As punishment for fighting the prince, I was temporarily drafted to the tenders and the bastards sent me to the least desired job in the Sanctuary, assisting the Temple.

Specifically, repairing the damaged ring where the lunatics wrestle with monsters, or as they say, ‘commune with their brethren’. I’m not surprised they shoved the job off to me. No one wants to get into an enclosed space with an unrestrained beast with a mouth big enough to swallow their whole head. It takes nerves of steel to turn your back to the thing and work. If I were the old me, I would have outright refused.

However, because of our guide, I can look back on the experience with a smile.

She looks good, despite the horrendous outfits she prefers. She’s wearing the same sleeveless black shirt as the tenders, showing off the tattoos the members of the Temple are known for; thick black rings over her wrists and throat, along with a more intricate design on her chest I can only see the edges of. Paired with it is an ugly brown skirt that brings back bad memories. The garment is not exclusive to women and seeing a man’s hairy legs combined with the coarse fabric is absolutely horrendous.

Her dark skin has the healthy glow of perspiration, her brown eyes wide with joy at seeing me, which warms my heart. She smiles, showing off teeth that are a little wrong. Are a few more of them sharper? Her mouth is looking quite predatory.

The usual braid she keeps her hair in is undone, her thick, curly hair falling past her shoulder in a shaggy wave. Because of it, I almost miss the change.

Stepping forward, I reach up and grab her ears. Instead of smooth skin, I feel smooth fur. Running my fingers over them, I can feel they’re longer than they were, ending in furry tips. The fur goes down the back of her neck but ends at her shoulders, my fingers once again feeling smooth skin.

“You weren’t kidding, huh?” I say, dropping my hands. The Temple has a strange fascination with monsters. They live with them, train them, and for the most extreme members, try to be them. They don’t come out and say it but they have melders, people with the physical affinity, who help the most devout believers to become closer to the monsters they’ve chosen to emulate.

Cloud and her family have chosen a creature that is a mix between a dog and a bear called the brueer. Tall as a man and as bulky as a carriage, with paws big enough to smother my face. It’s known for its strength and vitality, which is why Cloud focuses on her own physical strength. I guess she’s further down the path.

“How weak our flesh is,” she says with a smile. “So let us don their fur and wield their claws.”

“Yeah, that’s you.”

“I am happy to see you again, honored sister.” Without a care for the people around us, she cups my face and briefly brushes our lips together. As if I’ll let her get away with just that. I loop an arm around her neck and pull her back, deepening the kiss. She chuckles against my lips but quickly responds, wrapping her arms around me.

Someone clears their throat. We ignore them.

Much harder to ignore the rock to the back of my head. I pull away with a scowl. Alana put down the rock in her hand. “We still have a test to do and there are people behind us.” She looks past me to Cloud. “Cloud.”

“Alana~ I see you are still jealously protecting your territory. Have you not secured your position as a wife?”

“Who’s a wife?!”

“You two can catch up later.” I try to step back but Cloud’s hands stay put. My brows go up. She’s gotten stronger too. “You’re getting there but…” I move away with more strength and easily break her hold.

“As impressive as usual, honored sister.” She stares at me hungrily. “We should have a proper contest.”

“Maybe. First things first.” I face my team. “Team, this is my…” Wow, what is the proper word to describe our relationship? She’s claimed me as a ‘sister’ but her intentions toward me are anything but familial. On the other hand, we haven’t slept together yet, so I can’t call her my lover. Friend is too distant. Hm. Forget it.

“This is Cloudy Blood Moon. Ignore her parents’ naming sense and call her Cloud. Cloud, this is my team for the qualifiers. The redhead is Marthe, she’s allergic to common courtesy. The skinny one with the glasses tied around his head is William. The big one is Arthur.”

“My sister’s friends are welcome to my fire the same as my sister.” She eyes Arthur. Ugh. That bastard is just her type, isn’t he? I smack her stomach with my hand. There is no way I can stomach watching or hearing that. “You don’t approve?” she asks.

“He’s a dog.” Wait, wrong thing to say. “He’s a disgusting, annoying, dog with absolutely no manners and a derisive attitude toward women.”

“Rahhhh!! Don’t think because you beat me once I won’t kick your ass woman!”

Cloud licks her lips as she stares at him. “I like them full of energy.”

Arthur stops glaring at me to give her a smug smile. “You’ve got better taste than her.”

“I wouldn’t say so. Honored sister is simply a picky eater.”

“Hey, seriously, can you guys move this lovefest along?” a tender says impatiently. “We’ve got other customers.”

“Geo, pull the carriage aside and catch up. Let’s get going,” Alana says, starting down the road.

I follow her with a smile. She’s really getting comfortable giving orders if she’s ordering around my elementals. Or maybe that’s just anger. Probably anger. “So, Cloud. How much help are you allowed to give us?”

She turns away from making eyes with the seadog. “I am allowed to answer any questions in relation to your task, the monsters within the Sanctuary, and the Sanctuary itself. I won’t volunteer any information or help in any way. The tender spoke truth. If you fail, you suffer the consequences alone.”

“And you’re evaluating us on what?”

“Everything. Strength, efficiency, creativity. How well you can survive in the wild. How well you fight off your peers. How ruthless you are and your level of cooperation. The instructors looking for their next apprentice or successor want to know as much as possible about you.”

“Wonderful.”

“Are you worried, Lou? There is no need. I have seen all of the cubs who have come to my home and they are no match for your wife, let alone you.”

Alana whips around and is about to shout at her but she pauses. Likely realizing that if she answers, she’s acknowledging that the words ‘your wife’ refer to her. She swallows her words with a grimace and Cloud chuckles.

“Ah. I didn’t think about sleeping arrangements.” Why would I? The test could have taken place anywhere, including a place with easy access to beds. How difficult would it have been for them to tell us to pack camping gear if they knew we were going to be sleeping outdoors?

[There are blankets in the carriage.]

Don’t know what I’d do without her.

“You are not easily embarrassed, are you?” Cloud asks.

“No. Why? You plan on doing something shameful?”

She leans toward me to whisper in my ear. “If you want me to keep my hands off the boys, you’ll have to hold me down.”