Belly of the Beast by Warren Thomas (story books for 5 year olds txt) 📕

            “‘Paddle-wielding dominatrix?’” Raven repeated, a bemused look claiming her mobile face. “Pray tell, why is that what pops into your seedy little mind first? Is it perhaps a fantasy of yours?”

            The witch blanched, then turned beat red. Before anyone could react, she spoke a Word of Power and pointed a finger at Raven. Raven gasped as an eerie blue-green mist swirled around her. She fell to the floor, writhing in agony as the mist cocooned her.

            Seeing that, Tane’s eyes turned to Raven’s sword, which was resting atop her blanket three paces away. If she had been wearing the sword, then Tasheba would’ve protected her. Or so Raven claimed.

            “Stop it!” Corporal Pendar barked.

            Joelle started at the command, and hastily made a chopping motion that swept away the arcane mist. Raven let out a great sobbing gasp. Quinn and Tane ran to her side as she clawed at the floor, sobbing and cursing venomously.

            She quickly recovered and tried to throw herself at Joelle, but Quinn wrapped his arms and legs around her to hold her back. Even with his super-human elven strength, it was all Quinn could do to contain her fury. Tane had never seen anyone as livid as Raven.

            “At ease, Raven!” Corporal Pendar shouted. “You started it. And for once, someone else ended it. You can’t win them all.”

            “But she used magic on me! The same spell they used to punish me in the Slave House,” Raven said, starting to look grief-stricken. “Don’t you understand? I can’t take that. I can’t....”

            “All right, we understand,” Quinn said soothingly into her ear. “It’s all right now, Raven. I won’t let anyone do that to you again.”

            “I’m going to kill her,” she growled, casting a glance at her nearby sword.

            Tane prepared to dart over to the sword. He couldn’t let her have it until she was calmed down. He couldn’t allow his friends to try and kill each other.

            As she relaxed, Tane turned angry eyes on Joelle, as did Corporal Pendar. She looked pale.

            “I didn’t know,” she said.

            “You used magic on her,” Tane said. “How could you?”

            “I – It’s instinct,” Joelle said.

            “It’s not Joelle’s fault,” Armin said. To Corporal Pendar, “You yourself said Raven started it. She always does.”

            “Joelle’s the one that challenged her with the dominatrix rot,” Quinn said.

            “Raven was just having fun,” Tane said.

            “She doesn’t mean anything mean-spirited by it. It’s just a rough banter soldiers and mercenaries like to indulge in,” Corporal Pendar said. “Bandu Invincible, what I have to deal with!” He sighed wearily, and cut a sharp look at Armin and Joelle. Shaking his head, “I didn’t think only Quinn, Raven, and myself understand that. I thought you and Armin were mercenaries, Joelle.”

            Tane nodded agreement. Corporal Pendar’s words rang true. At times he found Raven’s banter and antics amusing, but frequently thought them risqué and too personal. She certainly had been with Joelle that morning. But then, so had Joelle. Who was wrong? Was anyone in the right?

            “It’s safe to let me go,” Raven said. When Quinn hesitated, she added, “I promise not to kill anyone. Yet. I’ll be a good girl. Promise.”

            “You don’t sound very sincere, Raven,” Corporal Pendar said. “But then, if you lie your Goddess will damn your soul for all eternity.” He grinned suddenly. “Life just isn’t fair for a priestess, is it?”

            “Life would be boring if it was fair, safe, or easy,” she said, grinning weakly. Quinn started to reluctantly loosen his hold on her, everyone watching her intently for any hostile move. Tane was painfully aware of just how deceptively fast she could move. “Besides, I’m not a priestess. I’m just a bloody acolyte of the lowest order. Otherwise, I’d also wield power and be more than a match for some baseborn witch’s witchcraft. So, I’m quite capable of lying if it serves me.”

            That last line made them all frown. Joelle looked a bit nervous as the Tyrian warrior started pushing Quinn’s arms away. Armin stepped between his wife and Raven, one hand on his hilt.

            Disentangling herself from Quinn’s arms and legs, she rose up on wobbly legs. In a flash Quinn was up and steadying her. Raven turned mischievous emerald eyes on the half-elf. Tane heard the corporal chuckle softly and started to grin himself at Quinn’s mistake.

            “Oh, Quinn. You do care,” Raven said, melodramatically making her voice all whispery and romantic. She kissed him on the cheek, sighing, “My knight with pointy ears.”

            “Stop that!” he said, jerking his hands back. He stepped back, looking uncomfortable. “I was only worried about a fellow soldier. Nothing personal.”

            “With those simple words, you break my heart again,” she said, turning away and winking at Tane.

            Quinn blanched.

            “Does she never stop?” Armin asked.

            “Never,” Raven said.

            She picked up Tasheba and slanted a look at Joelle. Tane started to relax, now that things seemed to be getting back to normal. Then he noted the steely-eyed look that passed between Raven and Joelle.

Chapter 25

            In Treversax, Dakar looked through the eyes of two hundred priests scattered about the newly conquered region. Each was standing inside a different temple, over newly consecrated altars. Free-minded sacrifices lay across the altars, bodies bound tight and eyes full of horror.

            With a thought, He commanded the priests to begin their unholy rites. He watched through their eyes with grim satisfaction. The sacrifices were all priests and priestesses of various Arisen Gods, and many were High Priests. With their deaths, and the capture and consumption of their released souls, Dakar would greatly enhance His own Power at the expense of the Arisen.

            Almost simultaneously, two hundred knives sliced open bared breasts. Two hundred lives were snuffed out, sending a heady rush of True Power into Dakar. He groaned with pleasure.

            “It is going faster than anticipated,” He mused. “I am already as powerful as any Arisen. But once I conquer