Kushiel stumbled out of the Chamber mostly by accident. He had surrendered his night of debauchery as the sun was beginning to rise, and had awoken again with late morning in his eyes. He had been smiling, despite his pounding headache. He was a man of great passion, or at least that’s what he told himself. It didn’t matter that a haze of fire and smoke still clouded his vision. His mane, charred and burned in patches, still held the last lazy flicks of his fire.

It had been a good night. One for the record books.

He had watched the moon rise beneath the Chamber’s eternally burning tree, drinking in her fire until he felt it wrap around his heart. He could still feel it there, delicious and dangerous. The stallion groaned, a sound that started deep within his chest and bubbled to his lips. He loved his poison well.

His mother, bless her heart, had tried to raise her boy with the ability to “walk it off.” Kushiel hadn’t fully internalized that lesson. The day he stepped into battle would be the day he also laughed himself sick. However, while Kushiel hadn’t grown up to be the warrior a mother could be proud of, he did learn that a stumbling, lazy walk could help clear a mind that had inhaled too much smoke.

That was what he was doing now, walking it off.

Some how he had gone a little too far. How he ended up in the Field was not something he wanted to contemplate. His feet hurt. Kushiel wasn’t really built for manual labor, or any kind of labor for that matter. But, now that he was here, he was beginning to wonder if the day could be salvaged.

There were a lot of women here.

And just like that, his smile returned. He wasn’t totally delusional, he did know the purpose of the Field. But, in practice, the idea was so much more tantalizing. He should have come here long, long before now. Women tended to walk away in disgust when he spoke to them for too long, but here, they were looking to be approached.

It was brilliant.

Feeling like a fat kid in a candy store, Kushiel flitted from place to place until someone caught his eye. That mare, she didn’t seem like a lot bothered her. That was a good thing, because Kush was a lot. High strung types didn’t last long with him. Feeling rather pleased, he wandered over, not the least bit deterred when another mare joined her. The more the merrier. He approached them slowly, then leaned over the black mare’s shoulder to interject himself in their conversation.

“Awful showoffs, the both of you.” Kushiel grinned, and gestured grandly to both mares.

“Tell the truth, you just like flying so the boys have a chance to see up your tails.” It didn’t matter that the black mare had barely unfurled her wings. He was an all-inclusive flirt. Unashamed and unabashed he continued. He had long ago learned it was best not to leave time for others to get too offended.


”I’m Kushiel.”

Kushiel watched the two mares, a look of slight bemusement on his face. Really? They were going to give him nothing to work with? Let this be a lesson to him. He made a mental note to try and keep the ladies apart. There was strength in numbers and clearly they were more likely to gang up on him when they got together.

Still, Kushiel was determined to preserve. The would listen to them talk about their…childhoods if that was what they wanted to do. He tried, nodding along with Teslah in interest. His show of restraint didn’t last long, however, and he nearly burst out laughing when he heard where she was from. Of course! It all made so much more sense now.

“Oh thank god.” He said, with no small show of relief. 


“You’re from the Amazons. It’s no wonder you’re not big on the fellas.” He grinned sheepishly, as if he felt truly foolish for ever doubting himself.

“Whew, I really thought I was losing my touch there for a minute.” Another easy smile, another glance between the mares. When his eyes fell back on Elysteria he fixed her with a disapproving look.

“Okay, so she grew up with the warrior women. What’s your excuse? For having no sense of humor?” His eyes scrunched together as if he was studying her very, very carefully. And indeed he was. Kushiel, for all his faults, was very likely to assume the best of people. He had learned that it was better to give people a first, second, third and even fourth chance. It took a lot of convincing to decide he didn’t like someone. He couldn’t be picky with his friends, and never wished to. As long as someone would talk to him, he was usually quite happy to be in their company. Perhaps he believed that the same benevolence would be extended to him. Lord knows he needed it.