Then the day came when the Trainer lost his shirt.
It was the hottest afternoon of the summer, the light wind making the heat worse.
As the pair raced their mounts, the scorching air made a second skin of their clothes.
Rough with nubs and irritating to the flesh, the Trainer scratched and pulled at the blouse glued to his trunk. He tore off the offensive garment and tucked it under the saddle flap, chuckling as the girl blushed and averted her eyes.
“I’ll race you again to the other side!” he shouted. “And this time I’ll win!”
The Trainer kicked the flanks of the colt before she could react and emerged the victor as promised.
But he didn’t notice the smock coming free from the saddle and floating along the breeze before sinking into the long grass.
An hour later he noticed its absence, but by then they were in a rush to get back to the manor. The Trainer donned a spare he kept in his rucksack and left behind a shirt drenched in his sweat.
The Sorcerer couldn’t believe his fortune.
He waited until nightfall before venturing beyond his domain to get the precious garment.
The Sorcerer had been tempted to boil it down many times over the years, but he resisted until he could finally claim the girl.
The result might have been a catastrophe.
He had never witnessed anything other than brotherly affection in the Trainer.
If that were the true measure of his sentiment, the Sorcerer would feel no desire when he took on that essence.
But his concerns were needless.
When he stepped out of the mist to meet the girl grown into a woman, he saw her through the Trainer’s eyes. Through the Trainer’s flesh he responded, yet also through his heart.
When the girl burst into tears, the Sorcerer marveled how natural it was to be tender with her.
So the Trainer did have such feelings for the girl, even when she was young.
His original intention had been to mold her into the perfect concubine, but the Sorcerer was surprised at the pleasure he took in mentoring her.
She had a most intense focus; she was intelligent with a gift for asking the right questions.
The Sorcerer could not resist such a pupil.
As the months passed, he gave her far more knowledge than he meant to, going beyond the ancient texts on carnal arts.
In the past few days, he struggled to find new lessons and realized he’d taught her everything he knew.
But he couldn’t regret that decision.
Once the years of civilized denial shed from her, unveiled was an animal magnetism unusual for women.
Her features were as savage as ever, but the ugliness now suited the girl and made her presence devastating. When she strode into his Caverns, it was with the strut of an outlaw.
The Sorcerer was overwhelmed with pride for his creation.
She was a masterpiece.
Then there was their coupling.
He had never experienced anything quite like her.
From the first night, she plunged into the realm of fantasy with breathtaking abandon.
And the pleasure that was already exquisite became indescribable when the girl showed initiative and nurtured her unique expression in the subtleties of physical love.
This was the only time a seduction borne from illusion became passion that pulsed with life of its own.
The Sorcerer cherished this chance to forget who and what he was, succumbing to the allure of being a man taking possession of his woman, only to want her more after his craving was satisfied.
No conquest ever had this effect on him.
It was dangerous to don the essence of another man.
The morning the Sorcerer saw how little was left of the ruby liquid, a melancholy stupor weighed on his limbs as he slid that vial back in the rack and chose a deep green.
He would never feel that way again once the Trainer was used up.
Yet the Sorcerer prepared his lesson with the object of introducing another lover, hoping he hadn’t waited too long.
Then his protégée was late.
By the time he heard the near silent footfall on the stairs, he was convinced she wasn’t coming.
There was no relief to his unease when he saw her.
The girl was different tonight.
She was almost beautiful with her cheeks flushed and her eyes glimmering.
And the Sorcerer sensed a current running through her so strong the air around the girl was palpating.
She was excited about something.
But the cause of her excitement had nothing to do with him or the Trainer’s essence.
