Servant, 9

“You don’t have to do that, Drew,” Hope said, a tone of pleading in his voice.

Drew stopped what he was doing, looking up at Hope with a smile. “Yes, I do. Don’t worry. I want to do it.”

“I know you do,” Lyren said, sitting on the edge of the hole Drew was digging in the back of the inn. He’d uncovered a good chuck of the stone sealing Lyren now. “But you shouldn’t.”

Servant, 8

“I love you, Drew.”

“I love you too, Frederick,” Drew said, between kisses, tasting nothing but Frederick. “I love you so much.”

Frederick kissed him again, then started to move down, hands everywhere, touching Drew everywhere. “So much,” he whispered, kissing down Drew’s neck, hand on Drew’s dick.

Drew lay back and let Frederick do it, loving the feeling, loving the touch, loving Frederick, loving the dream. It was just a dream. It wasn’t real, not Frederick’s hand or his mouth or his body or…

“St-stop…” Drew gasped. “Frederick…Lyren, stop.”

Frederick stopped, looking up at Drew. “What’s wrong?” he asked, in Lyren’s melodious voice. “Do you not like this?”

“It’s not real,” Drew panted. “It’s a dream.”

Servant, 7

“I can do that for you.”

Drew looked over at Hope and smiled. “It’s just my laundry. You shouldn’t worry about it.”

“But I want to,” Hope told him, washing a bedsheet. “You shouldn’t have to do that, let me.”

Drew watched Hope for a second, chuckling. “Okay, if you’re sure.” His life had gotten a lot easier now that Hope suddenly wanted nothing but to make him happy.

“Of course,” Hope said, happy. “You just relax and I’ll do it.”

“Thank you, Hope,” Drew said, and he left his dirty clothes, turning and leaning back against the courtyard wall, just watching Hope work. Lyren sat beside him, holding Drew’s hand in his.

Dragon, 54

“Alright,” Gavin said, tying up his bag and looking around the room. “Looks like we’re ready to go storm the demon fortress.”

Owen nodded, strapping on the last of his armour. “I think so. I mean, assuming it’s not all an elaborate trap.”

“Well, there is that,” Gavin agreed. “But you’re going to be keeping an eye on Sully.”

“I will. I’ve got Edwin riding him, but…”

“Not before he rides you, I hope.”

Team, 43

Cal had been to Techen’s Stand several times; it was the town he always passed through when crossing the mountains, unless he really needed to be up north, which nobody ever did unless they were insane. There were giant spiders and a lot of ice up there. At least down this far south all he had to worry about was the odd dragon, and they avoided the settlement.

Except for the dragon who was with him, Cal thought, but he probably wasn’t going to attack the town, so that was fine. “Hey,” he said to Joey, as they entered the dusty main street. “Why don’t dragons attack this town?”

“How should I know?”

“Well, I assumed there was some, like, secret dragon reason or something,” Cal said, shrugging. Maybe an old agreement or something like that.

“Stop being racist, Cal,” Beatrice said, smacking Cal’s shoulder.