My eyes widened at the thought of what kind of torture that would be. Human romance novels were bad enough for me, with their overindulgence in comparing male genitalia with various tools and foods while women were routinely placed in supposedly exciting and secretive positions. I could only guess at how bad fantasy romance novels would be with the added scales, shells, antlers, and other various hybrid animal and fey parts. With no shame I denied their invite. "Um, I really appreciate your willingness to include me in your discussion, but I really had better get to sleep after my very tiring experience." Hanna wagged her eyebrows at me with a grin and glanced at Victoria, which I pointedly ignored. Consoling looks came from each of the other members. "Hold on just a moment." My teacher left to go retrieve a basket, which when handed to me ended up being filled with several bread rolls, pieces of jerky, and squares of cheese. "Oh, um Wow!" I exclaimed, not knowing what to do with this. "I know it seems like a lot. However, if I'm not wrong in how the healing you received at the pillar is, in comparing to when healed by other methods here, then you will definitely need to eat a lot in order to restore your energy. Food and sleep will be very necessary to your full recovery." I felt she wasn't wrong as despite my current feeling of complete health, my stomach had begun desperately growling as I held the food and my eyes were threatening to shut on me with exhaustion. "Thank you." I replied with genuine gratitude. Then with an added "It was really nice to meet all of you." I beat it up the stairs to my room, before firmly shutting the door. I didn't go to my bed mediately as I sat down and leaned against the door in order to overhear what they were discussing. Despite my statement of not wanting to join them, I was still morbidly curious about what might really be in those romance novels. I wasted little time in digging into the basket of food, fighting off the deepening exhaustion as I started off with the high calorie bread. I knew that the body could use it most quickly. Their faint voices could be heard from my current position. "Hanna." The voice came from Victoria. "What was your most favorite part in the book?" The deeper husky voice of Hanna sounded next. "Oh yes! I shall share with you an excerpt of my favorite scene." I could hear the sound of pages being turned. "There she stood, outlined by the moonlit night sky, against the backdrop of the darkened trees. White feathers fluttering gently in the wind as her unclothed coat shone with brightness. He had yearned for her for sometime now, as he watched her practice her swordplay against her fellow tribesmen, from the shadows of his hiding place. Here, now, she was preparing to take a bath in the secluded pond behind her clan's home." I zoned out as she continued to read about their predestined night while I tore into a tasty piece of jerky. After my mind recovered enough from the explosions of flavor in my mouth, I focused again on what she was saying. ". . . She did not resist as he pushed her up against the tree and growled with lust. Pressing his pulsing cloaca against her throbbing. ." My mouth turned sour as I dropped the piece of cheese in my hand back into the basket. 'Oh Dust NO.' I was NOT going to listen to this! I hurriedly got to my feet from my sitting position on the floor while desperately whispering "logout!" My gaze hovered over the 5 second countdown that I raced against to get to my bed and settled, before I was sent out from this place. I barely made it in time, dropping the bowl in such a way that I hoped it didn't spill over, before the rush of light and dark greeted me and I was back in the capsule. Despite my timely escape, my mind still struggled with thoughts of what was happening next in the story.************************************ Back in the home of Victoria, the voice of Hanna droned on as she described a decidedly lustful and amorous scene between a shelled man turtle hybrid and a feathered woman swan hybrid. Had Andrew decided to stay behind and listen further, his eyes might have rolled into the back of his head and simply passed out, not only due to his exhaustion. Victoria raised up her hand and paused Hanna in her reading of the story excerpt. She looked pointedly at Flourana as if in question. Closing her eyes as if in concentration, Flourana focused for a moment before responding. "His consciousness has left. We are free to speak now." "Awwwe. Blast it all!" Gertrude pouted disappointingly. "I was enjoying Hanna's retelling of that scene." The 2 sets of eyes from Victoria and Flourana gave her a side glance that she took note of. "Fine. I'll reread it on my own later." *huff* "To be honest, I'm surprised that he lasted as long as he did." Hanna the spoke up. "Haha! Even if he did survive that scene, I was next going to talk about some of the positions and scenes that inspired some new creativity in my Husband's and my exploits that I'm sure would have sent him away. . .. Do you want to hear it?!" She asked excitedly. Groans could be heard all around the table at her offer. Flourana's voice broke the brief silence after the unanimous rejection. "We need to discuss the important details we came here to do in the first place." A more somber and serious mood took over as her words set in. "I call the start of our meeting as the Hidden Sentinels of the Northern Expanse." "I will start as I'm sure you all want to know more about the arrival of the Travelers. Am I correct in assuming such?" Flourana asked, from which she was met by very interested nods from the others. "From my contacts among the other cities, it has been discovered that there are not currently as many Travelers as we first thought that would appear. However, from multiple accounts, this is supposed to be only the first among many progressively larger waves of arrival." Victoria nodded at that, as Andrew had already told her. Flourana then continued. "Almost all of the Travelers have had their elemental affinity and potential tested. The tests have had mixed results, but overall, they appear to have a significantly above average magic affinity for various elements. Unfortunately, we've only had a few small sample groups that were able to gain the financial support of a patron who splurged on advanced evaluations." "Those that my associates were able to get close enough to, in order to evaluate, have proven to have a more than acceptable balanced level of benevolence towards the citizens of the cities." Her lips twitched in annoyance with a thought. "However, their surface thoughts and very actions prove to be highly disconcerting as they do not truly acknowledge us as being real. I'm actually quite jealous of your choice of apprentice Victoria. Although he too does not firmly believe in us as real beings, he continuously suspends that belief, in favor of living in the moment, without regard to what is real and not real." Pride beamed from Victoria's eyes as she heard that. "I had suspected such, considering his perseverance at completing a rigged test." Her eyes then turned down in shame. "I feel like I should have maintained a focus of sorts on him rather than just trusting in Tirene. I mean, she did her job remarkably well, but I blame my own passiveness and lack of faith in him, since he is a Traveler, for not taking the situation more seriously." An ugly expression crossed her face. "If it weren't for the fact that we have to be careful, to hide from the eyes of the deities and demi-gods, I would have thrashed that paladin into oblivion." Shocked concern spread throughout the other 3 at this reveal. She then continued to explain what little she had guessed at. "I suspect that either he himself did it, or he had some of his brainwashed followers strip the general area around the entire city of all the Cinnamomum Proditor." Her lips pursed in anger. "I'm sure if they had been aware of where Andrew was going to search, that they would not have missed the one he finally found. I'm still not sure how they found out about the specifics of my test." A finger prodded at her temple in thought. "Is it possible to override a high-level binding contract of secrecy, with the effects of a Will stone?" This question was directed at Flourana who answered with some apprehension. "It is . . . unfortunately possible. Incredibly rare however, requiring high leveled intervention to prevent the erasure of the details. The initial possession through the use of the Will stone would have already weakened the ties which bound their promise to your awareness. If it's any consolation, you couldn't have utilized a stronger contract, that is, without tipping your hand about who you really are." A resigned nod was her response. "Other than Paladin Ekhart attempting to subvert my apprentice, the Cult of Broam that he follows, continues to infiltrate this city as they attempt to take higher government positions and gain authority over places of importance." Flourana grimaced, before interjecting. "I am aware of that, and I'm striving to quietly clear the cities of those influences that shouldn't be occurring." Her hands clenched in anger. "Damn those pompous leaders who think the ignorance of the populous is bliss. While their subjects are milling about, distracted by their own personal lives and the latest social upheaval, deep corruption is tearing apart the seams that keep the crowns upon their heads." *Sigh* "Other than that, how is the observations of your current charge going?" She asked Victoria. A concerned smile lit the apothecaries countenance in response, before responding. "I'm unsure of what to make of the latest development, to know if it is good or bad. The Elder dragon Arctis Ventus is about to be a mother. She has been preparing to lay a clutch of eggs, and I'm unsure about the implications." Her mouth curdled a bit. "From hearsay, her mate wasn't another dragon, but rather a drake. No accounting for taste, and who knows which bloodline her offspring will follow. For now, she has been laying low as she prepares her nest and scrounges up food for storage. The waves of monster attacks at our local and neighboring border outposts have notably decreased without her urging them on. However, I wonder if she will continue to remain passive once her eggs are laid, as she may decide that a weakened, or outright destroyed outpost may prove a safer option to raise her children." She concluded with "That is all I have to report that you may not already be aware of." Appreciative grunts came from around the table at her report. Then Flourana turned toward the dwarven lady to address her. "Hanna, how goes the sub terrain legions?" "Bah! Those fools don't have what it takes to break through my stone golems. Elder wyrm Geode Terran, has been raging about impotently, as my creations continue to harvest great gains from the battles he instigates below ground." Hanna raged enthusiastically as she added. "I relish the opportunity to bash that incompetent legless lizard with my own hands, if only he'd come out of his impenetrable hidey hole!" The others rolled their eyes at this frequent rant. "What about you Gertrude.? Any excitement on your esoteric front?" *Ahem* The turtle lady cleared her throat before replying. "The Godly and Demon realms continue to remain quiet. It appears that for now, the oath that they made with Inaaya the Goddess of Time and the Otherworld overseer, regarding the Travelers and non-interference is holding. Other than that, occasional excursions from their realms still occur, but nothing that the locals can't continue to handle." *Sigh* Victoria gave a grateful nod to her. "That is solid good news that we have." "Indeed." Flourana added. "We will continue to monitor and get back together when we can. For now, let's talk more about the book we read." She finished with a smile, as she too enjoyed these little excursions into romance, that like water to a parched earth, soothed her weighted soul.