“Our dormitory was much smaller and not nearly so grand,” one of the ladies (Bunefer?) said on her way into the bathroom with a big towel.

“It’ll be like a slumber party,” Ipy said, nodding. “You may rest easy that we will guard our sister well so that you may do your job.”

“Awesome. Well, good night, I guess.”

“Keep your sword handy,” Mrs. P said, removing her circle hat. “We may need it before morn.”

“I will. Be sure to lock up after me, and yell if you need anything, okay?”

“Enjoy molesting your man’s superb buttocks,” Ipy called as I opened the door to leave.

Rowan stood right outside.

I frowned at him. “Hey, were you eavesdropping?”

“Yes.” He had an odd expression, a combination of pleased and exasperated. “Do you really want to lick my nipple nubs?”

My cheeks, as per usual in these situations, heated up instantly. But I’ve learned not to give in to the fact that I blush at the drop of a hat and I met his gaze. “As a matter of fact, I do. Does that bother you? Are you repulsed by the idea? Are you sickened and disgusted and outraged that I, a mere woman, should lust after your chest, reversing the normal roles of men and women and sexual attraction?”

“I like that you’re wordy,” he said, his head tipping to the side a little. “Some women never tell you what they’re really thinking. With you, I don’t have to guess.”

“That had better not have been an insult.”

“It wasn’t, I assure you. I’m quite sincere in that I like the way you speak your mind.”

“Good. Answer my questions,” I said, prodding him on the arm.

“No, no, and no, assuming that was a total of three questions. I couldn’t tell for sure since there were many parts to that last bit, plus, I’m now imagining what your mouth on my nubs would be like.”

“Damn good,” I said with confidence.

“I’m sure it will be. And in fact, so long as we’re discussing plans for nipples, I’d like to put in a request for time with your breasts. They have been uppermost in my mind all day.”

“Really?” I looked down at where Xena cups presented my breasts for Rowan’s viewing pleasure. At least, that’s how they viewed the situation. “They’re just boobs. They hang off me, and get in the way sometimes, and because they’re a bit on the fluffy side, like the rest of me, they are a pain in the patootie to take jogging. Not that I jog much. I prefer swimming. Am I babbling? I feel like I’m babbling.”

“You are not babbling, but you are speaking unfairly of your breasts. I really want to make love to you, but before we indulge ourselves in mutual exploration of nubs and their related parts, I’d like to make something clear.”

“Mutual exploration sounds good, assuming you were propositioning me this time. Were you?”

“Yes. Although I prefer to think of it as wooing with my manly attractions. Sophea.” He took both of my hands in his.

“Hmm?”

“I really do need to talk to you.”

“About what?” I fluttered my fingers in his when his thumbs stroked identical patterns on the backs of my hands. I swear, my whole body went up in flames.

“Myself. My past. Why I’m here with you now.”

“You’re here because I’m in a sexy Xena outfit, and you can’t resist the lure of a kick-butt dragon with a sword strapped to her back,” I suggested.

He laughed and kissed the back of each of my hands, pulling me over to a love seat that sat under two portholes. “I didn’t realize it before this moment, but you are absolutely correct. Tell me, did you notice that May and Gabriel referred to me as the Dragon Breaker?”

“Yes. I figured that was your rock star name. Or something. Why, does it have any importance?”

“Only to the extent of my life and probable upcoming death.” His lips twisted in a wry manner that pierced the haze of sexual interest that had gripped me.

“In what way?” I asked, guarded lest he be teasing me. I was very well aware that I knew nothing about this man… well, practically nothing. I knew he had a protective streak a mile wide—no one else would have come to our rescue as many times as he had if he hadn’t been one of those people who naturally come to the aid of others—but other than that, and the fact that he had a glint of humor in his eyes that I found incredibly appealing, I wasn’t very conversant with his history.

He sat on the love seat, waiting for me to take a seat beside him before he answered, “When I said I was a sociologist, I wasn’t being exactly accurate.”

I frowned, my lust dying a swift death. If there was anything I disliked, it was men who lied. “Oh, really?”

He flinched. “That was downright frosty, but I guess I deserve it. I am a sociologist, and I do work with emerging tribes in eastern Brazil. But in addition to that I… well, I’m an alchemist.”

I let some of my iciness melt. “I heard someone say that. I thought I must have misheard and the word was really pharmacist. What’s an alchemist when he’s at home?”

“Someone who is highly sought after by just about every being in the Otherworld.” He took a deep breath, his gaze looking beyond me. “You know what magic is, don’t you?”

“The stuff magicians do? Sure.”

“No, not that. At least, not what you see mortal magicians do. Magic is real, just as real as dragons are, and it’s entirely possible to imbue objects with it. Magic, that is, not dragons.”

“You know, my mind is having a bit of a hard time accepting the idea of real magic, but given that I’m a dragon lite, I’m going to tell it to get with the program. Okay. Magic exists, and you can stick it on things. What things?”

He made a vague gesture. “Pretty much whatever you want. That magic usually makes the object much more powerful, kind of like it enhances the quality of the item.”

“So if I magicked up my Xena sword, it would become a super Xena sword?” I asked, trying to wrap my brain around that idea.

“Yes.”

“Okay. Considering I’m almost a mythical creature that I had no idea existed a few days ago, then I’ll buy the whole magic thing.”

“Alchemists break magic. That is, we take it from whatever it’s imbued and re-form it into its essential components, rendering the object magically impotent.”