The civil war remained stalemated, with little movement on either side, thus avoiding the chaos that would have given his operation better cover.He kn...ew there was a risk to Imperial movement. He felt he had a margin of safety. A likely northern invasion route would be far to the east of the Manor, on the other side of the mountains.Jollis stepped into the reception area of Gronnus' domain.In the fore chamber, two female slaves sat on an opulent sofa, slowly teasing each other's sex and moaning. The wolf nuzzled at his rear, the long muzzle and clever tongue eliciting cries of pleasure. Jahke went to undo his trousers only to find that he wasn't wearing any. Reality tugged again and this time Jahke opened sky blue eyes and reality jolted him to full wakefulness.He lay on a soft bed of furs, covered in a woven blanket of raw felted wool and stared at a low rough stone ceiling. Jahke sat up and looked around the room. Apart from the bed, which was oval rather than square, there was a. He might even disown her; at best she would be married off to someone even less appealing than the original elderly widower customer, and that well within the year."Have you been to me for punishment before?" asked the older woman, though both of them knew the answer."Yes, Reverend Mother." For what offence?" Talking during meals, Reverend Mother." And how did I punish you?"Again both knew the answer."By banning me from speaking a word for four days, Reverend Mother, except if it were necessary. Their fingers and toes grew claws, and soon they resembled blood-thirsty vampires ready to devour him. The sky suddenly turned to black, and all around him he heard the shrieks, screeches, and cries of the cherubs who hissed all around him in the darkness like hungry snakes ready to sink their fangs deep into him. And what’s more, Charlie felt himself turning into a snake himself, as the sudden urge to bite down hard into something found him bruxing in his sleep.He awoke with a start as the.