Chapter 26

  Not using his time wisely again, before he knew it, Wes was in front of the only other person he did not want to see. By the time they approached Dozel, she had gotten up and dusted herself off. When she was coming, she looked away and was about to walk away when Phony said, “Wait up.”

  Phony looked over her shoulder and nodded for Wes to get going. Gathering the courage while thinking back to his interaction with her earlier. He walked over to Dozel and prostrated himself at Dozel’s side. “Please, find it in your heart to forgive me. I will do anything you ask to make this right.”

  Dozel snapped her head over to Wes and saw him looking face down. “What can I ask for as punishment that would make what you did okay? I have a lot of feelings on the matter, but I shall leave you with just one. When I first came to your house, I was worried about it being my first order of duty in my long contract. But you greeted us with such casualness that I allowed myself to wonder that first night if I had lucked out by getting a nice Master.”

  Wes winced at her words and slowly brought his eyes back up to hers. Naturally, on the way up, his eyes had scanned over her body, and she covered up as if she were naked. Averting his eyes, Wes said, “Sorry, I just wanted to look you in the eyes while you spoke to me. Would that be okay?”

  Not bothering to answer, Dozel continued. “The second day, while we stood in line, I was worried you would hold it against me that I had such a large family. I was worried about pre-held prejudices against my race. But instead of any prejudice, your very next act toward my family was to seek better accommodations for my family. In that moment, knowing we had no home to return to, I would have served you until my dying breath if it meant a better life for my family. I allowed myself to hope in those short moments before Goddess Pyrronia spoke to me separately from you and the others. Promising that what she was about to offer you was with not only your best interest in mind, but also that of myself and my family. She told me the decision was up to me wholly, and it was. So when she told you that in order for me to get any special privileges, I would have to become your mistress, I was just as shocked as you were. But again, you, instead of jumping at the chance to have me serve you in that way, instead you tried to look for other possibilities.”

  Dozel crouched down to Wes’s level. Looking him deep in the eyes. “I had agreed to it in my heart before my mind agreed, simply for the fact that it would provide the young ones a better life. But when you showed that you were not motivated by any nefarious means, I allowed myself to have faith in Goddess Nia’s words. So, could you imagine my surprise when, no more than an hour later, I was finding the offer to be taken as a wife sent my way.”

  Dozel looked over to Phony, lingering for a moment before returning back to Wes’s eyes. “It is no woman's dream to become one in the stable to be used as nothing more than a tool for offspring. Most of us have to take that path regardless of what we want. Even the most powerful goddess will have to eventually commit to birthing her children. But yet again, you surprised me for the third time in a day of knowing you. You showed both of us you did not see us as a means of quick satisfaction and your own selfish pleasure by taking how we felt into consideration. As you no doubt had figured out at that table, you hold all the power in this relationship.” She motioned to the three of them. “And I can’t speak for Phony, but I allowed myself to dream of something other than a marriage of convenience. A union in name only is something I have never wanted to be a part of. Yes, perhaps it was foolish of me to agree so quickly to this, but you had surprised me three times up to that point, so I allowed myself to hope for the best. Put faith in that hope, that we three could somehow make this work over the last couple of weeks. Lastly, I allowed myself to dream of a future not seen as a tool, a thing. Only to be used for your satisfaction and glory. In one fell swoop, you have taken my hope for a better life for my family, my faith in you, and my dream of finding something other than a marriage of convenience.”

  Standing up, Dozel returned to the trees she had been shedding tears by before putting her back up against the trunk and sliding down. “So, again, what can I ask for that will give me my hope, faith, and dreams back?”

  Phony walked over to where Wes was still on his knees. “I couldn’t have said it any better, Wes. In most other marriages, what you’ve done is mostly standard. The primary does what they want with little care for the support's well-being. Doing what you want, I mean. I don’t even know if I can get back what you took from me.”

  Wes sat in contemplation as the women stared at him. He searched for the right words to say. First, he looked for an easy escape out of this horrible conversation. When he quickly abandoned that line of thinking, he looked to the two women and steadied himself. He gathered whatever courage he could muster, given how small he now felt, and said. “I mostly am dragged along by the seat of my pants. Most of my life, I have been told to go here, do that. Mostly by my sister, but the last few weeks have been much of the same, just by way more powerful people. To imagine that is how you both have lived your lives is terrible to think about. And no, I am not trying to compare myself to you. I’m just trying to say I am starting to see how stressful that life could have been.”

  Wes grabbed Phony’s hand and walked to where Dozel was sitting. He crouched while gingerly reaching for Dozel’s hand. She allowed herself to be in his grasp, “These last two weeks have been some of the happiest of my life, not because I am finally leveling after years of dreaming. You girls have been pretty awesome to be around. And this is not an excuse, but have either of you looked at yourselves? I would not be a man if I didn’t want to see more of you. But still, that does not mean what I did is okay. I now know that.” Looking back and forth between the two. “Probably can’t give you back what I have taken from you both. But that doesn’t mean I won’t try.”

  Wes activated Cleanse. Dumping more experience than he ever had into it. The ground around, which had previously been bathed in blood, started changing as the blood started being extracted by little rays of blue light. The field behind Wes grew so bright that the girls winced. Wes tempered his ability on Dozel, only bathing her just enough so he could see the difference between what was happening between his ability and her slightly darker blue skin.”

  Phony’s hand clenched at Wes’s hand, but he ignored it. Still not finished, Wes activated the ability he had just gotten. Something in him told him this was the perfect time; the girl's eyes grew wide as he activated his newest ability. They both gasped on after the other. Wes brought up his status and saw he was bleeding experience.

  “If taking every last drop of my experience is what you want from me to make this right, then all you have to do is ask.”

  Satisfied that he got his point across, Wes deactivated Symbiosis.

  Both girls, looking at him in stunned silence, stuttered over their words. Phony was the first to articulate her thoughts. “How?”

  Wes brought up his status for them both to see. “It’s my newest ability. And it’s thanks to being around you two the last couple of weeks.”

  Name: Wesley of 29744C

  Race: Human

  Age: 27

  Unique abilities: Imperial over Metric, Back in My Day

  Abilities: Deposit, Eternal Spark, Cleanse, Stopwatch,

  Vigilant, Deviant, Symbiosis

  Skills: N/A

  Achievement(s): Bloody Soul, Pragmatic Savant

  Trait(s): 3

  Current Status: Blessed

  Level 6

  Savings: 2,387,366

  Next Level: 7464.96

  Level 6 Exp Per Sec: .0144

  Current Exp: .1728

  The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  Dozel was the first to speak, “I was able to see my experience needed for the next level. And I leveled up”

  Phony, next to speak, “That was foolish, Wes. You wasted so much Experience.

  “Worth it.” Wes shot back.

  “How did you do that?” Dozel asked.

  Wes responded, “I told you it's my newest ability. Honestly, no clue what it did. Something in me told me that I should activate it, though. It's not like I didn’t get anything. Well, technically, I didn’t get anything, but I glanced at my status, and I had the five stats for the time it was activated. I didn’t do the math, but it couldn’t have been your full amount.” Pointing at Dozel. “Plus, I don’t know your actual stats.”

  Wes dismissed the status that appeared in his vision. “I am not saying I want to see it. You show me when you feel comfortable, no matter how long that takes.”

  Walking away to admire his work with his Cleanse, he saw that most of the blood had been cleared except for what was on the outskirts. Phony walked up alongside him, “That was incredibly stupid. That will take you six levels to get back with no other expenditures. Which is unlikely.”

  Shrugging, Wes said, “I don’t regret it. You both need to know how sorry I am. I meant it when I said that I would drop every last point of experience into you both if it meant I could make things right. I want you both to look at me like you had been just prior to my slimy behavior.” Wes laughed to himself.

  “I wouldn’t want that.”

  Flinching, Wes turned around, “You are way too quiet.”

  Dozel stood in front of him, looking into his eyes. “The only thing that will help what is done is time.”

  “Or you could make things interesting. If we are to make this work, we have to be out in the open with this. The stories of jealousy tearing apart houses are a dime a dozen.” Phony walked up to Wes, pausing, waiting for Dozel to shift her eyes off Wes toward her. “I have stolen Wes’s first, and I am going to take his second. Pulling Wes down at the shoulder, she drew Wes in for another kiss.

  Dozel stood in silence, shocked at what was transpiring.

  Phony pulled herself from Wes, essentially shoving him off, like he was the one who had been responsible. “Now, you could ask for a kiss like I have, or you could perhaps ask for something more.” Running her eyes over Wes, she raised her eyebrow at Dozel.

  Dozel huffed, “You have taken his first?”

  “More like stole. He took my innocence, and I took his freedom of choice.” Phony shot back.

  Wes smacked himself on the forehead. “That’s what you meant.”

  Dozel shot him and Wes a look, among those that all men knew. Wes slammed his lips shut.

  Phony interjected, “Easy, girl. His first wasn’t that good. How did you expect this to work? Eventually, one of us will be ‘first’.” Phony held up her hands in air quotes. “One of us will always be first to something. So let's not fight over something this simple and just try and make the best of it. I really shouldn’t be the one trying to convince you of this setup. It is way more prevalent on your guys' side of the Gap.”

  Sighing, Dozel took a few steps back. “You are not wrong, it's just this is too fast.”

  Nodding, Phony said, “I understand. Take your time with it.” She yanked Wes over and planted another on Wes’s lips. “You are down three to zero now. Who knows what it will be by the time you make up your mind?”

  Dozel considered Phony’s words in earnest for a time. To Wes’s eyes, it looked like she was having a thousand different arguments with herself. She finally opened her mouth again. “How can you be so bold?” Directing her words to Phony.

  Phony shrugged, “What is there to be ashamed of? What will be mine, will always be mine. I have already made up my mind to bear this fool's children. Might as well enjoy myself. And Father would have killed me for this, but he basically hand-picked this idiot, so he has no right to protest what I do with him.”

  “Still though. I am here.” Dozel protested.

  “Fair enough, you take your time with it.” Phony pulled on Wes’s arm, shooting for a fourth time, but Dozel shot forward.

  She pulled Wes down by his tattered collar with both hands and planted her own kiss across Wes’s lips. Both their teeth clanked together just as they had with phony.

  Pulling away, Dozel shot a look at Phony in contest, before looking back up at Wes and his childish grin. Embarrassment overwhelmed her, and she ran away toward the treeline. Disappearing into the shadows.

  Phony stepped forward toward where Dozel had been standing. “Huh, I didn’t think she had it in her.”

  Turning around, she furrowed her brow at the sight of Wes. “Wipe that smile off your face. I only did that so we could get over your stupidity. I am still plenty upset with you.”

  “I understand. But does that mean you forgive me a little?” Wes asked.

  “Hell no, I am just using you to fulfill my needs. Now, let's go after her. Probably drew a lot of attention, and with the penalty, I’d rather not be around here for much longer.”

  Phony went to pivot and walk away, but Wes grabbed at her hand. He pulled her close and said, “Thank you for smoothing things over for me. Even though I do not deserve it.” Kissing her forehead, he let her go from his embrace and walked around her.

  Standing still after being put off balance by Wes's actions, she stood with a grin on her face. Whispering to herself, “smooth.” Before pivoting around and chasing after Wes, yelling. “You fucker, you better run.”

  Wes had already been dashing into the forest after Dozel. Looking back, he yelled, “Sorry, not sorry.”

  ***

  Standing in the air high above the new field, Nia stood next to an irate Argyros. “She gets that from you.”

  Holding up her hands, Nia agreed, “Guilty as charged.”

  “I am going to kill that boy.” Argyros shot out.

  “Hey, the way things are going, you will see a lot more than that soon.” Nia poked.

  Shuddering in disgust, Argyros shot down to the field. He inspected the cleaning that Wes had done on the field.

  Nia took her time joining him, but eventually she made her way down. “You think I was right by placing little Phony with him?”

  “She was a good choice, but I would have gone with Latreia.”

  “Yeah, I considered her, too, but Wes seems like he needs a heavier hand.” Phony justified.

  Argyros did not take his eyes from his inspection. “Not saying you are wrong, but why did you saddle him with a ChiShiKi?”

  “You know why,” Nia answered.

  “Hah, glad I’m not the only one.” Argyros finally stopped pacing around the field. “What did the Council say?”

  “I have been here for a week with you, and you ask now?” Nia chided.

  Argyros looked at her expectantly.

  Tisking, Nia asked, “Which one you asking about?”

  “Either,” Argyros replied

  “Our little elders are doing what they always do, trying to stay out of any potential conflict while securing the most benefits for themselves.”

  “The other?” Argyros asked.

  “They wanted me to present him to them. I refused, they threatened, so I threatened back.”

  Argyros raised his eyebrow. “They know he is here?”

  “I had no choice. You, of everyone, know what they’re like.” Nia defended.

  Sighing aggressively, Argyros looked up into the sky. “Just what in the hell was Katara thinking?”

  “Mai-Mai, by making sure you found him first, would indicate that she thought it was something only you could do.” Nia offered.

  “Don’t you think I already know that? It’s just that we left each other on such bad terms. The answer as to why me of all people, still eludes me.”

  Nia walked up to Argyros and patted him on the shoulder. “It will come to you in time. Let's just trust in her decision.”

  Nodding along to his wife's words, Argyros elevated into the sky. “The boy does good work at least.”