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before the arrival of the assassins, three more of whom had already been captured, battlers were her guards. They were out there whenever Heyou made love to her. There was a battler wherever she went except for her toilet.
    Solie leaned back farther, spine arching, and cried out after all. The joy inside her exploded free, rushing as a wave through her entire body. Empathically linked, Heyou cried out too, stiffening and filling her, his own pleasure reflecting back and increasing her own.
    Sitting up, he wrapped his arms around her waist and nuzzled her neck, kissing her gently. Solie relaxed against him, smiling, enjoying him just holding her. She loved him so much, loved everything about him. If there was one thing he couldn’t give her, she just had to live with it.
    Heyou knew something was bothering his queen. He couldn’t read her mind, not quite, but he could interpret her emotions thoroughly enough that it was the next best thing. Today, though, she was hiding it well.
    At first he’d thought it was the assassins. They’d picked up three more, finding them easily because of their hostility. All of them were locked up, waiting for Solie to decide what to do with them. But it wasn’t fear he felt now, which was what he would expect if the problem were the assassins. Instead he sensed sadness, a feeling of something missing. He didn’t know what to do about that.
    He would have asked her, but she was the queen. Battlers didn’t question queens. Moreover, he was afraid what the answer might be. Solie was everything to him. He didn’t want to take the slightest chance that he wasn’t everything to her in return.
    Gabralina and Sala walked hand in hand through the marketplace, Gabralina’s mission for eggs forgotten. Sala had been her best friend since childhood and the force behind all their plots and plans. Having her now in the Valley felt like everything was right again, and Gabralina couldn’t wait for her to meet Wat.
    “I was so worried about you,” she confessed. “When I was arrested, I didn’t know what happened. I thought you were in the house, but then they only took me, so I guess you left just before they got there. You’re so lucky.”
    Sala smiled, squeezing her hand as they walked. “No one bothered me. Thank you so much for not saying anything. You’re a true friend.” When Gabralina beamed, Sala added, “I wanted to help you, but there was nothing I could do.”
    “I know. It all turned out for the best, though.” Gabralina giggled. “I have Wat now! It would never have happened otherwise. It’s so wonderful. Everyone is nice here, too, and I have a job.”
    “A job!” Sala laughed. “That’s a bit of a drop from being a magistrate’s mistress.”
    “Maybe.” Gabralina shrugged. “But I was bored there a lot of the time, and he was old and fat. I get to take care of children here. I love it.”
    Sala smiled. “Whatever makes you happy, dearest.”
    They wandered through the busy morning crowds. Gabralina wanted to show her friend everything, hoping against hope that she would stay.
    A group of air and fire sylphs soared overhead. Sala was watching them in wonder, her eyes shining. “Is it true what you wrote about anyone being able to have a sylph here?”
    “Yes,” Gabralina said. “Well, they’re picky about who can have one, but it isn’t like back home in Yed. They don’t care how rich you are or anything.”
    “So, anyone can have a sylph?”
    Gabralina frowned, remembering what she’d been told when she first arrived. “Unless the sylph picks them, they have to be fairly old. At least, the women with the battlers are older. I’m not sure why. I think it has to do with them not being able to have babies or something. But the other kinds of sylphs have masters as young as me. I’m sure they’d love to give you one.”
    Sala smiled. “That sounds nice. I think I might ask for a sylph. It would be lovely to have a friend like that. To feel a bond and . .