Chapter 52.2

The ‘pending’ notice was still up, so I assumed that meant I was still over-leveled.  Again, as expected.  The Gem of Power Arx had shoved down my throat had not been small.  I would need to be careful not to unintentionally slip into torpor once it became available.

Come to think on it, Arx is going to have that problem for a while now, too.  And probably a lot longer than I would.

Hmm… hope that doesn’t come back to bite us.

“Master…” Jax said, cutting into my musings.

When I looked up, I found her expression marred by concern.

“Did I hear that a’right?  Ye gots Arx beat by 30… point… summat?  Do that mean ye gots a… 30…”

She frowned and began to silently count on her fingers.  Then sighed in frustration when she ran out.  “Well, more’n 40 Charisma, anyhow.  Be that a’right?  That don’t sound right.”

I stared at her for a moment, not quite comprehending.

“I said thirty percent, you clodpoll.”  Mia stepped away for several seconds to get the irritated swearing out of her system.  “Excuse me, my lord.  I think I need a lie-down.  I have had quite enough for one day.  Call me once you decide to spend that skill-point.  I have some ideas for you to consider…”

With that, she fell silent.  And, I discovered, all eyes were on me.  Waiting.

For a moment, I looked from Jax to Lynnria to my stat block and back again, not quite sure where to begin.

Well, one thing at a time, I guess.

“Jax, it’s a math thing.  But we haven’t even gotten to multiplication, so I can’t explain it to you just yet.  Don’t worry, we’ll get there.  But no.  I do not have a 40 in Charisma.  It’s only 17.”

Although, she did have a 35 in Devotion, I noticed.  For reasons.  Still have no idea what that’s about.

I shook my head, then turned.  Not important right now.

“Lynnria.  Again, it’s complicated.  But the short version is, Ahnbe stabbed me with a glowing finger-thing, and now I get bonus points to Charisma if I invest in stats She happens to like.”

Lynnria began combing through her ponytail nervously.  “Mercy’s hands on a dick whistler,” she breathed.

And the expression is still evolving.

“And with ‘only’17 Charisma…  You weren’t kidding, were you?  Even after that card, I still half-thought you might have been.  But no.  You’ve actually been touched by the divine.  The Mother of Monsters… literally—”

“Used him fer a fud pump, aye,” Jax supplied bluntly.  “Still of two minds about that one, mind.  But what’s a Dolilim supposed to do when a goddess rapes her man?”

I winced a bit.  Saying that out loud—here, where unseen Faen were almost certainly listening—might not have been the wisest move.

Still not sure if rape is the right word…  I mean… other than technically.

It was kind of hard to get mad when someone hot enough to break your mind takes an interest in you.  However inappropriately.

I was not sure how Lynnria was ultimately going to take that information, either.  But if her expression was anything to go by, you would have thought Jax had just started vomiting eels.

Fortunately enough, I was saved from further explanation by Arx’s timely reentry.

“Hey, guys,” she called apprehensively, her head just poking through the crack of the door.  “Are we… good?  All better now?”

I favored her with a gentle smile, as always just happy to see her again despite the brevity of her absence.  Also, because she was kind of a dork.

“I don’t know if ‘better’ is the right word, but we’re not crying anymore,” I reported.

She scowled, then shot a quick glare at Lynnria before narrowing her eyes at me.

“Oh, you meant she was crying,” she deduced with relief.  “You should be more specific.  I was about to get upset.  Now, come on.  Our clothes are ready.”

That had been a bit rude but, with how their morality seemed to be aligned, it was not exactly unexpected.  Nor did I yet have any idea how I could address the problem.  Or if I even had the right to.

So I simply nodded before standing, then lent a hand to Lynnria.  “I really am sorry you had to go through all that.  There… really aren’t words.”

She let out a long sigh as she came to her feet.  “Donum, it’s… I don’t know.  It was…  I’m not…  And now with this?  It’s really a lot to take in, a-and—”

“It’s complicated,” I finished for her, smiling.

“Complicated.  Right,” she agreed with a rueful shake of her head.

Jax chuckled before gathering us into a companionable hug.  “Aye, that’s a’right.  We’s all gots the complexions together.  Now, lets get dressed up fancy-like so’s the critter what’s jealous she ain’t had a taste o’ the Master yet can air out her panties.”

Lynnria let a sound like she could not decide whether to laugh or cry.

“Whistling dicks…”

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Author's note:  Apologies.  This sub-chapter wound up a little on the shorter side, but the previous one was a bit longer than normal.  I don't write with subchapters in mind, so I have to break them up in ways that feel as natural as I can.