Page 3 of From the Edge

A dark green-complexioned orc came over and knelt next to the ladies. “I believe I can help.”

He lifted the woman in his arms. “What is her name?”

“Rowan. The blue guy really doesn’t like her.”

“His other body has been found, and when they are reunited, he should be much calmer. The goblin portion of him is all instinct, which is hilarious considering that the orc nature should be able to keep control.”

Mell stood and followed the orc carrying her friend.

Ted said, “Maybe you should sit and wait.”

Mell looked at her. “She has fought her way to me every month. In the early days, she brought me the touch I needed to stay alive. She continued to do it until the blue guy showed up. Touch was plentiful after that.” She blushed.

Ted frowned. “You are touch dependent?”

“Yeah. It’s a whole thing.” She shuddered. “I have a cousin with the same issue, but she’s in a pack now, so I couldn’t call her. Well, I couldn’t call anyone. You know what the curse does?”

Ted nodded. “Lucia and I were both freed this week.”

Mell looked at them. “Oh. So you know.”

Lucia nodded from a few feet away. “We know. Ted lost her ability to be remembered; I lost... a bit.”

Ted looked at her and nodded. “She did. She lost her body, her ability to speak, her family, and only kept her ability to manipulate cell signals.”

Lucia smiled and leaned against her giant. “And my devastating wit. Don’t forget that.”

Yorwell rubbed Lucia’s arm and smiled. “Well, I have to keep Norecayet down. He’s fighting the sedation hard.”

Lucia smiled. “Let me know if you need help. I don’t hit like a girl.”

Her new partner chuckled, kissed her cheek, and joined the mages who were dealing with the blue figure on the ground.

Mell called out, “Don’t hurt him. He’s going to be a dad in a few months.”

The collection of mages froze and slowly turned to look at her. They turned back to the figure moving slowly, and the first dark elf said, “Find his other body!”

Green-gold men blurred and disappeared, looking for a body of some kind.

Ted looked around at the fantastical creatures moving with purpose and at the woman staying next to her friend with single-minded intensity.

Ted said, “Mell, do you want something to eat or drink? We can go inside...”

“No. I go where she goes. Are you fixing her?”

The man holding her said, “She was badly injured. Norec beat the hell out of that ward. I am amazed she could hold him back.”

Mell knelt near her friend and took her hand. “She’s amazing. She always knew where to be and what to do. When I was lost, she found me, made me stronger, and gave me tools to communicate. She kept me sane and kept me fed. She made me laugh and told me when her particular power rose.”

Lucia asked, “The sex magic?”

“No. Healing touch, and she can make fast food appear out of thin air.” Mell chuckled and pressed her forehead to her friend’s hand. “She’s like a really loud kitten. She supported me when I was dieting and snuck out to get her required protein while I slept and thought I didn’t notice.”

The fingers she was touching slowly curled and squeezed her hand. Mell smiled. “There you are. Rowan, wakey-wakey.”

The woman with the colours on midnight hair moved slowly with a groan. “Fuck, he hits hard.”

Ted watched the woman in leather and cotton slowly struggle to sit up, but the mage who had her on his lap said, “Calm, witch. You were damaged.”