Rune Magic

11: Blood of Deceit

.^^ James's Golden Armor ^^

— James —

"The fates warned me about you, you know. That you would cause great change, amongst all the Realms. They were vague, of course, as to what type of change. So I gambled..." Bast blew a kiss at the woman in bed with me, and she disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"Hey! I don't barge into your wet dreams!" I growled at her.

"You do, actually. Well, not the wet dreams. I don't have those often." She saw my raised eyebrow, and explained. "Well, if I get any ideas, I simply act on them. I am a goddess of Lust, after all, not the goddess of self-control. Anyway, we can discuss your sexy librarian cherry-fetish later, I need a word." She shrugged.

I sighed and stood, making the room disappear, taking control of my dream. She smiled at the new location, an Egyptian Oasis known only to the locals as 'Zenbeq Barakä', which translated to 'Lily Pond'. She leaned down and captured one of the namesake Lily-Pads, smelling it and replacing it on the green water.

"You have a very powerful control of your Dreams. I'm impressed." She nodded.

"I appreciate that. This place seemed appropriate for a serious talk." I smiled, and sat casually in a reed boat, casting off into the lake with her on the bow.

She trailed a hand through the water thoughtfully, and nodded. "True... anyway, my Gamble. I gambled that your shaking of my world would not be negative, and I'd like some assurance that my bets have not been ill-placed."

"I cannot give you that. I don't know the future... but to be fair, I also don't have any intentions of screwing you over, so at least there's that." I shrugged.

She sighed. "Well, I hope it goes well; I've become quite attached to your antics, and the amusement you bring me. In an endless existence, you learn to sieze any scraps of enjoyment that you can find."

I smiled. "Giving me advice?"

She laughed loudly. "Perhaps, child... you may return to your dream, now, if you like." She smirked and waved her hands, changing the scenery slowly.

We now sat on large cushions, in a Riad of some sort, and several, varied naked women started appearing from thin air.

I chuckled. "You are a shifty Kitten, I'll give you that."

She shrugged casually. "I'm a goddess of Sex, my child. Did you think I'd allow a subpar dream like a cliche sexy librarian? Hmph."

—

I sat up slowly, cracking my back, and blinked. "Uhm... hello, Mrs. Teagan? What are you doing here?"

She raised an eyebrow. "You haven't talked to me in several months. I was worried."

"No need, I'm alright." I shrugged, and stood up, dressing in some exercise clothes.

She followed me out into the complex, and I raised an eyebrow at the remnants of her portal, with the chalk leftovers on the wall outside my house. "Your portal skips over barriers?" I asked.

She grinned. "Did you think it wouldn't?"

"Kind of, yes." I nodded, and knocked on grandfather's door.

He opened it, rubbing his bearded cheeks, and blinked slowly at Siobhan. "Who's that?" He grumbled, following me as we began our morning run around the neighborhood, something we'd settled on as a good bonding activity that wouldn't take too much cerebral energy.

Siobhan kept pace casually, walking backwards in front of us, and resumed talking. "Well, like I said, you haven't been coming to the house these past few months. I'm worried that your studies are suffering."