"I accept," she said."I accept," she said. "Besides, I guess Aaden can always find some other reason to tan your butt. Just like you do him." I laughed quietly and leaned up against the equine bulk of Carroll's body, folding my fingers against my chest. "Much better," I sighed. "Is he being lazy again?" P'nyssa's voice came from the trail to the stream; she appeared moments later bearing a large pot of water. She handed it to Paul and wandered over to me. "Obviously." "Very obviously," I said. "Good morning, sweetheart." "I tell you, Carroll, I can't do anything with him. Ever since the Pamthreats he's been nothing but lazy." "Hey, I work hard for my position in society," I mock-pouted; parts of this conversation were getting uncomfortably close to reality, and that sort of bugged me. "No, you're just hard," P'nyssa said, kneeling. She leaned over to kiss me, and as she did so I felt Carroll shift gently; her fingers dug into my sides, sending me screaming into ticklish fits. P'nyssa put her mitts over Carroll's, using them in the most sadistic fashion I'd ever seen; she used her psionic healing talent to jack the feedback from my nerves sky-high. I was screaming, my entire body tickled at once by four small hands. It was one of the most effective torture devices she'd ever discovered. I wondered when she would bring it to Rhysh. They stopped, and I sagged against Carroll, seething, clenching my teeth together. "I. |