Sleep improved Alex's mood, and she awoke cheery, even with her morning confusion. She felt comforted by Razz, who had snuggled close to her in the night. He looked up at her with big, round eyes filled with love and affection. Rile didn't dare move yet thanks to long experience with her morning-muddled mind.

After a few moments of watching Razz, Alex finally shook his head slowly, as if shaking away the confusion. Her voice was quiet but firm when she spoke. "Razz needs help. Where is the salve for his neck wound?"

Razz gestured toward the cabinet. "It should be in there. I put it back after Zilik took it. Do you wish me to get it?"

"Yes, please." Alex pushed herself up and winced as she tried to stretch. "Don't worry, I'll numb the wound before I apply the medicine."

Razz slid out of bed and retrieved the blue crystal jar. He handed it to Alex, who passed it on to Rile, who stirred awake and propped himself up on an elbow. Alex smiled warmly at Razz and gave him a nod of encouragement as she patted the space next to her with a hand that shimmered like spun gold. Without saying a word, Razz hopped up onto the cozy bed. Alex treated his neck. The pretty gold flashes twinkled as they either sank into the healing wound or bounced on the bed before dying.

At length, Alex gently tugged at the edge of the gash, examining it carefully. Seeing no reaction from Razz, she gave a small nod to Rile, who quickly opened the jar and handed it to her. Alex scooped out white cream with her finger and applied it delicately to the wound, applying enough pressure for even coverage.

Alex stopped her work and looked to Razz expectantly. "What's on the agenda then? You always seem to know what's going on."

Razz shifted on the bed, not meeting her gaze. "My brother's mate, Kir, is here, a minor dignitary in the Kuni's court. She has come to challenge you to a duel."

Alex bristled with suspicion as she absorbed this news. "She won't challenge me for Rile, will she?"

Razz said, "By law, no one can challenge you for him for at least a month, longer if the Kuni says so."

Rile gave him an unamused stare and replied, "Hurray," in a deadpan voice.

Alex's grinned wryly. "I'm not exactly in her favor."

"Please." Razz's plea was accompanied by his tiny hand squeezing her arm. "Please save my brother."

Alex closed her eyes and groaned, stretching out her arms as if she'd already given up. "How big is his mate? Is this what you were thinking would kill me? Like I said, there are more important things to kill me in line ahead of that. Do you want me to fight in that revolution or not?"

"Kir is not large and no obstacle to you fighting in the revolution. While she thinks much of her fighting ability, she is no Cla. You can best her easily. Kir cannot be too sure of herself, for she brought my brother, the least of her mates. She will only issue a traditional challenge, not one to the death. Watch how she favors her right hand and her left foot is missing its smallest claw. You can make her stumble on it."

Alex grudgingly conceded defeat with a muttered, "Zilik will kill me himself if I keep challenging females for their mates,"

"She beats him terribly."

"Why didn't you say do in the first place? I'm finished here so let's go," Alex smiled a terrible smile. "I love handing bullies their due."

Rile leaned over and whispered in her ear, "Softie."

Alex wrinkled her nose, but couldn't help the grin that tugged at her lips. "You'd do the same, Guardian of the Universe. You're coming with me to watch my back. These so-called warriors love ambushes." Alex strapped on her scabbard and sword.

"Watch who you call Guardian of the Universe, Guardian of the Universe." Rile grinned at her as he buckled on his own sword and scabbard.

Before they reached the door, it was flung open by Crota. The Chameleon guard yelled, "Incoming!"

"I have made it!" His eyes gleamed with triumph as he dropped his heavy leather satchel onto the ground. He produced from it a slender metallic contraption from within. "I give you," he said with an eager grin, "The Freedom Collar! I will condescend to allow you to hug me in celebration of my masterpiece."

Rile's jaw went slack, and then Alex burst into giggles. Crota lowered his arms, and the red pouch on his neck swelled and shrank as his expression darkened in anger.

"Master Metal Worker Crota." Alex's voice was soothing, as though she were speaking to a child. "Not only are your metalworking abilities unparalleled, but you're also absolutely adorable." She extended her arms like she wanted to hug him. "May I? Please?"

As she approached, his puffed-up pouch had deflated. His hands were shaking as he opened his arms and Alex stepped into them. She hugged him gently while her hands ran lightly up and down the contours of his back.

"No one has ever called me adorable," he breathed in her ear, "much less beautiful, which is why I must say it."

Alex's voice was as soft as a whisper against the guard's gruff command. "I think it is better to be a genius and adorable than beautiful," she said, gazing into Crota's eyes. "But best of all is kindness. It is rarer than your rarest gem. Please remember that." In a tender gesture, Alex leaned her head against Crota's for a moment before the guard cleared his throat.

Crota stepped away, separating them. With a small flourish, he pulled out a golden collar from his satchel. It glinted in the dim light with its gold bands on the top and bottom connected by spellbinding mesh scattered with opals. Looking back at Alex, Crota asked, "Where is that most fortunate of all Anolis males: Razz?"

Razz peeked from behind the bed where he had scrambled when the door had been flung open.

"Ah, there you are," Crota said. "Well, come out." He stopped his harsh command at Alex's sharp look. He said with measured gentleness, "This is a gift for you. It will accentuate your gorgeous color as well as proclaim that this marvelous Guardian has freed you."

Alex held out a hand and Razz came forward and took it. Crota examined Razz's neck and carefully touched the ointment on Razz's neck with the tip of his finger.

"I want to make sure this won't hurt you," he said kindly.

"The Guardian has numbed my neck, so I will not feel it," Razz said with pride. "She should see this work of genius on me since you went to such trouble."

Crota beamed at him and gently placed the gold piece around his neck. "Look at this fastening," he told Alex. "It is a quick release should anyone be foolish enough to grab him by the collar."

Alex bent forward and studied the mechanism with admiration, marveling at its craftsmanship. "This is absolutely brilliant," she declared, her eyes crinkling with delight. Then her expression softened into a fond smile. "But how can I ever repay you for such generosity?"

Crota waved a dismissive hand. "The Chameleon ambassador has that covered, not to mention the high-grade opals you supplied. If I had more of them, I could make more freedom collars for all the Anolis males you're planning to free. Is that really what you're doing?"

"It's that widely known?" Alex asked in surprise.

Crota shrugged. "I care nothing for politics, only for my art. But I was told that I should be ready to make more. Do you wish them more or less elaborate than this one since he is the first to be freed?"

"Less," Alex said.

"More," Razz said at the exact same time.

Alex mock glared at him. "Razz is first and will have the best one. As for more stones, well, that's up to my sword or a higher power. Or both." She withdrew her sword.

Crota rummaged through his satchel, brushing aside a few items before finally retrieving a handful of opals. Cupping them in his palm, he examined each with a critical eye before turning to Alex. "I brought the cheapest ones so that I could supply a good number for the collars. I also want to see what the limits of your magical sword are."

Alex nodded and extended her weapon, which hummed softly. A faint light emanated from the pommel stone, intensifying until it shone brilliantly in the night. The opals responded in kind, their tones blending into a single resonant chord as they leaped from Crota's grasp. They hovered around the pair, awash in an incandescent glow. When the glow faded, all the stones clattered to the floor.

Crota held up a large, blue oval gemstone and gave Alex an inquisitive look. He dropped it into her outstretched palm, and she studied it with reverence. The sapphire glinted in the light.

"It's a star sapphire," she whispered, almost as if talking to herself. "Do they not occur here?"

Rile bent and swept up a handful of the stones. "There are six rays to each star. Some are blue, some blue-grey, a few orange, and a few green ones."

"This one has twelve rays and is purple." Alex held it out to Crota, who took it with reverence.

"Since the Guardian came from the stars," Razz said with reverence, "These stones are reminders of her. They are priceless."

Crota hummed. "Priceless to the Chameleons who accept her, and to the Gilas, since she is szarek. Also, perhaps to the Iguanas, who are mostly intellectuals fascinated by the world. My own kind appreciate beauty, and they will appreciate them." He sorted through the stones. "There are still many exceptional opals. I suspect your sword wishes those to be in the Freedom Collars and these 'star sapphires' as you call them, my payment."

Alex reached out and grasped the smooth, oblong shape of the twelve-rayed purple stone from Crota's outstretched palm. "You may keep all of them except this is for Razz. Can you please mount it on his Freedom Collar?"

Crota's eyes widened as he admired the stone before letting out a deep, throaty chuckle. "Ah, Guardian, I see your wisdom in this exchange. Yes, I will fasten it to his collar, even though I wished the stone was mine. If I complete this task to your satisfaction, perhaps your sword will grant me another one in the future?"

Alex smiled as she motioned with her hands for Crota to take care of business. "I don't think it's me alone who needs to be pleased. A higher being gifted me that sword. My guess is she loves those collar things and might just send you another twelve-ray star sapphire if all goes well here tonight. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have another Anolis male to set free."

***

Alex followed Razz as he found his brother. Razz bent down and embraced the tiny male. His voice was gentle as he said, "This is her, the one I told you about."

The smaller version of Razz looked up at her with teal scales tipped in black. A jagged scar marred the muzzle, and a deep gash still oozed blood. Alex's protective stance and soft words allowed the male to relax.

"Guardian, this is my brother Dex."

With a gentle touch, she spread a tingling warmth around the gash, numbing it slowly. Dex closed his eyes in relief, and Alex noticed a larger cut on his chest. She placed her hand over it to numb it as well.

An Anolis female strutted towards them, her hide an unsightly khaki color, and her armor far less impressive than Cla's. A haughty expression settled on her face as she surveyed Alex. "You there. Are you handling my mate?"

"Yes." Alex favored her with a challenging look. "I want him."

The Anolis smirked and her voice was dripping with disdain as she challenged, "That scrawny waste of hide?"

"I have the most magnificent male on this planet." Alex winked at Rile, who puffed out his chest. "I can afford to indulge my quirks of taste. What do you want for him?"

"Traditional challenge. I wish to test your skills."

"Perfect." Alex's voice was tinged with sarcasm, but it was lost on the female. "The courtyard. Now."

***

The female chose staffs as weapons, and Alex breathed a sigh of relief. She had enjoyed her lessons with Cale, and this was an opportunity to show off what she had learned. She grabbed the thick wooden staff in both hands and twirled it with dramatic flourish—she felt powerful. Lowering herself into guard position, Alex held up her staff, stop-blocking any potential attack.

The Anolis female gestured for Alex to start, and the two faced off. With a flick of her wrist, Alex launched into action, twirling and jabbing with her staff like a master. Thrusting and blocking in equal measure, she pressed forward in her attack, driving the Anolis back with each swift strike. The air hummed with each sharp clack as their weapons collided.

Almost swept her. That missing left claw does throw her off.

Alex feigned a subtle movement to the left before swinging a hard jab with her staff. The Anolis followed through and Alex saw her chance; she reversed her weight and slammed the tip of the staff down on top of her skull. The Anolis stumbled as her handicapped left foot failed to carry her momentum, and she went down to the ground. Alex pummeled her with powerful blows until she lay unconscious.

With a heavy thud, Alex dropped onto the ground, gasping for air. The unconscious female lay sprawled at her feet, her chest rising and falling with shallow breaths. Razz and his brother locked eyes and embraced tightly, their muscles contracting in unison.

Rile plopped down next to Alex and surveyed her with a raised eye-ridge. "Passable, I suppose."

Alex shifted, the pebbles beneath them crunching, and let out a long exhale. She pushed her bangs back from her forehead and wiped away sweat, smearing dirt across her cheeks in the process. "No victory bath for you, jerk. I won, didn't I?"

Rile rolled her eyes and let out an exasperated sigh. "Yeah, and no victory bed, either."

"Don't pout," Alex said playfully, nudging him with her elbow. "We do use the victory bed."

He wagged his finger in mock scolding/ "Only for sleeping."

"Quiet, loudmouth." Alex clamped his muzzle shut, but snatched her hand back when he flicked his tongue over her fingers. "Ick!"

"Alex, what are you doing?" He barked out her name, sending the birds in nearby trees into a flurry of flight. His color was an angry red, and he looked down at the sprawled figure.

Alex looked up at him, down at the figure, and back up at Zilik with surprise. "Is that a trick question?" she asked.

"Alex," Zilik said in a kinder tone as he sat down on her other side. "You can't free the Anolis nation one male at a time."

"I'll tell you a sappy starfish story," Alex warned.

"No, Alex, no, not the sappy starfish story," Rile mock-begged. He looked at Zilik and said firmly, "Time to go global."

"Quiet, too many can hear." Zilik shushed him, and then added in a voice meant to carry, "Alex, you can't go on like this."

"I'm taking the boys back to my room. Send more of those bath salts. I'll be busy the rest of the day." Alex hoped whoever was listening was eating their hearts out with jealousy. "Zilik, join us in the victory bath, if you wish. Then you can see why I can and will keep going on like this and enjoying it. Party time."

Razz hurried ahead with his brother, promising to prepare the bath.

"Do you think he did that on purpose?" Rile asked.

"Who? What?" Alex asked, perplexed as she brushed the grit off her pants.

"Razz. Did he arrange for his brother to be here? Maybe that's what he was doing last night."

"I doubt it. How could he manipulate his brother's mate like that? I can't imagine she's open to suggestions." Alex shook her head. "C'mon, back to our quarters. Zilik, you coming?"

Zilik scrambled to his feet, his color a calm green, and walked with them.

"I think you're underestimating Razz," Rile said as they reached their rooms.

"And I think you're paranoid." Alex made a show of entering the changing room with him. It irked her that everyone had to know of her comings and goings.

"Modesty bath," she told Rile sternly, turning her back to put on the makeshift bathing suit. She jury-rigged a top.

Before he could reply, there was a commotion in the bath chamber. They rushed in and found Razz's brother in an uncontrollable fit of grief. Dex was slamming his fists against the cold stone walls, leaving trails of blood from reopened wounds. His cries echoed off the cavernous ceiling as Razz desperately tried to bring him back to reality.

"No, no, I can't stand it. I can't stand anymore," the brother moaned over and over.

"Rile, hold him." Alex's voice sounded sharp even to her.

Rile obliged, easily restraining the much smaller male.

"Please mistress, do not be angry. Do not hurt Dex. He is out of his mind with pain and fear," Razz begged, looking frantic himself, twisting his hands, black button eyes wide with anguish.

"Great. One minute, I'm a wonderful savior and the next, I'm transformed into an angry monster about to torture someone. Of course, I won't hurt him," she snapped, making Razz cower, adding guilt to her irritation. "Calm." She put a glowing hand to the thrashing male's chest.

Zilik stepped into the bathing chamber, his bare feet squishing on the wet stone floor. The sound of splashing water echoed off the high arched walls and steam billowed up from a shallow pool in the center. "What's happening? I heard noise," he said.

Alex's voice was flat and uninviting as she said, "Join the party. Let me bring you up to speed." She ran her hands through her hair before continuing, her temper barely contained. "Rile is holding Razz's brother, Dex. I won him from his abusive mate. Except now he's so scared that he's out of his mind, injuring himself while Razz begs me not to hurt the very person he had asked me to protect. It looks like he now thinks of me as some kind of unstable monster." Alex took a deep breath after that long spiel.

"You're no monster. Just a little unstable at times, but no monster," Rile said with all helpfulness as he held Razz's brother in a solid grip.

"Thank you, Rile. Now I'm attempting to calm said brother and treat the wounds that he has so helpfully multiplied."

"That sums it up well," Zilik said with amiability.

Alex looked gravely into the male's eyes and spoke in a gentle voice. "This will help," she said. She placed her warm, glowing hand on his face and ran it down the long gash. "See? I can numb these wounds. Be still."

He slouched against the wall, head in hands, voice heavy with resignation. "What do you want from me?" he whispered.

Alex slapped her palm against the wall. "Nothing," she snarled. "I want nothing from any male on this planet or any other planet, now or ever."

Liar, liar, pants on fire. I want amazing Agama kisses from Rile, but never again.

The little male cringed back against Rile, but Razz drew close to his brother.

Razz stepped forward to Alex, his back eyes blazing with determination. His voice was firm when he spoke. "It is true. She has never asked for anything in return, yet she still shields me, my brother," he said, glancing briefly at Dex before looking away.

"The brother turned astonished eyes first on him and then briefly on Alex, before gazing downward.

"Please, brother, let her help. Let us help," Razz said.

Dex's body went limp, and Rile turned to Alex. A nod and the little Anolis was released. Razz took his brother's hand and led him into the bath.

"I've never been in a victory bath before," Zilik said with interest as he approached the pool of iridescent water. His eyes widened with wonder at the shimmering steam rising from its surface. He leaned over to touch and sniff the scented water, his face alive with curiosity.

"Get in," Alex said. "The more the merrier."

"You've lost your inhibitions." Rile slipped into the water.

"Safety in numbers, Rile, safety in numbers," Alex replied.

Rile took a step closer and raised an eye-ridge. "It's me alone you're afraid of?" he asked, hisr voice barely above a whisper.

"Yes." She waded past him. "You alone. Especially when you're alone with me."

*****

Alex found that she couldn't come too close to Razz's brother without a wild look crowding into his eyes. They left the Razz and Dex alone at one end of the bath.

"Zilik, Rile, include me in the master plan. This is the safest place to talk," Alex said.

Zilik adjusted something and the waterfall splashed harder and louder. "I'll bring Rile to the revolutionary's meeting this week."

"I'm coming," Alex said, determination flashing through her eyes.

Zilik and Rile exchanged glances.

"I'm coming," Alex insisted. "Besides, Rile is mine now. He can't go anywhere without my permission."

"Don't play the mistress unless you follow through," Rile warned. He took her hand and kissed it.

"Please," Zilik said. "We will have enough trouble smuggling Rile without you."

Razz cleared his throat, drawing the attention of all three. With a hint of a smirk playing on his lips and a devilish glint in his eye, he spoke up. "There is a way," he began. "Alex is due a victory celebration for her recent success—winning two males in two days is quite an accomplishment. After how she dealt with last night's interruption, I doubt any would dare again. My brother and I will stay in the bedchamber. We will ward off anyone who might try to follow or find our mistress while she is away."

Alex smiled at him. "Thanks, Razz."

"As you wish, mistress." He ignored the dark looks that both Zilik and Rile shot him. When Dex whimpered, Razz whispered to him, "Anything for Alex. Anything she wants."

***