Excerpts, Serials, and Out-of-Print

They laughed at the memory of a funny incident as they approached the front door, when the criminal mastermind had been so pre-occupied monologuing to Sunny that it gave Eile a chance to sneak off and diffuse his Ultrabomb!®. Eile was the more mature of the two, self-controlled and sensible. She was the career girl, who had gone to college and worked as a freelance graphic designer. She was also more introverted, who was just as willing to stay home as go out. But she had a temper that could flare up at any moment, she tended to react emotionally, and she had a predilection towards introspection and self-doubt that could cripple her self-esteem if taken to an extreme. Sunny, on the other hand, was outgoing, vivacious, and spontaneous. She had no job and no education beyond high school; rather, she was Eile's live-in companion, plain and simple. She was an extravert, who was happiest when engaged in some adventure, whether epic or ridiculous, and when none was to be had, she would invent one on the spot. She could react to even the most traumatic of circumstances with a serene coolness that seemed unnatural, and she had an uncanny knack for intuiting the best response to a dangerous situation. But she was naïve and impetuous, often speaking and acting without thinking, she was easily distracted, she had a tendency towards self-absorption that could make it difficult to relate to others, and she was given to embellishment and an over-active imagination that could quickly spin out of control.

They complemented each other perfectly. Sunny gave Eile a purpose and confidence. In return, Eile gave Sunny stability, support, and discipline. Eile could reign in Sunny's scatterbrained enthusiasm, while at the same time reveling in her companion's free-spirited antics.

Snowshoe Kitty dashed around them as they entered their house. Considering their personalities, one could be forgiven the mistake of believing that Eile was the leader, but that would be untrue. In any practical sense they were equal partners. In fact, they considered themselves a team: Team Girl!™. Nonetheless, Sunny was the superior of the duo. In many ways, she was stronger than Eile. She was the one who had initiated the partnership, by breaking through Eile's shield of angst-ridden self-loathing. During the first week they were together, she rescued Eile from danger no less than four times, once even saving her life. Eile later returned the favor, and on their subsequent adventures Eile often did most of the fighting, but Sunny still considered herself Eile's protector and felt responsible for taking care of her. Eile was more than happy to go along with her, because she liked feeling needed, and she preferred to play a supportive role.

Snowshoe Kitty was eager to get started, for the simple reason that the sooner she did, the sooner she could put this whole unpleasant episode behind her. But she would have to be patient, because she had to wait until they were asleep. She knew how the evening was likely to go; they usually did the same thing after every successful adventure. First would come a romantic dinner that they would prepare together. This would be followed by a few hours of fooling around. Truth be told, she was fascinated by their erotic antics, but this was no prurient display of youthful lust. It was quite obvious that Eile and Sunny were deeply and passionately in love. In this case, however, it had been Eile who had initiated the relationship. She had realized she loved Sunny the same evening Sunny had saved her from spies intent on kidnapping her, but she did not act on her feelings until the following evening, when Sunny announced that she loved her. Eile's response was to tackle Sunny and make love to her there on the spot. Ever since then, their mutual caring devotion had steadily grown as their relationship had evolved, but like any fun-loving couple, their sex could be quite energetic and boisterous. Sunny tended to be the more sensuous and adventurous of the two, Eile the more exotic and aggressive, but as in everything else, they complemented each other perfectly, and neither was particularly shy or demure.

The evening progressed just as Snowshoe Kitty predicted, and by midnight the two exhausted girls had fallen into bed beside each other and soon drifted off to sleep. At that point she wasted no time, but ran downstairs towards the back of the house. She scratched at the door that led into the backyard; there was a crackle and a smell of ozone as the lock deadbolt slid back, then the knob turned, and the door creaked slowly open to reveal a tall, massive woman, her features shrouded in shadow. She nodded at the cat, who nodded back, then she stepped aside. Snowshoe Kitty broadcast a long, low yowl into the night, and in moments her kittens, now full grown and on their own, danced inside, followed by their father. The woman waited until they had all crossed the threshold, then she nodded again and closed the door.

Snowshoe Kitty led her family to the bedroom. Timing was crucial. They had to start the ritual right at the moment the girls first entered REM sleep, before they actually started dreaming. She jumped onto the bed and walked between them up to their heads. When in position, she mewed softly, and one by one the other cats did the same. The two male cats, father and son, sat at the foot of the bed, while the female cats spread out on either side, evenly divided. They watched Snowshoe Kitty as she intently examined the faces of the girls. They were turned slightly towards each other, the hair mingled, the foreheads almost touching. They were completely relaxed, as peaceful and carefree as only sleep could produce. It broke her heart to have to use them in this way, but she had no choice.

Suddenly, the eyes began to move under their lids. For a fleeting moment she considered defying the council, despite the danger, but she knew in her soul that their will was right and just, and that she should trust their judgment. Looking up at the other cats, she began a meowing chant, rising up and down in a regular, though complex, pattern. Her family waited a few moments, then took up the chant, creating a harmonious chorus. Even the voices of the males cats, normally distressing enough to send shingles of fear up and down a human's spine, were melodic in their counterpoint.

The cats continued the chant for several minutes. Snowshoe Kitty had no way of knowing what effect it was having on her owners, or even if it would work at all. She only knew what the result was suppose to be, and even then she wouldn't know if they had achieved it unless something went wrong, at which point it might be too late to reverse it. She could see the girl's reactions to the spell: their bodies went limp as they lost muscle tone, yet occasionally their fingers or mouths would twitch. They obviously were in dream, but whether it was the right dream she would probably never know. All she could do was finish the chant and hope for the best.

She also wished she could go with them, but this time they were on their own.

Eile couldn't remember quite when she became aware of it, but at some point she realized she was walking in a garden. Sunny was beside her; they were holding hands, and they were naked.

Is this a dream? she wondered. It feels real, but then all dreams feel real while you're experiencing them. But I thought you weren't suppose to know you're dreaming. Is this a lucid dream? I've never had one before; how could I tell?

"It's so beautiful here!" Sunny said. Eile looked at her. She looked back and smiled warmly, her eyes twinkling.

Eile stopped and turned to face her, who responded in kind. She took Sunny's free hand in her own and looked into her eyes. She was so beautiful, and it was such a turn-on being here with her.

Sunny crinkled her eyes and giggled. "I know what you're thinking," she said in a playful sing-song voice.

Eile didn't say anything; she simply leaned forward. Sunny did the same and they kissed lightly once. They looked at each other for another moment, and then they embraced and kissed long and hard.

When they parted they continued to hug as they nuzzled each other's necks. "I don't care whether this is a dream or not anymore," Eile whispered as she nibble on an earlobe. But she stopped when she felt Sunny's body tense.

"What's wrong?" she asked, concerned, as Sunny pushed away. She had a surprised look on her face, not quite shocked but not far from it.

"You think this is a dream?" she asked as her hands clenched Eile's shoulders.

Eile slid her hands down to Sunny's hips, but her ardor was fading fast. "Well, yeah, so?"

Sunny took a step back. "I thought this was my dream; how could it be yours?"

"Wha'?"

"Don'cha see? Whichever one of us is really dreaming, the other shouldn't realize it, because she'd be part of the dream. If we both know we're dreaming, then we both must be having the same dream, together!"

Sunny's logic followed its own rules, but this time Eile understood what she was trying to say. A cold tingle flooded her stomach as she said, "How can we be having the same dream?"

Sunny looked pensive for a moment, but then a determined smile erupted on her face. "That's exactly what we have to find out, and that means an adventure!"

For a moment, Eile couldn't believe she heard right. Even given Sunny's obsession, it was ridiculous to think she would treat this situation as an opportunity rather than a disaster.

"Are you kidding?!"

Sunny's smile grew into a grin. "I've never been more serious! We've got a mystery here, one that can only be solved by Team Girl! Come on," she added, waving her arm, as she turned and hurried off down a path, "let's go look for clues!"

"Sunny!" Eile yelled, before she sprinted after her. "Jesus, Sunny, wait; slow down!"

When she caught up with her, Sunny abruptly stopped and Eile ran into the back of her.

"What are you doing?"

"Oh dear," she replied, "I think we found something."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Eile asked as she stepped around her, but then she saw it. About a yard in front in front of them, the path terminated at the mouth of a tunnel in the ground. Steps carved from stone led down into the earth.

"Let's see where it leads," Sunny said, and she took a step towards it.

Eile caught her arm. "Hold on, okay? Let's think about this for a second."

"I am thinking. Whoever brought us here has to be somewhere close by, so he can watch us and occasionally appear before us to gloat over his triumph. Well, where better to hide his lair than under our very feet?"

"Wouldn't he try to hide the entrance?"

"Maybe he thinks we're not smart enough to find it, or too scared to look for it?"

"Maybe it's a trap."

"Then that would guarantee an adventure, wouldn't it?"

"Sunnyyy . . . remember the last time you said something like that?"

Sunny grinned in a mischievous manner, her eyes twinkling. "Why yes, I do. But I was right, wasn't I?"

"But that wasn't our best adventure, was it?"

"Uhh, no, it wasn't," she said, chagrinned. The incident had led to the worst fight of their relationship, when Eile had gone so far as to lock Sunny out of the house. If it hadn't been for the intervention of their friend and mentor, Medb hErenn, they might have split up over it.

Eile was glad Sunny was seeing reason, but her pleasure was short-lived. She was right about one thing: if they were to get to the bottom of this and find a way out, they had to discover who was behind it all, and that meant taking a risk.

Sighing, Eile said, "Alright, we can explore your tunnel —"

"Yeah! Woo hoo!" Sunny shouted as she danced a jig.

"BUT —" Eile said, causing Sunny to pause her celebration, "this time we'll be more cautious. Agreed?"

Sunny sobered and said, "Agreed!" She then took Eile's hand. "Team Girl! descends the depths together, to whatever fate awaits us!"

"Oh, Sunny," Eile said, grinning and shaking her head. "You are incorrigible. Alright, together then!" And she squeezed Sunny's hand.

The girls walked up to the tunnel and paused, looking down into its inky depths. Then, in unison, they stepped onto the first step and started down.

+ + + + +

It took longer for them to reach the bottom than Eile thought it would. Not a lot of time, just deeper; she counted seventy steps, around five stories. When they finally stepped off the last one, they emerged from the tunnel into a large cave. Eile noted that it may have been a natural cavern at one time, but it had been smoothed over and decorated with wall art. It reminded her of Egyptian tome art and temple bas-reliefs. There were no furnishings, not even lamps or torches, but those were not necessary: at the rear of the cave was an opening into another cavern, and in the center of the archway stood a crystal pillar that encased a column of flame that flowed from floor to ceiling. It provided all the light and heat the cavern needed.

"Looks like you were right," Eile said as the girls went further into the cavern.

"It's not what I expected," Sunny replied.

"Do you think our captor is here now?"

As if in answer to Eile's question, two men entered from the other cave, each walking around either side of the pillar. They were both tall and strongly built, with dark eyes, hair, and beards, wearing long, flowing colorful robes and ornate hats that looked like bishop mitres. Despite their youthful appearance, Eile got the impression they were older than she could comprehend. She felt a strange awe in their presence, which she found somewhat intimidating. Yet she was surprised by how comfortable she felt being naked in front of them.

Sunny didn't seem the least bit nervous. She stepped forward and said in a defiant tone, "Alright, who are you and why have you brought us here?"

The man on the left raised his right hand. "Peace." His voice was gentle, but clear and commanding. It swept away Eile's uncertainty and allowed her to relax.

"I am Nasht," he continued. "We are priests of the Great Ones, the Little Gods of Earth. Welcome to the Cavern of Flame."

The other priest then said, "I am Kaman-Thah. It was not we who summoned you here. We are merely guardians, and gatekeepers."

Eile stepped up beside Sunny. "What do you guard?"

"The Lands of the Dreams of Men," replied Nasht. "We guard the Lands from the evil of men, and we guard the ordinary dreams of men from the dangers of the Lands of Dream."

"Not all who find the Cavern are worthy to enter," Kaman-Thah continued, "but you are welcome."

"Do you know who brought us here?" Sunny persisted.

"Alas, we do not," Nasht said, "though we sense that you were directed here by powerful magic in the Waking World."

"And how do we get back?" she pressed.

"You may ascend the Seventy Steps of Lighter Slumber back to the realm of ordinary dreams," said Kaman-Thah, "but we sense that the same magic that sent you to us can keep you there."

"We can, however, tell you," Nasht added, "that while the magic that affects you is in the Waking World, the ones who direct it are in the Lands of Dream."

Finally, thought Eile, we're making progress. "How do we get to these Lands of Dream?"

"You descend the Seven Hundred Steps of Deeper Slumber," replied Kaman-Thah, "which you will find in the back chamber."

"There you will also find clothing and other items you may need," Nasht said; "you are free to take anything you can carry."

"Do you know where we can find these people?" Sunny asked.

"Alas, no," said Kaman-Thah, "for the Lands of Dream are vast, and filled with many cultures, cities, villages, and beings. Yet in the city of Ulthar you may find persons who can aid you in your quest."

"Alright! A quest!"

"Sunny, shush. And where is Ulthar?"

"Any traveler on the road may direct you," Nasht replied, "for it lies a day's journey beyond the Enchanted Wood."

"Are there other ways of getting back to the real world?"

"Waking World," Kaman-Thah said.

"Whatever."

"There are several," Nasht replied, "but none you may take as long as your minds are separated from your bodies. If your minds returned without being reunited with your bodies, the results could be fatal."

"And now," intoned Kaman-Thah, "it is time for you to decide: do you return to the realm of ordinary dreams, or go forward into the Lands of Dream?"

"Forward to adventure!" Sunny shouted.

Eile had decided before then that was where they needed to go, but she said, "I guess that settles that."

The two priests bowed, then stepped aside to allow the girls to go forward. They walked past the pillar, one on either side, into the rear cave. It looked like the first, but there were two tables. In the back wall, an archway opened up onto another tunnel that descended further into the earth.

On one table was placed food, water bottles, carrying sacks, coils of rope; anything an adventurer might need. On the other was laid out two sets of clothing. One was a suit of armor. It consisted of a unitard made of leather, with a four-panel skirt of cuirbouilli. It was reinforced with a metal breastplate and shoulder guards, as well as overlapping metal scales covering the upper arms, belly, back, and thighs. Leather gloves and shoes completed the ensemble; there was no helmet. With it was short-bladed, double-edged broadsword. Beside it lay a cute clerical-magician's outfit, with a long, thin-bladed dagger and a staff, as well as a pair of glasses. Eile was surprised to see that both closely resembled the costumes their characters wore in the online role-playing game Otherworld that she and Sunny liked to play.

"Excuse me," she called out as Sunny began to dress. The two priests came into the chamber. "Is this all that's available?"

"It is all that we are able to provide," Nasht replied.

"But I'm not a fighter," she protested as she picked up the body suit. "I may play one on the Internet, but I don't know the first thing about sword combat." Which was true. Medb had been teaching them how to fight for over a year, but it was all unarmed combat training.

"It is what you desire the most," explained Kaman-Thah.

"What the hell is that suppose to mean?"

"You must trust in yourself and your partner," Nasht said.

"You are, after all, the Twins," Kaman-Thah added. Then both priests turned and re-entered the front chamber.

"Wait!" Eile called out, but the priests did not pause.

"Dammit! What kind of half-assed advice was that?"

Sunny, who had finished dressing, looked at the body suit. "I think your outfit looks so cool! I wish I had one."

"God, you can be such a space-case sometimes!"

"Well, what choice do you have? Unless you want to go around naked. We'll find something in Ulthar to replace it; maybe an adorable ranger's outfit."

Eile scowled, but Sunny was right. Without another word, she sullenly started to slip into the costume.

As Eile dressed, Sunny filled a sack with bread, cheese, and beef jerky, slung a couple of water bottles over her shoulder, and slid an eating knife under her belt. She then waited by the archway while Eile made her own examination of the supplies. She took a coil of rope and placed a flint and steel kit, a hand ax, a bar of soap, and a whetstone into a smaller bag before joining Sunny. They stood before the opening and looked down at the stone steps that disappeared into the darkness. They glanced at each other, and Eile could see uncertainty in Sunny's expression. She felt anxious, too; they were literally stepping off into the unknown.

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

Sunny smiled and took her hand. "As long as you're with me, I'm ready to do anything."

Sunny's faith in her helped boost her own confidence. She leaned over and pecked Sunny on the cheek. "Then let's get going."

And together they started down the stairs.

It took much longer to descend these stairs than the first. Eile stopped counting after 350, and it felt like an hour had gone by before they reached the bottom. They stepped out onto soft loamy earth in the middle of a dark forest. They were surrounded by huge trees so tall they couldn't see the canopy, and they were so close together that no sky or sun shown through. It was as dark as night under a full moon, and it took some moments for their eyes to adjust. There was light of a kind, though; the trunks were covered by patches of woody fungi that glowed a weak green, so that everything had an emerald caste to it. They look behind themselves, and saw that the tunnel emerged from the roots of an especially large tree.

A path stretched off in front of them, but before they could start down it, a curious animal peered out from behind a nearby tree. They stared at each other for some moments, before it crawled out from the behind the trunk onto the path. It was half-again larger than a rabbit, but with longer legs and a head and rounded ears like a rat. Its nose was long and flexible, with wriggling pink tendrils at its tip rather than whiskers. It was covered with short, light bronze fur, speckled with green like verdigris. Its face was striped with weak lines of tarnished silver. Its eyes were huge, and its pupils glowed with a vivid green light. Its front paws looked like hands, with long fingers tipped with long, sharp claws.

Eile tightened her grip on the sword. She expected the creature to leap at her at any moment. However, it stood up on its haunches, and in a clear voice it asked, "Would ye be the intrepid adventurers Lady Eile and Lady Sunny?"

The girls glanced at one another, and Eile noted that Sunny was as surprised as she was. Looking back at the small animal, Eile replied, "We are. Who are you?"

"My name is unpronounceable, but ye mayest call me Eolai. Ye hast entered the Lands of Dream. Ye art in the Enchanted Woods, the domain of my people, the Zoogs. I hast been instructed to guidest ye safely to the forest's edge. Follow me." And it turned and started to scamper up the path.

"Now wait just a minute!" Eile shouted. The Zoog stopped and looked back at her. Though its expression was unreadable, Eile imagined it looked irritated and impatient.

"What's going on here? What's this all about?"

"I cannot sayest, for I dost know not."

Eile was flabbergasted. "How can you not know?"

"I wert told to guide ye, nothing more. I knowest not why, or why ye art here. Nor dost I care."

"Well, then, who told you to guide us?"

"My orders camest from the elders of my village, but they didst not explain why, nor didst they say from whom they receivedest their instructions."

"What'll happen when we get out of this forest?"

"Once again, I dost know not, nor dost I care."

"Dammit! Then why should we follow you? How do we know you're not working against us, trying to stop us from returning to the real world?"

"Waking World," the Zoog said.

"Whatever."

"Because ye wilt be dead if ye dost not follow me."

"What?!"

"The Enchanted Wood is a dangerous place. Ye mayest find your own way by following the path, but without my guidance ye mayest stray and become lost. Ye shalt then be at the mercy of the many creatures who sharest my people's domain, or of other Zoogs, and they wilt try to kidnap or kill ye, mayhap even devourest ye. I hast been instructed to protect ye, but if ye do not trust me, it is of no concern to me, and ye art free to goest where ye choose. What shall it be?"

"What do you think we should do?" Sunny asked Eile.

Eile turned to Sunny. "I don't know. I don't like it, I feel we're being manipulated, but it doesn't look like we have a choice. What do you think?"

"I think you may be right. I think we're being taken to whoever brought us here, even if those involved don't know it themselves. I think we should follow along, like we've already decided. We just need to watch our step, right partner?"

Eile grinned. "Heheh, if you say so."

Sunny looked at the Zoog. "Then lead on, McDuff; take us where you will!"

"It is Eolai."

"Oh, yeah; sorry."

The Zoog did not reply, but resumed its trek up the path. This time, Eile and Sunny followed.

They walked in silence, which was unusual, especially for Sunny. Eile didn't know what she was feeling, though whenever she would glance at her face, Sunny looked uncertain. For her part, Eile was feeling anxious. This wasn't like their previous adventures; those had all been for fun, and most were self-initiated. True, not all of them went according to plan, but at least she had some idea of what would happen and how they would end. Here, they didn't even know that much; in fact, they knew nothing.

How can we resolve this adventure if we don't even know what it's about? she thought. Under the circumstances, Sunny's probably right: just go along with things as they are and hope we get answers before it's too late.

A sound off to her right caught her attention. When she looked, she saw nothing, but then she heard it on her left, then again behind. She concentrated on listening for it, and realized that she could hear it all around her.

"Uh, 'Ola' is it?"

The Zoog stopped and looked back at her again. "Eolai. What is it this time?"

"I hear noises around us," she replied, and Sunny started looking around, trying to see something. "I think we're being followed."

"That is just a troop of my people, escorting us to makest sure we arrive safely."

"My word, are we that important?" Sunny asked, surprised.

"I knowest not, nor dost I care. I wishest only to deliverest ye safely, so I mayest be rid of ye. Now, shalt we proceed?"

They started off again, at a somewhat quicker pace Eile thought. Not that she objected. She didn't like this creature's attitude and she had little faith in its truthfulness. What it said made no sense. Why would anyone kidnap them and bring them here, only to go to so much trouble to protect them? The idea seemed to please Sunny; she now had a serene look as if she was no longer troubled. That was the way she was, but if anything Eile became even more anxious, even a little frightened.

We aren't getting any answers, she thought, just more questions, and I don't like the direction this adventure seems to be heading. All the more reason to get out of these woods and away from these Zoogs as soon as possible.

Speaking of which: "Umm, excuse me, but how much further do we have to go?"

The Zoog didn't stop, it just replied over its shoulder, "We art half way; perhaps another quarter hour."

That at least was good news. Eile reigned in her disquiet and tried to relax. There wasn't anything she could do for the time being, and being nervous just made her jumpy. She wanted to be alert to any possible treachery, but she couldn't allow herself to get so tense that she couldn't think. She tried to imagine how Sunny saw all this. It wasn't too hard, she just didn't feel it herself. Not that she didn't enjoy her adventures with Sunny; quite the contrary, even though sometimes she seemed to be doing all the fighting, or saving Sunny from her own recklessness. She supposed it was part of her job as her partner, to protect her leader from danger and face it herself if necessary.

Is that the reason why Sunny seems so content? she wondered. Is she depending upon me to support her and keep her safe? If so, that makes my burden even worse. We're bound to encounter creatures even more dangerous than anything we've encountered so far, and if I need armor and a sword to fight them off, we're going to be in deep shit.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a new sound, that seemed to drift in like a light breeze. It was high, thin, and reedy, sounding more like flute music than a voice, but the word was distinct:

"Suuuuuunnnnnnyyyyyy . . ."

Sunny stopped and looked around in astonishment. Eile stopped too, but she cocked her head to catch it again.

"Suuunnnyyy." It was clearer this time, and sounded more normal, but it still had an ethereal quality that made Eile suspicious.

"Yes? Who is it?" Sunny said out loud.

The Zoog must have gotten ahead them, because its movement as it came bounding back caught Eile's attention. "Do not stop!" it cried out.

Eile was alarmed by the frantic quality of its voice and she saw its nose tendrils wriggling in furious agitation.

"Sunny!" Now it sounded indistinct from a human voice.

Sunny froze. "Mom??" Her voice was barely above a whisper.

"Sunny, sweetie!"

"Mom!!" Sunny shouted, her voice full of joy.

"It is not thy mother!" the Zoog screeched. "It is a phantasm, meant to lurest thee off the path. Do not listen. Turn away!"

"Holy shit!" Eile swore. "Sunny, come on —"

"It's okay, Sunny," came a different voice, still feminine, but lower in pitch and more brusque.

"DAD!!!" And Sunny started off into the brush.

Eile managed to grab her by one arm. "Sunny, no!"

She turned to Eile, her face beaming. She looked happier than Eile had ever seen her before. "It's my parents! They're here! They've come to rescue us!"

In that moment, Eile realized that Sunny was not as unaffected by their predicament as she appeared. If her mind was willing to grasp at as tenuous a straw as this, she must have been more disturbed than even Eile felt.

"Come on, Eile! Mom! Dad! We're coming!" And she tried to hurry off again.

Eile grabbed her other arm, dropping her sword, and hung on as best as she could. She was surprised by how strong Sunny was. She was having a hard time keeping a hold on to her, especially as she struggled to break free.

"Hurry, Sunny, we don't have much time!" came the first voice.

"Mom, wait! Dammit, Eile, let me go!"

"Sunny, stop!" Eile growled through gritted teeth. "Think for a minute! How could they be here? It's impossible."

"Sunny, hurry!" came the second voice, "we can't stay much longer!"

"Dad, hold on! I'm coming!"

Sunny slammed her heel into Eile's shin and rammed her gut with an elbow. Even through the armor, both blows hurt like crazy and stunned Eile enough that she loosened her grip. Sunny tore out of her grasp and dashed for the trees before Eile could catch her again.

"Sunny, no!!"

"Mom, Dad! Here I come!"

"We love you, SunnyyyyYYYEEEIIIGHGH!"

Sunny stopped dead just inside the trees as a scream like an animal in terror filled the air. It was followed by another even more bloodcurdling, as Eile ran up to her and pulled her back onto the path without resistance. A third scream came quickly after the first two, at which Sunny threw herself into Eile's arms and buried her head into her shoulder, but it was cut off abruptly. There came a sound like dogs fighting over a bone, then dead silence.

"Holy Jesus God!" Eile gasped as she held Sunny close. Now that the ordeal was over and her adrenaline was draining away, she felt a numbing horror creep over her, both for what had happened and what might have happened. Then she felt Sunny's body shake as she heard her sobbing. Her own fear washed away as a wave of maternal affection swept over her. She patted the back of Sunny's head and made shushing noises.

"Come," the Zoog said in a gentle voice, "we must depart."

"Give her a minute, will ya?"

"My Lady Eile, I am deeply aggrieved they wert not Lady Sunny's true parents, but we shouldst not linger. There art inhabitants of this wood even my people fearest, and they mayest be drawn here. We must leave."

Eile was surprised and touched by the Zoog's compassion. "What happened?"

"My people foundest the source of the phantasms and destroyed it. It wast the only way to protectest your companion."

"Were any of your people hurt?"

"I dost know not, but it matters not. We wert charged with your protection, and we always keepest our word."

"Thank you."

The Zoog snorted in derision. "I carest not for thy thanks. Thou mayest thank me by not delaying further. Now, come!" And it scampered up the trail.

Eile shook Sunny gently. "Sunny, we have to go. Do you understand? We can't stay any longer. Okay?"

"Okay," she replied in a weak voice, sniffling. She straightened up and leaned against Eile's side. Eile knelt to retrieve her sword, then put an arm around her and supported her as they followed behind the Zoog. Sunny continued to weep as they went, her face in her hands.

Sunny had largely recovered by the time they reached the edge of the forest. She had stopped crying and she was walking on her own, but she was still morose, and hadn't said a single word. Eile was worried about her, but there was little she could do except be there for her.

But when they emerged from the wood into the bright sun of an open field, her spirits seemed to lift almost immediately. She stood for a minute in the light and warmth, her head up, her eyes closed, a small smile on her face, as she drank it all in. Eile knew how she felt. The woods were oppressive. Had she been forced to spend more time there, she had no doubt she would have fallen into a depression worse than the angst she had felt before meeting Sunny.

Eile placed a hand on Sunny's shoulder. She opened her eyes and looked at her, and favored her with a sad smile.

"Are you okay?"

"I think so. I wish . . . no, you were right, it was ridiculous to believe they'd be here."

"Hey, I understand. You miss them, and you want out of this mess as much as I do. I'd probably have reacted the same way."

"Thanks for saving me, partner."

"Yeah, yeah," Eile replied as Sunny leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.

"Excuse me."

Startled, the girls turned around and Eile saw the Zoog sitting on the path just inside the shadow of the trees. She had expected it would have left them before now.

"I wilt leave ye shortly, but I must tellest ye, that shouldst ye ever return to the Wood, my people shalt treat ye as any other travelers. Our obligation to protectest ye is complete, which means if we art able to trap and kill ye, we shalt. However, knowest that if ye provest to beest our friends, we shalt beest your friends as well. So, mayest ye fare well and findest the answers ye seekest, though I carest not." And with that he turned and disappeared into the darkness.

"So long, Ola!" Sunny shouted after him, "and thank you!"

"He doesn't like to be thanked," Eile told her.

Sunny gave her a mischievous smile, her eyes twinkling. "I know, but 'I carest not'." And she giggled.

"Heh, yeah," Eile said, grinning. She was glad Sunny had gotten her good humor back. They then turned and looked out over the field. It descended down a gentle slope to a river in the distance, and continued beyond it to the horizon. The only thing that broke the flatness was a mountain that towered over the woods some miles off to their left.

"So, where do you think we go from here?" Sunny asked.

Eile frowned as she suddenly remembered something. "Dammit!"

"What's wrong?"

"I was going to ask that Zoog how to find Ulthar, but I got distracted. According to the priests, it's only suppose to be a day away from here."

"Oh dear! But don't worry, they also said anyone can direct us. All we need is to find is a fellow traveler."

Eile shielded her eyes as she scanned the landscape. "I don't see anyone else, do you?"

"No, but I'm sure someone will show up."

"Just like that."

"Sure; why not? That's how we found the Zoog."

"He was waiting for us."

"And maybe someone else is waiting for us."

Eile had learned months ago not to argue with Sunny's logic. Besides, in this place, who was to say she was wrong? "Alright, and where do we find this someone?"

Sunny looked down the slope. "Let's follow the river."

"And why?"

"Villages and towns are often built on rivers. If we follow this one downstream, we're sure to find some kind of settlement eventually."

"Hehe, yeah," Eile said, embarrassed. Sunny was of course right. Even after all this time, she never failed to be amazed with her ability to pull the right answer out of that cotton ball she called a brain.

Eile waved ahead of them with a flourish of her arm. "You're the leader."

Sunny linked her arm with Eile's, raised her staff, and shouted, "Onward, to the river!"

For once, it took less time for them to reach a destination than Eile thought it would. It made her wonder if time and/or space were fluid here. The river itself turned out to be so clear they could see the bottom with ease. It was as wide as they would be tall if they stood on one another's shoulders, but it looked to be only waist deep. It flowed swiftly off to their right. A dirt road followed the near shore along its length out of sight in both directions.

There was also a long, thin, smoky gray cat with green eyes sitting on a boulder, watching them.

"Oh, a kitty!" Sunny squealed, and she headed towards it, but she stopped when it stood, arched its back, and hissed at her.

"Don't you dare touch me, you bubble-headed clown," the cat spat.

"Eeep!" Sunny squealed, and she jumped back behind Eile. For her part, Eile almost expected it, but she was still surprised.

As soon as Sunny had moved away, the cat relaxed back into a sitting position. "It took you two long enough to get here. I've been waiting since dawn."

"Is everyone in the Dreamlands so rude?" Sunny asked, piqued.

"Sunny, shush. And you are?"

"My face-name translates to Shadow-stalker. I am a huntress of my people."

"I take it you're going to guide us to Ulthar?"

"Specifically, I have been ordered to escort you to the Council of Elders of the High Queen of All Cats Great and Small, but it is located in Ulthar."

That information piqued Eile's interest. "Can this council tell us who brought us here and why? Can it help us get back to the real world?"

"Waking World."

"Whatever," Eile said, irritated.

"I don't know, but even if I did, I would not be at liberty to say. I only know what I have been ordered to do."

Eile didn't like that answer, but despite being annoyed, she felt some hope that finally they might be coming to the end of this adventure. Having a known destination, even if the outcome was still uncertain, made her feel better.

"But I can say this much: it involves your friend, Mayv Hairrayn."

"Mayv's here?!" Eile asked, surprised.

"She has been here for some time."

"Is she in trouble? What's wrong?"

"Again, I don't know, but I'm sure the Council can explain everything.

Eile fumed in silence, but Sunny observed, "Well, at least you talk normal."

"Yes, the Zoogs are rather archaic in their speech. But they think and act that way as well, so it's not an affectation. Now, enough chit-chat. The Council meeting is tonight, so we have to get going if we are to arrive before nightfall."

"What time is it now?" Eile asked as Shadow jumped off the rock.

"Early mid-morning. Have you eaten yet?"

"We only just arrived, but we have food from the Cavern of Flame."

"You might want to eat something now. We won't reach the village of Nir until early afternoon, and we may not stop for a meal. I want to be in Ulthar by early evening. Are you ready to go?"

"I thought you were going to give us a chance to eat."

"If you have Cavern food, you can eat it while you walk. Now let's go."

"Don't worry," Sunny said as she shrugged the bag containing the food off her shoulder, "I've got it covered. But I was right."

Eile blinked in confusion. "About what?"

"Someone did show up, just like that."

Eile scowled for a moment, but then she changed it to a lopsided smile. She had been right; why not give her her due?

"Yes, Sunny, you were right. Just don't get cocky, okay?"

"Okay," she said, smiling with her eyes crinkling.

Shadow started downriver and the girls followed as Sunny opened the bag. She pulled out a small loaf of bread, broke it in half, and gave one to Eile. She then fished out a few pieces of jerky and handed a couple over. Next came the wedge of cheese, and she sliced off a couple of chunks with the knife from her belt, one of which she offered to Eile. Finally, she dropped the wedge back into the bag and closed it, slipped the knife back into her belt, and slid the bag back over her shoulder, before she started eating. Eile never ceased to be amazed at how effortlessly Sunny could put a meal together, especially on their adventures. Eile was not a bad cook, and at home they tended to share meal preparation more or less equally, but on any adventure that took them away from Denver, especially those in any kind of wilderness, Sunny did most of the cooking. It had simply become a habit.

They ate in silence, but not from sullenness. In fact, with the Enchanted Wood behind them and Ulthar far ahead, they could imagine they were out for a leisurely stroll in the warm sun on a pleasant day in the country outside of Metro Denver. They were quiet because of the food; it was surprisingly good, better than Eile expected travel food to be. It was also comforting in its own way; having a meal that tasted good and filled you up did wonders for your contentment.

When they had finished, Sunny brushed crumbs off her hands and bosom, then stretched her arms.

"My, what a beautiful day," she said.

"Sunnyyyy, what did I say about getting cocky?"

"Don't you think so?"

"I'm sure it's a fine day, but let's not forget about the mess we're in."

"Aw, I don't think it's as bad as we first thought."

"How so?"

"Well, so far we've had a lot of help, and I think this council will be able to tell us why we're here."

"What if they're the ones who abducted us?"

"Maybe they had no choice. Maybe they couldn't contact us otherwise."

"I think there's a very slim chance of that."

"That's why I have my trusty partner by my side. By myself, I'm just a sad, boring, whiney girl who can't do anything right and gets in all sorts of trouble. When you're with me, I become exciting, energetic, and courageous; in short, adventurous!"

"Heh, yeah, you do at that," Eile agreed, smiling.

"With you around, I feel safe and confident," she continued, in a gentler tone, "so it's easy to be adventurous."

Touched, Eile stared at her and asked, "Do you really mean that?"

Sunny giggled. "Of course, silly. It's like I always say, we're Team Girl!: together we can accomplish anything! That's why I'm not worried about what will happen."

Eile responded with a blush, but Sunny's compliment also filled her with a warm glow. "Neither am I, now. Thanks, Sunny."

The two girls leaned towards each other and kissed. When they parted, Sunny looked down at Eile and giggled.

"What's so funny?"

"I was just thinking how much we resemble Xena, Warrior Princess."

"Oh yeah. Except I appear to be Xena and you appear to be Gabriella."

"Yeah. What's up with that?"

"Maybe Xena was Gabie's partner instead of the other way around."

"Maybe — oh, look! Apples!"

Sunny was easily distracted by just about anything that caught her interest, but this was one Eile welcomed. The side of the road opposite the river had been meadow up until now, but ahead they were approaching an orchard. The trees were laden with large round red fruit that hung heavy from the branches. It made her mouth water just to look at them. The travel food may have been good, but it was also rather dry.

Sunny stopped when they came to the first tree. "They look delicious! I wish we could have one."

"Go ahead," said Shadow. She was standing perpendicular to the road, looking back at them.

"Really?" asked Eile.

"Yes, of course. The farmers leave the fruit on the trees beside the road for travelers. You may take and eat as many as you like."

Suspicion suddenly gnawed at Eile's gut; she couldn't help think of the adventure where a friendly matron tried to drug them to sell to a white slavery ring. She realized that it was almost impossible to know who was friend and who was foe here.

"Maybe we should ignore them," Eile said as she turned towards Sunny, "we just ate and — AH! Sunny!"

She faced her just in time to see her take a bite out of one. Sunny gave her a startled look, but chewed and swallowed out of reflex. Eile waited, her heart pounding, for her to slip into a coma and fall to the ground, or turn into a Zoog, or bark like a dog; anything. But after a few moments it was obvious she would be all right.

"Did you want the first bite?" she said, holding the apple out.

"Jesus, Sunny," Eile said, scowling, "you're asking for trouble. We don't know who we can trust here. We have to be more cautious."

Sunny looked at the fruit as if it had just sprouted a worm.

"I understand how you feel," Shadow said. She had walked over to them and was now looking up at them. "Your experience would make anyone skittish, and the Enchanted Wood doesn't help to calm people down. But, for what it's worth, I can assure you, the Dreamlands are not filled with deathtraps. You can trust whatever is familiar to you. I realize you have no reason to believe me, but Her Most Serene Feline Majesty wishes to see you safely delivered to Ulthar so that you may attend the Council meeting tonight. Surely that is enough to lay your fears to rest, for the time being?"

Eile stared at the cat, as she stared back. Her expression was unreadable, but what she said made sense. It was one thing to be cautious, but she was bordering on paranoia. To stifle that, she would have to take the cat's advice and accept some things on trust.

She glanced at Sunny, who was watching her, to see what she would do. Looking up at the tree, Eile went over and plucked an apple off a low-hanging branch. She sniffed it; the fragrance was clean and acidic. She took a bite, chewed, and swallowed. It was juicy, sweet and tart at the same, and firm and crunchy, like a good apple should be.

"It is delicious," she told Sunny, who grinned and took a second bite as Eile did the same.

+ + + + +

The remainder of the journey to Nir was uneventful, even a bit boring. As the day progressed, Eile figured out that they were heading due west. Once they cleared the vicinity of the Enchanted Woods, a snow-capped mountain appeared north of them, broad-based but with a spire peak. The river was getting wider and deeper, but they didn't cross any tributaries. Eile realized that, though shallow, the river ran through a valley, and it collected runoff from the slopes. The orchards eventually gave way to fallow fields, where yaks and zebras grazed. These in turn were replaced by cultivated fields, first of alfalfa, then beans, and finally grains. From the appearance of the crops, Eile guessed it was late summer or early fall. As they got closer to the village, they saw men and women at work in the fields. Many of them paused to watch the girls go by, and more than a few returned Sunny's waves and halloos with greetings of their own.

The village itself turned out to be a collection of over a couple of dozen single-storied buildings spread out on either side of the road. Most of them were homes, inside fenced-in yards, but a few looked like public building of some kind. All were constructed of wood planks covered with whitewashed mud and thatch roofs. One structure, set off by itself alongside the river, was long and narrow, with several waterwheels attached to it. The inhabitants were all human, healthy and ruddy, and wore simple rustic clothing. Eile was surprised not to see more classical fantasy characters, such as elves or dwarves. She wondered if they were absent or if they preferred to live in larger cities.

"I've decided not to stop," Shadow-stalker said as they started up between the dwellings. "We are making good time, but I have other duties in Ulthar, and I want to arrive as early as I can."

"Can we still get something to eat?" Sunny asked.

"Are you hungry again? After all those apples?"

"Back in the real world —" Eile began.

"Waking World."

Eile sighed; the constant correction was getting on her nerves. "Whatever. We're pretty much used to eating whenever we feel like it."

"That's what the travel food is for. However, enough traffic comes through Nir that the villagers often set up booths to sell food and drink. We can stop at one of those if any are available."

Even as Shadow said it, Eile could see ahead of them that the road widened in the middle of the settlement. It was where another road, coming out of the north, intersected their own, and she saw three stalls clustered together in the center.

"Looks like we've lucked out."

"Alright," Shadow said, "we can pause long enough for you two to get lunch."

The first booth offered grilled meat on a stick, which the cook said was spicy. He let Sunny have a taste of the sauce; steam erupted out of her ears and she spat flames before quenching the fire by chugalugging her water. The second offered what looked like a burrito, filled with cheese, fried rice, and chopped meats and vegetables. The proprietress, a heavy-set middle-aged woman, assured the girls her food was not spicy, so they selected one each.

"That'll be three tahlers, m'dears," she said, as her son began cooking the rice.

Eile got a sinking feeling as Sunny asked in all innocence, "What's a tahler?"

The woman looked at them as if they had just sprouted horns. "It's money, young'n's; silver coins minted in Joachimstahl." She held one up for them to see. It was the size of a silver dollar.

Sunny looked at Eile, who said in a sullen tone, "We don't have any money."

The son paused in his activities and looked at his mother when she touched his sleeve. It was clear from her darkening expression that she was upset. "Well, I never in all my born days —" she began in an angry tone.

However, Shadow said, "Don't worry, Goodwife, Her Most Serene Feline Majesty will cover their expenses."

Her features lightened as she smiled, "Well, now, that's better." She nodded to her son, who resumed preparing the food. "It'll be ready in five minutes, m'darlings."

"I'll go on ahead," Shadow said, "and wait for you by the bridge. Just keep following the river." And she turned and sped off.

"So, where you two lovelies bound on this fine day?" she asked, as her son added the meat.

"Ulthar," Eile replied.

"Ah, yes, I should a' guessed. All Dreamers go ta Ulthar."

"Dreamers?"

"Aye, people such as yerselves, m'dears. People born in the Waking World, who come here in their dreams. You'd be adventurers no doubt."

"My yes! How'd you guess?" Sunny said as the son added the vegetables.

"By the look a' you. And most Dreamers are adventurers; Ulthar is their city. I'd wager you already have a quest prepared."

"You're right," Sunny replied as the son laid out two sheets of soft bread, "we're going to a meeting with the Queen of Cats and her Council."

"Sunnyyyy, don't tell everyone our business!"

"Oh, m'dear, twern't no secret that, what with you being led by a cat and all. In Ulthar, no man may kill a cat."

"Huh?" Eile asked, as the son divided the contents of the skillet between the two sheets.

"It's the law, m'darlings. Years ago, an old couple used ta kill and eat cats in Ulthar, until one night the cats banded together ta kill and eat them!"

"Eeewww!" Sunny said, making a disgusted face.

"Yes, that's why the Burgomaster, Kranon, made a law that forbad the killing of cats. Since then, the number a' cats in the city has swelled, until there are more cats than people. Some say Ulthar now belongs ta the cats."

"Do tell?" Eile said, as the son sprinkled cheese over the burrito filling.

"Aye, it is the seat of cat power in all the Dreamlands. The Queen resides there, along with her Council of Elders. Be careful of them, young'n's, they are not like the cats you know in the Waking World. They are powerful and ruthless, generous ta friends, but merciless ta enemies. Above all, they are cunning, and would not hesitate ta use whomever they can get their claws inta."

By this time the son had finished wrapping the burritos and handed them over. "Uh, thanks for the warning," Eile said.

"Do you have anything to drink?" Sunny asked.

"I have ale," the man in the last booth said, and he held up two pots suspended from twine. "Two pints for only a tahler, for which the cats can reimburse me."

"Thank you," Eile said as Sunny took them.

"Fare thee well, m'lovelies," the woman shouted after them as they headed off, "and mind m'words!"

"Good-bye!" Sunny shouted back. "Such a nice old woman," she told Eile, then she took a bite. "Mmm! Delicious!"

"What do you think of what she said?" Eile asked.

"Well, since we arrived, we've met two types of people: those who were instructed to help us and those who weren't. The first ones haven't been particularly friendly. It's like they don't want to be helping us, but they have no choice. They're not afraid, but they're acting against their will. The second ones have been friendly, but if they help us it's because they want to. I think the first ones were ordered by the cats. The second ones respect cats, but are not under their control."

"What about Shadow-stalker?" Eile asked around mouthful of burrito. "She's a cat."

"Which means she has to obey the queen's orders. I'm sure that even among cats, there is a chain of command. If she's just a foot-soldier, then she has to do what her superiors tell her, and they don't have to explain why."

Eile had to admit it made sense. "So, you think the cat queen is behind all this."

"Or she's under someone else's control. Either way, we should find out tonight."

"I hope so, because we could be in a lot of trouble if we have to stay here for awhile."

"How so?"

"We have no money, Sunny. My wealth back in the real world —"

"Waking World."

She gave Sunny an evil look. "Whatever! The point is, my money's back there, where it can't do us any good. We can't rely on the queen's generosity indefinitely, especially if she turns out to be the enemy. We have to find some way to make a living here, or we'll starve."

"I'm sure something will turn up. It did for me, when I met with you in Denver."

"I hope you're right."

Sunny patted Eile on her back. "A girl should always trust her partner."

"Yeah, yeah," Eile said with a smile. "I guess you haven't let me down yet."

"That's right," she said in a sultry tone, as her hand slipped down to Eile's hips, "and I don't plan to start now." She reached underneath the armor's skirt and pinched her butt.

"AH!" Eile cried out in surprise, then she removed Sunny's hand. "Let's postpone this until tonight, okay?" she said in a nervous manner.

"As you wish," Sunny said. Then she added in a mischievous tone, "It's been awhile since we last played Snow White and Prince Charming."

"You always get like this whenever we're in deep trouble."

"And you love every minute of it," she replied with a smile and a wink.

Eile didn't know what to say to that, so she took a bite of her lunch instead.

They had finished eating by the time they reached the bridge. Shadow-stalker was waiting for them on the near side. The river continued on west, but the road turned south and crossed over by the bridge. Sunny placed the empty ale pots in her food bag, expecting to return them to the vendor in Nir sometime, then took a moment to refill their water bottles before the trio crossed over and left the river behind them. The landscape turned hilly as they traveled south, with an increasing number of individual farms nestled between the mounds. Finally, in early-late afternoon, they topped a rise and saw Ulthar before them. Eile couldn't help feel disappointed. She had expected a fortress city surrounded by a massive wall; what she saw looked more like Nir, except there were more buildings crowded in closer together. The buildings were also at least two-storied, with wooden frame walls filled in with plaster and slate roofs. And there was no defensive wall, or fence, or ditch; there wasn't even an unbroken perimeter. All she saw were two wooden posts planted into the ground on either side of the road, flanked by a pair of armed guards. As the cat led them into the town, she thought that the guards looked bored, but then she noticed them watching her and Sunny surreptitiously, and she realized that they were more alert than they let on.

Once inside the town, Eile noticed two things right off. The first was that it was more prosperous than Nir. In addition to being larger and better constructed, the buildings were decorated with trimming, murals, inlays of ivory and horn, and gold and silver leaf. The people, though resembling the Nirites, were better dressed in more expensive clothes, and they adorned themselves with jewelry. They were all still human, though. The only exception she saw was a dwarf sweeping the path to the door of an inn as they walked past.

The second was that there were cats everywhere. They came in all shapes, sizes, colors, and breeds, including some she didn't recognize. They lounged or slept in the sun, they played with each other or whatever flotsam they could find, or they went about on mysterious errands of importance only to themselves and other cats. There were so many of them in fact that, while not actually overcrowded, Eile still felt a little claustrophobic. From time to time, one would greet Shadow by briefly touching noses with her. Sunny was ecstatic, and oohed and aahed over every new exotic or unusual cat. Though none let her pick them up, she frequently stopped to talk with a cat that approached them, petting and scratching it behind the ears. None, however, spoke back.

"Why is that?" she asked Shadow at one point.

"All cats can understand human speech, but most cannot speak it, and of those who do, few can speak it well. But few cats engage in idle conversation. If they have nothing pertinent to say, they generally say nothing."

Sunny looked disappointed, but she said nothing more.

In the middle of Ulthar the road widened into a town square before continuing south. Another road, running east to west, intersected at that point as well. The square was surrounded by buildings that Shadow said were government houses and guild halls, but she headed for one on the south-west corner. It was six stories tall, the tallest building they had seen so far, and looked like an office building back in Denver. Above the entrance hung a wooden sign, with a painted full-face portrait of a cat. It had its eyes closed and its mouth open, and Eile imagined that it was laughing.

"Welcome to the Hostel of the Laughing Cat," Shadow said.

The girls went in followed by the cat. The common room looked like it took up the entire ground floor, but Eile quickly realized that this was an illusion created by the layout of the room. In the center stood an open stairwell with steps going up to the next floor; fireplaces stood in the corners closest to the entrance, currently unlit. Tables and chairs for patrons to sit and eat were distributed around the room. Opposite the door stood a bar that stretched across about a third of the wall. It was anchored at either end by closed off alcoves which Eile suspected were the kitchen and storeroom.

A serving girl approached them. She was shorter than they were, but rounder and fuller-figured. Her skin, eyes, and short-cropped hair were all the color of dark chocolate.

"Welcome," she said. "My name is Eibhlín Chrón. You would be Eile and Sunny. We've been expecting you. We have a room all ready for you. But first, how about something to eat? No doubt you're hungry after your trip, and while travel food may be nourishing, it isn't really satisfying, is it?"

"Actually, we had a late lunch in Nir," Eile said.

"I'd recommend you eat something anyway," Shadow said. "The Council will not meet for another six hours, and you should rest before then. It may go on for a few hours, so you probably will not get back until after midnight. In any event, I'm hungry."

"I could eat," Sunny said.

"Sure, why not," Eile said.

"Fine," Eibhlín said, "right this way." And she led them to an empty table in a secluded spot. "We'll keep it light. What would you like to drink?"

"What's good?" Sunny asked as they sat down. The cat jumped into a chair across from them.

"I would recommend the caramel ale. It's light and refreshing, but with a slightly sweet taste."

"Sounds fine," Sunny said.

"Cream for me," said Shadow.

"Excellent. I shall be back shortly." And Eibhlín turned and headed for the bar.

Eile laid her sword on the table and flexed her hand.

"Is something wrong?" the cat asked.

"I'm just not used to carrying something like this around all day. My hand was starting to cramp."

"Don't you have a scabbard for it?"

"The priests didn't provide one."

"There are several good weapons smiths in Ulthar, one of them may be able to rig a harness for you if you like."

"I'd appreciate that, but I was hoping to trade in my sword and armor for something less provocative and more comfortable."

"That was provided by the priests."

It wasn't a question, but Eile replied, "Yeah, so?"

"So you were meant to wear it."

"The priests said something similar," Sunny said, "what does it mean?"

"Everything that appears in the Cavern of Flame is what the Dreamer desires or needs the most, within reason. Like your glasses."

"But I'm not a fighter! Why would I want armor?"

"It may have been what you needed rather than what you wanted, or your desire for it may be subconscious. I cannot say, but while you do not have to continue wearing it, I would advise you to do so. Besides, the Queen will not pay for a new outfit, and you still have no money."

Eile fumed. "I can't pay for a sword harness either."

"The Queen will cover something like that."

Eibhlín returned with two foaming mugs in one hand and a small bowl in the other. She laid the bowl in front of Shadow, and the mugs before the girls.

"My partner needs to have a harness made for her sword," Sunny said; "can you recommend anyone?"

"Sigurd is the best weaponeer in Ulthar. He is usually in every night. If you leave the sword with me, I will ask him what he can do."

Eile didn't like being forced to haul the sword around with her, but she also didn't like the idea of surrendering her only weapon to strangers. "That's okay, I'll make do."

"You can trust her," Shadow said, "and besides, you will not be permitted to wear your sword and armor to the meeting, so you might as well leave it with her."

"It will be perfectly safe, I assure you," Eibhlín said.

"Go ahead, Eile," Sunny added.

"But if I can't have my armor, what do I wear? I'm not going naked."

"The Queen has provided dresses for you to wear," the cat replied. "They are waiting for you in your room."

"I picked them out myself," Eibhlín confirmed; "they're lovely."

Eile was outraged. "Oh, so the Queen won't pay for another adventuring outfit, but she'll pay for dresses."

"The former is an unnecessary luxury, the latter a necessity," Shadow replied in a cold tone.

"Come on," Sunny prodded, "who knows how long our quest may last?"

Eile sighed. She couldn't fight all of them. "Oh, alright," she said.

"Fine, I'll take good care of it," Eibhlín said as she lifted it. "My, it's very light for its size. I'll be right back with your food."

"Tell Sigurd the Queen will pay double if he can have it finished by morning," Shadow called after her. She waved the sword above her head in acknowledgement.

Sunny took a sip of her ale. "Oooh, it tastes like a toffee bar!" She then took a bigger gulp.

"Easy, Sunny, we don't want to get drunk."

"Duly noted, partner," she said as she licked off a foam moustache. "My, isn't this pleasant!"

Sunny's continued cheerfulness was starting to get on Eile's nerves. Try as she might, she just couldn't completely shake her anxiety, especially after hearing about what cats were like here. And the pending meeting was making her nervous. The butterflies in her stomach were acting like dive-bombers.

Well, maybe that's good, she thought, as long as I don't succumb to paranoia again. I just wish Sunny understood how serious this was. She's treating it like one of our usual adventures, and it isn't.

Eibhlín returned then, carrying two plates on one arm and a bowl in the other hand. The bowl contained chopped raw chicken livers and hearts, which she set before Shadow, who began gobbling it down like she was starving. The plates contained chicken breast fillets in a white sauce with vegetables; these she set before the girls. She then laid out utensils and napkins before she left them alone.

The meal was excellent, and Eile wolfed it down before she realized what she was doing. She was surprised at how hungry she felt. Sunny finished soon after her, and Shadow took the time to lick her bowl clean. Finally, she looked up and said, "I will return in five hours to wake you; we must be at the meeting no more than a half hour after that." She then jumped down without another word and leapt out through an open window.

"Well," Eile said, "I guess we should go to our room."

"I'm not finished with my ale," Sunny objected.

"You may take it with you, my dear," Eibhlín said, appearing out of nowhere. "Now, let me show you the way."

She led the girls up the stairs to the third floor. A small landing surrounded the staircase with a door in each wall. She unlocked and opened one, going in ahead of them. As she opened a window, they looked around. The room was a comfortable size, not overly large but not too small either. It was furnished with a big canopied bed, a small table with two chairs, and a bureau with a mirror and a wash basin.

"I hope it's to your liking," Eibhlín said.

"It's very nice," Sunny replied. Eile had to agree. She was expecting an austere décor, almost like a monk's cell. Instead, it had a snuggly, homey feel, what with the down quilt bed cover, the lace curtains and canopy, the woven rug, the table cloth, and the towels neatly folded beside the basin. The only thing missing were throw pillows and doilies.

Eibhlín gave Eile the room key as she headed out. "Have a nice rest, dears," she said as she closed the door behind her.

Sunny leaned her staff against the wall beside the door and placed the bag and water bottles on the table. Walking towards the back of the room, she laid the small knife on the bureau top along with the ale tankard. Eile put her bag beside the others and watched as Sunny headed for the bed. Two elegant, long-skirted dresses had been laid out on top of the quilt. Sunny lifted one up to examine it. "It's gorgeous!" she said.

"Doesn't any of this strike you as strange?" Eile asked her.

Sunny gave her a surprised look. "What do you mean?"

"We've been brought here against our will, by god only knows who, for god only knows what, yet every step of the way we've been guided, protected, and provided for like VIPs. Doesn't that seem odd to you?"

"Well, obviously, someone needs something important from us."

"But why didn't they just contact us, ask us for help?"

"Maybe they thought we wouldn't for some reason."

"But if it involves Mayv, we'd have agreed without question. She's helped us so often, we owe her. And she's our friend."

"I don't have any answers, Eile, I wish I did. We'll just have to be patient."

"Easy for you."

Sunny didn't say anything at first. She picked up Eile's dress and carried it and her own over to the table. She laid them on one of the chairs, then took off her glasses and placed them on the table. "Well, I think you just need to take your mind off our troubles for a few hours," she said as she sauntered over to Eile, "and I have something to suggest." She wrapped her arms around Eile's neck. "It's now tonight, or near enough to it."

"W–what?"

"Back on the road, after we left Nir; you asked me to wait until tonight."

"Oh, yeah, I forgot. But you're not serious?"

"Why not? We have plenty of time, and we have to get undressed anyways to change clothes. And I think you need to unwind." She touched Eile on her lips.

"Then too," she went on, "how can you resist such a romantic setting as this? Besides, I owe you something special for saving me in the Enchanted Woods." She dropped a hand down to Eile's breastplate.

"Heh, uh, ordinarily I'd be ripping your clothes off by now, but honestly, I just don't feel in the mood."

"That's alright, you needn't do a thing. Just get in bed; I'll do all the work." And she kissed Eile gently.

"Okay, Sunny, for you. Just don't expect me to be very good company."

Sunny said nothing more; she just started to undo Eile's armor.

They undressed each other in the slow fashion they had developed after their first frenetic few weeks together, which included frequent kissing and soft touching. When they were ready, Sunny pulled down the cover and Eile laid on her back. Sunny crawled in beside her, pulled the cover over their bodies, and draped herself across Eile. Eile stiffened out of reflex; she didn't know why. She adored Sunny's attentions and was glad she was with her. She just didn't feel comfortable enough to let her guard down.

"Relax," Sunny whispered in a soothing tone. She nuzzled Eile's neck and nibbled at her earlobe. "I've got it covered." And she giggled.

She reached up and gently closed Eile's eyes. She then proceeded to touch, caress, stroke, kiss, and lick various parts of Eile's face and body, in a painstaking and deliberate fashion. Eile's skin tingled as her hairs stood up and her nipples hardened, and she felt herself moisten. For the first time all day, her anxieties melted away as her muscles grew limp and her limbs heavy. She allowed herself to sink deep into pure contentment as she tuned out everything except Sunny's ministrations.

Sunny gradually worked her way down to Eile's bosom, where she remained for some time, before resuming her progress. Eventually she reached her intended destination and settled in for the duration. Shivers rippled up and down Eile's spine as she moaned, softly at first, then louder as the chills grew stronger. Her whole body trembled in response to the tension building up in her nerves. She reached down and grabbed the back of Sunny's head, pressing her face against her flesh. Soon she convulsed in a rhythmic fashion as waves of fire swept through her being, squeezing out sharp cries of pleasure. The intensity built with each pulse, growing stronger as she shouted louder. She held out as long she could, gripping the sheet beneath her in clenched fists as her body became rigid, so that she could experience the ecstasy for as long as possible. When she could no longer stand it, however, she let loose with a long, wavering scream as she sat up, her back arched and her head thrown back, while her body spasmed and her head exploded in fireworks.

When it passed, she collapsed with a whooshing sigh. She was bathed in sweat and filled with a warm afterglow that made her very comfortable. She felt Sunny crawl up and lay her head beside hers. Eile put on a languid smile and said, "You really are totally wicked."

Sunny giggled, then brushed her lips against Eile's cheek. "I love you, Eile," she said as she embraced her.

"I love you too, Sunny," Eile replied, as she returned the embraced, "and thanks."

Eile awoke with a start. She lay still, trying to get her bearings. She and Sunny were in each other's arms, and the open window showed it was dark out. Lifting her head, she took a good look. It wasn't just dark, it was pitch black. That wasn't right. That window looked out over the street. Normally the problem was too much light coming in from the street lamps. There must have been a power outage. Something woke her up; maybe a transformer blew.

Wait a minute; that window was in the wrong place —

A knock at the door startled her, then she remembered where she was.

"Girls!" Eibhlín's voice came muffled through the door. "Wake up! Shadow-stalker is here for you!"

"We're up!" Eile shouted back.

"I have a lantern for you!"

"I'll be right there." She turned towards Sunny. She was sound asleep.

"Sunny, wake up," she said as she shook her. Sunny stirred, mumbled something, then turned over.

Eile shook her again, harder. "Sunny! Get up. We have to get to that meeting!"

Sunny stirred again. "Five more minutes, Dad, there's no school today."

Eile frowned and shook her head. She threw the cover off and slapped Sunny on the butt.

"AH!!" Sunny cried as she sat bolt upright. "What!? Son of a —"

"Sunny, wake up. That cat's here; we have to go."

"I'm up!" she said, peeved. Then she yawned. "At least, I think I am."

Eile got out of bed and groped for the bureau. Fortunately there was enough of a moon that she could just barely see towels. She took one, draped it across her front, then headed for the door. When she felt it, she unlocked it and opened it wide enough to see outside. Eibhlín was standing there, holding a candle in one hand and a lantern in the other.

"Here you go," she said as she held it out.

Eile took it and mumbled thanks before closing the door.

Sunny was sitting on the edge of the bed, holding her head. "What time is it?"

"How should I know?" Eile said as she placed the lantern on the bureau. She closed the curtains and discarded the towel. "Come on, we don't have much time."

"Ugh!" Sunny said as she scratched at herself. "I feel icky. I could use a shower."

"There's no shower," Eile replied as she picked up the basin and pitcher. There was water in the latter, but it wouldn't be very warm.

"No shower!"

"That's right," she said as she place the basin on the floor. "We'll have to make do with this. Bring the soap."

They washed each other was best they could in as little time as they had. Eile wished she could wash her hair. Their romp before they went to sleep left her feeling grimy, but with no shampoo, hairdryer, or extra water, it would be impossible to do right. Neither could they do more than just spot clean their bodies. And without combs or hairbrushes they couldn't manage their hair well either. Sunny's mane was usually unruly enough that any extra untidiness would barely be noticed, but Eile's straight hair tended to show every minor imperfection. She and Sunny used their fingers to pull as many tangles as they could find and what was left of the water to smooth it out.

After dressing, they stood in front of the mirror together as they primped as best as they could. At some point Eile realized something was missing. She leaned closer to make sure.

"Huh."

"What's the matter?"

Eile touched her ears, and then her left nostril. "I just now noticed, I don't have any piercings."

"Haha, yeah," Sunny said in an embarrassed tone, "I noticed that earlier, but I didn't want to say anything."

Eile brushed aside one of the huge locks that framed her forehead. "But my hair's still dyed. How'd that happen?"

"I haven't a clue."

Eile looked at Sunny in surprise. "I thought you always had an answer."

"We don't have time for one now, we're probably late as it is."

"True." She then sighed and turned to face Sunny. "So, how do I look?"

"Hmm." Sunny examined her carefully, flicked a few hairs into place, hoisted her bodice higher, and fluffed some of the lace trim. "You could use some makeup," she finally said in mock-serious tone, "but it'll be dark, so I doubt anyone will notice."

"Heh, I ought 'a smack you," Eile said with a grin, raising a fist. Sunny smiled, crinkled her eyes, and giggled.

"Well, let's get going," she added and picked up the lantern. She let Sunny out ahead of her, then closed and lock the door behind them. She slipped the key into a pouch attached to her belt as they went downstairs. In the common room they found Eibhlín standing beside the open door. In the threshold sat Shadow.

"It's about time," the smoky-gray cat yowled in annoyance. "Now, come on, or we'll be late." And she turned and trotted out into the square.

"Good luck, dears," Eibhlín said as she shut the door after them.

"Why do I feel like we're about to be put on trial?" Sunny asked. Eile felt much the same way, but she couldn't take the time to discuss it. Shadow was getting too far ahead of them.

The cat took them up the road that headed west. Almost immediately a high wall appeared on their right. After a short time Shadow paused at an open gate to wait for the girls to catch up with her. Beside it stood a tall man in a hooded robe. He nodded to the girls as they went in, but he did not follow them.

Inside was a garden. Eile couldn't see much of it, but she noted how closely it resembled the garden where she and Sunny found the Seventy Steps that led to the Cavern of Flame. A path led off before them up a low hill, and she could just barely make out the silhouette of a tower against the night sky on top of the hill.

"This is the garden of the Temple of the Great Ones, the Little Gods of Earth," Shadow informed them. She then walked off the path to the right. As the girls followed, Eile saw a grove of trees appear out of the shadows. From deep inside she saw the faint glow of light.

Shadow paused again at the edge of the trees. "You won't need that from here on. Council meetings are not normally lighted; we don't need it to see. But for your convenience we have made an exception.

Eile put the lantern on the ground and she and Sunny followed the cat into the grove. The glow got brighter as they got closer, and then they found themselves on the edge of a clearing. The light came from lamps hung from branches of the surrounding trees. Inside just off center were thirteen pillars of polished stone arranged in a semi-circle. Twelve were only three feet high, while the one on the far right was twice that height. On each sat a cat. Inside the concavity, again off center, was a mob of cats, with at least one member of every breed. They all seemed to be meowing, yowling, hissing, spitting, and caterwauling at once, creating a cacophony that threatened to wake the dead.

"I was afraid of that," Shadow said, "The meeting has already started. Wait here; you will be called when the Council is ready to deal with you." And she disappeared into the mob.

Eile licked her lips as she watched the tableau before here. Her butterflies had returned and were dive-bombing her stomach again. Sunny slipped her hand into hers. It felt clammy and sweaty.

"Are you scared?" Eile whispered.

"Yes . . . a little."

"Me too, a little."

"I'm glad you're here with me — I mean, I wish we weren't here at all, but . . ."

"It's okay, Sunny, I understand. I'm glad you're here with me, too." And she squeezed her hand.

Several of the cats at the rear of the mob turned around and looked at the girls. Though they made no sound, Eile got the impression they were shushing them.

The meeting seemed to last forever. Eile wished they could get it over with, but her impatience fueled her anxiety, which made her even more impatient. Part of it was due to the fact that she couldn't follow what was going on. In addition to the cats speaking in their own language, they didn't seem to follow any protocol. As she watched, however, two cats seemed to stand out. One was a female red mackerel tabby, sitting on the far-left pillar. She seemed to be in charge, because when she "spoke", the other cats listened. The other was the female cat sitting on the tallest pillar. She was a sleek cream-colored cat with tan points. She sat in perfect imitation of an Egyptian cat statue, with her tail curled around her front paws. She never moved or made a sound, and Eile wondered if she was a statue, until she flicked an ear at one point. The odd thing was, she seemed to be staring at her and Sunny the whole time, but Eile decided it was just her imagination.

Finally, there came a time when the cacophony stilled. A male, apple-headed, sable-point Siamese stepped away from the pillars and called out, "Team Girl, come forth." The cats on the pillars and in the mob then turned to watch them.

"God, I to want to bolt," Eile whispered to Sunny. She wasn't used to it and it startled her. If it wasn't for Sunny beside her, holding her hand, she might have done it.

"Remember that movie we rented last month?" Sunny whispered back. "The Man Who Would Be King?"

"Yeah. So?"

"We need to do what they did at the end: brass it out. Stand up straight, hold our heads high, and walk like we're in charge."

Eile looked at her. She had that confident, serene look, with its little smile, like she knew exactly what was going on. That was Sunny, and it was one of the things she loved about her.

Eile nodded and tightened her grip on Sunny's hand. "Alright, let's do this."

She and Sunny faced forward, straightened their backs, and marched into the clearing. They skirted around the mob and came right up in front of the Siamese herald.

"Eile and Sunny," the cat intoned, "you have been summoned before the Council of Elders for Her Most Serene Feline Majesty, the High Queen of All Cats Great and Small. Ordinarily, all discussion takes place in our Sacred Tongue, but Her Majesty has granted special dispensation for this session to be conducted in the Common Tongue of Humanity." And then he stepped back between the pillars.

"Eile and Sunny," came a voice from their left. When they turned towards it, the red tabby continued.

"I am Laoise, the leader of the Council. I and my colleagues speak for the Queen. You will therefore direct all your comments to us, unless Her Majesty speaks to you Herself. Is that understood?"

"Yes."

"Uh-huh."

"Very well. We understand that you have many questions. You have been summoned here to receive the answers. First, it was we who brought you here."

Eile wasn't surprised. Though she couldn't be certain, she had already pretty much formed that conclusion. Sunny, however, beat her to the most obvious question in her mind:

"Why?!"

"That will be explained presently. For now, it is equally important that you understand how. We instructed Snowshoe Kitty and her family to perform a ritual once you were asleep. This ritual created a dreamscape for your minds to explore, one that led directly to the Cavern of Flame. It could not force you to descend the Seventy Steps, but we were counting on your curiosity and sense of adventure, Sunny, and your loyalty, Eile, to accomplish that. Once in the Cavern, we asked Nasht and Kaman-Thah to inform you that your abductors were in the Lands of Dream, knowing that you would wish to confront them. Once committed to that course of action, we knew you would not turn from it."

"So it was you who ordered the Zoogs to guide and protect us," Eile said.

"We cannot order the Zoogs to do anything, but they owed us a favor."

"Why didn't Shadow-stalker tell us anything about this?" Sunny asked.

"She did not know, but even if she had she could not say. It is our prerogative, unless we order otherwise."

"Then stop beating around the bush," Eile said in an angry tone; "why are we here? Shadow indicated it had something to do with Mayv. Is that true?"

"It is. A few days ago we asked her to deal with a threat to feline security. Unfortunately, we have learned that she is in immanent peril. We want you to rescue her."

Eile and Sunny glanced at each other. "You didn't have to kidnap us, we would have volunteered if you had only asked."

"Unfortunately, we could not, for reasons we do not care to get into."

"But why us?" Eile asked.

"You are friends of Mayv, and you are adventurers; what more needs to be said?"

Stunned, Eile blurted out, "What kind of asinine reason is that?"

"The truth," Laoise replied, as the mob began to moan.

"But there must be other adventurers you could have asked," Sunny said.

"Or yourselves," Eile broke in, her gorge rising. "Everyone here seems to be afraid of you guys. If you're that powerful, why don't you rescue her?"

"We cannot, nor could anyone else."

"Why the hell not?!"

"Only you two have the special qualities needed to save her."

"Dammit, what qualities?!"

"You will have to discover that for yourselves."

Eile didn't know how to respond, but Sunny asked, "Will it be dangerous?" Eile couldn't tell if the prospect frightened or excited her.

"Yes. Your own lives will be threatened as well."

"WHAT!?" Eile cried. "Just who do you assholes think you are?"

Cats hissed and growled all around them as Laoise said, "We do not 'think'; we know."

"What the hell does that mean?"

"You will understand, shortly."

Something inside Eile snapped. "AAGH! This is so retarded!"

"Do not raise your voice to us!" Laoise cried, losing her temper. "You are in no position to criticize our decisions."

"Hey! You're the one who wants us to put our lives in jeopardy. That sounds like we're the one's in control here. What if we were to refuse to cooperate until you explain what's going on?"

Though the hisses, spits, and yowls increased in intensity, Laoise's response was surprisingly calm. "I would not advise that."

"Oh, yeah? And why not!"

"Because the ritual that sent you here also keeps you asleep. You see, Dreamers return to their Waking bodies when they awaken —"

"All the more reason to come clean —"

"Unfortunately, we could not risk you accidentally waking up because of some noise or other disturbance, and we need you to remain for as long as it takes to accomplish your mission."

Eile's anger drained away as her blood ran cold. "What are you saying?"

"I have already said it. The ritual will keep you asleep for as long as we wish: hours, days, even weeks. Of course, your bodies will die of dehydration after three days, and when they do, you will become permanent residents of the Dreamworld. So your choice is a simple one: do as we say and accomplish your mission, and you can return to the Waking World; refuse or fail, and you will be trapped here for the rest of your Dream-lives."

Eile was too shocked to speak, but while there was an edge of panic in her voice, Sunny had sufficient presence of mind to say, "Three days doesn't give us enough time."

"True. Fortunately, time in the Dreamlands runs faster than in the Waking World. An hour there equals a week here. Three days would be the equivalent of almost seventeen months, and you won't need anywhere near that amount of time to rescue Mayv. However, you should not delay too long. She is in immediate danger. You must rescue her within five Dream-days, or she will die."

"How can we find her?" Sunny continued.

"We know that she is in the city of Dylath-Leen, a two-day journey to the south. We will assign Shadow-stalker to guide you there and help you locate her. After that, you must decide the best course of action to take."

The Siamese herald stepped forward. "Shadow-stalker! Come forth."

The smoky-gray cat walked out of the mob up to the councilor pillars. "I shall obey the will of the Council," she said, and she bowed her head towards Laoise.

"Then, as it has been said," intoned Laoise, "so let it be done!" And the assembly concurred with a loud yowl.

"Eile and Sunny," the herald said, "you are dismissed from this meeting. Please leave so that we may continue with the rest of our agenda."

Panic broke Eile's paralysis. "NO! You can't do this to us!"

"We have made our decision," Laoise said, "and our word is final."

"But this is insane! You're sending us on a suicide mission for no good reason. You have no right."

"On the contrary, there are very good reasons, but we cannot divulge what they are, nor do you need to know them to succeed. All you need to know will be revealed by Shadow-stalker when the time is right. After that, you should do as Mayv instructs. Now, that is all. Leave us, we have more important matters to discuss."

Sunny touched Eile on the sleeve. "Come on, we can't accomplish anymore here."

Eile shook her off. "Please," she said, " you don't understand! We're not real adventurers. The things we do in the real world —"

"Waking World," Laoise said.

"Whatever! Shit! The stuff we do aren't adventures, they're larks, hijinks. We do them for fun! There isn't any real danger, our lives are never at risk. We don't have the skills for a real adventure, we wouldn't know what to do. If you make us do this, we'll fail for sure, probably even die. You have to see that!?"

"You have a formidable reputation in Otherworld," Laoise countered, not without irony.

"That's an Internet role-playing game, you moron!! It isn't real!!!"

"Sunny and Eile!" the Queen spoke for the first time. The girls turned to look up at her. "There will be no more discussion. You have heard the will of this Council, which represents my will and the will of Bast. You will do as you are told, or you will suffer the consequences. You must leave for Dylath-Leen no later than late early morning tomorrow. If you refuse, if you delay, if you flee, this Council shall declare you anathema. We will then hunt you down and kill your Dream-selves. You will return to your bodies, but you will not awaken. You will remain asleep until your physical bodies die. And that will be your final end. Now, go, or we will declare you anathema here and now!"

"But —!"

"I said go!" And at her words, the mob of cats stood as one and moved towards the girls, stalking them.

Sunny took Eile by the arm. "It's no use; let's get out of here."

This time, Eile nodded in resignation and complied without resistance. With Shadow-stalker ahead of them, they left the clearing. Sunny retrieved the lamp outside the grove, then they left the garden. Eile heard the gate close behind them, and to her it sounded like the a door was being shut on their entire future.

+ + + + +

By the time they reached the hostel, Eile's resignation had festered into a black depression that left her numb. Sunny rang a bell using a pull-cord and Eibhlín opened the door after a few minutes. Shadow-stalker went in with them, but she headed for one of the corner hearths instead of following the girls upstairs. Eibhlín went back to wherever she slept and the girls headed up to their room. Eile opened the door and relocked it once they had gone in. She tossed the key on the bureau beside the tankard while Sunny placed the lantern on the table. Seeing the remains of the ale, Eile picked it up and drained the contents in one swallow.

"Are you okay?" Sunny asked. The concern in her voice was touching, but Eile's mood inured her to it. "You haven't said a word since we left the meeting."

"What's there to say?" she replied, her voice flat. "We should leave as soon as possible tomorrow. I should have asked Eibhlín to wake us at dawn."

"I'm sure Shadow-stalker will tell her. Are you sure you're alright? You seem . . . I don't know, a bit down."

Eile managed a smile. "I'm fine, really, don't worry." She then turned towards the window. Placing her hands on the frame, she leaned forward as she peered out. Some part of her longed to open the window and jump. It would be so easy. If she was going to die anyways, why not do it now and get it over with? Only three things stopped her. The first was a natural inertia. There were any number of times before she met Sunny when she thought about slitting her wrists or walking out in front of a truck, but the simple fact that it would have required real effort to commit suicide when she wanted to do nothing at all prevented her from going through with it. The second was that she wasn't sure if death was preferable to becoming a permanent resident. The third was that it wouldn't be fair to Sunny. Unless they acted together, she couldn't bear to leave her all alone.

Besides, three stories probably isn't high enough to get killed, she thought.

She felt Sunny step up behind her; she wrapped her arms around her torso, hugged her close, and laid her head on the back of her shoulders. "You're not a good liar," she whispered, "but if you don't want to talk about it, that's cool. Just, get your butt in bed."

"You go ahead, I'm not sleepy."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. Don't worry, I'll join you soon."

Sunny kissed Eile on the back of the neck. "If you say so, but don't be too long." And she let go and stepped away.

Eile continued to stare out the window as she heard Sunny undress and get into bed. It wasn't long before she was snoring softly. The thought occurred to her that she could smother Sunny with a pillow. If she did it gently enough, she would never wake up, and even if she did, it would be too late for her to prevent it. Then she could go up to the roof; six stories should be high enough.

No, she thought, I could never hurt Sunny, not even to save her. Girls don't kill their partners, they protect them, look after them. But I don't know if I can protect her here. Back home, yeah, it seems like I do most of the fighting on our adventures, but the worst I've ever had to deal with was a determined crocodile. Here, there are bound to be real monsters; how can I hope to stand up to them? Even with all of Mayv's training, I'll probably just get us both killed. And even if by some miracle we survive, I can't take care of her. Money aside, I know nothing about this world. At least in the real world, I would know what to do, where to turn, if something happened. Here, our lives would be like mine before I started doing design work; with no money, no future, nothing.

It's hopeless. I don't see how we can win. No matter what we do, there's just no way out.

She felt her eyes moisten and she tried to blink it away.

It's not fair.

Then she felt rage bubble up inside her. She squeezed her eyes shut to staunch the flow of tears.

Dammit! It's just not FAIR!

She clenched her jaw, balled her left hand into a fist, and slammed it against the window frame. "OW!" she cursed and shook her hand.

Oh, great! It's probably busted now.

Yet when she wriggled her fingers, they worked fine. Still, the pain and anger helped her to focus. She looked over at the bed; Sunny was still asleep.

She said everything would work out, Eile thought. God, I hope so. I don't want to go back to the way I was. Even with Sunny, I couldn't live that way again. To feel so useless would be hard enough, but to know I had reduced Sunny to that as well, would be too much to bear.

Walking over to the table, she turned down the lantern flame until there was just enough light to see by. It didn't matter now if the flame went out before morning, but she didn't want it so bright she couldn't sleep.

She undressed and carefully got into bed so as not to disturb Sunny. Once she had settled herself, she pulled the cover over her and willed herself to relax. She had gone from fear to despair to anger in only a few hours, and she was still keyed up.

There's got to be a solution, a way out, she thought; I just can't see it. The cats chose us for a reason, even if they won't tell us what it is. We have to figure it out, if we're to survive and get home. We may have little chance to win, but we've got to try. I really don't think we can succeed, but we'll fail for sure if we just do nothing. We have to take the chance.

She turned over, pounding her pillow in frustration. I've got to find the answer, no matter what it takes, for Sunny's sake if no other's. I just hope I can do it before it's too late.

Eile awoke too suddenly for it to be natural. She looked up, blinking in a groggy manner, and found Sunny standing over her, shaking her. She was wearing the dress from the night before. She was also excited about something.

"I just found out, they do have showers!"

That piqued Eile's interest. "Really?"

"Yeah! Well, sort of . . . close enough. Come on! Get up."

The showers turned out to be a group of stalls out behind the hostel, in a secluded part of a patio garden. They reminded Eile of the showers at summer camp. Though somewhat open, they were surrounded by a privacy wall, and the stalls were sufficiently enclosed that only her head and shoulders and legs below the knees were exposed. More importantly, they were roofed over, to prevent people in rooms above from peeping at her. Their operation was simple: a showerhead above her doused her with water whenever she pulled on a cord. She suspected there was a tank somewhere above them. But the water was hot; Eibhlín supplied soap, washcloths, and towels; and there was even shampoo. Afterwards, the hostel's serving girl helped them to dry and brush out their hair. The experience did much to revive their spirits after last night, and by the time the girls had dressed in their adventure outfits, packed their supplies and dresses, and came down to the common room, Sunny was her normal effervescent self. Eile, however, was still possessed by her black depression, and she figured she would be until the adventure was over.

That early, the common room was deserted, so Eibhlín sat with them at their table and chatted with Sunny while they ate breakfast. Though normally Eile found Sunny's rambunctious enthusiasm appealing, even invigorating, currently it irritated her because of her mood.

I had to put up with it all day yesterday, she thought; if I have to again today, so help me I'll freak.

Sunny asked all sorts of questions about the Dreamlands, which Eibhlín answered to the best of her knowledge, but that seemed to be considerable. She had little good to say about Dylath-Leen. While an important trade center for the whole of the Six Kingdoms, it had an evil reputation as a haven for smugglers, slavers, and worse.

"It's a dangerous place, full of cutthroats, assassins, and thieves. Even the Eyes are not to be trusted."

"The Eyes?"

"The Eyes of Dylath-Leen, the militia of the ruling prince. They are suppose to enforce the laws and keep order, but they only act when an important person is involved, or to quell civil unrest. Mostly, they just spy on the inhabitants and report what they learn to the prince. He will know of you shortly after you arrive. Do not threaten the peace of the city or you may be arrested, and no one taken into his prison has ever left."

"We'll be sure to be careful," Sunny said. Eile said nothing, but she noted it was one more peril to add to the list.

Sigurd the weaponsmith came by just as they were finishing eating. He carried a leather harness that he fitted on Eile to be comfortable. He showed her how to attach the sword, so that normally it would hang on her back, but when she pulled a ring on her right shoulder, it would release a catch and the sword would drop to her hip. She could then detach it and fight. He also showed Sunny how to reattach it onto Eile's back. Eile realized it was an ingenious device and recognized that the harness itself showed wonderful craftsmanship. She really appreciated the effort he put into it, but it reminded her of how much she and Sunny owed to the cat council, and any enthusiasm was well dampened. She thanked him, but in a rather subdued manner. Sunny gave her a strange look, but said nothing.

They finally headed out at late-early morning. Eibhlín gave them extra food to extend their supply and for better variety. While Eile and Shadow-stalker waited by the door, she kissed Sunny on the forehead, like a mother sending her kid to school.

"Good luck, girls. I hope to see you again soon."

"Thanks for everything," Sunny said. "Good-bye!"

Eile noted that the serving girl stood in the doorway and watched them until they were out of sight, returning Sunny's last wave. She began to wonder if Eibhlín could be a friend. Not that she wanted to stick around and find out, but the serving girl did seem to go out of her way to help them. She felt bad about not showing the proper appreciation; it certainly wasn't her fault the cats had it in for them.

Speaking of which, she couldn't be sure it wasn't her imagination, but it seemed like there were more cats out that morning than the afternoon before. It also seemed like they were keeping an eye on them, making sure they actually left the city, and in the right direction. It didn't make her mood any better.

They headed south, and the road wound its way through the low, rounded hills. Soon the land began to get flatter, and the number of farms increased. Occasionally, they would encounter a side road, but so far they had not met another traveler. Shadow kept pace a dozen feet in front of them, keeping an eye on the path ahead.

Sunny said nothing, but she gawked like a tourist, or hummed to herself, all the while with a ditzy smile on her face. That especially irritated Eile no end. She didn't want to be pissed at Sunny, but for some reason she resented the fact that Sunny wasn't as miserable as she was. Of course, she suspected it was because Sunny still didn't appreciate the gravity of their situation. She probably still thought of this as one of their usual adventures, even after the cat queen threatened them with death. The more she thought of it, the more her resentment grew, and it blackened her mood further.

About an hour into their journey, Sunny finally gushed, "And thus begins the first day of our grandest adventure yet!"

Eile couldn't contain her resentment any longer. "Ah, Jesus, Sunny, give it a rest already!"

Sunny giggled. "Sorry, I guess I'm just excited."

Eile replied in an angry tone, "Well, get a clue, will ya?"

Sunny gave her a stern look. "Okay, you've been a poopy-head all morning. What gives?"

"What do you mean by that?"

"You haven't been very good company."

"I'm not as talkative as you; I just feel like being quiet."

"It wasn't just that, you were rude to Eileen and Sigurd, and all they were trying to do was help us."

That hit too close to home. Eile frowned at her as she said, "You said it yourself last night: I don't want to talk about it."

"Ah, come on," Sunny urged, trying to sound lighter, "I'll bet you'll feel better if tell me what's wrong."

"Let it go, Sunny," Eile growled.

"No. Something's got you upset, now what is it?"

Something snapped. "Upset!? Why the hell would I be upset?! We've been kidnapped by a bitchy Cat Queen, who's holding our bodies hostage back in the real world —"

"Waking World."

"Whatever!!" she shrieked. "And she sends us off on a suicide mission. Cripes, sometimes you can be such a space-case!"

"Okay, so it's not like our usual adventures, but you shouldn't worry, I'll look after you. After all, a girl always takes care of her partner."

Eile exploded. "AAARRRGHGHGH! How can anyone be such an airhead?!" she yelled, waving her arms around her head.

Sunny gave her a wide-eyed innocent look of surprise. "My word!"

"In case you haven't noticed, you clod, I've been taking care of you for the better part of a year now, ever since you pushed your way into my life."

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm the breadwinner, you bimbo! I'm the one who pays the bills, keeps food on the table, a roof over our heads, and clothes on our backs. If it wasn't for me, you'd still be sleeping in the park, eating out of garbage cans, and wearing the same clothes day after day!"

"Is that what this is all about? I thought we settled this yesterday. Okay, so we don't have any money, but like I said, it'll work itself out. We have enough to worry about without obsessing over something that may never come up."

"Unbelievable! You just don't get it, do you? It's my money that pays for it all. Without it, we couldn't have any adventures!"

"Well, I help earn that money by giving you ideas for your designs, not to mention the fees our adventures brings in! Starting Team Girl! was my idea, if you'll remember."

"It's not just about money, you idiot! We're putting our lives on the line here. Is that fair to me?"

"What left field did that come out of?"

"Good God, every time we start on one of these harebrained adventures it seems I'm the one fighting off all the vicious creatures! If it wasn't for me coming to your rescue all the time, your ass would have been toast long ago!"

"Oh, and I suppose you rescued me from that mad scientist, and that amorous Sasquatch, and that Arab Sheik!"

"I saved you from that crocodile, and those fairies, and that gang of Chuds! Now I'm going to have to save you from whatever monsters they have here!"

"Well, if that's the way you feel about it, don't bother! I can save myself!"

"HAH! I'd like to see you try, you vagina-butt! I doubt being adorable will cut any ice here!"

"You're impossible! How could I have chosen a butthead like you for a partner?!"

"Uuurrrgh! I can't believe I fell for a self-centered clap goblin like you!!"

"Will you two knock it off!?" yowled Shadow-stalker. "Great Mother! If I have to listen to your squabbling this entire mission, so help me I'll claw your tongues out!"

Eile redirected her fury at the cat. "It's all your fault we're in this goddamned mess in the first place! You and the rest of your kind!"

"I had nothing to do with your abduction. If I had my way, I would have contacted you, tried to convince you to help us. But I am not the Queen, and I must obey her commands just as you do. Do you believe that anathema applies only to humans?"

That statement punched through Eile's rage like nothing else could. She had forgotten what Sunny had said yesterday, that Shadow might be just as trapped as they were. The realization that the cat might not only be an ally, but also a kindred soul, deflated her anger, and when she was calm again, she realized her black mood had vanished as well. She understood then that her argument with Sunny, violent as it was, had been cathartic. It killed her black mood by exposing it to the light of day, making it possible for her to shed her fury. All of a sudden, she felt as if her burden had been lifted off her shoulders. Of course, the problem still existed; it just no longer seemed impossible.

"But I swear," Shadow went on, "if you two don't end this bickering now, I'll abandon you and you can rot here for the rest of your dream-lives. Do I make myself clear?"

"You can't talk to my partner that way!" Sunny raged. Eile felt the void left by the draining anger filling with warm gratitude for Sunny standing up for her, especially right on the heels of their argument. It reminded her of just how much she appreciated her unwavering support in the past.

"Oh, no?" the cat replied in a sarcastic manner. "It seems to me I just did. Now behave yourselves, or I'm gone." And before either of them could object further, the cat sprinted off ahead of them.

"Oh, yeah? Well —!" Sunny began, but the cat was already out of earshot. "Oooooo! I can't believe all the cats here are such jerks!" she fumed.

Eile couldn't help chuckling. Sunny whipped her head around and gave her a shocked look, but then she smiled. "You're not mad anymore!" she said in a tone both happy and relieved. Then her expression turned contrite.

"I'm sorry I said all those nasty things to you."

Eile smiled back. "It's okay. You're right, something was bothering me. I'm sorry I took it out on you."

"Apology accepted, partner. So, what's wrong?"

"I'm just not happy with this whole situation."

"Well, I've known that since we arrived. But this is more than just being unhappy. What is it?"

"You're not bothered by all this, are you?"

Looking bewildered, Sunny said, "Of course not. It promises to be exciting. I'm sorry, but that's how I feel."

"I know, and normally I would feel the same way, at least until the first monster showed up. But this is different."

"How so?"

"This isn't just another fun adventure. The stakes are higher now."

"I don't understand."

"We're fighting for our lives here, and I don't think you fully comprehend that."

"You're scared!"

"Damn right I am, and you should be, too."

"But you've never been scared during our other adventures."

"That's my point!"

"But —" she began, then the light dawned; her eyes and mouth opened into huge O's as she said, "OOOhhhhh!"

"Exactly right."

"But I still don't understand why you should be scared. I mean, okay, this adventure could end very badly for us, but then so could a number of others we've had. Why is this one different?"

"I don't know if I can explain it; I don't know if I want to explain it. It makes me uncomfortable, because I'm forced to acknowledge my own insecurities, and I don't like how I feel when I do. But . . . for you, Sunny, I'll try.

"Money isn't the real problem, it's just the most obvious example. I mean, you remember what I was like when we first met. I wasn't living, I was just existing, and I don't know what might have happened to me if you hadn't come into my life. That was when you really saved me. You gave my life meaning by giving me something to live for. I like taking care of you, it makes me feel needed, important. Yes, I play along with your desire to be the leader, but mostly because it allows me to indulge in the illusion that I have no responsibilities. We both know I really do. I love being your partner and I enjoy our adventures, but it's my financial independence that makes it all possible."

"Yes, I know," Sunny said in a gentle manner, "and I don't thank you for it enough."

"That's alright, I've never made an issue of it. But as I said, it's not just about money. I don't know if I can protect you."

"You haven't done badly so far."

"Yes, but it's like I told the cat council last night. We've never really been in danger before. Oh, sure, it can seem like it at times, but after it's over, when you look back on it, you realize just how benign it all was. Thrilling and exciting, yes, but hardly perilous. Here, we can actually get killed. And the only thing that I can think of that would be worse than both of us dead, is one dead and the other left alone."

"I wouldn't like that either. Okay, bottom-line it for me: what's really got you scared?"

Eile realized that she had been beating around the bush, but try as she might, she just couldn't come out and say it. "I–I . . . just don't think I can take care of you here."

"I understand that, but that's not the real problem, is it?"

"It's the only problem I'm concerned about —"

"Eileeee, stop avoiding the issue."

Eile sighed. "Alright, alright." She took a deep breath to steady her nerves, then said, "What really frightens me is that I don't think we can win this one, and you don't seem to understand that."

"Oh dear!"

"Yeah, that's why I didn't want to discuss it, why it was so hard for me to get it out just now. I don't like being so blunt, but there's no other way to say it. If we fail, there's a good chance we'll get killed, and even if we don't, we'll be trapped here for good. And I have no idea how to change that. I don't want that to happen, but more important, I don't want to feel that I let you down."

"Then we'll just have to succeed, won't we?"

Eile smiled, but she shook her head. "I wish I had your optimism, but I can't afford it. I have to be practical, if I'm to figure a way out of this mess. I'm . . . just afraid I can't, and your devil-may-care attitude isn't helping."

Sunny stopped and turned to face her; Eile stopped out of reflex, uncertain what she was doing.

"Eile, listen to me. I'm not going to pretend I know what you're feeling. All I do know is that, before I met you, I lived only for myself. My concerns, my needs, my wants, were all that mattered. When my parents disappeared, I was forced to live on my own. I needed to find some way to support myself, to survive, but I was feeling too sorry for myself to understand that, so I just drifted. Then I met you face to face, and everything changed. Suddenly, someone else seemed more important to me than I was. I realized that you were someone who needed me, and in the process of convincing you, I realized that I needed you as well. We were meant to be a team, Eile."

Eile favored her with a lopsided smile. "Team Girl?"

Sunny smiled, crinkled her eyes, and giggled. "Alright, I sometimes get a wee-bit obsessed about that —"

"A 'wee-bit'?"

"But it's only because I care for you so much. I want you to be happy."

"I know, Sunny, and I want you to be safe."

"That's why, in the long run, it's not really important who's senior and who's junior."

Startled, Eile could only say, "Huh?"

"Oh, don't get me wrong! The senior partner is supposed to protect and care for her junior partner, while the junior nurtures and supports her senior. I'm the senior because I take care of you, and you're the junior because you support me.

"But sometimes those roles overlap, such as when you protect me from all the dangers of our adventures, and I support you in your design work. The best teams are those that grow into full partnerships, and that's what we are: partners. So, yeah, our roles may have become somewhat blurred, but it doesn't matter, because in the end we look out for each other, like partners should."

"Okaaayyyy. So, what's your point?"

Sunny stepped closer and put her hands on Eile's shoulders. "The point, my loyal partner, is that we'll get through this. No matter what happens, whether we succeed or fail, we'll come out alright, because we're a team. So, it's not entirely your problem, it's ours, together. And if the worse does happen . . . well, we'll figure something out, together; we always have. As a team, we're unbeatable!"

Eile embraced Sunny's torso. "And we've never failed an adventure yet, have we?"

"Well, there was the Rescue the President adventure, and the Road Warrior adventure, and the Gleeco adventure, and the Get Mayv Laid adventure —"

"Sunny?"

"Hmmm?"

"Shaddup."

Sunny giggled and they hugged each other.

"Thanks, Sunny," Eile said when they pulled apart.

Sunny gave her an affectionate smile. "Don't mention it."

Eile smiled in return. It was no use trying to stay mad at her, she was just so caring and adorable. Not to mention hot.

Eile leaned forward and Sunny met her half way as they ran their hands up behind each other's heads. Pressing their lips together, they probed each other's tongues as they kissed.

"Holy Mother Bast!" Shadow-stalker yowled, startling the girls. "I don't know what's worse: you two fighting or making out in public."

Eile and Sunny looked at each other; Sunny shrugged, and they let go as she said, "You wanted us to make up. Well, this is how we do it."

"Can you at least wait until we get to the hostel?"

"You mean, we have a place to sleep tonight?" Eile asked, looking down at the smoky-gray cat.

"Of course. What did you think, that we would be spending the night camped out under the stars? I do enough of that as it is; I would rather have a warm, dry place by a fire and a belly full of good food. Now, come on, we haven't got all day."

They started walking again, but after a few minutes, Sunny said, "Umm, Eile, I have a confession to make." She sounded apologetic.

"What is it?"

"Ahh, I've been needling you all morning, ever since we left Ulthar," she said in a sheepish manner.

"You WHAT?!"

"Haha, yeah, I was trying to pick a fight. I thought if I did, I could find out what was bothering you."

Eile grimaced, half in anger and half in jest, as she came at Sunny. "Why you little —!"

"EEEP!" Sunny squealed, half in fear and half in fun, as she sprinted away from her.

"Come back here!" Eile yelled as they raced past the cat. "When I get my hands on you, so help me! . . ."

"Not again!" Shadow moaned. "Holy Mother, give me strength." And she broke into a run to keep up.

+ + + + +

The girls were not actually fighting, and when Shadow-stalker caught up with them, she found Eile had Sunny in a headlock, rubbing her scalp with a closed fist and demanding in a laughing voice that she apologize. Sunny finally responded in a giggly tone, and Eile let her go. They were in good spirits the rest of the day.

Around about noon the road came close to a river. It was wider and deeper than the first one they saw yesterday, but it was still crystal-clear, though its depth gave it a bluish caste.

"All the rivers here look so clean," Sunny said in an admiring tone, "not like back home."

"There's no pollution here," Eile suggested.

"Not quite," Shadow corrected. "That's the same river we followed yesterday. It's called the Skai. A few miles west of Nir, it encounters the Karthian Hills and turns south to eventually empty into the Southern Sea. Dylath-Leen sits on its mouth, being a port city. It's much cleaner than most rivers, though you're right, Eile, we have little pollution in the Dreamlands."

Eile looked east towards the horizon. "I notice there're no trees around here, except by the river."

"The Six Kingdoms doesn't get enough rain to support trees, but the soil is rich, so it's all meadowland. But they do grow along rivers and around springs and pools."

"Which kingdom are we in?" Sunny asked.

"That's just an historical reference. There were kingdoms here at one time, but that was centuries ago. Now, all the villages, towns, and cities are autonomous. That's great for trade, but it also means little law enforcement in the countryside. Fortunately, the people who live here are peaceful and law-abiding, for the most part, but we still have to be careful, especially as we get closer to Dylath-Leen. Are you hungry?"

Eile had been so engrossed in the cat's story that her question caught her by surprise. Almost as if in answer, her stomach growled.

"I'll take that as a yes," Shadow said in a mirthful voice as Sunny giggled. "Ah, there's a likely spot." Just ahead Eile saw a copse of willows beside the river.

"You two can rest and eat there," Shadow continued, "while I hunt up a meal." And she dashed off down to the river and disappeared into some brush.

Eile and Sunny settled on the ground under a large tree and shared some of the food Eibhlín had given them. When they were finished, they leaned back against the gnarled trunk to enjoy the quiet solitude. After a half-hour, Shadow returned and lay with the girls on the grass, cleaning herself.

"Catch anything good?" Sunny asked.

"A fine, fat mouse," Shadow replied in a proud tone.

Eile decided the time was right to ask what was foremost in her mind. "Considering how powerful Mayv is, why does she need us to rescue her?"

Shadow paused in cleaning her face and looked at Eile with an unreadable expression, but when she resumed she said, "How long have you known her?"

Eile looked at Sunny. "About fifteen months now, isn't it?"

"Closer to sixteen," Sunny corrected.

"And how often do you see her?"

"Maybe twice a month, on average."

Shadow trilled. "Then you really don't know her very well. She may seem indestructible, but she really isn't. What's worse, while she is highly intelligent and experienced, she isn't particularly wise. Her arrogance is her greatest weakness; she often charges into a situation without thinking it all the way through. More than a few have warned her that one day it will get her killed. It often gets her into trouble, and many times she just barely escapes. This time it will kill her unless we can get to her before it's too late."

"Why?"

"I don't know the truth, just gossip, but it has been whispered on rooftops and in sunny lanes that she had been told she would need your special qualities to succeed, and she disregarded that advice."

"Do you know what our 'special qualities' are supposed to be?"

"No. I wish I did, though if I did I suspect I would be under orders from the Council not to reveal it until the right moment. I don't like that; I would rather be honest with you, but I have no choice."

"Is there anything you do know that you can't tell us now?" Sunny asked.

Shadow looked over at her. "Yes; please do not ask me what. I will tell you as soon as I am able. It isn't much, and I don't know why I cannot tell you now, but I am under orders. Believe me, if I thought you would be in danger by not knowing, I would tell you and the Council be damned, but that is not the case."

Eile realized she should have been upset, but she couldn't be. She believed Shadow was telling the truth, and she understood how the cat felt. At least in this instance.

"It's okay, Shadow," Sunny said, "we understand. We'll just have to make do until then."

It seemed to Eile that the smoky-gray cat was grateful, but all she said was, "We'd better get going; I want to arrive at the hostel before nightfall." And she headed off down the road without waiting for them.

+ + + + +

The afternoon passed quickly, and by early evening they arrived at the hostel.

"This is the House of Derga," Shadow declared, as she led them to the entrance.

Based on the Laughing Cat, it wasn't what Eile was expecting, but then she reminded herself that in this place she should expect just about anything. It was a large, round stone building, single-story, with a low conical roof of thatch. Smoke seeped out from the peak and at other places through the thatch.

"I don't think this place will be as comfy as the Laughing Cat," Sunny observed.

"It is more rustic," Shadow admitted, "but it's still better than sleeping in the open without bedroll or blanket. Besides, you might enjoy it, it can get raucous at times."

The door was open but the entrance was covered with a heavy curtain. Eile could hear muffled shouts and laughter from inside, and light peeked out the top and bottom of the fabric. Eile couldn't see any place to knock, but the cat was in no way shy, and she nosed her way in past the drape. Eile looked at Sunny, who simply shrugged and pushed the cover back.

Two walls formed a short corridor, the end of which opened into a large common area. In the center blazed six fires, over which had been set up cauldrons, spits, and cooking surfaces. A number of women bustled around them, preparing food of various kinds. In the perimeter wall were set doors placed at regular intervals, some of which were open. The floor was dirt covered with straw. There was no ceiling; instead, the smoke rose to fill the space under the roof. Looking up, Eile saw that meat and other food items were hung from the rafters in the smoky atmosphere. Standing off to the right against the wall was a trio of performers: a veiled woman playing a violin and two men, one with an oboe and the other a mandolin. In the space between the wall and the fires a number of people sat on the floor, singularly, in pairs, or groups of three or four. They were eating off of trays and drinking from tankards. More women moved among them, serving them food or refilling their tankards. Talking and laughing, the travelers largely ignored the musicians and women, though every now and then one would swat the rump of one of the latter as she hurried by.

"This is sort of like our Biker Babe adventure," Sunny said.

Eile grimaced. "Oh, please, don't remind me!"

One of the women came over to them and led the girls and the cat to an open area opposite the musicians. Once they had sat down, another woman brought them tankards filled with beer, and she was soon followed by two others carrying trays. The food consisted of a joint of meat, bread, and grilled vegetables. Eile wasn't too thrilled with the look of it, sort of like bad barbecue, but at least they were provided with utensils. Meanwhile, a fifth woman brought a bowl of water and a plate of cut-up meat for Shadow.

The food wasn't as bad as it looked; in fact, Eile found it tasty, if somewhat bland. She and Sunny chatted as they ate, and when they had finished they sat and listened to the music as they drank. The beer wasn't too strong, so Eile wasn't worried about getting drunk, but she still sipped it; it didn't taste all that good. She kept an eye on the other travelers, but they seemed to ignore her and Sunny as they ignored everyone else. If they were curious about anything at all, it was Shadow.

At one point, Sunny stretched and yawned.

"If you are tired," the smoky-gray cat said, "the Queen has arranged for a room."

"There are rooms here?" Sunny asked.

"Around the outside, where the doors are. Most people just sleep out here by the fire, but Derga provides rooms for those who want privacy. They are not very big, just room enough for a couple of pallets, but there are blankets and mattresses."

"Which one is ours?" Eile asked.

"Pick any with an open door."

There was one behind them. "Let's go," she prodded Sunny.

"Okay," she said as she stood up. They went in, followed by the cat. One of the women brought them a lighted lamp. Eile took it, thanking her, and closed the door.

"There's no lock," she told Shadow.

"Derga prides himself on his hospitality," she explained. "He will not allow anyone to disturb us."

Eile didn't like the idea, but she trusted Shadow, so she accepted her word.

The room was barely wide enough for the two narrow beds, but they were placed in opposite corners, so there was some open space. Eile insisted on taking the bed closest to the door. Sunny undressed and got under the blanket, and was soon asleep. Shadow curled up with her. Eile decided to keep her armor on, but she took off the harness. She placed the broadsword under the palette where she could reach it, turned the lamp down, then laid on the bed and tried to sleep.

Unfortunately, her armor didn't permit it. The unitard was okay, but the breastplate, shoulder guards, and skirt made it hard to get comfortable. No matter how she laid, something either pressed, pinched, or poked some part of her body, usually in a painful manner. Sunny slept soundly through her tossing and turning, but Shadow-stalker sometimes started awake and stared at her for a few moments before she curled back up again. She never said anything, but Eile got the impression she was admonishing her to stay quiet.

Finally, she surrendered to the inevitable and sat up in bed, her back against the wall. This at least was marginally comfortable; the armor hung more naturally on her frame, but she doubted she would get any more sleep. She considered taking it off, but she didn't want to be caught unprotected, much less naked, if anyone tried to break in. Yet she didn't want to be exhausted tomorrow.

Maybe I can just remove the parts that bother me, she thought. I'll at least have the bodysuit on if anything does happen.

Deciding to go for it, she stood and started to undo the fastenings on her shoulder guards, when she heard a bump on the door. She froze, straining to hear more. At first there was only silence, except for her heartbeat pounding in her ears. Then she discerned a soft rubbing, as if from some animal pawing at the door. She edged up to it, leaned against it, and placed an ear to the wood.

"Quiet!" came a muffled voice from the other side. "You'll wake 'em."

"Nah, they can't 'ear this. They're prob'ly sound asleep."

"Good thin' Derga doesn't 'ave any locks on 'is doors. Are you sure we're enough?"

"For a coupl'a' girls? Don't be daft."

"One 'ad a sword."

"She won't 'ave it in bed wit' 'er, unless that's 'ow she gets 'er jollies. Besides, she'll be asleep. We cen snatch 'er before she knows we're there."

"What about the cat?"

"Screw the cat. Kill it, and we'll be outa' 'ere wit' no one the wiser."

Eile didn't bother listening to more; she had heard enough. She stepped away from the door, retrieved her sword from under the bed, and went to Sunny's pallet.

"Shadow," she whispered, touching the cat. Shadow awoke with a trill.

"Shhh! There's someone outside our door."

Shadow turned her head to face the door and swiveled her ears towards it like radar dishes. "I hear them," she said as she stood up.

"We're trapped in here, no way out," Eile evaluated.

"The best thing to do is make a stand at the door. Only one can enter at a time.

"Umm, I don't know. Mayv's been teaching us martial arts and such, but it's all been unarmed combat, no weapons training."

"None at all?"

"Well, she has shown us how to use police batons, but no sword or knife fighting."

"Essentially, a sword is no different from a baton, except for the sharp edges. You can use it the same way."

Eile hefted the broadsword in her hand. She hadn't thought of it that way. It felt different from holding a baton, but the short, light blade did not feel awkward. It was well balanced and she found she could handle it as well as a baton, if not in exactly the same way. She felt her doubt slip away as she filled with confidence.

"Should we wake Sunny?" Shadow asked.

Eile looked down at her. She had had the same training, but Eile didn't want her involved, it might be too risky. "No. Let her sleep. We can handle this."

"Wouldn't she wake up anyway, if we have to fight?"

"Sunny could sleep through a nuclear blast."

"As you say," Shadow said as she bounded onto Eile's bed. Eile moved to the foot of Sunny's pallet directly in front of the door. She noted from the position of the hinges that it would open inward and to her right, just before she extinguished the lamp. That would give Shadow the first crack at their attackers. She was surprised at how calm she felt, considering her lack of armed combat training, but she felt comfortable with this. She had always seemed able to deal with any threat that confronted her and Sunny in the past. If these guys were as human as they sounded, this shouldn't be any different. At least she hoped so.

They didn't have to wait long. Presently the latch lifted and the door slowly opened. The hinges creaked once or twice, barely audible even in the stillness. Eile held her breath and stayed as still as she could manage. The absence of light other than that of the common room's central fires indicated the kidnappers carried none, and so would be momentarily blinded looking into the dark cell. Yet she could see them silhouetted against the firelight. One in front crouched low and started to edge across the threshold; the one behind him stood upright and waited. Both had what looked liked clubs. All the better, Eile thought, and she smiled grimly.

Without warning, Shadow leapt off the bed. The man in front ducked, but he wasn't her target. Instead, she launched herself off his back straight at the face of the second man. Startled, he tried to fend her off, but he was too slow. She clung to his face, biting, clawing, and ripping, while he staggered back, screaming in a high-pitched voice.

The first man stood and looked back. Eile took that opportunity.

"RYAAAAAAAAAGH!" she roared as she charged straight at him, swinging her sword. He spun around and just managed to get his club up in time to parry her stroke. She was surprised it didn't crack in two, but she pushed it out of her mind as she pressed her attack. She swiped at him in a furious manner, giving him no respite, no time to recover and attack, as she drove him back. Travelers who had been sleeping around the fires were waking up, the closer ones scrambling to get out of the way. The women and the three musicians came out of their rooms to see what the commotion was about, but Eile barely noticed them. She was concentrating on her opponent. Finally, she was able to disarm him by slamming his hand with the pummel of her sword. His club dropped from his numb fingers, and she bashed him in the face with the flat of the blade. The blow had so much force that he spun around and fell to the ground, unmoving.

"EILE!" Shadow shrieked, "behind you!"

She turned in time to see a third kidnapper with a dagger in his hand. She realized he must have been standing outside beside the door, out of sight, as he raised the knife to stab at her. She brought up the sword to protect herself, but she realized she was too late to block him.

"HI-YAAAUGH!" Sunny shouted as she swung her staff like a bat, cracking his wrist. The dagger flew out of his hand. Yelling in pain, he grabbed his hand as he turned around. She rammed the staff into his gut, forcing him to double over, then she whacked the back of his skull, laying him out cold.

Eile turned to check on the other two men. Her opponent was still unconscious, while Shadow stood on the chest of hers. He had his face covered with his hands, sobbing and moaning, as blood seeped through his fingers.

Eile scanned the crowd, watching them in case any of them tried to make a move. They looked at her with expressions of mixed awe and trepidation, but they stayed where they were.

Then she realized they weren't looking at her, but past her. Turning, she saw Sunny standing over her opponent, holding her staff ready for another attack. That was when Eile realized she was naked.

"J–Jesus, Sunny! Put something on!"

Sunny gave her a puzzled look, then looked down at herself. "Eeeek!" she squealed, covering herself, before she ran back into the cell and slammed the door closed.

"Eile," Shadow warned her. She faced the crowd again and watched as a tall, powerful man emerged. He wore a nightshirt and was unarmed. He had longish dark hair, a short-cropped dark beard, and dark eyes in a face dominated by a hawk nose.

Eile tensed, ready for an attack, but the man stopped a good six feet from her.

"Eile, this is Derga, the proprietor," Shadow explained as she sauntered over to stand in front of her.

Eile relaxed, but not completely. "Is this your idea of hospitality?"

The look he gave her was a mix of anger and embarrassment. "I am truly sorry for what happened," he said, in a voice that suggested otherwise.

"As well you should be," Shadow responded. "These girls are under the sponsorship of the High Queen of All Cats, and she will not be happy to hear that you failed to protect them under your own roof."

Even in the low light of the room, Eile could see his face pale as the blood drained from its skin. She understood that the cats were feared in the Dreamlands, but this was the first time she saw it with her own eyes. She also realized that cat patronage was a two-edged sword. It placed obligations on her and Sunny, but it also required the cats to support and protect them.

Though he did not quail or plead, Eile nonetheless heard fear in his voice. "If there is any way I can make it up to you three, you need only ask."

"You can begin by waving your fee."

"Done," he replied in an eager tone.

"You can provide the girls with bedrolls and blankets and a mess kit for their journey."

"Done," he replied in a more subdued manner.

"And you can guarantee, on your word of honor, that we will have an undisturbed rest the remainder of the night."

"Done." This time his response was more resigned. "I myself shall stand guard outside your door."

"Very well. But understand this, Derga: the Queen has your hostel under surveillance. She will hear of it if the girls do not leave on time tomorrow, or leave without me, or leave in anyone's company except my own. Do I make myself clear?"

Derga swallowed and nodded. "You do."

"Good. Come on, Eile, let's go to bed."

Eile didn't trust the hostel keeper, but she decided not to contradict Shadow. She gave Derga a sour look before following the cat back into the room.

Sunny was sitting up in bed, draped by her blanket, but she threw it aside and stood up as soon as Eile closed the door behind her.

"I still wish we could lock this thing," Eile said. "I don't trust Derga."

"He will not let us down again, but I suggest you sleep with Sunny. That way, if I am wrong, you will have time to react." As if to emphasize her point, she jumped up onto Eile's bed and laid down in the middle of the blanket.

"So what happened before?"

"Derga is not above taking bribes to look the other way while his patrons conduct illegal activities, but I am not convinced he knew what they were up to, otherwise they wouldn't have been so stealthy. In any event, he now has a bigger incentive to honor his word: a whole skin."

This might have been wishful thinking, but: "Are you sure anathema is a credible threat?"

"You saw what I did to that one ruffian? Imagine a half-dozen cats doing the same thing to Derga's whole body."

"Urrk!" Eile said, feeling sick.

"Exactly. Only the foolhardy would risk that fate."

"Okay, I'll take your word for it. But I can't sleep in my armor."

"Take it off, then. You'll be fine."

Eile wanted to argue, but she was willing to go along with the cat this far. She shrugged and began stripping it off. Sunny moved in to help her.

"What was that about the cat queen having us under surveillance?" she asked.

Sunny looked at Shadow. "Under surveillance?"

"We have been followed by a squad ever since we left Ulthar."

"Doesn't the queen trust us?" Eile asked in a sarcastic tone.

"We have learned over the centuries that, while anathema is a powerful threat and deterrent, not everyone takes it seriously, especially newcomers. The squad is insurance that you will undertake the mission. They will back me up if I must threaten you, and they will carry out the Queen's sentence if you dissert."

Eile and Sunny looked at each other, and she could see Sunny was as shocked as she was. "Sweet Jesus, you people are pretty hardcore!"

"We do what needs to be done, and we have the power to do it. We act with impunity in the Dreamworld. However, the squad serves two other functions as well. The first is to keep the Council informed of your progress. The second is to protect you if necessary."

"Well, that at least is good to hear."

"Speaking of protection, you did very well," Shadow said.

Surprised, Eile paused to look at the cat. "Really?!"

"I thought you were magnificent!" Sunny gushed, "and you thought you couldn't protect me here."

"In fact, you both did well," Shadow continued. "You should do fine here, provided you don't get overconfident."

Eile felt herself blush as she resumed undressing. She was glad the room was too dark for anyone else to notice.

"What will happen to those guys?" Sunny asked.

"More than likely Derega will let then go as soon as we leave tomorrow."

Eile paused again. "That's no good! What if they try to ambush us along the way?"

"More than likely they will be too worried about their own lives. I doubt those who hired them will be happy to learn they failed, especially now that you're on your guard. Besides, the squad will intervene if I am wrong."

"Hrrn," Eile grunted, unconvinced, but she resumed undressing.

"In any event," Shadow went on, "we have proven ourselves more than a match for ordinary brigands. Next time, whoever tried to have you kidnapped will use overwhelming force. That will take them awhile to prepare, and once we have Mayv, the odds will go up in our favor considerably. She is too formidable for even an army."

By that time Eile had finished. "Why can't he turn them over to the sheriff?"

"Remember what I told you on the road? There is no sheriff, no authority at all outside the villages, cities, and towns. Derga's authority only covers his hostel. He can bar our attackers from ever returning, but he can do nothing more."

Eile got into Sunny's bed. The pallet was really only wide enough for one person, but Eile laid on her back while Sunny draped herself over her. Eile then spread the blanket over them both.

"I just don't like the idea of someone being after us. I mean, how did they find out about our mission?"

"I don't know," Shadow answered, for the first time sounding uncertain. "No cat would talk about it, but we had to make arrangements with Zoogs and humans. One of them may have said something inadvertent. In any event, we are now forewarned, which makes us forearmed. For the time being, however, go to sleep. We can discuss this further tomorrow."

"I don't know if I can —" Eile began, but Sunny cut her off by grasping one of her breasts and squeezing it.

"AAAHH! Okay, okay! I get the message. Shutting up now."

"Good night, Eile," Sunny said; "good night, Shadow."

"Good night, Sunny," the cat replied; "good night, Eile."

"What is this, the Waltons? — AAHH!" Eile cried as Sunny squeezed her breast again. "Alright! Good night, Shadow; good night, Sunny!"

Sunny kissed her chest and settled herself. Eile closed her eyes and before she knew it she fell asleep.

Derga was as good as his word. Eile and Sunny slept soundly, with no interruptions, until Shadow-stalker woke them at dawn. They dressed and when they opened the door, they found him still standing in front of it, a giant club in his hands. They ate a breakfast of oatmeal and hearth cakes, after which he gave them each a backpack with a bedroll attached. In one was a compact circular case a foot in diameter, which stored plates, utensils, and cooking paraphernalia. They divided up their food and equipment between them, and were off just as the sun cleared the horizon.

Their journey was as uneventful that day as it had been the two previous days. The land became flatter, the Skai widened and deepened, and the farms became larger. They began meeting fellow travelers, both humans and cats, who were heading north. However, Eile noted that the closer they got to Dylath-Leen, the darker things seemed to get. It was the best way she could describe it. The people seemed more sullen, the farms more brooding, and the countryside more bleak. Even the Skai seemed to change character, losing its clear appearance and becoming more greenish. It was giving her the willies, and Sunny and Shadow both seemed to be nervous as well.

They finally reached the city in mid-afternoon. Their first indication was a dark gray smudge on the horizon. As they got closer, it resolved itself into a dismal cloud cover over a black, squat shape. Closer still, and the shape became a wide city with a thick forest of tall, sharply pointed towers and spires, surrounded by a strong wall. At last Eile had arrived at a real fantasy city, and now she wished she hadn't.

Before they reached the main gate, Shadow took them to a tangled thicket of trees. She led them inside to a central clearing. From there they could see the road, but they were hidden from passersby.

"I need you to stay here, until I can arrange safe passage into city," she told them.

"I don't understand," Eile said, as she and Sunny took off their packs.

"You cannot just walk into the city through the main gate bold as brass. For one thing, the people who tried to have you kidnapped may be watching. For another, two young girls alone, unescorted, especially pretty ones like yourselves, make prime targets. You may be accosted by sailors looking for companionship, and many of them do not take no for an answer. You may be targeted by slavers looking for harem girls and abducted right off the street. A kindly old woman may offer you a safe haven, a meal, and a bed, all the while planning to feed you to some squamous horror she keeps in her cellar. Regardless, no one will lift a finger to help you even if you scream for it in broad daylight."

"Then, what's our best option?" Sunny asked.

"Even the cats here cannot be completely trusted, but at least they obey the Council. They will have secret entrances and safe houses; at the very least, a squad of them can escort you to a friend who can hide you. But I need time to contact them."

"Can't the squad that's been following us escort us in?" Eile asked.

"The city cats would be offended if you entered with an escort of outsiders, and we would still need their cooperation to hide you. Don't worry, you'll be safe here; just do not leave until I return. Above all, trust no one, not even another cat. Alright?"

"Yeah."

"Okay."

Shadow nodded, then slipped out between the trees. Eile watched through the thicket as she started down the road to the city.

When Shadow disappeared in the distance, she turned to Sunny. "We might as well make ourselves comfortable." And she sat on the ground, resting her back against a tangled mass of saplings.

Sunny did the same, and passed her a water bottle. "Are you hungry?" They had not stopped for lunch, feeling too oppressed to eat.

"Yeah, why not," Eile said before taking a swig.

Sunny opened the packs, removed, and divided various food items between them. They ate in silence for some minutes, before Sunny asked, "Do you think it will take long?"

Eile shrugged. "Probably, and Shadow may not come for us until after dark in any event."

"What do we do until then?"

"Anything that doesn't attract attention. We could try to sleep; who knows if we'll get any rest tonight? As long as one of us keeps watch, we can nap in relay."

"You go first; I'm not very tired."

Eile didn't argue, and after she finished eating, she lay down using the bedroll as a pillow. But as with the night before, she couldn't get comfortable, and after an hour she gave up.

"Why don't you try sleeping?" she suggested to Sunny.

"I'm still not tired. Bored to death, but not tired."

Eile felt bored too, and restless, but there was nothing either of them could do about it.

"None of our gaming adventures were this dull," Sunny added.

"Yeah, well, the game usually glosses over stuff like this, so players can get to the action faster. But, considering this is real, maybe we should be glad we have times like these. I get the feeling things will heat up soon enough."

"Maybe," Sunny said, but she didn't sound convinced. Truth be told, Eile wasn't sure she agreed with her own reasoning. Back home at least there were things she could do to relieve the boredom. Here, all she had were Sunny and her own thoughts, and present circumstances ruled out the more obvious activities the two of them could do. Even fighting monsters seemed preferable to just waiting for something to happen.

Be careful what you wish for, her father always told her, and she accepted the truth of that sentiment, but right then, she wished Shadow would return in short order.

"Someone's coming," Sunny said, looking out to her left through the trees. Eile moved to sit beside her, but it was just a couple of travelers. She had seen people on the road the entire time she and Sunny had been in the thicket; two more were not unusual. But they did look strange. They were tall, blocky men, with bulbous heads and wide mouths; their faces reminded Eile of frogs. They wore large, globular turbans and open coats over heavy shirts and belted trousers. Oddly shaped boots covered their feet. They walked hunched over, on tiptoes, with bent knees. They maintained their balance with yard-tall walking sticks made of dark, knobby wood. They spoke to each other in low, guttural voices, but they were at the moment too far away for the girls to hear them. Eile wondered if they might be the Dreamland equivalent of orcs or ogres.

"Who do you think they are?" Sunny asked.

"How should I know?"

"I don't like the look of them. They . . . give me the creeps."

"I'm not too fond of them either, but there are bound to be a lot of strange people here. They may be perfectly decent fellows."

Sunny turned her head to look at her. "You don't believe that any more than I do."

She didn't, but she just shrugged. "It doesn't matter, we'll probably never find out anything about them —"

"SHHH! I think I can hear them!"

Eile was annoyed by Sunny's interruption, but before she could respond, she realized she could hear them as well.

". . . incompetent fools, letting two girls and cat beat them," said the one on the left.

"What can you expect from riffraff?" replied the one on the right.

"It's a shame, though, they would have made a wonderful sacrifice. He would have especially enjoyed the lighter one."

Sunny looked at Eile, her eyes as wide as O's, as she mouthed the word 'sacrifice'. Eile nodded as her skin crawled, her face set in a grim expression.

"We may get another chance. We know they are headed here. All we have to do is wait until they try to rescue Mayv, then we will have them all."

They paused just abreast of the thicket. "And with the power of the Twins as His own, He will become invincible."

"What of Mayv?"

"The High Priest wants to deal with her personally."

"Surely there's no reason we cannot have some fun with her in the meantime? We have a score to settle as well."

"I suppose, as long as we don't do any permanent harm." They started walking again.

"And if we can break her spirit, she'll scream all the louder when the Priest works on her."

They laughed in an evil manner as they receded into the distance.

Sunny turned towards Eile. "They have Mayv!"

"Yeah," Eile said, her thoughts running a mile a minute. "The question is, what can we do about it?"

"We have to rescue her!"

"Shadow told us to stay here."

"But it may be too late by the time she gets back. If we follow those two, they'll probably lead us right to her, but we have to leave now before we lose them."

"Yeah," she said, still thinking, then she came to a decision. Sunny was right. This may be their best chance to find Mayv and rescue her, even if they have to do it alone.

"Alright, let's do it! Leave the packs here; we can come back for them later."

"Right. Let's go kick some butt, partner!" Sunny said in a cheerful tone. Eile grinned, glad to have something to do at last, even if it was dangerous.

They left the thicket and went out onto the road. The travelers were still visible ahead of them, but just barely. They hurried to catch up, then slowed to a walk about a dozen yards behind them. The two men were moving slower than most people would, so that Eile and Sunny had to walk at a more leisurely pace than was normal for them, but they managed to tail them without rousing their suspicions.

As they approached the city, the towers and spires gradually retreated behind the looming wall. It was constructed from enormous finely dressed blocks of a black, fine-grained stone. The blocks were carved so perfectly, that they were fitted together with no mortar, like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. Every part of the wall, including the battlements, parapets, merlons, and towers, was constructed from this stone, using blocks of differing sizes. Yet at no time did Eile see any evidence of soldiers manning the defenses.

As they drew near the gate, the number of people steadily increased. Most of them were just loitering around, either arguing with each other or watching the traffic themselves. The rest appeared to be heading towards definite destinations, either in or out of the city, though most of these were going in. Eile could not help but notice there were a number of cats around as well. Remembering Shadow's warning that even the cats here were not trustworthy, the looks they gave her made her shiver.

She paused just before they passed through the gate tower. She found it ominous that there were no guards stationed in the road. That and the lack of defenders suggested the city either needed no guards, or it was defended by an inhuman force that kept itself hidden until needed.

Sunny gave her a questioning look. "Why did you stop?"

"You remember what Shadow said," Eile asked her, "about how we can't trust anyone here?"

"Yeah?"

"Get on my left side," she instructed. Sunny frowned in confusion, but she complied. As soon as she was in position, Eile linked her left arm in Sunny's right, then pulled the ring at her shoulder, dropping her sword to her hip. She unhooked it and held it in a resolute grip, the blade pointed up and at the ready.

Looking at Sunny, she said, "From now on, no matter what happens, we never separate until we find Mayv. If we're attacked, we put our backs against a wall or each other. We remain joined at the hip at all times; a unified team. Got it?"

"Got it, partner!" Sunny declared. "Let's go kick some butt!"

"You already said that."

"Sorry," she said, giggling, as her eyes crinkled.

They hurried through the tower tunnel and emerged onto a plaza. It was nonagonal, with each face being the side of a tower, including the guard tower behind them. At seven of the vertices narrow streets entered the plaza, and the girls saw the travelers heading for the far right hand lane. They hurried to get closer, then fell into the same easy stride they had adopted on the road. Everything inside the city seemed to be built out of the same gray stone: the towers and spires, the flagstones of the sidewalks, even the setts that paved the streets and the plaza. The only exceptions were wrought iron for fences, grates, and other metal items, black fine-grained wood almost indistinguishable from the stone for doors and shutters and the like, and smoky black glass for windows. The towers, whether square, round, or polygonal, were thin and tall, with none being less than six stories. They clustered together so thickly that they blocked out most of the sky, and what was left was dismal and gray, so that the street was dark, almost like dusk. Fortunately, there were enough lanterns out that the girls could see well enough once their eyes adjusted to the gloom.

The street was narrow and uninviting, and it wound around in a seeming haphazard manner. Numerous alleys intersected it at weird angles, and when Eile looked down them she saw storefronts and establishments that gave her the willies. Though not crowded, the street thronged with people. Most appeared to be seamen, and Eile guessed that they must represent many different cultures, because of their very wide variety of clothing styles, skin and hair colors, and languages. The rest, she supposed, were the city's inhabitants. They appeared to be of the same race as the people of Ulthar and Nir, but while their clothes were well tailored, they were plain and dark. The people themselves were sullen and brooding, who wore blank expressions and said almost nothing. The alleys contained fewer people, but being darker she could make out few details about them. Even so, she suspected that was a good thing. The people on the street ignored her and Sunny for the most part, but more than a few stared at them with expressions of curiosity, avarice, or desire. However, those who took too keen an interest in them, Eile found, could be persuaded to look away with a baleful look and a shake of her sword. She ignored the ones who looked crazed.

There were cats as well, though Eile saw fewer than in Ulthar. Like the human inhabitants, they were also dark, brooding, and sullen, and she realized there could be thousands of them in the shadows and she would never know.

+ + + + +

After some time, the two travelers turned off the street through a gate into an establishment at the base of a twelve story round spire. The girls waited a few moments, then followed them in. It turned out to be a tavern. It was only just barely brighter than the street, and was filled with thick smoke from numerous pipes, hookahs, bongs, cigars, and more. The bar started at the door and wound its way around the perimeter of the room clockwise to a stage opposite the entrance. A half-dozen women occupied it, in various states of dress from fully clothed to completely naked, stepping a slow, turning dance to non-existent music. The rest of the floor was occupied by round and rectangular tables, and the room was filled to overflowing with people. Compared to the eerie quiet on the streets, the noise of conversation seemed loud enough to deafen.

Eile watched as the travelers moved through the crowd to a table where four other persons were already sitting. The two groups greeted each other as the travelers sat, and they began conversing.

Eile really wanted to know what they were saying. She saw a way to get close enough, through a knot of drinkers standing nearby, but she realized she and Sunny would look out of place without drinks of their own. But how to get drinks with no money? —

She felt a hand stroke her ponytail from behind. Without turning, she rammed her elbow backwards into someone's gut. She heard him gasp and moan in pain, then she whirled around and slammed the pommel of her sword onto the back of his hand.

"Hands off, buster!" she growled in a low voice.

The man snarled and made a move towards her, but another man standing next to him grabbed him, spun him around, and smacked his face down on the bar.

As the masher held his most likely broken nose, the other man said to Eile, "My apologies for my friend's bad manners. Here, let me make amends by buying you and your companion a drink."

Eile couldn't believe her luck. "Yeah, whatever," she said in a menacing tone. The man nodded, then turned to the bar and held up two fingers. After a minute, a barwench placed a pair of goblets filled with a green liquid in front of him. He handed one to Eile, who passed it to Sunny, then gave her the second. He smiled a leer at her as she nodded and moved away from the bar.

"Don't drink it!" she whispered to Sunny, who had raised the glass to her lips. She threw her a shocked look. "Just hold onto it. It'll help us blend in."

"Okay," Sunny nodded.

"Come on, I think I see way we can get closer." The crowd near the travelers' table milled around a lot, but a passage had opened through it. Eile moved into it with Sunny in tow before it could close. The trick would be getting close enough to hear what they were saying, without any of them seeing her or Sunny. Fortunately, they had two factors working in their favor: they were shorter than most people in the tavern, which allowed them to hide behind a wall of patrons, and based on what the travelers had said earlier, they didn't expect the girls to be in the city yet. Eile hoped it would be enough to remain unnoticed.

The knot of patrons was tight enough that Eile felt claustrophobic. She hoped no one would try to grope them; she didn't want to call attention to her and Sunny by thumping anyone on the head. But as she pushed forward, people moved out of the way out of reflex, and no one took any notice of them.

She almost pushed her way clear out of the crowd behind the two travelers, but at the last minute she retreated behind a trio of patrons. Sunny pushed up next to her. They could just barely hear the conspirators, who had to talk loudly to make themselves heard over the din of conversation. Eile had to keep shifting their position to keep her and Sunny hidden, so that they lost bits and pieces of the conversation, but they managed to stay close to the table.

"So you want us to keep a watch on the gate for two girls traveling with a cat," one of them said.

"Yes," replied one of the travelers. "Capture them . . . (inaudible) . . . an opportunity presents itself, and bring them to us. But do not harm them."

"What about the cat?"

"Assuming it . . . (inaudible) . . . run off, kill it."

"How do you know . . . (inaudible) . . . here already?"

"We were waiting on the road at dawn a mile south of the hostel, for your brethren to bring us the girls. When we . . . (inaudible) . . . in the distance, we realized the kidnapping had gone awry, so we started out ahead of them. They never passed us on the road, . . . (inaudible) . . . still be outside the walls. The cat is probably waiting for darkness to sneak them in. But you do not have much time to get into position."

"Where will you be?"

"In the Broken Spire; you can see it from the door of this tavern."

"What of Mayv?"

"Leave her to us. We have her, and we will deal with her presently."

Eile had heard enough. She moved back through the knot, pulling Sunny with her. Once out, they made for the entrance, dropping off their glasses at a table next to the door. Eile looked to see if the masher and his companion were at the bar, but she couldn't spot them.

They went out into the street, then looked up into the sky. Evening was fast approaching, but there was still enough light for them to see the spires and towers silhouetted against the clouds.

"There!" Sunny cried, pointing up and a little to their left. Eile saw a thin round tower whose pointed top leaned out over the street at a steep angle.

"Let's go!" Eile said. Taking Sunny's hand, they ran down the street, keeping an eye on the crazy-tilted roof. They soon reached the base of the tower, the spire hanging over their heads.

Eile hesitated. She didn't want to charge through the entrance, but she wasn't sure how else to get in.

"Maybe there's a backdoor," Sunny suggested, as if reading her mind.

A small space separated this tower from its neighbors. It wasn't a true alley, but it went all the way around the tower. It was almost too dark to see, but by following the wall, they were able to grope around to the back, where they did find a door. What's more, it was unlocked. They opened it and peered in; they saw an empty corridor lit by candles. They entered, closing the door behind themselves.

Eile looked up and down the hall. It followed the circumference of the tower, and the inner wall had doors in it. "Which way?" she asked.

"Mmm, that way," Sunny replied, pointing to their right.

They started down the corridor, moving cautiously, testing the doors. Those that were unlocked they opened to see inside. Those that were not dark turned out to be offices or storerooms. About a quarter of the way around, they found stairs leading up.

"She's probably being held on one of the upper floors," Eile supposed. She and Sunny went up to the next one. It's layout was identical to the floor below. They walked the full circuit around the tower, testing each door, listening for sounds through those that were locked, looking inside rooms whose doors were not. All were dark, and they could see little detail, but something about their décor bothered Eile. Something wasn't right, but she could quite put her finger on what.

On the fifth floor the hall dead-ended. The last door was locked, but when they listened, they heard muffled groans and cries. They sounded distressed, as if the person making them was in pain. Eile's heart thudded when she realized the voice sounded like Mayv's.

"Oh my god," Sunny wailed, "they're torturing her already!"

"Not for long!" Eile growled. Hefting her sword, she took a step back, and Sunny followed beside her, pulling her dagger from its sheath.

"On three," she said; "one, two, THREE!"

In unison the girls each raised a leg and slammed their feet against the door by the handle. "HEE-YAAAHH!!" they shouted together. The door shuddered, the jam splintered, and it flew open, swinging against the inside wall with a resounding crash.

"AAAAAAUUGH!!!" the girls cried as they charged into the room, brandishing their weapons. "You let her go, you inhuman monsters!" Sunny added.

A moment later they came screeching to a halt.

It wasn't a torture chamber, but a guestroom. The bed was opposite the door. It was currently occupied by two naked women, lying on their backs facing each other, raise up on their elbows, their legs intertwined as they rubbed their hips together in a frantic rhythmic motion, all the while moaning and shrieking in mindless pleasure. Eile suddenly got the sick realization the women were scissoring, and then is dawned on her that the tower was an inn.

The woman facing them looked to be a city native. As soon as the girls barged in, she screamed and crawled backwards across the mattress until she impacted the headboard. She then lay still, like a deer caught in headlights, a look of terror frozen on her face.

Her partner was a massive woman with adobe colored skin and a veil of long, loose, straight gold-tinted bronze hair. She flipped onto her stomach and pushed herself up into a kneeling position, taking a crouched stance ready to fight. It was Medb hErenn. She wore her trademark heavy gold torc with the uncut red gems at the tips, her silverish metal headband, and her ubiquitous long braids dangling from the sides of her head.

In a chair beside the bed, a young tomcat lay beside a small Zoog. He rose up on all fours, arched his back, bristled, and hissed. The Zoog made no move, but its nose tendrils wriggled in a more agitated manner. A crested, long-tailed bird was perched on the top of the chair's high back. He took wing and hovered above the chair, piping in alarm.

When Medb got a good look at the girls, she frowned in confusion, but she relaxed and straightened up. The cat calmed himself and sat down, while the bird flew over to a small table and perched on the back of one of its two chairs. Even the second woman relaxed and sat up, drawing her legs beneath her.

"Well?" Medb asked in her strong sing-song contralto.

"Umm . . . ah . . . oh, Jesus," Eile stammered, "we're sorry. We'll just leave now." She took Sunny by the arm and started backing towards the doorway.

"Stay where you are!" Medb commanded, fixing them with her cold, emerald-green eyes. Eile froze; she recognized that tone of voice.

"Tell them ta get out!" the woman demanded.

"Stay out of this," Medb said over her shoulder. "I am paying you for sex, not to interfere in my business."

Leaning her hands against the footboard, she studied the girls for some moments, then came to a conclusion. "They are harmless." Eile wasn't sure whether she should be relieved or angry.

"I don't care!" the doxy spat, "I want them outa' here."

Without speaking, Medb stepped off the bed and retreated to the high-backed chair. Several articles of clothing had been draped over the back. She picked up a gray and black plaid cloak and wrapped it around herself.

She pointed at the strumpet in the bed. "You. Leave."

"What?! I have a right ta be here!"

"You have only what I allow you to have, and for the moment I do not allow you to stay."

"Well, I'm not leaving without my money!" she sassed back.

Medb's handsome features scowled and she went over to the table. A belt woven from black leather strips with several pouches attached to it was flung over one of the chairs. She opened a pouch, dug out a coin, and tossed it to the tart.

"Here. Now, get out!"

Eile recognized that commanding tone few could resist. The woman's face drained of blood and she jumped out of bed, snatched her clothes from off the footboard, and left. She didn't even bother to dress; she just clutched them to her bosom and bolted for the door. Eile and Sunny barely had time to dart out of her way.

"You," Medb said, pointing at Eile, "close the door." She did so without objection.

"Now, who are you and why are you here?"

Eile exchanged confused looks with Sunny. "Don't you recognize us?"

Medb's expression on her long face was rigidly neutral, but her voice had a tinge of exasperation. "I have never met you before."

"We've been friends for almost a year and a half now," Sunny explained.

"In the Domhan na Dúiseachta?"

"The what?"

"She means the Waking World," the cat said, speaking for the first time. "She is speaking in Irish."

"Oh. Um, yeah."

"When?"

"Huh?"

Medb repeated with exaggerated patience, "In what year do you live?"

"Uh, 2009."

Medb blinked; Eile got the impression she had been caught off guard. "Before or after Yeshua?"

"I–I . . . don't understand." Eile could tell the massive woman was getting frustrated, but her questions made no sense.

"She is asking if ye live before or after Christ," the Zoog explained.

"Oh! After, AD."

Medb nodded, smiling for the first time. "Ach, that explains it. I come from a time closer to merely a century after."

"But that's two thousand years!" Sunny objected.

"Time is fluid in the Tíortha na Brionglóide. I does not matter when a Taibreamhoir live, she will always arrive in the Here and Now. It is gratifying to know that I survive into your time, but the Medb who is your friend is a future version of myself. As far as I am concerned, I am meeting you for the first time.

"But you have not answered my question: who are you and why are you here?"

"Well, we're Team Girl! I'm Sunny and this is my partner, Eile. We're here to rescue you."

Medb looked at them like they had sprouted horns, then she frowned, which looked menacing with her scarlet lips. "You two had better start making sense," she demanded in a threatening tone, "or —"

"Perhaps I can clear things up," came a familiar voice from the window sill. Eile looked, and saw Shadow-stalker sitting there, with what she imagined was a bemused look on her face.

It was Medb's cat companion that beat everyone to the punch. "Shadow!" he cried in obvious joy. They jumped down to the floor and ran to meet each other, and they started rubbing their bodies together as they purred loudly.

"Alright, the two of you can get re-acquainted later," Medb said in a peeved manner, "just tell me what is going on."

The two cats sat side-by-side and looked up at the massive woman. "The Queen pulled them out of the Waking World and sent them to help you," Shadow explained.

Medb reacted as if genuinely surprised. "I beg your pardon?"

Before Shadow could say more, however, Eile said, "Wait a minute! You mean she's not in danger?"

Medb turned on her. "What did you say?"

"That's what the cat council told us, that you were in immanent peril and if we didn't save you, you would die."

"Damnaigh!" Medb cursed.

"You mean the council lied to us?!" Eile shouted.

"No," Shadow replied, "but they did equivocate. Mayv is in danger, and without your help she will be killed. The Council simply let you draw the natural if erroneous conclusion that she was in immediate danger rather than pending danger."

"Well," Medb said, "you can see I am in no current danger. As for what may come, I can deal with it when it arrives."

But Shadow countered with, "That is a matter of perspective."

"And my perspective takes precedence. So you can take them back to Ulthar where they belong. I neither need their help nor want it."

"I'm afraid it's not that simple. The Queen has ordered them to accompany you and help you any way they can."

"Why?"

"They are the Twins."

Eile looked at Sunny, who stared back at her with an equally stunned expression. That was what the priests had called them, and the way the travelers on the road had described them.

Medb gave them a startled look of her own. "Them?" Then she scowled. "I told Selgach Mór I did not need their help. I still do not."

"She believes you do."

"That does not matter. In any event, by the time they get back to Ulthar, I will have everything resolved, and then it will be too late for her to interfere."

"I already told you, things are not that simple. Their Waking bodies are being kept asleep by a spell. The Queen will not release them until they accomplish their mission."

"Cac! She can be such a bitseach sometimes. Very well, take them to Zanadu. When I am finished I will meet them there and then we can go to Ulthar and tell the Council they helped me succeed."

Both Shadow and the other cat yowled in consternation. "We cannot lie to the Council!" she objected. "Even if we wanted to, the Queen has us under surveillance. She will know if the girls do not accompany you. Besides, she is convinced you will fail if you do not take them with you."

Medb narrowed her eyes, which sent shivers down Eile's back. She knew that look well.

"Do you know something you are not telling us?"

"No, not now. I told Eile and Sunny that I was holding something back, but it was the knowledge that you were not in immediate danger. From now on, I am as ignorant as the rest of you."

"And how can I trust you?"

The other cat moaned, but Shadow said, "I swear by the Great Mother; may she cast my Akh into eternal darkness if I do not speak the truth: I know nothing more than I have revealed."

Eile could tell Medb wasn't happy about it, but she accepted the cat's word with a nod. "Then it would appear I have no choice. Very well, Eile, Sunny, you may accompany me."

Eile felt relieved in one sense, but also anxious in another. Now they were fully committed to whatever fate awaited them.

"But let me make one thing clear: you will do what I say when I say it exactly how I say it, or I will cut your throats. Understood?"

Eile knew she meant it, but at least she and Sunny were used to following her instructions. She swallowed and said, "Understood."

"You've told us this before," Sunny said.

"Hrrm," Medb said, giving her a sardonic look. "Well, you might as well relax and sit down."

The girls went to sit at the table. The bird flitted to the footboard of the bed as the cats jumped up onto the mattress and laid down together. Medb picked the Zoog out of the highbacked chair and placed it on a pillow. Finally she say down in the vacated chair. "I take it you know me; do I still call myself Medb hErenn in your time?" Eile nodded with Sunny.

"These are my companions. Teehar'owan —" she indicated the bird, "— my techtire and scabhta." He was the size of a jay, with sharp scarlet eyes and gaudy green, gold, red, and blue plumage.

"Conaed, called Runt —" she indicated the Zoog, "— my fili and bard." Eile could see that he was only half as big as Eolai, but his bronze fur was darker and his facial stripes were bolder.

"And Crèmedevoyager —" she indicated the cat, "— my molidire, and special envoy to Her Most Serene Feline Majesty." The cat had a rangy stocky build, and a short, fawn-colored coat with bronze tiger stripes. He examined the girls with dust-blue eyes, but Eile considered his salmon-pink nose to be a bit too comical.

"And you call yourselves Team Girl?"

"Yes," Sunny replied, "we're partners."

"You would be the leader," Medb told Eile.

"No, I am," Sunny corrected, but in a pleasant tone. She reached across the table towards Eile.

"That's right," Eile said, taking Sunny's hand and giving her an affectionate smile.

Medb raised an eyebrow. "I see. So, how did you know where to find me?"

"I'm curious about that myself," Shadow said. "I left them in a hiding place outside the walls, with instructions not to leave until I came back. When I found them gone upon my return, I realized they must have entered the city. I've been trying to find them since. Fortunately, the cats here kept an eye on them all the way to this inn."

"We thought it was dungeon," Sunny said, surprised. "We thought you were being tortured."

Medb gave her a bemused smile. "Does this look like a dungeon?"

"All the buildings in this city look alike," Eile complained, "and we saw nothing inside this one to suggest it wasn't." That wasn't exactly true, but it was close enough.

"Perhaps, but why did you believe I was being tortured?"

"We heard you moaning and crying through the door," Eile replied.

"And you cannot distinguish between passion and pain?"

"But we thought you would be tortured," Sunny explained, "While we were waiting for Shadow, we overheard these two guys talking about having some 'fun' before a priest came to deal with you."

Medb gave them an indulgent look. "That all sounds rather vague to me."

"Maybe," Eile conceded, "considering what we now know, but we overheard one saying they had you. It sounded to us like you had been captured."

Medb grew pensive. "Hmm. Alright, I see your point," she conceded. "It is possible they spoke like that because they knew where they could find me. I always stay at this inn whenever I am in Dylath-Leen." She glanced at the bed. "Then again, this was the first time the proprietor offered me a companion for my amusement. I wanted to relax after my trip before I started my mission, so I accepted his offer. It is possible that she was meant to keep me occupied until my abductors came for me. I will have to speak to the landlord about this."

"Eile and I believe these were the men who tried to have us kidnapped," Sunny said, directing her comment to Shadow.

Medb narrowed her eyes. "Someone tried to kidnap you?"

"Last night," Shadow replied, "at the House of Derga."

"And you three were able to thwart it?"

"It wasn't difficult," the smoky-gray cat admitted. "They were not competent, and they lost the element of surprise."

"The two men said they wanted us for a sacrifice," Sunny added.

"Then it would appear that Selgach Mór is not the only one who feels you girls are vital to my mission."

"Just what is your mission?" Eile asked. "The council wouldn't tell us."

"First things first. You haven't answered my question: how did you know where to find me?"

"Oh! Well, we followed those two men to a tavern, where they talked about you to some other guys. They said where they were staying, so we decided to come rescue you before they got back."

"They said they were staying here?"

"Actually," Sunny said, "they said they could be found here, but we assumed they meant this was their base of operations."

"Hrrn. Following them was not a particularly bright idea. If you had been spotted, you would now be in their clutches, perhaps even dead."

"Hey!" Eile said in a hot manner, "we were trying to rescue you!"

"And if you know me as you claimed, you would know I do not need to be rescued, ever."

"Actually," Sunny said again, "we rescued you the first week we met you."

"Is that so?" Medb smirked.

"Yeah," Eile added, "you acknowledged the rescue and thank us for it, and you said we were friends forever."

That seemed to pique her interest. "Now that is a story I would like to hear, but some other time." She paused and glanced at the window.

"It is now past dusk, and I need to get on with my mission. The Council commissioned me to retrieve an artifact from a temple here in Dylath-Leen and take it to a monument further up the coast. I was planning to obtain it tonight, since I must get it to the temple before three days have passed, and it will take two just to cover the distance."

That sparked Eile's memory: she recalled the council leader telling her that Medb had to be saved within five days, and that was now two days ago.

"What kind of artifact is it?" Sunny asked.

Medb stood, threw off her cloak, and retrieved her clothes from the back of the chair. "An 'eochair'," she replied as she slipped into her dress; "excuse me, a key. It is known as the Eochair an Duibheagáin, the 'Key of the Abyss'." The dress was a forest-green, long-sleeved, straight-hemmed gown that fell to her ankles and tied close at the shoulders. It was decorated with blood-red embroidery around the hem, cuffs, and shoulders.

"Sounds creepy. What are you suppose to do with it?"

"Frankly, I do not know," Medb admitted as she buckled her belt around her waist. "I suppose we can figure that out when we reached the monument." She attached a knife and scabbard to the belt.

"Did the council tell you why you needed to do this?" Eile asked.

"Yes," said as she slipped on her shoes. They were hard-soled and the same color as the dress, with the same decorative embroidery but in silver, "but it is a long story, and I have no time to tell it now. I want to get something to eat before we tackle the temple. No doubt you girls are hungry too."

As if in agreement, Eile's stomach growled. Sunny smiled, crinkled her eyes, and giggled at the sound.

"Then it is settled," Medb decided as she draped her cloak over her shoulders and secured it with a bronze brooch.

Eile gave Sunny a dirty look, but she couldn't do anything to change it, so she followed the massive woman with bird and Zoog perched on her shoulders out of the room, as the two cats brought up the rear.

+ + + + +

Medb went out the front entrance. Along the way, they passed an elderly man in the common room. Medb paused and stared at him for a few moments, and he cringed and slunk away. Outside, she crossed the street to another tower with dully-glowing windows. She opened the door and motioned for Eile, Sunny, and the cats to go in. She followed them when they did and let the door bang shut behind her.

It was another tavern: somewhat brighter, quieter, less crowded, and less smoky than the other one, but laid out the same. The stage was also filled with dancing girls in the same varying stages of dress. Eile wondered if they were the same girls; their resemblance was so close they could have been twins. The only difference was here there was a band, of sorts: four musicians, who played an eerie, melodic tune that matched the dancers' slow, sinuous gyrations.

Medb led them all to an empty table only a few feet from the stage. It was rectangular, with nine chairs. Medb took the chair at the head, while Eile and Sunny sat on either side of her. Eile sat with her back to the stage so that she could watch the door. The cats jumped up onto the chairs besides the girls, while the bird and the Zoog settled themselves on the tabletop.

Sunny could see the stage over Eile's shoulder, and Eile saw her eyes and mouth open into wide O's. "They're taking their clothes off!" she squealed, pointing.

Eile turned around, and she saw two naked dancers unwrap a long shimmering garment from a third. She noticed Medb turn her head and look as well.

When she and Medb turned their attention back to the table, Eile said, "In this place, does that surprise you?"

"Yes — I mean, no! — I mean . . ." Then she actually blushed. "I've . . . just never seen anything like . . . that before, is all."

Eile felt surprised and irritated all at once. Sunny could be oddly naïve at times. "Oh, come on, Sunny! We've gone to strip clubs before."

Medb gave her a bemused look. "Oh, really!?"

"Well, yeah, you usually take us whenever you're in town."

"Nice to see I am enlightening you girls on the cultural attractions of a modern age."

"More likely, "Sunny quipped, grinning, "you're just satisfying your own lustful appetite."

Medb raised an eyebrow and gave her a haughty, imperious stare. "Do I usually let you be that familiar with me?" Eile tensed at her tone of voice.

Sunny realized she had made a mistake. "Uh-huh," she confirmed with a nervous twitter.

Medb favored her with an indulgent smile. "Nonetheless, I suggest you refrain from doing so for the time being, until we get to know each other better. Agreed?"

Eile was relieved, and Sunny seemed to relax as well. "Okay," she said.

By this time a barmaid finally came over to take their orders. "Food or drinks?" she asked.

"Both," Medb said.

"What'll it be?"

"Don't we get any menus?" Sunny asked. The barmaid looked at her as if she had just sprouted horns.

"An establishment like this does not offer a choice," Medb explained, and she looked up at the maid.

"We've got stew and bread."

"That will be fine. I will have mead, the girls will have ale, our feline friends cream, and water for my other companions. Fresh, clean water, understand?"

The maid paled and nodded, then turned and walked off, a bit quickly Eile thought.

"I wanted to try one of those green drinks we had at the other place," Sunny said.

Medb looked at Eile. "What does she mean?"

"This guy gave us free drinks, but we didn't drink them, we just used them to blend in, so we could get close enough to overhear what the men we were following were saying."

"Good choice, otherwise there would be no telling where you two would have woken up, assuming you would have awakened at all."

Eile and Sunny exchanged astonished looks. "You mean, he was trying to drug us?" Eile asked.

Medb gave her a wry smile. "In this place, does that surprise you?"

"I guess it shouldn't, Shadow did warn us not to trust anyone. Since I wasn't planning on drinking it, I just never thought about it."

"You told me not to drink it," Sunny said.

Eile smiled in a mischievous manner. "I wanted you to have a clear head. You don't hold your liquor very well."

"The Green Drink is a euphemism in Dylath-Leen for being kidnapped for a nefarious purpose," Medb explained. "Some people will order it to demonstrate that they are resistant to its effects, usually as part of a bet. I myself have drunk six glass-fulls with no ill effects. You can order it without the drug, but it is still very heady with alcohol and even a single glass can inebriate a strong man. I need both of you clear-headed tonight; we can celebrate after our mission is over, in a safer establishment."

As Eile digested that information, the barmaid returned, carrying a tray. She placed a tankard before each girl, a bowl before each cat, a third between the bird and Zoog, and a crystal goblet and an opened bottle in front of Medb. "The stew will be here shortly," she said. Medb nodded, and she left.

Eile took a sip of her ale. It was heady and rich, but bitter. She was beginning to wonder whether anyone in the Dreamlands could make a good beer.

Sunny took a drink from her own tankard and made a face. "Oh, yuck! I haven't tasted a decent brew since we left Ulthar."

"Where was that?" Medb asked after drinking from her goblet.

"At the Laughing Cat Hostel."

"Ach, I live there. I rent one of the suites on the top floor."

"Then you must know Eileen!"

"Yes, she is one of my friends."

"She took very good care of us," Eile said. She still felt bad about not expressing her appreciation.

"That is good to hear. I will be sure to reward her when we get back to Ulthar."

"So, I guess Ulthar brews the best beer, then, huh?"

"No, actually the best beer in the Six Kingdoms is brewed in Dubploin, but Ulthar comes in at a close second. However, these small taverns generally acquire their beer locally; they may even brew it themselves. Unfortunately, they tend to overdue the hops, to preserve the beer longer, especially ales. Without refrigeration, milder beers spoil faster than bitters."

Eile looked at her in surprise. "You know about refrigeration?"

Medb gave her an indulgent smile. "Yes. Remember, I said any Taibreamhoir from any Múscailt time arrives in the Taibreamh present. Well, many are from your time or what would be your future. Besides, before I came to the Tíortha na Brionglóide, I visited other worlds, including some you would call modern or futuristic."

The barmaid returned then. On her tray were a large tureen with a ladle, several bowls, utensils, and a plate with what looked like garlic bread. This time she set the whole tray down on the table and walked away.

Eile and Sunny looked into the tureen as Medb ladled stew into the bowls. Sunny made a disgusted face and Eile's stomach turned. It looked awful; she really didn't want to imagine what it resembled.

"I think I'll pass," she said when Medb offered her a bowl.

Medb gave her a smirk. "Pass this on to Créme. It actually tastes better than it looks."

Eile placed the bowl in front of the tiger-striped tomcat, expecting him to turn his nose up at it, but to her surprise he attacked it like a starving kitten. Shadow did the same when Sunny placed a bowl in front of her.

Medb filled a third bowl which she gave to the bird and Zoog, then a fourth for herself. Picking up a fifth, she asked, "Are you sure neither of you will have some? It may be a long while before we eat again."

Sunny gave the tureen a dubious glance, but she said, "Okay." Medb filled the bowl and passed it to her. She took a spoon, dipped it into the thick sauce, hesitated a moment, and finally raised it to her face, her eyes closed. She took a tentative taste; he eyes snapped open as her face brightened, then she scooped up a larger amount which she shoveled into her mouth.

"It's really good," she said.

"Do not talk with your mouth full, dear," Medb said.

Sunny swallowed. "Try some," she said to Eile, offering her the bowl.

Eile sighed, and dipped a spoon in. She didn't close her eyes, but she grimaced as she stared at the nauseating mess all the way up to her mouth. Yet when she tasted it, she was astonished at just how tasty it was. It might look like diarrhea, but it was nicely seasoned and the gravy tasted like a fine wine had been added.

She looked at Medb, who returned her a smug smile. "That is the primary reason I eat at this tavern," she explained as she filled the last bowl and handed it over to Eile. "The proprietor is a Cordon Bleu chef."

"Then why does his food look so bad?"

"He does that on purpose. He runs a large restaurant in the Domhan na Dúiseachta, but here he just wanted to have a quiet little establishment catering to a small, select clientele. So he deliberately prepares his meals to look as unappetizing as possible, knowing that most people will refuse to try them. Those that do discover how good it is and keep coming back, but they also keep the secret. Like many Taibreamhoir, he uses the Tíortha as a respite from the worry and hassle of the Domhan. Bread anyone?"

They made small talk as they ate, mostly about their respective adventures. Even the animals joined in, though Medb tended to dominate the conversation. Throughout, Eile tried to keep an eye on the other patrons, watching for any sign of trouble, but every now and then she was distracted. As such, she didn't notice the man come up behind Sunny until he was in place. He bent over her, bracing himself with his left hand on the table while he laid his right hand on her shoulder.

"Hey, girly, why don't you join me at my table," he said, slurring, "I'm sure your friends won't mind." Even from across the table Eile could smell the reek of alcohol, and Sunny grimaced from his breath.

Before Eile could react, however, Medb pulled out her knife and plunged it into the tabletop between the lout's index and middle finger. Her arm moved so fast it was one continuous blur; it reminded Eile of a special effect from a Matrix movie.

The cad stood bolt upright and took a step back from the table. Eile didn't blame him. The gleaming steel knife blade was a foot long, heavy, thick, and double-edged.

Medb looked up at him and said, "Leave her alone."

"Hey, I was just tryin' to be friendly."

Medb yanked the knife free, stood to confront him, and held it pointed at his groin. "Back off, or I will make it impossible for you to ever be 'friendly' again."

He held up his hands as he stepped away from the massive woman. "Hey, alright, I'm leavin'." And he turned and headed for the bar.

Medb resheathed her dirk and sat back down, seemingly unconcerned. Eile, however, was suspicious. He seemed familiar to her somehow. She watched him go up to the bar, where he was joined by another man. They started talking, and as the second man turned his head, she was jolted as she recognized him as the person who gave her the free drinks. Then she realized the first man was the one who had touched her hair.

"Mayv —" she whispered.

"I see them," she replied in a low voice.

"They're the ones who tried to drug me and Sunny."

"Do not turn around," she ordered as Sunny was shifting in her seat. She shot Medb a surprised look, but shifted back towards the table.

"Teehar."

"Yes, Mistress," the bird said, just before he took wing and flew up in a high arc over to a rafter above the bar. He landed behind the two men to observe them.

"Pretend like you do not know what is happening," she said as she picked up her goblet.

"Were you expecting this?" Eile asked.

"Yes," she said just before she took a sip.

Eile felt her temper flare. "You're using us as bait!" she hissed.

Medb gave her a sidelong glance. "I am using all of us as bait."

"Why?" Sunny asked.

"The idea came to me when you told me someone had tried to kidnap you last evening. I decided to offer them another opportunity. This way we should be able to find out who is behind it."

"That's awfully reckless," Eile scolded.

"But no different from what our Mayv would have done," Sunny countered. There was a light tone to her voice, as if she was enjoying all of this.

Eile was about to object, when she saw six men enter.

"Are those the persons you overheard in the other tavern?" Medb asked. She hadn't even looked up.

"Yeah," Eile confirmed, "and the last two are the travelers from the road."

"Ach, now things are starting to make sense."

Eile glanced at Sunny, who looked as puzzled as she felt. Then she saw them heading for the bar.

"They're going up to the other two," she told Sunny.

"Créme, Shadow, I want one of them alive and conscious."

"Yes, Madam," the tomcat replied.

"Runt, watch our backs."

"Of course, Lady," he said, his tendrils quivering.

"If we are forced to fight, you two stay behind me."

"We can take care of ourselves!" Sunny objected.

Medb gave her a withering stare. "Do not argue!"

Eile had been keeping an eye on the eight men, and she saw the free-drink one nod his head backwards in their direction. One of the other-tavern men looked where he indicated, and he locked eyes with her for a moment.

"Shit!" Eile hissed, as she averted her gaze. "Jesus, one of them just saw me looking at them!"

"We have run out of time," Medb said. "Very well, if you wish to fight, do so. Just stay out of my way."

"What should we do?" Sunny asked.

"Let them make the first move," Medb replied, as she poured more mead into her goblet.

Eile and Sunny had fought beside Medb before, and in similar circumstances, though never in this same situation. The point being that they were used to her eccentric tactics. That anyone could calmly sit and drink while under the threat of attack was incomprehensible to Eile, yet Medb could pull it off with ease. Her self-confidence went beyond arrogance, but it was also contagious. Watching the former queen hold the bottle and raise the goblet to her lips without the slightest hesitation or tremor reassured her that they would beat off their attackers, even though outnumbered. Besides, while never afraid to attack first, Medb was right to let them take the initiative. It would force them to reveal their hand, then they could put them on the defensive.

The only problem, Eile knew, was that neither she nor Sunny had the experience or maturity to wait for the enemy to come to them without getting anxious. Fortunately, this time they did not have to wait long. Shortly after Eile made eye contact with one of them, six of the men left the bar and came across the common room towards them; they were the two travelers and the men they met at the other tavern. The two men who had tried to drug her and Sunny stayed by the bar and watched.

Two of the other-tavern men walked around the table behind Medb and took up a position behind Eile, while the travelers stopped behind Medb; the last pair of other-tavern men came up behind Sunny. None of them had any obvious weapons, but Eile didn't doubt that they had knives and/or clubs under their coats or robes.

Eile glanced at Sunny. Her staff was beside her, leaning against the table, near her right hand. She saw her drop her left hand into her lap, most likely getting ready to pull her dagger. Eile couldn't get at her sword sitting in the chair, but over the past couple of days she had constantly practiced dropping it to her hip and quickly detaching it, and now would be the time to see if all that would pay off.

Eile looked at Medb; she just returned a quick half-smirk, a rapid jerk of one corner of her mouth. Looking around the table, she saw Conaed studying the belligerents surrounding them, as if sizing them up, while the cats stared across the table at the pair of men opposite them. She looked back at Sunny and locked eyes with her. Sunny winked with a very slight smile.

For several moments the tableau froze, as if everyone waited for some kind of signal. Then the travelers stepped right up next to Medb's chair, crowding her as if trying to intimidate her and cut off any chance of escape.

"Come with us," the one on her right said.

"We have not finished our supper," she remarked without moving. "Would you care to join us? There is plenty of stew left."

"We have already eaten," the one on her left replied, "and you have had enough."

"Pity. I never like to leave the table without a full stomach. What of my companions?"

"We want only you and the girls," the one on the right explained, "we have no interest in the animals, as long as they do not interfere."

"You should know, we are under the protection of the High Queen of All Cats."

"As if we care," the one on the left said. Eile couldn't help doing a mental double take at his reply. Apparently, fear of the cats was not universal, or at least, there were those who had no respect for it.

The traveler on the left then placed a hand on Medb's shoulder. "You will come with us now, or we will kill the girls."

Eile saw the men behind Sunny pull large, wicked knives from under their coats, and from the look on her face, she imagined the pair behind her had done the same.

"Remove your hand, or you will lose it," Medb said in a menacing tone.

The traveler did raise it off her shoulder, but his demeanor did not change.

"Harm these girls," she continued in a more even tone, "and the priests of Catúlthú Mór will be very displeased."

"Considering the price on your head is greater," the one on the right replied, "they must think you are the more dangerous."

"Then the priests are trying to cheat you. If the Tairngreacht an Chúpla is correct, they are more powerful than I am."

Eile saw the two travelers look at each other with some unease, and even though they were behind her back, Medb smiled ever so slightly.

When they looked back down at her, however, they pulled their own knives. "Enough," the one on the left said, "get up or we will take you by force."

Medb just seemed to disappear. The two travelers stared at the empty chair in pure astonishment, but Eile was expecting it, and she knew what to look for. She saw a transparent smear move through the air around the travelers; it looked like a heat shimmer rising off a country highway. It turned behind them, and Medb reappeared as if emerging from behind a curtain. She still held the goblet in her left hand, and with her right she tapped one of them on the shoulder. They turned their heads and stared at her in confusion, but she just smiled and winked. When they turned to confront her, she threw the contents of the goblet into the face of the one on her left, then slugged the other's face with a right-cross. As the left one sputtered, she smashed the goblet against his forehead with a backhanded swing, and pulled her dirk.

At the same moment Medb made her move, the cats launched themselves across the table. They passed each other in mid-flight, and tackled the men standing immediately behind the girls' chairs, sinking their claws into their clothes, biting at their necks, and racking their chests with their back paws. The Zoog whistled a complex pattern of notes, and a kaleidoscopic shimmer appeared in front of his face, then streamed at the other man behind Sunny. It exploded like firecrackers in front of his eyes; waving savagely, he retreated backwards, trying to fend it off, but it clung to him like a miasma. Sunny grabbed her staff and threw herself out of her chair, her dagger in her other hand.

"KY-YAAAH!" she shouted as she rammed the end of the staff into the gut of the enspelled attacker. He doubled over.

"KEY-HIGH!" she shouted again as she swung the staff and cracked him on the side of the head, knocking him off his feet. She looked at the other man and saw he had Créme in a stranglehold even as the cat continued to bit and rake.

"ARR-RAAUUGH!" she yelled as she stabbed at his hands with the dagger. Shrieking from the pain, he let go of Créme, who jumped clear.

"HIGH-YEEAAHH!" she yelled as she swung the staff underhanded into his groin. He clutched at himself, grimacing.

"HAARRAAGH!" she roared as she whacked him on top of the head, knocking him out. Meanwhile, Créme jumped onto the table and leapt at the man Shadow had attacked.

A moment after the animals began their attacks, Eile pushed against the table, tipping her chair backwards. She landed on her back, then did a backward roll to get free of the chair and away from the man fighting Shadow. Getting her feet beneath her, she stood as she pulled the ring at her shoulder. The sword dropped to her hip and she detached it as the other man who had been behind her came at her.

"AAAAAHHHHHRRRRR!" she roared as she charged him. They swung as they met and their blades clashed. They parried and swung again, slashing at each other as they danced around themselves. She had the advantage of reach with her sword; he had the advantages of height, strength, and experience. It was only because of her quickness that she was able to keep him at bay. When she could spare a glance at the others, she saw Créme attack the man Shadow was fighting, and the force of his impact knocked him off his feet. Both cats continued to tear into him as he screamed and tried to dislodge them. She also saw Conaed watching her, waiting for an opportunity to caste another spell to help her.

Sunny had turned to watch Medb. Despite her initial blows, her opponents were not down, but fought her in a ferocious manner. She defended herself with her dirk in one hand and the broken goblet in the other, but with a vicious grin on her face. She was clearly the better fighter of the three, and when necessarily she "blinked", as she vanished from one spot and reappeared in another seconds later. But Sunny charged the traveler closest to her.

"AYIYIYIYI!" she shouted as she smacked the staff on the top of his head. He yelled as he ducked, then he turned around. Roaring, he knocked the staff from her hand and raised his knife to strike as he bore down her.

"YIPE!" she squealed as she backed away and raised her slim dagger to shield herself.

"Runt! Sunny!" Eile screamed. The Zoog whipped around and spit out a garbled phrase. A dozen emerald darts flashed into being and flew at the traveler. They struck him in the side even as he made a grab for Sunny. Their impact spun him around and threw him backwards. He fell to the floor and did not get up.

At the same time, the other traveler was between Medb and the table. Seeing an opening, she blinked to the other side of him and grabbed the mead bottle. As he turned, she whirled around, swinging the bottle, and struck him on the side of his head. The blow turned him full about, and Medb struck him again on the backswing. The second blow checked his spin and he collapsed into a crumpled heap at her feet.

The attack on Sunny distracted Eile, and her attacker pushed her against a pillar. He caught her sword arm and raised his knife to strike. Suddenly, a flurry of feathers appeared directly in front of his face, battering him with beating wings, scratching claws, and a stabbing beak. Startled, he yelped and stepped back, letting go of Eile so he could swipe at the feathered fury.

"Teehar!" Eile shouted. The bird darted off, and Eile swung the sword blade at the man's head. Even as he blinked to recover his composure, she hit him in the temple with the flat of the blade. His head snapped to one side, he seemed to hesitate, then he dropped to the floor.

Eile crouched and looked around, but the fight was over. All six attackers lay on the floor, five not moving. Medb and Sunny were looking around as well, but when they came to the same conclusion, they relaxed. Medb pulled the stopper from the mead bottle with her teeth, spit it out, and took a long pull. She then tossed the bottle to Sunny.

Eile looked passed them to the bar. "The other two guys! They're gone!"

Medb and Sunny turned to look as Teehar fluttered down onto the table beside Conaed. "They left as soon as they saw we were winning," he piped.

Medb turned back on him, frowning. "And you did not follow them?" She sounded pissed.

"The door closed before I could reach it," he explained, ruffling his feathers in what Eile assumed was annoyance. "Besides, it is now dark out; I wouldn't be able to see them."

Medb nodded. "Yes, that is true," she conceded, her voice softer; "my apologies."

Sunny came around the table to Eile. She took a swig from the mead bottle, then offered it her. Eile hesitated a moment, then accepted it and took a swallow herself.

Medb walked past them to the man the cats had subdued. He had crawled backwards against the stage, holding his hands up in front of his face to try to protect it. Both were bleeding from numerous scratch and bite wounds. Créme stood on his chest, glowering and moaning at him, as he flexed his claws into his skin. Shadow crouched between his legs, her mouth firmly attached to his groin.

Eile and Sunny came up behind Medb as she knelt beside him. "I do not intend to waste time with you," she said in an even voice. "I will ask certain questions; you will answer, or I will have my feline friends loosen your tongue. Understand?"

He nodded. "Yeah."

"Very well. Who hired you?"

He pointed to the travelers Medb had beaten senseless.

"Who hired them?"

He didn't answer. Créme hissed and sank his claws deep into his chest as Shadow bit harder. "AAAHHH! I don't know; I swear! All I know is that it was some cult priest, but I only saw him once!"

"Why did this priest want us?"

"I don't know, exactly. He didn't want you to reach the monument with the key, that much I know; the idea seemed to scare him shitless. He also seemed to hate you; he went on about what he planned to do to you once he had you."

"And the girls?"

"He didn't seem to care about them, as long as you were out of the way, but he did say something about how they would make good offerings."

"You are not very helpful," she evaluated in a menacing tone.

"I'm just a street tough hired to do a job; what do you expect me to know, huh?"

"Hmm. You may be right at that. In which case, I should just cut your throat."

"No, wait! I do know something else. I overheard the priest talking to those two. He said that he wanted to deal with you personally, but even if you got away from us, you wouldn't get past the guardian, so it didn't matter in the long run who killed you as long as you were dead."

"Interesting tidbit. Tell me, have you been paid yet?"

He nodded. "A gold crown," he said in a bitter tone, "and nowhere near enough compensation."

Medb dug into her purse. "Here are two more," she said, tossing them on the floor beside him. "Get out of the Six Kingdoms. If I ever see you again, I will not hesitate to kill you on the spot. Créme; Shadow."

The cats moved away from him as she stood up. He looked up at her in a confused manner, but he picked up the coins.

"Get out!" Medb said. Her voice had a low, resonant quality, that seemed to linger in the air. The man stood in haste and all but bolted for the door.

She watched him leave, then looked at the girls. "Let us see who these two are," she said as she headed for the travelers. Bending over the nearest one, she turned him onto his back and pulled off his turban. Eile felt a jolt when she saw the goatish horns and ears on his head.

"My word!" Sunny gasped.

Medb didn't say anything; she just moved down to his feet. She pulled off one of his boots and Eile saw he had a goat's hoof instead of a normal foot.

"I thought as much," the massive woman said as she straightened up. She tossed the boot onto his chest.

"What are they?" Sunny asked. Eile could hear the nervousness in her voice.

"They are men from the Plateau of Leng far to the north."

"Men?!" Eile barked. "They look like satyrs."

"That is what they are called. The Leng Men trade throughout the Tíortha na Brionglóide; Dylath-Leen is their main port of entry into the Six Kingdoms. They are also heavily involved in all sorts of illegal activities, especially slave trading. I am not surprised the priest approached them to capture us."

Before Eile could say anything more, she saw man approach them from the bar. He was short and dumpy, wearing an apron stained with brown and red spots. Eile assumed he was the chef, because he wore the stereotypical hat.

Medb saw him as well. "Ach, Deibhlion, my apologies for the ruckus."

"That's okay, with you I expect it, but I suggest you leave before the Eyes arrive."

Medb nodded as she dug into her purse and removed a fist-full of gold coins. She handed them to him and said, "This should cover our meal and any damages. I shall see you again when I return." She paused long enough to pick up Conaed as Teehar fluttered up to her shoulders, and then she headed for the door with the cats in tow. Eile and Sunny followed after them.

Medb waited for them in the street. It was well past nightfall, and the sky was pitch black, but extra lamps had been lit at various points along the lane, creating bright spots in the gloom. As soon as the girls had caught up with her, Medb headed back to the inn. Instead of entering it, however, she skirted around it to a building immediately behind it. When they went in, Eile realized it was a stable.

Medb went over to a zebra in a stall. "I am most impressed with the way you two handled yourselves in the fight," she remarked as she led it out. "Where did acquire your skill?"

"Our Medb's been teaching us martial arts for over a year now," Sunny replied, "ever since we started Team Girl!"

Medb slipped a bridle over the zebra's head. "What is this 'Team Girl'?"

"Sunny and I first met online, while playing a role-playing game named Otherworld."

"What is a role-playing game?" Medb interrupted as she began to strap a harness around the zebra's body.

Eile and Sunny looked at each other in surprise. "That's where you pretend to be a fighter or cleric or magic-user in a fantasy setting and have adventures," Sunny explained.

"Sort of like here," Eile added, "except it's totally imaginary."

"Yeah, and being online —"

"I know what online means."

Chagrined, Sunny said, "I'm sorry."

Irritated, Eile remarked, "How are we suppose to know? You know words like 'refrigeration' and 'online', but not 'role-playing'."

"Obviously there are gaps in my knowledge," Medb explained as she began to attach packs to the harness. "But I will ask when I do not understand something. Continue."

"Well," Eile went on, "we started adventuring together, and the other players started calling us Team Girl. After we met in person, we formed a company where people pay us to have adventures, and we called it Team Girl!"

"We go anywhere," Sunny said in a proud tone, "and we do anything! That's our motto."

"Anything?" Medb asked in a playful tone, as she attached three eight-foot spears to one side of the harness.

"Within reason," Eile replied. "Only what interests us, as long as we get paid."

Sunny giggled. "I think she means more titillating stuff."

Eile frowned, embarrassed. "We don't do those kinds of adventures."

"Well, there was that time I popped out of a cake wearing a whip cream bikini while Eile copied files from a gangster's computer. Then there was the time we posed as lingerie models to serve a subpoena to a reclusive playboy. And what about the time we pretended to be escorts so we could plant bugs in that drug dealer's apartment? Oh, and then there was —"

"Sunnyyyy, shut up!" Eile growled, mortified. Sunny smiled, crinkled her eyes, and giggled.

"You two sound like a fun couple," Medb said in a mischievous manner. She was placing a round wooden shield on the other side of the harness. It was a meter across, reinforced with a metal rim, spokes, and boss, and there were a half-dozen javelins attached to the back of it.

"Yeah, well, you instigated most of those."

"And obviously you accepted. Did I pay you?"

"And how!" Sunny said.

"Then you have no cause to complain."

Eile fumed, but Medb was right, as usual. "So, where are we going?" she asked, to change the subject.

"To the temple to retrieve the Eochair," she replied as she attached a sword to her belt. It was in its scabbard, but the blade alone had to be a meter long.

"And then?" Sunny asked.

"And then we leave the city as quickly as we can and get as far away as we are able before morning."

"When do we sleep?" Eile asked.

"We will get none tonight. We may be able to get a few hours in the morning, if we are not pursued. However, we must assume that our enemies will try to stop us from reaching the monument, so we will not be safe until we complete our mission."

Eile and Sunny looked at each other. Eile didn't like the sound of Medb's warning, and she could tell Sunny was anxious, too. But there was nothing they could do about it.

+ + + + +

To be continued