Key to Destiny

  Aura's feelings were mixed. Why did a Glamor need to bother her beloved at all? Couldn't they get their sex elsewhere?

  Consternation, she thought. I mislike my man being seduced by a creature likely to be as sexy as you are, Swale.

  We do need her protection, Ini thought. There are brigands ahead who possess serpent repellent. Stevia will persuade them to let us be, but she will not reveal her nature. Traveling no fault with a handsome man like Augur justifies her attendance, so that she can work her magic unrevealed.

  Aura reluctantly agreed that this did make sense.

  Then she remembered something else. What was that Swale said about Augur and me being handsome folk, as all changelings are? What is a changeling? Actually Queen Gale had discussed this matter with them, but neither of them wanted to believe it, because it suggested that they could not marry.

  Swale answered directly. You both are fourths, are you not?

  Not exactly, Aura thought. My parents had their three, but neither wanted my mother to have to embrace another man for the fourth. So she went to the temple, and after a long pregnancy I was birthed. I counted as a fourth, because I was not sired by my father, but no other man touched her. I believe it was the same with Augur.

  Ini made a mental nod. That was the way of it with my parents too. My little sister Ino was a temple baby. Those are the changelings. They are not sired, they are implanted. They derive from specially crafted genes, and are superior human beings. The two of you resemble my sister, as you resemble King Havoc and Queen Gale, who are also changelings. You differ in color and in detail, but you could be in the same family. You are all handsome, intelligent, thoughtful, and socially aware. That was surely why King Havoc selected you for this mission: he trusts changelings to be competent and honest.

  This was not a kind revelation. Aura had been attracted to Augur because he was a superior man with qualities she liked, and he felt the same about her. Cross-Chroma relationships were rare, but she had encountered no Blue Chroma man to rival him. Now she had to confirm the worst. But if we are like siblings—

  Baseless, Swale thought. Havoc and Gale feared the same, and postponed their marriage, until they learned that there are different broods, and distribution is scattered so that two of the same brood are unlikely to encounter each other. They would not send two to adjacent Chroma zones.

  Aura relaxed, immensely relieved. So they were all right after all! Just the thought of Augur stirred a longing in her loin. It would be devastating to lose him because of something that predated their births.

  There is something else about changelings, Swale continued. They have the potential to become Glamors, though all those posts are filled now and there may not be any more. They heal faster and better than ordinary folk, they have or can develop eidetic memory, they can mask their private thoughts so well that telepaths don't realize they are hiding anything, and they can penetrate illusion.

  I can't do these things, Aura thought. But she realized that maybe she could. As a child she had had less trouble with injury than others, and had seemed to heal faster and better. She was not telepathic, but had learned to mask her thoughts to fool telepaths. Her memory for the animals she studied was very good; she never forgot one, and Augur never forgot a plant. She fought off another surge of passion as she thought of Augur. What was he doing inside the cocoon of Stevia's hair? But illusion shows fooled her just as they did others.

  Such talents have to be learned, Swale thought. You should practice seeing through illusion, because you never can tell when that ability will be useful.

  Aura considered, and realized that was true. Illusion could be dangerous, if it covered a threat or made something seem like what it wasn't, such as poison looking like food. How do I do that?

  I can make spot illusions, Ini thought. I'm native to the Chroma of illusion, and they require very little magical energy. I can use my gemstone without depleting it.

  That would be good, when morning came. Aura found Ini's invisible face and kissed it. The woman kissed back. Then they were hugging each other and stroking each other's bodies.

  Oops, Swale thought.

  They paused. What is happening? Aura demanded.

  My spirit links you, so we can communicate mentally, and avoid betraying out secrets, the succubus explained. But I am a sexual entity. I have inadvertently turned you on to each other.

  Ghastly, Ini thought.

  Appalling, Aura agreed.

  Then they resumed kissing and fondling.

  I can depart, Swale offered. That will allow you to settle back to normal.

  Aura thought about Augur and Stevia, realizing that her washes of eroticism had been sponsored by contact with the succubus. But she couldn't have Augur this night, and was only frustrating herself thinking about it. She had sex in mind, and no other way to implement it. We're in this far, she concluded. Let's finish it—and never speak of it hereafter.

  Agreement! Ini thought.

  Neither of them was experienced in this kind of lovemaking, but the presence of the succubus made it work out. Overall, Aura concluded, it was equivalent to male-female sex, just different. She made a mental note: some of these female strokes might be adaptable to a male partner. She would find out, in due course.

  At last, satisfied, they slept, embraced.

  In the morning they got up, separated, cleaned up, and waited for Stevia's cocoon to dissipate. Soon it did, revealing the gray woman as quite full breasted and full thighed, rather than heavyset as she had first appeared. She was solid in a shapely way. Some men liked that.

  Augur glanced up, saw Aura, and glanced away. He must have had a considerable workout.

  “Your man is virile,” Stevia remarked as she took cloth and water and washed herself.

  “Agreement.” Was this really the Red Glamor? Aura had no reason to doubt Swale, but it was hard to believe while watching the gray woman clean herself in quite ordinary manner. There was a touch of red at her genital region, confirming her action with Augur. Why was it supposed to be impossible for normal people to have sex with Glamors, only if they knew the Glamors’ identities?

  We don't really understand that aspect ourselves, the woman's thought came. But we have learned to be circumspect.

  Startled, Aura stood frozen. That was telepathy! She had received Stevia's thought. This was quiet proof of the Glamor's power, for even a Chroma telepath would not be able to do it in a nonChroma zone.

  Correction, blue woman: there are different types of telepathy. Normal Chroma is limited, unless a person carries a magic stone. But another type of telepathy is an illness that breaks down the mind's natural barriers. A number of palace officials have that kind. It is not proof of a Glamor. So beware.

  There it was again. Obviously telepathy was possible in nonChroma. Warning taken, she thought faintly.

  Stevia smiled and continued her washing.

  The big serpent appeared. Ini approached it and spoke with Swale's voice. “We thank you for your protection, but know that you can't make the next leg of our journey. Return to your natural range."

  The serpent slithered back the way they had come. “He would just get himself killed,” Swale said. “There is no point."

  Soon they traveled again. Ini, guided by Swale, led the way, followed by Aura and Augur, with Stevia at the rear. “Apology,” Augur murmured.

  “Needless. No fault."

  “For—for the intensity. She's like the succubus."

  And she had seen what Swale could do with him. “How many times?"

  “Four—five—I lost track. When I thought myself depleted, I found myself recovered. I think she has a gemstone she used to restore my potency. I never before felt such continuing desire or urgency. I had to have her, over and over. It made me feel unfaithful to you. Regret."

  And she couldn't tell him he had been with a supernatural creature. “Understanding. Our love is based on more than sex."

  “Agreement!"

  At midmorning
Ini halted. “Swale says the brigands have spied us and are coming. They are numerous and vicious."

  “Best to hide, or veer into a Chroma zone?” Augur asked, concerned.

  “The local zones leave them alone. It seems there is some trade between brigands and zones."

  “Outrage!” Aura said.

  “Agreement,” Stevia said, catching up to them. “But it is best to be circumspect. I will remonstrate with them."

  Aura stifled her response. If this was truly a Glamor, she could do what she said, and it was best to avoid trouble.

  They resumed walking. Soon a group of rough-looking men appeared before them, barring the way in much the manner of the three on the prior day. But these ones wore brigand emblems: shoulder patches with raised clubs. No, Aura realized after a moment; those were depictions of erect phalluses, unrealistically big and hard. Below them was the motto SCREW YOU. That made this band's nature quite clear.

  “A man and three maids,” the leader said. “Good takings for hardons."

  Stevia spoke. “We seek no mischief or complication. I am sure you are reasonable folk. I shall give you a kiss for our safe passage through your terrain."

  The brute stared at her. Then he burst out laughing.

  She leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek.

  His demeanor changed. “I guess you're right. Maybe some other time, eh?"

  “Some other time,” Stevia agreed.

  The leader gestured his henchmen to stand aside. Surprised, they did so. The travelers walked on by them, unmolested.

  The henchmen weren't the only ones who were amazed. How could a simple kiss, not even on the lips, have wrought such a change?

  I could have changed his mind without contact, but that would have betrayed my nature. This will give us time to get clear.

  Oh—Glamor magic. She was supposed to be the Glamor of Humans, so could control human minds. She had probably done some of that during the night with Augur.

  Correct. Your man loves you. I had to override some formidable resistance to repeated sex with me, because he had not done it repeatedly with you.

  That irritated Aura. She didn't like anyone messing with Augur's love for her.

  Then a seeming ripple passed through her mind, and she realized that she had no cause to be upset; no fault followed its own rules. She also realized that the Red Glamor had just changed her mind, much as she had changed Augur's mind, but the idea no longer bothered her.

  Ini joined her. “I was forgetting,” she murmured.

  “Confusion."

  The woman lifted her gloved hand. Her fingers held—nothing. Then Aura realized that she was holding an invisible gem. Her magic, to enable her to project illusion. She nodded.

  A green goat appeared standing in the trail ahead of them. Stevia, in the lead, ignored it. In fact she forged right through it. It was illusion.

  Augur's jaw dropped. “Astonishment!"

  “Illusion,” Aura told him. “We should be able to penetrate it before we know what it is. Practice with me."

  He was quick to catch on. Of course that was a changeling trait. When she had the chance, she would tell him the good news about changelings.

  A big tri-beaked bird appeared ahead. Again Stevia ignored it. She had to have seen it, but she knew it for what it was. Aura knew it couldn't have appeared so suddenly; a real bird would have flown or run in. So it had to be illusion. She focused, trying to see through it in a way that would not be possible with a real bird.

  The outline fuzzed slightly. She was beginning to get it! Augur seemed to be having a similar experience. “Amazement,” he murmured.

  Soon they were able to see through the illusions as if they were translucent. They were still there, just permeable. So it was true: changelings could discern illusion, and know it for what it was. This was a rare discovery, for all that it seemed she could have done it all along, had she but known to try.

  The illusions became less obvious, and finally ceased. But Aura didn't quite trust this. She looked around, using her penetrating gaze, and spied a tree by the side that wasn't really there. She nudged Augur, and he followed her gaze. “No tree,” he agreed.

  “Sufficient,” Aura said to Ini. “Appreciation."

  The Air Chroma woman nodded.

  There was no more illusion to see along the path, but where a Chroma zone squeezed close there was some monochrome illusion. Some of it surprised her; aspects of plants she had thought physical turned out to be illusion. Some had wicked spines for defense, but only one thorn in three was real. Some had small flowers that illusion magnified to big flowers. Augur had surely known it, because his specialty was plants, but she hadn't. In fact it had not occurred to her that plants used illusion at all. The real world was not as formidable or pretty as the one enhanced by illusion.

  Stevia fell back. “Brigand scout ahead. Strip and scare him off."

  Ini did so, handing her pack and clothing to Stevia, whose hair grew to cover and conceal them. Now Ini was invisible.

  The scout appeared ahead, wearing the penis patch with the screw you motto. “Hey, where you going, girls?” he called, putting his hand on his bow. He could fire arrows into all of them before they could close the distance, if he chose. Evidently the gang leader had changed his mind about letting them go.

  A stone heaved itself up from the trail and whirled around, suddenly flying toward the scout. It missed him, but he was startled. “What the—?"

  Another stone lifted and flew at him. He dodged it, but was plainly shaken. “Magic!” he said. He retreated as a third stone lifted, then fled into the brush.

  Invisible Ini had done the job. Soon she returned to reclaim her clothing.

  But half an hour later the gang was there again, having somehow managed to get before them—and behind them. They were surrounded.

  “I see this will require a stronger measure,” Stevia said. “Trust me."

  Aura was not easy with this, but they seemed to have little choice. They stood still as the Hardons closed in on them. “Well now,” the brigand leader said. “You're a pretty slippery bunch, know that? But now we've had our little games and it's time for the action.” He glanced to the side. “Strip them."

  Rough hands took hold of them and ripped away their clothing. In moments the four of them stood naked, with Ini invisible again. Hardons sorted through their belongings, separating out items of interest.

  “That gray gemstone accounts for the mind changing kiss,” the leader said with satisfaction. “And the invisible bitch accounts for the flying stones."

  He paused as if pondering. “Now ordinarily we'd just rape all of you, take your stuff, and be done with it. But you made trouble, so we'll have to make an example of you. We could rob you, rape you, and kill you, but we want the word to spread. So we won't kill you, just rough you up a little and set you loose. Your four Chroma should get the word, and the others too, soon enough. Nobody screws the Hardons; it's the other way around.” He laughed, and of course the whole band laughed with him.

  The four did not answer. Aura was increasingly alarmed; Stevia had said to trust her, but then had done nothing to defend them.

  “Set four posts in line,” the leader said. “No—in a circle, so they can see each other, and what happens to each of them."

  Men got to work, bringing up heavy posts, digging holes in the ground, and setting in the posts. Then they bound the four victims to the posts, facing inward. Ini was visible only by the ropes circling her neck, arms, waist, and feet, anchoring her to the post so that she could move a bit but not escape. All of them were similarly tied.

  Aura quietly tested her bonds. They were snug about her wrists, not painful, but impossible to loosen. Trust brigands to know how to immobilize captives! The brigands wanted them to be able to struggle, but not to escape. The struggling of a victim might emulate passion, to a man who would not otherwise receive it. Her feet were tied somewhat apart, so that it was not possible to clamp her legs together to res
ist penetration. She couldn't even bite if one kissed her; they had set a bit in her mouth that prevented it.

  “Now we'll draw lots for first dibs on the girls,” the leader said. “And on the boy.” Several brigand women were clustering around Augur's post. “Those who want seconds have to wait until all have had firsts. We have a fine variety this time: blue, gray, invisible, and red for the women."

  The greatest male demand was for Aura, so the lots took longer. She schooled herself to be calm; there was nothing to gain by freaking out, and if she screamed and cried it would only show how badly they were humiliating her. Better to remain passive and contemptuous of their efforts. Ini and Stevia seemed to have the same attitude.

  Stevia had told them to trust her, and she was the Red Glamor, so presumably they would not actually get raped. Still, this was no pleasant experience. The brigands had to be stopped soon, or it would be too late.

  There were only a few brigand women, so they were sorted out first, and the first one addressed Augur before any of the three bound women were attacked. She kneeled before him and felt his penis, then took it into her mouth, teasing it erect despite his obvious aversion. The second woman in that line held what Aura recognized with horror was a dildo: a sex toy used to serve in lieu of a penis. Such instruments could be used on men as well as women, and some women did have a taste for such reverse sexual penetration.

  Now the others were ready. The leader approached Aura, evidently having a preemptive right to the best. Other rough men approached Ini and Stevia. All of them were naked below the waist and had prominent erections. Raping was no bluff; this was the trademark of the Hardons. They lined up before their choices, but did not start yet. Even the lead woman paused, holding Augur's erect red member in her hand. They were waiting on the leader's performance before indulging their own appetites. This was surely a matter of gang discipline.

  It seemed they were doomed. The Red Glamor had done nothing. She had not even saved herself.

  Patience, woman, the Glamor's thought came. The situation is under control.