Rune sat upright. He revisited the intensely erotic dream he had the night before. His face was flushed, and no matter how much he tried he couldn’t keep from seeing the mental images in flashes again and again. Calista being intimate with Aenaes. While he harbored lustful thoughts of his romantic interest, he more often fantasized being intimate with her, not watching. It didn’t help that he woke up erect and aroused, either. He had to masturbate to alleviate the sensual frustrations but had laid awake staring at the contents of the tavern room since. His nerves were agitated and he was unable to relax. Rune got up and dressed himself so he could get food. In a doublet, slacks and boots, still disheveled from his restless night, he staggered into the dining area. He joined Calista without thinking. When prompted by the barkeep, he ordered coffee and whatever food was left.

Calista smiled. “Good morning!”

Rune’s body became tense. He looked at the mage, then swallowed audibly. It took him several seconds to find his voice, “Good morning, Cali,” he muttered.

Calista looked at him curiously. Her gaze was pulled to his eyes. “You look…” she hissed, “terrible.”

“Bad sleep,” the half-dragon replied. He yawned and stretched. “Might turn in early today.” Rune folded his arms. He rested his forehead on his arms.

“Are you ill?” Calista wondered.

“Maybe,” he answered. He was glad he had an excuse to hide the embarrassment on his face. “Might explain it.”

“I think Aenaes wants to shop for tonics today. I could have him get you something,” Calista said.

Rune immediately pictured Aenaes and Calista being intimate. The pictures and sounds echoed in his mind. Rune’s heart rate quickened. Why wasn’t he imagining being with her instead? Either instance would have proven unnerving, especially with Calista sitting across from him, but he had specific fantasies about her, yet he couldn’t seem to visualize any of them.

Calista watched Rune, confused. He was normally nonchalant and straightforward, but he seemed nervous and avoidant thus far into the day. “If I did something that upset you, we would talk about it, right?”

Rune nodded. “Mhm. You haven’t upset me.” He cleared his throat, then lifted his head. “I am exhausted. Maybe ill.” He smiled, while trying to disrupt the mental images of Calista. His stomach was knotted. His hands shook. A sheen of sweat covered him.

“You do look feverish,” she remarked.

The barkeep set down a mug and a plate of food. “Here ya are.”

Rune sighed, relieved. The images finally ceased. It was an odd occurrence. But with food and a beverage, he would have a distraction should it happen again.

***

Glyph, Vahlatok and Aenaes watched the two from afair. “Something strange is going on,” Aenaes muttered.

“Agreed,” Vahlatok said.

Glyph, as flustered as the other two men, folded his arms. “You have any theories?”

Aenaes scoffed. “What has been causing all of the strangeness for us these past weeks?”

“The fae,” Glyph replied.

“This…all of it…” Aenaes’ face became a deeper red. “It has to be from the fae!”

“Well, what is it?” Vahlatok asked.

“What is what?” Aenaes asked.

“What is the weirdness?” Vahlatok elaborated.

Glyph sighed. He turned away from Calista and his brother. “The wish she granted Cali. That has to be behind this.”

Vahlatok shrugged. “So let’s ask the fae.”

“You think it’s that easy?” Aenaes asked.

“She likes chaos, right? Us learning something may be just chaotic enough for her appetites,” the orc reasoned. He stepped away from his friends, approaching Calista and Wish’s room.

“I guess here we go?” Aenaes shrugged.

“At worst we kill some time until Calista leaves for the day.” Glyph cleared his throat nervously. “And we don’t have to see her while…never mind.” Overcome with discomfort, he followed Vahlatok.

Aenaes sighed. “Right. Without that dream in my mind.” He quietly whimpered while thinking about the events of the dream.

***

Wish groaned as she was shaken awake. Groggy, she sat up and rubbed her eyes. “What? What happened?” Wish asked. She looked from Aenaes to Vahlatok to Glyph. She was awaiting an explanation.

“What ability did you grant Cali?” Aenaes asked.

Wish scoffed. “Why?”

“We have our reasons for asking,” Glyph replied.

The fae then smirked. “Oh, I see. Her abilities are growing. This should prove fun.”

“Fun?” Glyph asked.

“She enjoys the chaos,” Aenaes reminded the half-dragon. “That’s why her kind of fae exist. They grant wishes to the letter and replenish the chaos that is fae magic.”

“Right, but what did she grant for Cali?” Vahlatok redirected the conversation.

Wish hugged her knees. “Hmm. Let’s see…” she hummed quietly. “I suppose giving you hints might sow some fun…”

“Alright. What sort of hints?” Vahlatok shifted his weight. His narrowed his  gaze on the fae.

“Well, do me a favor.” After Wish spoke, the men went silent and gave her skeptical gazes. “Think of your deepest secret. Those fleeting thoughts that are yours alone.” The silence lengthened. “Now, what would happen…” Wish tapped her finger against her lip, “if Calista were to learn these secrets, these thoughts.” All three of their expressions soured. “She may have a way to glimpse such ideas.”

Aenaes went ashen. “…She…what?”

“You gave her telepathy?” Glyph asked.

“No.” Wish shook her head. “Telepathy is indiscriminating. All thoughts of anyone.”

“So what is it?” Glyph asked.

“She can sense thoughts about her,” Wish clarified.

“About her?” Vahlatok repeated. “So thoughts about her in general, when one of us thinks of speaking with her about a topic…?” He motioned with his hand to prompt an exact explanation from the fae.

“All of that. Thoughts, fantasies, whatever ideas you or anybody else harbors about her, she may or may not be able to hear them,” Wish replied.

“May or may not?” Vahlatok rolled his eyes. “Which is it?”

“She what…?” Glyph stared ahead blankly. He folded his arms and his mouth went dry.

Aenaes looked to Glyph. “She could be making this up to create chaos among us,” the healer said.

“But…” Vahlatok frowned, “what if she’s not?”

“Yes,” Wish smirked. “What thoughts have you had about her that would be chaotic for Calista to learn without you expressing them to her?”

“She can’t be serious,” Glyph muttered.

“No.” Aenaes shook his head. “No, if Cali could hear our thoughts, she’d tell us.”

“Agreed,” Vahlatok nodded.

Wish settled on her back. “What brought you here in the first place? A shared dream?” When the three men didn’t reply she continued, “That’d be her abilities deepening. She’s getting better control. I suspect you had one of her dreams.” Wish watched the three men become crimson. “Ah, yes. So now you can let me sleep. Go sulk. Wonder which of your thoughts embarrassed Calista so much that she wouldn’t tell you of her telepathy.”

“…No. That…that cannot be…” Vahlatok muttered. “She…she’s been hearing my thoughts?”

“All of our thoughts,” Aenaes said.

Glyph buried his face in his hands. “This explains so much,” he muttered.