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Liet nodded frantically, his eyes terrified.

Leaning in close, Twilight ran her raven hair across his cheek, tickling his skin with its softness. "Silk?" she asked, "or…" she seized his ear and bit down just hard enough to secure a gasp. "Teeth?"

"Ah," said Liet. "Uh, I don't… this does not seem quite the way… ah, heh…"

"Vety well, then," said Twilight. "I shall make that decision."

Distantly, Gestal watched the two bodies entwined, delighting in one another, with something between absorbed curiosity and clinical dispassion.

"Perfect," he said to no one in particular. No one could hear him, after all. "I couldn't have planned this better-well, actually… hmm."

His ears caught something to which the lovers were oblivious, though the sense was more than simply aural. The walls were shifting again. The enemy was not idle.

"You thirst for attention like a puppy, always barking your nonsense," he said. "You hate others but you cannot live without them."

Gestal's eyes looked over the elf's writhing body with desire and disappointment.

"You are lying again, child-to us and to yourself."

Her sweaty face, locked in passion, turned toward him briefly, but she did not respond. She had not heard him speak. Gestal visualized running his claws down that soft spine.

"You expect this to end as all the tales do-with the villain dead and the heroes in bed." Gestal shook his head. "But not this story. Not this one."

Then it was over, and Gestal grinned as he faded into silence once more.

Now it would be easy-so easy-to drive her to the master.

"Did you tell me about rule four in earnest, or so that I'd break it?" Liet asked as he traced the elfs-no, nymph's spine. The star on her lower back-asymmetrical, with many rays-gleamed, hot to the touch. He loved how she shivered when he touched it.

"Rules exist for a purpose," said Twilight. She lay on her belly at his side.

"Was that an aye, or a nay?"

"Neither," she said, "though if you were to fall in love with me, 'twould make you more pliable, and assure your loyalty."

"I've never known a woman," Liet said. "I mean, I had never-"

She laughed. "I had guessed."

Liet smiled. He found his mind drawn back to her other tattoo-the silver and black fox below her belly.

Then he saw a queer light in her eye. "What?" he asked.

"You must go now," said Twilight. She pulled her cloak from under him and wrapped it about her body.

Liet blinked. "What?" he asked. "B-but, we-"

"Enjoyable, I do confess. But now you have to go." Her face was utterly serious.

"Can I not… ah…" Liet reached toward her, to trace his fingers down one bare arm. "Can I not stay here with you?" Twilight twisted aside slightly and he touched only stone. "My love? My goddess?"

She put a finger to his lips. Then she shook her head, and he felt his heart stumble.

"Against my better instincts, I lead this traveling feast-er, party, and I can't be seen to favor one member over another."

Liet made to protest, and Twilight silenced him as she had before-with her lips.

"And that's why you have to go. Tell the others that we'll take the tunnel to the sanctum in the morning, as though I was merely discussing plans with you." She reclined against the corridor wall and stretched her arms. "And see if Taslin's conjured up some food-I'm famished."

Liet, adrift in confusion, could do nothing but stare at her. Then, when Twilight reached for his arm, he came back to his senses with a twinge. He pulled away, fighting his outrage down. He wouldn't get angry. He was better than that.

He wondered if she truly thought so little of him.

"But," he said, "but no one's seen us at-"

"No, but if you don't sleep in your own blankets, it'll have the same effect."

"B-but-" Liet started.

Twilight did nothing but stare into the dark corridor ahead. Liet studied her, long and hard. He perceived a miniscule wince at the edge of Twilight's left eye-the tiniest of flaws in her defenses. And underneath that cold exterior was an even darker chill.