“Can the children be moved?” Diana said as they entered the penthouse, cautious of the spells in place to block the Witch’s Flies. The curtains were all drawn as well and their home had the faint smell of flora from the garden stationed above it. The whole place was shadowy until Jonah turned on the lights that floated off the ceiling.

Kalyah had followed them up, wanting to check on Rosetta before she went back downstairs. Diana had explained that she had a row with her mother, not that it needed much explanation. She also told them that she had clearance for a chauffeur airship.

“They can be moved, they can be woken up. However, you know about an Ash Maker’s limit on altitude, right?” Kalyah said, looking around the empty penthouse.

“They can’t travel above the clouds without extreme airsickness, yes, I know,” Diana said with a sigh.

“Goddamn, can they have anything easy?” Jonah said with a shake of his head.

“Very few things are comfortable for them in this world,” Kalyah said with a frown. “So no matter how long it takes them to get here, Diana, it will be double the time back.”

Hands on her hips, Kalyah sighed. “Where is she? I thought she was sleeping on the couch in here…”

The Paladin smirked. “She’s in my room, down the hall, first door on the left.” He pointed his gauntleted finger down the way.

Kalyah scoffed a laugh. “Working quick, are we Warren?” she asked, making her way to his room.

As the door opened, Diana heard a faint and needful, “Warren?” from Rose.

“No, just me, sweetie,” Kalyah said, entering the room.

“Oh…” Rose said as the door shut.

Diana looked up at the tall Paladin. “She’s gone through many men and women,” the Druid said, her expression even at him.

“I’m aware, she ain’t been shy on that matter,” the Paladin said, his hands tucked in his coat pockets.

Jonah nervously glanced around, eyes wide in disbelief.

“Whatever we got won’t come between our work,” Warren continued. “She works better with some kind of relationship. For now I plan on keeping it simple, don’t worry, miss.”

“I’m far more concerned about you, Warren,” Diana countered.

The Paladin sucked his teeth. “I may not look, miss, but I am nearly fifty years old. I understand Rosie and she likes what I supply her. She needs someone to counter the brashness in her, like her brother did. I’m just not platonic, like him.”

After a moment to consider that, Diana inclined her head to him. “Goodnight for now.”

“I’ll see ya in mornin', miss,” he said, bowing his head back.

As Kalyah left, Warren entered, shadowing the doorway and thanking the small elf. They talked for a moment, as if Rosetta couldn’t hear them at all. It pissed Rosetta off, but she suspected that Warren knew that and yet did it anyway.

“Don’t do any worship with her, especially the kind she likes,” Kalyah said, craning her neck up at the man. “She’s not likely to develop a fever, but she will if you push her.”

Warren had to look almost straight down at her, his body braced in the doorway. There was a sultry stare in his eyes and the sex addled brain of Rosetta pictured the two of them together. It would be so hot, him picking up a woman half his size. Those wide hips and legs would part perfectly to his bold hands. He could probably keep her airborne with one hand around her waist, the other he would brace at her neck. No, no, she couldn’t think like that. For one it made her so horribly jealous to imagine and it turned her on. No, stop, she told herself. It was a normal conversation, Warren was a professional.

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In the cold sheets her body was warm, having changed positions as the cute little Pixie elf had looked her over. Rosetta clawed at the linens, lining her groin up along the edge of the pillow she cuddled. Warren glanced over at her. Why was he taking so long to reply to Kalyah? Tell her to join us, Warren, Rosetta thought. She’d do it, I know she would, the Sorceress snorted to her perverse thoughts.

“I’m not gonna push her at all, don’t ya worry,” Warren said, still looking at her. In the dark of the doorway his blue eyes shined. They absolutely sparkled at her.

Kalyah looked over at Rosetta, her sweet mouth frowning. The Corpine faithful often came to the Chained god’s temples. They always wore grimaces like that. It was a tragedy to have anyone harmed, all bodies were sacred to them. Some were forced to participate, not by others, but by the pull of their own bodies. It was said that Corpine looked away from harm done in passion, marks made by love. At thirty five Rosetta didn’t know much about love, but for many months of her adult life she had experienced passion daily.

“Ya better let her rest, she’s getting antsy with ya still here,” Warren said, gesturing down the hallway.

The Priestess blew out a long breath. “Be careful,” she mumbled, turning on her heel.

The door closed with Warren on the other side of it. He coldly glared at her, sending away his armor and removing his rings. He set them on the nightstand along with his daggers in their sheathes. Rosetta moved her hips along the trim of the pillow, his pillow that smelled like his hair. She wasn’t that tired anymore and she had fucked on less fuel than this.

Warren put up his sword and his coat. Untying his boots, he set them below his hung up jacket and sword. Rosetta watched intently as he lowered his pants, breathing deeply at the sight of his thickly muscled thighs and rump. He pulled his shirt off over his head, rolling his dense shoulders and heavy arms. There were several ringed Prayer tattoos across his hairless shoulders, magic that could be triggered on a word or thought. She knew he had the strength to throw her around like she was made of paper. He turned to her with a smug smile, lit up by the bathroom light behind him. He wasn’t cut, but he was so strong and bulky.

Rosetta had seen all levels of muscle, to the thin and cute to the ultimate shredded dedication. This was true power, she knew, not the weak ones of sharp lines. Her thoughts were proven right as he whipped the covers off her and scooped her up with one arm around her waist. Here it comes, she thought, not Kalyah but me. Rip off my shorts and go to town. I can see how you fill out those boxers, she thought. She was ready…

Instead, he stared at her, plucking the pillow from her grip. Her limbs went limp, submissive. He let her go, bouncing on the bed. Crawling into bed he set the wet marked pillow below her head and took the one she had been laying on for himself.

“I said I’d hold you,” he said, his voice deep, as he laid down behind her. “I’m not gonna fuck ya.”

He dragged her across the bed, crushing her in his powerful arms. The warmth of his bare chest and the light black scruff running down it was nice. She sighed, relaxing against him.

“I got shit to do in the morning,” he remarked. "You need to sleep."

“Well aye,” she said, rubbing his forearm. She was covered in the masculine smell of him and was fine.

“Goodnight,” he breathed into her hair.

“Goodnight.”

Unable to sleep, Diana went to the phone downstairs with Jonah, and called the royal chauffeur about a ride. Her mother had yet to approve for them anything larger than a personal airship. Which was fast and could seat them all, but wouldn’t take the Ash Makers lying down. It would work though, so she requested it. It would take eighteen hours to get to them. The office said that if they needed immediate transportation, then they could call the current Court Mage. They seemed confused when she dismissed that option. She knew that her voice contained panic, but was unable to stop it. Eighteen hours was acceptable, for now.

Diana hardly slept, even given ten hours, when she closed her eyes all she imagined was sleeping through a fierce battle to take the children. All those stories of the building that separated them, she could not stand it. They were safe, watched over by the Cleric and some local policemen who were none the wiser about who they guarded.

The Druid had hardly spoken to the children and none to Chiru. She had only seen them when they were sleeping, but the fact they were breathing was enough. The blonde twins were already Luann in her eyes. Someone she needed to protect, just like Jonah. If anything happened to them, it would tear at her heart and she would forever blame herself.

She tossed and turned, hearing the constant drum of the noise machine, hoping to get some rest, just a wink of sleep. Jonah wasn’t doing any better, his quick breathing and shifting told her that he was just as nervous as her. They didn’t speak though, all that needed to be said was told by their frayed nerves. After nearly two hours Diana closed her eyes and didn’t open them until Jonah rose from the bed. A dreamless sleep was amazing when she knew she woke up to a nightmare.

“Is it time?” she asked, groggily.