Enchanted Ever After. Robin D. Owens

      “Wow,” she said, sounding breathless. He glanced at her temples and the tracery of veins he used to mark humans’ heartbeats...and had to glance down.

      Her skin was brownish, what humans would think of as deeply tanned. Lathyr kept a mild look on his face. Like all Waterfolk the actual color—blue, green, gold—didn’t matter. Her ears were large with fleshy lobes, her features broad, her figure sturdy with not much waist but ample breasts and hips. Lovely, heavily lashed chocolate-brown eyes with split black pupils looked up at him as she smiled at him—with pointed red teeth.

      Also beautiful was her golden-brown hair, the color of light honey with hints of true metallic gold and streaks of wheat-blond—all earthy comparisons for an earth elemental.

      “You’re a dwarf,” Lathyr said.

      She literally jumped, then appeared surprised as she didn’t rise in the air as much as a human would have.

      Staring at her feet, she said, “A major earth elemental.”

      “Yes. And one that other dwarves would find beautiful.” If there had been any other dwarves in this area. But no dwarves or other players were here, only in the Earth Palace, which was her goal.

      “Thank you, sir.” She looked at her clothing. “Hmm. A robe.” She skipped forward and back a dwarf pace. “Comfortable and I can move in it. A nice, fine weave.” Then she turned in place. “This really feels real.”

      “Yes. Your robe should have some protection spells woven into it,” Lathyr said.

      Kiri cleared her throat. “Jenni?”

      “I’m here,” Jenni’s voice echoed from the walls.

      “How do I know what powers and equipment and spells and qualities I have?”

      “You have a belt with a pouch. The info’s in there.”

      Shock crossed Kiri’s face. “I have to stop and open a pouch and, what, read my data?”

      “Welcome to real life, kid. It ain’t all gesturing and chanting up earthworks,” Jenni said. “And you’re at beginner level.”

      “Huh.”

      “Take a look at your staff against the wall.”

      “Ooooh.” Kiri trotted the three steps to the wall and picked up an intricately carved staff that appeared to be solid gold.

      “It’s light,” Kiri said. “Like balsa wood.”

      “Gold leaf,” Lathyr said.

      “Real gold?”

      He knew the smell of gold. “Yes.”

      “I suppose that’s a plus,” Kiri said, but a dubious note had entered her voice. She found the dark brown suede pouch, though the minute she touched it, a piece of paper popped into her hand. “Nice. But it’s too dim—” The staff brightened to a steady yellow light.

      “Okay. That’s pretty,” Kiri said, then, “I don’t like the looks of this character, though. Magic user—sorceress—and magic users tend to be squishy.”

      “Squishy?” asked Lathyr.

      “Not many hit points, easily defeated.”

      “Ah. May I see your paper?”

      “Yes, how good are these spells?”

      “That, I believe, you would have to ask Jenni. I am here to show you how to use them.”

      “Sorry, Kiri,” Jenni said, “but that’s how your innate qualities manifested you into this game—as an earth elemental, dwarfem magic user. But you also have healing powers you can use on yourself.”

      “That’s something,” Kiri said, this time absentmindedly, as she stared at the paper. “All right. My robe has a high-level defensive spell woven into it. That’s good, and I can also draw a shield around me.”

      “A stone dust shield. That will protect you, but it will not allow you to throw offensive spells at your enemies.”

      “A trade-off,” Kiri said. She didn’t seem as concerned as Lathyr was. He knew the spells she was being given were those practiced by true dwarves. But of what use was a purely defensive shield, except to huddle behind like in a fort—or a cave? He disapproved of the notion—but much of mer magic was based on movement.

      She took back the pitiful list. “I have two offensive spells here, beginning level, I imagine. One is ‘stiffen enemy’ and the other, ‘barricade.’” Looking up at him with her beautiful eyes, she asked, “How do I cast these?”

      For the first time Lathyr was glad that he’d spent a few decades in a seaport as mostly human. The town had held an unusually eclectic mix of minor Lightfolk, and he’d fought with them against sea monsters, the occasional land monster and some bloody-minded humans. At the time, he’d seen the spells often enough, and he’d learned the few that Kiri would be able to master in each realm during the short time she’d be given.

      It only took three minutes for him to show her the gestures, make sure she had them memorized, before she went to the cave opening. Looking at a winding path, she touched her information sheet again. “My goal is to reach the Earth Palace and make my curtsy to the Dwarf Royals before receiving quests from them.”

      “That’s right,” Jenni said. “Though due to your limited amount of time, once you reach the palace, we will call it done in the Earth Realm, then will renew the settings so you will manifest in a different elemental realm.”

      Kiri’s shoulders squared as she nodded. “That’s right.” She took a step out, and glanced back at Lathyr, who hadn’t moved. “Aren’t you coming?”

      “I’m afraid you are on your own,” he said, keenly regretting he couldn’t help her. “My presence here is limited to this cave.” And he was beginning to dislike the smell. The magic had gathered around Kiri and moved with her.

      “Oh.”

      “Fare we—” The last syllable was cut off and rock jabbed at his nerves again as Meld tech-magic moved him from the “game” back to the tall building in Denver.

      Lathyr vanished from Kiri’s sight. She was on her own. Her heart jumped in her chest and she wiped her palms on her robe. Her staff stood upright beside her. Magic.

      She inhaled deeply. Wow. Magic had a scent in the game, like sleeping under a tree full of spring blossoms and having them drop down and cover her, fragile and pink. Wonderful, wonderful fragrance.

      Against the wall she saw a brown leather pack that turned out to be full of food and journey items and medicines. Kiri picked it up by one of the straps and her brows rose. “Also light.” She studied the bulging bag, shrugged and slipped it on her back.

      So she left the cave and stepped into warm sunshine...which appeared to be more yellow, too. Hmm. She’d see if she liked that; it did seem more cheerful.

      How closely would Jenni and Lathyr be watching her? She didn’t know, but time to get on with the game. Fun and stressful all at once.

      * * *

      “Welcome back,” Princess Jindesfarne said to Lathyr.

      Lathyr shuddered as he pulled off his visor and placed it on the counter. “I do not like that construct. Real and game.”

      “Face it, Lathyr, you don’t like games.”

      “I have no problem admitting that.”

      The princess chuckled throatily, her cinnamon-colored brows winging up. “But you do like our charge, Kiri Palger.” There was a beep from the machine in front of the princess and she swirled toward it, fingers racing over the keyboard.

      “Problems?” he snapped, striding to the monitor, not even taking time to remove the loathsome gloves that soaked