It took only one or two people to check in and care for the horses, but Aenaes, Vahlatok, Glyph and Rune went to complete the chore. Feeding and brushing their pets went by quickly, then the four men sat in the nearby field. All of them entertained the same paranoid what-if scenarios and other related questions.

“She can’t know,” Aenaes insisted, breaking the silence.

“You hope,” Glyph said.

Aenaes fiddled with his ears. “N-no. She-she can’t! Things would be…” he paused to let out a breath, “more awkward?”

Glyph shrugged, wanting to agree. “Or Cali is too polite to address the ineptitude among us.”

“No, please…” Aenaes sank down.

Vahlatok folded his arms. “We are speculating. We could ask…”

“W-what? N-no!” Aenaes vehemently shook his head in objection.

Vahlatok raised an eyebrow. “We could ask what sort of ability the fae gave her.”

Glyph sighed. “She was cagey with me. Somebody else will have to ask.” The half-dragon made a sweeping motion with his hand.

Rune stood and stretched. “Cali’s our friend. Everything will be fine.” He smiled and blushed. “She’ll understand.”

“You think so?” Vahlatok asked.

“Of course,” Rune confirmed.

“With her maybe seeing every lascivious thought you’ve had about her?” the orc pressed.

“W-what?” Rune’s face and ears turned deep crimson.

“From what I can guess, she can see our dreams,” Vahlatok said. “So she may know of the dreams you’ve had about her.” He stared directly at Rune.

Rune’s expression faded. “N-no. That…that can’t be right…”

“Then what else could it be?” Glyph asked. “She has a new ability. And something has made things awkward between us.”

Rune shook his head, still deep in denial. “N-no. It-it can’t be that.”

“And why not?” Aenaes asked.

Rune licked his lips. “I-I wouldn’t…thoughts for her…no…”

“Ah.” Aenaes massaged his temples. “Eloquent as always.”

“Well, what would she have overheard dream wise?” Vahlatok asked. The orc blushed. “I don’t remember all my dreams…”

“Me either. But I am certain I have had some entertaining thoughts, fleeting, sometimes sensual,” Glyph muttered.

“I’m certain we all have,” Vahlatok said.

Aenaes dropped his gaze. “The question is…what do we do about it…and…anything?”

***

“Do all of them always go to tend the horses?” Minerva asked.

“No. That’s an odd, new behavior,” Calista answered.

“Any idea why this new behavior started?” Minerva asked.

Calista shook her head. “I don’t even have a guess.”

Wish tittered. “I’m sure there’s a great explanation for it.” She beamed. “A fun one.”

Minerva gave the fae a curious look. “Hmm.”

“Regardless, that is new. I’m not entirely sure what is up with them lately, but, they’re my friends…companions…fellow adventurers.” Calista put on her jeweled circlet. “We’ve been through a lot.”

“Given you trusted them to come rescue you after you got yourself captured…” Minerva shrugged, “I’d hope so.”

“Oh, and it gets better than what you’ve seen,” Wish said coyly. She let out another playful giggle.

“Whatever that means,” Calista said.

Rune sat alone, awaiting a meal. Still feeling inept about Calista. If the others were right about her newfound abilities, she would have overheard many lascivious thoughts from him alone. The large warrior tapped his fingers while his thoughts rushed through his mind. Paranoia and panic clashed in his every breath.

Calista poured herself into the seat beside Rune. “I haven’t seen you in a while,” she remarked.

Rune’s posture went stiff. Hearing Calista’s voice sent a tinge of red to his face and ears. “Uh, sorry.” He glanced briefly at Calista. Seeing her in a dark gown with the circlet on, his thoughts were pulled to her beauty and his attraction to her.

No, no, no! Don’t think about that! She might overhear daydreams! It will embarrass her. It might embarrass me. Stop thinking about how pretty she is!

“It’s alright. I hope you aren’t cross with me,” Calista said. She folded her hands on the bar.

“Of course not,” Glyph answered immediately. When his brief glance turned into an inept, stunned stare, he swallowed audibly. “That’s…pretty.” He pointed at the tiara on her head.

Calista toyed with the circlet. “Thanks. I thought so, too.”

Stop thinking about how pretty she is. Stop thinking about your feelings for her. Stop it! If you think about that you’ll think about the dreams you’ve had where you’re intimate and that will be even more humiliating!

Calista gave him a brief glance. “You seem preoccupied. Bothered by something.”

“N-no!” Rune lied.

Calista raised an eyebrow suspiciously. “Really? You’re looking flustered.”

“I-I’m fine!” Rune assured her. He snatched at his muddled dark hair as if he could pluck the creeping lascivious thoughts from his mind.

“Uh…you seem…sick then. Fevered.” Calista frowned. “Perhaps you should rest?”

“Yes,” Rune agreed. “Please have the innkeeper bring my food to my room,” he said before dismissing himself from their conversation.

Minerva watched one of the twins hurry past her. Confused and concerned, she joined Callista, but threw looks over her shoulder at Rune. “What was that about?”

“I have no idea,” Callista answered.

“Alright then.” Minerva shrugged. “Dinner?”

“Sounds great,” Callista replied.