Staring apprehensively, Logan watched as Cyrene waded to the shore and set down the leather bags. Then she turned back to him, once more extending her slim arm to aid him. Relief swamped the young man, and he took her outstretched hand, freeing his body from the cool waters. He turned his blue eyes to the west and grimaced as the sun's final rays were swallowed by the mountains.
'I'm gonna freeze my ass off,' he mumbled, wringing out a sleeve of his jacket.
Thromar jerked about on Smeea. 'By Brolark! What a sight that will be!' he boomed. 'Will you take your eye out afterward for Moknay and Cyrene to see?'
Warm. Warm, gentle breezes teasingly ruffled Logan's black hair as they wafted through the night, passing out over the Ohmmarrious and swirling into the lush foliage beyond. The young man's clothes did not stick to his body at all as he lay there on his side, peering at the crystal-clear river. The waters reflected the red night sky, silver stars glinting in its vastness. Another warm wind blew over him, and a childlike giggle sounded from somewhere indistinguishable.
Curiously, Logan propped himself up on an elbow as the stars gleamed silver in the red sky.
The rushing Ohmmarrious slowed, the constant gurgle of its waters fading as the sparkling liquid stilled. Pillars of clear water began to shoot skyward, heralding the approach of someone, Logan guessed. Gradually, through the fountaining shafts of crystal, a diminutive figure took shape. Logan watched in wonderment as a woman some five feet in height stepped out across the river, not wet although she had just walked through the cascading river.
The petite female was amazingly well proportioned and gazed at Logan with beautiful, dark green eyes as bright and as pure as the forest foliage itself. She was absolutely naked, and long, dark green hair spilled past her bare shoulders and curled just above her shoulder blades. Her perfect, well-sculptured breasts were highlighted by the silver stars, and the nipples were a delicate shade of green. The curve of her waist and hips made familiar urges flare up within Logan as she came closer, and he could not help noticing the triangle of hair between her thighs was also a dark green hue.
Before Logan could remark on the beauty of the dainty creature before him, another girl stepped free of the fountains. She was the exact height and build of the first, only her eyes, nipples, and hair were a light blue. While she slinked across the water's surface, a third female broke through the jets of liquid and into the silvery starlight.
Like her sisters, the third was about five feet in height and had a perfect build, yet there was a hint of experience and knowledge within her violet eyes. Her violet nipples and hair were extraordinary, creating an almost alien attraction for Logan. Green and blue were also odd shades, but the third's eyes were stern, more mature than her siblings.
The green-haired one giggled and Logan recognized the pitch. It was the same one he had heard earlier that evening under the water!
'Welcome, Matthew Logan,' the three beauties greeted, nearing him with a childlike boldness.
'I hope you did not catch a chill,' the green-haired one said.
Stunned by their radiance and sudden appearance, Logan sat up. 'No, no, I think I'm all right.'
'We're so glad you stopped here,' the violet-haired one remarked. 'It has been a very long time since we have talked to someone.'
'I would like to touch someone as well,' the blue-haired one put in.
'You're just jealous that he fell in my river and not yours, Glorana,' the green-haired one mocked.
'Oh, I am not!' Glorana retorted. 'He would've fallen in mine if that rotten Jewel had acted up!'
'No, he wouldn't've,' the green-haired one answered. 'He waded through mine but took a bridge over yours. That means you're ugly!'
'It does not!' Glorana whined.
Logan turned a questioning eye toward the violet-haired nymph. 'I-I seem to know you,' he stuttered.
The pair arguing shut up; the violet eyes of the third flickered in reply.
'You're the sprites,' Logan went on, shakily, 'aren't you? The three sprites Druid Launce told me about?'
Glorana clapped her hands together in glee. 'He knows of us!' she exclaimed. She raced to where Logan sat, her fragile hands clutching his jacket. 'I am Glorana,' she announced, blue eyes aglow with excitement. 'I love you.'
The green-haired sprite wheeled about, hair billowing as she dashed to kneel beside Logan. 'I am Salena,' she told him. She turned on Glorana. 'And I loved him first!'
Logan's blue eyes drew away from the green and blue sprites and transfixed on the violet enchantress still at the river's edge. 'You must be Roana,' he said.
Roana nodded silently, stepping closer.
There was quiet only broken by the continual trickle of the fountains.
'How come I can see you?' Logan finally inquired.
'You're camping by my river,' Salena explained.
'And you're special,' added Roana.
' 'Special'?' repeated Logan.
Glorana ran an eager hand over Logan's chest. 'You're a man,' she sighed lustfully.
Salena frowned at her sister. 'That's not what she meant,' she snapped.
'I don't care,' Glorana responded. 'I'm enjoying myself.'
Logan tried to ignore the soft hands caressing his shoulders. 'Would my friends see you if they woke up?' he said.
Roana smiled. 'At this time,' she replied, 'you would not see us if you woke up.'
The young man blinked, crossing his legs Indian-style. 'Huh?' he exclaimed. 'What are you…?'
'You're dreaming, silly!' Salena told him, giggling.
Of course! Logan understood. Red sky and silver stars! Why hadn't he noticed it before? Because nothing out of the ordinary-like businessmen/monks or tilting gyroscopes-had popped up to spoil his dream. Even that infernal feeling of misplacement wasn't harassing him that night. But, now that he glanced behind him, he saw that, in his dream, he was quite alone. Neither his friends nor their mounts were behind him.
Logan turned back to the sprites. 'And if I woke up, you'd just go away?' he queried.
'No, Matthew,' Roana answered, sitting with him and her sisters, 'we would always be here. Remember the story the druid told you.'
What a wacko dream! the young man concluded. He had been thinking about that tale too much! He was dreaming about it now! Maybe he had had too much wine before he had gone to sleep!
'I don't think he believes us,' Salena noted, a frown crossing her glorious lips.
'I'll make him believe us!' Glorana volunteered, eagerly grabbing Logan and bonding her lips to his.
Logan let out a muffled grunt of surprise as the soft lips met his and almost knocked him backwards. The feelings deep inside him raged and growled like wild animals, pacing up and down the length of their cages, demanding release. When the sprite finally pulled away with a wet smack, Logan knew it was not the warm breeze that was stirring in his sweat pants.
'Believe in us now?' Glorana smirked.
'Probably think you're some sexual nightmare come to torment him,' Salena snorted.
'Whether he believes or not,' Roana said, silencing her sisters, 'we at least have someone to talk to. It's been almost forty years since someone like him has slept beside one of our rivers.' Her violet eyes twinkled.
The tingling warmth was racing all throughout Logan's body as he eyed the voluptuous, violet-haired sprite.
'Matthew likes Roana! Matthew likes Roana!' Glorana started teasing, and Logan flustered when he realized her light blue eyes were glued to his crotch.
Salena abruptly stiffened, her exquisite frame outlined by the silver stars. 'Matthew!' she cried urgently. 'You must wake up! Something is happening! Something terrible!' Her deep green eyes blazed at him. 'You must wake up!'
Groaning, Logan lifted his head from his grassy pillow. His sweat suit was still damp, and the clothes underneath were no dryer. He saw the Ohmmarrious through a half-closed eye, its waters rushing and gurgling
