I sent the Piercers toward the women in a rough arrowhead formation. Selene’s feet slid into a defensive stance, and her hands shifted on her weapon as my homunculi closed in. The middle Piercer jabbed at her throat, but she easily deflected it with a parry of her pike. A fierce grin flashed across her face as she smacked her weapon’s shaft into the lead Piercer’s knee. The homunculus uttered a pained groan as the bone shattered beneath her blow.

Two Piercers confronted Alexia, and she raised her daggers uncertainly as a spearhead was thrust toward her chest. Selene’s pike flickered out to deflect the blow as Alexia staggered back and yelped in surprise.

“Come on, Alexia,” I said encouragingly. “You can do better.”

The blood mage set her mouth in a hard line, and she slid up behind Selene. I tried to circle the two women with my Piercers, but Selene’s expert defense made it difficult to edge the homunculi into position. Alexia avoided a swipe from a spear to her right and shuffled closer to her newest attacker. Her daggers flashed in, and I commanded the unit to retreat. Alexia growled in frustration as her blades missed the homunculus’ throat by mere inches. She spun away from a retreating strike from the middle Piercer and slashed at the offending creature’s arm. Blood spurted from the wound, and Alexia’s eyes lit up as she backed away to cover the other woman’s back. Selene’s blond hair spun around her head as she tirelessly warded off stabbing pikes from her opponents with superior footwork and surprising technique.

I called my trio of soldiers to back away from the women. Selene was far more proficient in close-quarters combat than I’d anticipated. Did it have anything to do with her ability to read auras? Alexia wasn’t used to this kind of fight, but she had speed and grace. She just needed more encouragement.

Selene wiped her brow on her sleeve and flashed Alexia a grin. “See? Not that hard.”

“You’re doing all the work,” Alexia replied as she flicked blood off her dagger.

“So step up,” Selene said encouragingly. “I’m sure there’s a lot more power in that taut little body of yours than you’re willing to believe.”

The blood mage’s cheeks flushed a deep crimson at the compliment.

“You need to work together,” I said. “Alexia, you can do the most damage if you get in close. Selene’s creating openings, you just need to capitalize on them. Keep your distance, though. The Piercers have the benefit of much longer reach with their weapons.”

“Leave the advice for my team to me.” Selene winked at me. “Hope you’re enjoying the show.”

I tore my eyes away from her heaving breasts and nodded. “It’s about to get better.”

My Piercers adjusted their formation and attacked again. I sent the first one to rush Selene and circled the others around in a classic pincer maneuver to hit the women from both sides.

Selene deflected the sprinting thrust from the distracting homunculi in a whirl of leather and wood. Her foot snaked out, tripped up the Piercer, and sent him toward Alexia. Daggers flashed and the homunculus grunted as the elf found a chink in his leather armor. Blood splashed over the ground as Alexia ducked under a clumsy strike and slammed her knee straight up into the Piercer’s groin. He collapsed on his hands and knees.

“Cover your partner’s back!” I warned.

Selene was a truly excellent staff fighter, but even she couldn’t defend attacks from her fantastic rear. Alexia darted in to take on the Piercer behind Selene, and a brief expression of gratitude washed over Selene’s face as she turned to focus on a single enemy. Pike crashed against pike, steel spearheads sparked off each other, then the mage turned the tide of combat. Selene snagged the Piercer’s spear in her own, planted her feet, and spun. The homunculus lumbered past her toward the blood mage.

“Incoming!” Selene called.

Alexia dropped into a crouch and stabbed out to the left and to the right with her dual blades. Steel bit into leather and found the flesh of my Piercers’ thighs. Pikes were an excellent ranged weapon, but the beautiful elf had timed it perfectly. Snarls of pain ripped from both of my homunculi as they stumbled and tried to regain their balance.

Rejoin your comrades, I ordered. It’s time to finish this.

With a satisfied smile, Alexia straightened up. Selene came to her side, they took a position in the middle of my ring of soldiers. Selene beamed at Alexia and bumped her shoulder playfully as the elf shook fresh blood from her weapons of choice. The Piercers limped into a tight knot and leveled their spears at the two women. A breeze blew through their hair, and I smiled as I appreciated them for a moment.

A blond, mysterious warlock with astonishing power and fighting skills.

A beautiful elvish blood mage who’d been kept hidden away for years.

I was damn glad that they were on my side.

“Penetrating Rush!” I shouted aloud to the homunculi.

White light blazed from the Piercers’ pikes as they charged the two women. Selene leapt into the air like an acrobat just as Alexia dived into a roll to the left. Selene’s spear punctured the middle Piercer’s throat in a spray of scarlet. The warlock’s feet smashed into the homunculus, and she crushed it into the ground under her heeled boots. Alexia came to her feet, and a knife flashed out of her hand like a quarrel from a crossbow. The Piercer on the left caught the spinning blade in the eye, and his mind vanished from my hold.

My final Piercer finished his rush and spun to slash at Selene. The warlock was faster. She deflected the blow with a flick of her own pike, swept in, and ducked under the homunculus’ arm. Alexia raced in to help as Selene wrapped the shaft of her weapon around the Piercer’s throat and hauled him backward. Alexia kicked the pike from the Piercer’s hand and tore out his throat with a quick jerk. Blood splattered over her as she ripped the knife across the struggling homunculus’ ribs, tore out the inside of his thigh, and rammed the dagger into his mouth.

My mental connection with their last opponent faded as Selene released her hold. Alexia pulled her knife free of the corpse’s skull, and it collapsed in a heap on the ground. I created a gap in the wall of homunculi and stepped into the ring.

“See?” I said to Alexia. “You just need to get in close.”

The blood mage closed the distance between us in a flash. Her mouth found mine before I could react, and she kissed me in a flash of tongue and teeth. I touched Alexia’s face and gently pulled away from her.

“Is this close enough for you?” she breathed.

Her eyes fixed on mine in a blend of hunger and happiness. I kissed her cheek and turned to three nearby Shield Slammers.

Drag the bodies to the shack, I told them.

Selene cleared her throat pointedly as Alexia pressed her body into mine.

“Have you done enough testing?” Alexia asked. “I’m covered in blood and sweat and the only thing I can think about right now is a long, steaming bath.”

Selene flicked her hair out of her eyes and stretched out her arms, the curve of her breasts pushing forward suggestively. Lean muscle shifted under her skin, and I had to tear my mind away from the memory of her naked body.

“There’s one more thing I need to know,” I said.

“And what’s that?” Selene enquired.

My mind reached out to the small army of homunculi around us. I rapidly divided them into groups of five. Three Piercers and two Shield Slammers populated each squad. The Yeoman Archers shifted into a separate squad and waited for further orders. Jamin’s armor stores hadn’t quite been enough to fully equip my new fighting force, but each of them held suitable weapons.

Stand beside the blood mage, I instructed one the Archers.

The Yeoman strode to join us. I wrapped an arm around Alexia’s shoulders and pointed to a lone tree about 200 yards away to the east of the manor house. The elf peered closely at it as the Yeoman Archer drew an arrow from his quiver.

“You’re testing for range,” Alexia said.

“Fire at the tree,” I instructed the Yeoman.

The Archer fitted the arrow to the string of his longbow with a practiced movement and drew it back. Muscles bulged in the Yeoman’s bared back as he focused his gaze along the arrow, paused a moment, and released the string. The arrow hissed free of the longbow and bounced off the very edge of the lone tree.

“Why didn’t it hit what you asked it to?” Alexia asked.

“A homunculus unit like this is designed to fire at a large moving target, like a mass of soldiers,” I explained. “They have individual accuracy too, of course, but we’ll need to get closer for that.”

I hadn’t read about this or been told the information from Jamin, but it was easy to glean the Archer homunculi’s function.

I led Alexia and the Yeoman forward half the distance. Selene trailed along behind us; she seemed content to watch rather than join the discussion. Alexia offered me a knowing smirk as she leaned in closer to my chest and tickled my neck with her hair.

“Again,” I ordered the Archer.

The arrow thudded easily into the center of the tree trunk. The homunculus fired off another two shafts under my instruction and created a tight spread no wider than the width of my palm. Alexia’s eyes widened as the homunculus lowered the bow. Satisfaction glittered in his weasel-like eyes as he waited for his next direction.

“Eye of the Hawk. Aim for the center of the spread,” I instructed.

The Yeoman widened his stance at my words and whipped another arrow from the quiver at his belt. He fitted it to the string in a heartbeat, and white light blazed out from the point of the nocked arrow. Then the Yeoman released. The arrow left a streak of white behind it until it slammed into the exact middle of the tight grouping.

“Maximum accurate range of about 200 yards,” I reminded myself, “with an effective range of 100 yards. That’s perfect for another layer of defense.”

Alexia frowned at the tree and touched her fingers to her tight tunic. The blood of a Piercer came away on her fingers and formed itself into a marble-sized sphere of humming magic. She mage lifted her arm and aimed, before the tiny orb rocketed away toward the tree. It dissipated after six yards or so. The blood mage huffed in disappointment.

“Damn,” Alexia said sourly. “I was hoping it would last longer.”

I tightened my arm around her shoulders. “You’re still new to this. It all takes time.”

“I can teach you a few things,” Selene interrupted, “to make it easier, longer, and more enjoyable in the end.” The mage flashed me a wicked grin. “Don’t worry about it for now.”

Alexia brushed a line of sweat away from her eye. “It’s been a long day.”

“You’re absolutely right,” Selene agreed, “and if I don’t get a bath and an evening of pleasure in short order I think I’ll just about die.”

“Hard work breeds surprising results,” I said, echoing Jamin. “And you’ve both done superb work over the last few hours. Your combat ability is far better than I anticipated.”

“We’re both full of surprises,” Alexia whispered conspiratorially.

“Words later, bath now,” Selene moaned in mock agony. “Please, oh gracious Master, gift your lowly servant with a bath and a goblet of wine for her dedicated service.”

“You have earned it, my lady,” I replied as I softly pulled Alexia along with me toward the manor. “Enter the manor house with all due haste and I will see to it that you are housed and cleaned forthwith.”

Selene turned away from us and made her way to the manor ahead of us. “Is that all I’ve earned?” she said, looking back over her shoulder with a raised eyebrow.

“I’ll decide when I get there,” I called back.

Alexia and I walked slower, and Selene had entered the manor when we were still some ways off.

“Are you going to take her to bed?” Alexia asked me with a pout.

“I’m unsure about it,” I admitted. “I don’t know what her game is.”

“I like her. And I know she’d appreciate you. I know I did.”

A fantasy of both Selene and Alexia filling my room with shared moans, a confusion of bare flesh, and the combined smell of their perfumes flashed through my mind until I dismissed it.

Business before pleasure. I turned to my homunculi and melded my thoughts with theirs.

You’re now known as the Perimeter Defense Squads, I informed them. Three Piercers and two Slammers to a team. You’ll patrol the edges of the farm in a slow rotation of two hours each. If anyone arrives at the front gate, inform me. If anyone tries to sneak through the fence, kill them. Now, if any visitor wears gold-and-teal uniforms, you’re to hide immediately to the best of your ability.

“Your face looks funny when you do that,” Alexia observed.

I shot her a glare of mock indignation before I returned to my instructions. Archers, you’ll stay on the upper floors of the manor house and watch the windows that face north, east, west, and south. One of you will move quietly through the garden and act as an early attacker.

My instructions were complex, but the homunculi didn’t even blink. Their minds seized upon the information and dissected it before they sprang into action. The Perimeter Defense Squads broke off in different directions at a slow jog. The Archers turned and moved swiftly toward the manor house. I relaxed my thoughts and a wave of tiredness flooded over me. I hadn’t slept last night, but the results were worth it.

Garmont Companion Farm was protected against invaders.

The late afternoon sun dipped low in the sky, and the moon peered through the ruddy light of an early dusk. I sent Alexia ahead to catch up with Selene, spent a few minutes incincinerating the remains of the Pike Piercers, and created an additional three to complete the squads that lacked full strength. They marched out, scooped up the last few spears, and went out to join their comrades as they patrolled the fenceline.

It was only then that I returned to the house.

Selene and Alexia sat in the dining room and glanced up at me as I approached. Alexia blushed at my appearance, as if she’d just been caught doing something wrong.

“I’ll show you to your room, Selene,” I said.

“Will you be joining me tonight?” Alexia asked me shyly.

“Go up to my room,” I said. “Fifth floor, faces the north side.”

The blood mage gave Selene a grateful glance and left the room with a hurried stride. Selene rose as I gestured to the stairs in the hallway to our right. Her boots clicked against the steps as we made our way up to one of my uncle’s more pleasant guest suites.

“What have you been telling Alexia?” I asked.

Selene made a dismissive gesture. “Oh, nothing much. The poor girl is completely smitten with you, Master.”

“It does seem that way,” I said. I considered telling Selene to drop the “Master” but decided it would serve for now. Maybe if she said it enough, she’d never consider betraying me. I mentally laughed at the thought.

“She wanted a few pointers for the bedroom tonight,” Selene said. “She mentioned something about wanting to surprise you.”

My mouth went dry as I started up the next flight of stairs. “That’s awfully altruistic for a mercenary spellcaster.”

Selene laughed. “You’re really rather paranoid, do you know that?”

I shrugged. “Paranoia has kept me alive. Stopped me losing the farm to Rikard, Kilcoy, and his spearmen. It’s better to be prepared for contingencies.”

“But you don’t settle for guarding for one simple contingency, do you?”

“Depends on the situation,” I answered evasively.

The warlock gave me an odd look as we cleared the third staircase. “I don’t say this often, but you truly are an interesting specimen The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.”

“You mean Jamin?”

“I suppose I do. I’ve heard plenty of stories about his cunning. He’s obviously rubbed off on you.” Selene made a rolling laugh. “And I mean that as a compliment.”

We strode along the fourth floor, and I unlocked the door to Selene’s new room. Rich rugs stretched across the wooden floor, and a stone fireplace stood gray and empty on the right wall. A wide four-poster took up most of the space to our immediate right, and a copper bathtub adorned the space behind it. Selene took a deep breath through her nose as she stepped over the threshold and settled on the bed.

“So, are you finally going to bring me some coals?” she asked. “You look like you could do with a hot, long bath yourself, Master. A good way to loosen up after all of your hard work.”

I smiled. “Appreciate the offer, but no. If you’re to stay here and work for me, there’s rules.”

Selene pouted but gestured for me to continue.

“Rule one: don’t touch the Replicator if I’m not present. Rule two: don’t raise a hand against Alexia, my homunculi, or myself. Rule three: dinner is a little after dusk, starting tomorrow. If you don’t turn up, you don’t get to eat.”

The warlock unbuckled one of her riding boots and drew my attention to the way her tight trousers hugged her toned legs. “Are there any rules that cover nocturnal visits?”

I couldn’t stop myself from laughing. “That could be in breach of rule number two.”

Selene stood up and kicked her boots into a heap beside the door. “Alright, then.”

“Do you strip off your clothes in front of all your hosts, or am I special case?”

She uncinched her belt and pulled at the ties of her corset. “You’re special. I thought I’d made it quite clear that’s how I see things.”

Her eyes flickered over me and paused at my lower abdomen. A smirk tugged at the corner of her mouth as she slipped off her corset and bared her breasts again. Her nipples hardened as she slid her hands over her chest and squeezed them gently. Her gaze didn’t budge from me as she bent over and pulled down her tights.

“Lexie told me that she’s happy to share,” Selene purred. “If you’d like a warm up before you go to her, I’d be honored to provide it.”

“You won’t get warm without the coals.” I nodded to the bath. “They’re still downstairs. And you’ll still have to get them yourself. I don’t have a housekeeping staff just yet.”

The warlock’s smirk just widened. “I look forward to the day you will.”

I turned and closed the door behind me. My trousers felt three sizes too small for me, and I muttered a silent curse as I went up the final staircase. Selene still hadn’t given me any reason to distrust her. She was smart, sensual beyond belief, and powerful besides.

But Alexia was waiting for me, and I couldn’t afford to fully trust the other woman just yet.

I pushed open the door to my room and found Alexia curled up on the bed in a sheer nightdress of white silk. Jamin’s old chambers were enormous and opened up into an impressive stone balcony overlooking the entire north side of the farm.

Heavy curtains swirled in the wind as I strolled into the room and trailed my fingers over the massive bookshelf to the right. I found a book I hadn’t read before, titled A Companion to Companion Farming: Method and Philosophy, and tossed it onto the bed beside Alexia. I undid my belt and left it on a large mahogany desk set into the wall beside the enormous silk-sheeted four-poster bed. A fire crackled merrily in the room’s hearth and sweet incense drifted hazily from the second room, where a bath awaited my attention.

Alexia offered me a warm smile and joined me as I stepped out onto the balcony to cast my eyes out over the farm.

The Perimeter Defense Squads combed the fence lines in the distance. Early night had set in, and moonlight glinted from the weapons of my new army. The Yeoman Archer slinked quietly through the garden below the balcony as he searched for any sign of an intruder. I took a deep breath and let it slip free in a contented sigh.

For the first time in two days, I finally felt safe.

“It’s beautiful, Caleb,” Alexia murmured. She placed her hand over mine and a warm thrill danced through my skin at her touch.

I kissed the top of her head. “It’s a start. I’ll bathe and read a bit before I go to sleep.”

The bath took me five minutes, and Alexia greeted me with warm hands as I wrapped a towel around my waist and sat on the bed. Her fingers worked the knots out of my shoulders as I opened the treatise on companion farming.

Warm bliss enveloped me while I flicked idly through the pages. It wasn’t anything new to me. Jamin’s tutelage and my own reading list on farming went beyond what the author had to say. Alexia’s warm silk shift pressed into me from behind more than once as she kissed my cheek and nibbled on my ear.

I turned over the book to the last page, read the author’s name, and went suddenly still.

The name was a familiar one. I read over the text again to make sure I had it exactly right. Thaddeus de Monar, the Emerald Sage. But what followed was even more interesting. Former Chief Specialist in the Kingdom’s Companion Division.

“Caleb?” Alexia prodded. “Am I doing something wrong?”

“I’m fine,” I assured her. “No need to stop.”

“What is it?”

Silk shifted, and her naked breast pressed into my back. I enjoyed the contact for a moment as I tried to place the name. I’d heard it before; I was sure of it.

“The writer of this book,” I said. “He claims to be an authority on Companion Farming, and calls himself the Emerald Sage. There’s a local herbalist called Thaddeus, and he lives on the outskirts of Roarwind.”

“I thought you knew everything you needed to know,” Alexia murmured as she slid around me and settled in my lap. “Why’s he important?”

“It’s coming back to me now. Jamin mentioned him once or twice, and I remember visiting his home when I was younger. Hells, Thaddeus probably gave my uncle the tools he needed to create you, Alexia.” I exhaled sharply as she kneaded my thighs and tugged at the towel around my waist. “If we’re going to take on Longhorn Martyn, we’ll need others almost as powerful as you.”

“Do you think he has recipes your uncle doesn’t?”

“If he was once part of the Kingdom’s Companion Division? Definitely.”

A new buzz of excitement settled into my limbs and I caught Alexia’s eye.

Spoiler: Spoiler

She’d pulled the shift off her shoulders and bared her breasts for me without my noticing. The elf gave me a playful smile as she slipped away from my lap and tugged at my towel. I shifted my weight, and she dropped it onto the rug beside the bed. Her hands caressed my thighs in small circles, and she lowered herself until her cheek rested against my hip.

“You’re not going after him now, are you?” Alexia giggled.

Her tongue slipped out and brushed against my shaft.

“It’s definitely a matter for tomorrow,” I decided.

“Then allow me to finish my ministrations, Master,” she teased.

I settled my head back into my pillow as she engulfed me in her mouth. A rippling growl of pleasure exploded from my throat as Alexia quickly found exactly the right rhythm. Her fingers encircled me, and she moaned as she sucked me over and over again. Within moments I was already fit to burst, but Alexia was relentless. Her tongue roamed over me ravenously, and my muscles bunched reflexively as pleasure cannoned through my body.

So this is what Selene and Alexia had discussed earlier.

Alexia didn’t so much as flinch as I filled her mouth. But I was sure I heard the softest moan of pleasure with every burst. She slipped off me for a moment and returned to press her naked skin against mine. I leaned back and relaxed as I listened to her whisper a soft poem in her native tongue.

Life was good.

But it was about to get better.

The Emerald Sage’s recipes would give me the tools I needed to take on Longhorn. My farm was secure, but come tomorrow, my preparations for the battle against Roarwind’s Shadow Lord would begin in earnest.