An island in the middle of nowhere. Populated by beautiful women with no one to protect them? If John was a fish then this is the perfect bait to hook him.
To start at the beginning of The Egg of Immorality, find chapter 1
here
. To start the Thirst for Power series fresh, please look for
Enchanted
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The sun had set and only its last rays lit the western sky on fire when Danae's boat was tied off to the docks of Mygela. There were three other docks stretching into the water too. Each dock had a small fishing boat tied up, with nets stored and secured.
"Fish," Artesia said under her breath. "They probably eat a lot of fish."
"I didn't think of fish when I was wondering how they could survive here," John responded to her. "But they'll still need grain and other natural materials."
"Come, I will take you to the council," Danae said.
"An inn would be fine," John assured her. "In the morning--"
"No, all visitors must be brought before the council," Danae said. "It is our way."
"I'd expect them to be with their families," John mused. "But you know your ways far better than I would ever presume to."
Danae's face froze for a moment. She turned and said, "This way, please. It is but a short walk to our town hall."
John checked on his companions and was proud to see them falling into positions that Artesia had assigned and trained them for. She led the way and since Jennaca wasn't with them, Sadie walked by his side. Zynga and Arika were next in line and Helleen trailed behind with her sister at her side.
Danae led them along a road until it reached a small town. The houses were made of stone and mortar, the same as the building at the dock. A lantern hanging from a pole at the edge of the town was lit, but beyond that the hard packed dirt streets that were lit only by the light escaping from unshuttered windows and the fading sunset.
They passed a few narrow streets with houses lining them and then entered into a higher, open area surrounded by a few open buildings. Danae led them across the middle of the bare earth between the buildings to the largest building they'd yet seen on the island.
Danae walked up to the wooden door, turned, and announced proudly. "This is the town hall of Mygela."
John looked at the building and bowed his head. It was a single story like the houses and made of the same stone and dried mud. Unlike the others, it was perhaps the size of two houses, being wider and built up with a higher foundation of packed earth and boulders. "A most impressive building," John offered.
Danae smiled, turned, and led them around the building instead of into it. As they cleared the corner they heard voices and the unmistakable sound of laughter. Another corner later they saw the source of the sounds -- a flat stone roof stood on columns made of stone. Waist high walls made of stone stretched between the pillars but left an opening wide enough for a person to walk through on each side. Through the openings they could see square baths made out of carefully cut and fitted stone. The lip of the baths were lower than the outer walls but they could see the heads of a few women. Clearly the baths were dug down into the ground.
Taller walls separated the baths from each other, though there were gaps in the walls for people to walk from one bath to the next if need be. They could only see two baths from where they were, but the size and shape of the building implied there were four of them total. Each large enough for several people.
A copper pipe several inches across hung over the middle of each tub from the ceiling. John followed the pipes up to the roof with his eyes and saw a large bowl made of hammered copper sitting on the flat roof. "Is that... a reservoir for the water?"
Danae beamed at him. "It is! Rain fills it, but when we need more we fetch water from the lake. We have ropes and pulleys on the other side to lift the buckets."
"That's... impressive," John admitted. "The sun heats the water?"
"It does. We have drains as well to remove dirty water. Come! See for yourself. You must be weary from your travels, it's only fitting that you bathe before meeting the Archon. There is room enough for all of you."
Zynga grinned at John. "You know what they say, cleanliness is next to... hmm, what was it now?"
John blinked. "Who says that?"
The imp rolled her eyes. "Oh just relax, John. Look around you, you're surrounded by a island full of beautiful women! Most of them naked, wet, and eager to please."
"Well, happy to show you around the bath house, at least," Danae said.
John looked at the woman and gave her a nod. "I suppose it would be nice to refresh ourselves."
Danae smiled and led them under the roof. Four women were already in the bath she chose. John slowed when they walked closed enough to see the women washing each other and... more. Helleen squeaked to avoid running into him. Rather than protest, she saw what had slowed him and she came to a stop as well.
"Shut your mouth," Roxanne ribbed her sister.
Helleen clamped her lips together.
"Ladies, I bring visitors," Danae said.
The women in the bath turned or looked up as one. Their expressions shared the same shock that John and his companions showed, but they melted into warm inviting smiles.
"Hello there and welcome to Mygela!" A brunette woman that appeared to be sitting in the lap of a blond said. Her boosted height made it so that most of her breasts were above the water, leaving only the turgid caps hidden from view. "A bounty of new sisters and... a man? Danae, does the Archon know?"
"It seemed rude to impose upon the archon with them unwashed and weary from their travels. They arrived in a marvelous carriage," Danae said.
The brunette stood up and let the water cascade down her muscled body and revealing that her breasts were high and firm, but not as large as her seated position in the water teased them to be. The light from the hanging oil lamp glistened off her wet skin. The dancing flames flattered her curves and she made no move to hide herself from their eyes. "I am Bronetta. I will make arrangements with the archon to greet you when you are ready."
"You're drooling again," Helleen teased her sister when she noticed her staring hungrily at Bronetta.
The blond she'd been using as a bench rose with her. She more than made up for Bronetta's athletic chest with her buxom breasts that cast a shadow over her smooth belly and womanly hips. She gestured at the bath and said, "Please, use this bath to rest and rejuvenate. Ladies, let's leave them to it, I think they have more than enough people to take care of their needs."
The other two women, both with long flowing hair, rose and offered smiles at John and his companions on their way out of the bath. All four women strapped their sandals onto their feet and then gathered their bundles of clothing and moved out of the bath.
Sadie stared after them in shock before asking, "Aren't they going to get dressed before going out in the public."
Danae laughed. "There's a warming house nearby where they will dry off. Then they'll get dressed."
"But...but... they'll be out in the open like that?" she stammered.
"This is acceptable in Mygela," Danae assured her. "Most of us wear clothing such as my dress because it simple, cool, and practical. Any manner is allowed though, including none."
"No clothes?" Sadie whispered. "Surely you must have problems with that. The men would--"
Danae shook her head. "No, we have no problems."
"I've got no problems with it," John offered the priestess.
She fixed him with a scathing glare. "You, of all people, wouldn't! What about other men? Those with baser urges and no civility to tame them?"
