on one palm and a number three on the other.
Well that explains why my palms kept itching!
That’s where the numbers change when I level inside this world.
“As all assembled can see,” Ocam stated loudly as he secreted the blue stone back inside his voluminous robes, “Astiria is a level two healer and a level three assassin.
By the laws of Verrath, she has not yet become of age and is therefore still a ward of the Council, in absence of parents inside this world.”
Marsoon’s angry growl reverberated around the room, but a narrowed gaze from Ocam silenced him.
“As I was saying, Astiria must complete the coming of age quest in order to make her own choices within this world.
This will also help her understand our ways.”
“A quest?”
Relief and the cold trickle of unease slid down her spine.
“What do I have to do to complete this quest?
And what level do I have to be to make my own choices inside Verrath?”
“My dear, you must reach level ten to be considered a full adult in our world.
However, you may choose a companion and a protector to help you with the quest if you wish.
They will be able to advise you, but parts of the quest are your own to complete.”
Astiria chewed her bottom lip.
She’d expected quests when she sat down to play, but being inside the game was a much different prospect.
She couldn’t be sure, of course, but if getting hurt in the game was painful, dying in the game seemed very permanent.
Would she be kicked back to earth, or just be found dead in her hotel room back at Fantasy Quest Resort?
Not that she really had any choice—if this quest would allow her to get away from Marsoon, then
all the
better.
She glanced up at Lerik, his face unreadable, and resisted the temptation to trail her fingers through his dark silky hair.
There was definitely attraction here, and she’d wanted an adventure.
“What happens if I don’t complete the quest?”
“If the coming of age quest is not completed within a lunar cycle, the first declaration will be found valid, and any remaining declared will have to duel to win their suit.”
Lerik’s words echoed through her mind again.
Then we go to war.
I’ll never let him take you from me.
“Choose your companion, Astiria.”
She spoke the first name that popped into her mind.
“Max.”
A shimmery column of light appeared in front of her and Max materialized within the column.
The little gargoyle looked around confused, a banana still held in his grip.
“Astiria!”
He jumped into her arms and pressed his fuzzy head against her chest, burrowing close.
She hugged him back as the familiar comfort he always brought flowed through her.
Ocam cleared his throat.
“Max, Astiria has selected you to be her companion for her coming of age quest, do you accept?”
Max’s purple face lit with excitement.
“Max does, Max does.
He
keep
Astiria company and guide her on quest.”
“Thank you, Max.
Now, Astiria, choose your protector.”
Heat sizzled through her veins as she thought the name before she spoke it.
“Lord Lerik, my true declared.”
Couldn’t hurt to make it known she was not Marsoon’s, and what her willing choice would be.
A column of light shimmered around Lerik reminding her of her declaration up in his chambers—not to mention the aftermath.
Heat suffused her cheeks as his hungry gaze roamed over her.
“I’ll not have my property…er…declared running around Verrath with Lerik.
I don’t trust him!”
Marsoon stomped his foot causing a cloud of dust from his clothes to powder in the air around him, nearly engulfing Ocam.
The little man snapped his fingers and the dust disappeared.
“Quiet, Marsoon.
It has always been the choice of the quest seeker to choose their companion and their protector.”
He turned toward Lerik.
“Lord Lerik, do you accept the role of Astiria’s protector on her coming of age quest?”
Lerik’s chocolate eyes gleamed with satisfaction.
“I do.”
Ocam raised both arms, after disentangling one hand from his floor-length beard.
“The quest begins at dawn.
If anyone impedes the quest for any reason—
”
He
turned a steely gaze toward Marsoon.
“They will be held accountable with the full force of the council.”
Marsoon grinned, making the hairs on Astiria’s nape rise to attention.
The goblin didn’t seem like the type to give up without a fight—the more underhanded the better.
~~~
The first day of the quest dawned early, with heavy rain battering everything in its path as if seeking to destroy every bit of life.
Astiria shivered inside her new leather armor, pulling her fur-lined cape tighter around her and cuddling Max close.
Between the body heat from the horse she rode and the fuzzy gargoyle, it was almost bearable.
She silently thanked Oopec for the thigh high leather boots, shorts and tunic, which lovingly hugged her every over-generous curve, while still allowing her freedom of movement.
Not to mention the fact that they held in her body heat.
When she’d first laid eyes on the garments, she’d backed away in horror until Lerik had convinced
her this
was appropriate apprentice armor for an assassin.
Somehow wearing sexy armor when playing a computer game was much different that doing it up close and personal.
She spared a glance for Lerik.
He rode his black stallion just ahead of her.
Through the thick curtain of rain, she could just make out his form under the fur-lined cape.
His mood had been dark since Ocam had decreed that they spend the night separately to appease Marsoon.
Apparently, if she and Lerik gave in to their ‘joining instincts,’ as Ocam called it, Lerik was guilty of some sort of statutory rape.
She sighed and shifted in the saddle.
What good was having this killer body to play in when she couldn’t even play doctor, and a few other professions with the sexy warrior she was supposed to be declared to.
Man, I really need to get better at this fantasizing stuff, because so far, it sucks.
Lerik’s horse, Stryder, stopped short in front of her, and she guided her mount up beside them.
A large thatch roofed cottage rose through the downpour.
A servant ran out to grab their reins while they dismounted.
Inside, the air held a thick haze of incense.
Some exotic spicy scent that reminded Astiria of far off lands tickled her nose.
“Enter, Lady Astiria.”
Astiria peered through the haze.
Against the back wall, a large something sat against the far wall, lying on a huge chaise lounge.
The sultry voice issued from the middle of three bald heads.
Each face was beautiful and totally unique, although
neither female or
male.
Its body resembled a large octopus and what appeared to be several dozen sinuous arms tipped with two opposing protrusions she assumed were fingers.
Lerik and Max immediately dropped to their knees and bowed their heads in a sign of respect.
Heat burned Astiria’s cheeks as she realized staring open-mouthed at the seer probably wasn’t the best protocol.
An amused chuckle echoed around her.
“No one here will chop off your head for breaches in protocol, Astiria.
Come forward and we will talk.”
Three long grey limbs gestured toward the kneeling men.
“Leave us.
My servants will provide for you while Astiria and I speak.”