Jasim hated to admit it, but T did seem to have a point about the security breach. The kitsune were entrenching themselves in defensive positions. He hurriedly ordered the moving of the camp, the rearrangement of the order of battle, and a new set of procedures for taking in kitsune prisoners. T had asked some good questions during the debriefing as well. Presumably, the spirit double had attained some kind of role in the mind of T, clarifying and strengthening it. Jasim privately revised his estimate of the likelihood of T's rescue effort failing from ten in ten to nine in ten.
The white flag business, on the other hand, was completely absurd. If the kitsune were stupid enough to turn this whole thing into a judicial affair, Jasim had them dead to rights on kidnapping, forced transformation, and mental enslavement. The fact that the white flag party were demonstratively grateful to Jasim and his djinn would be another point in his favor. The rescued people's reaction when they realized that the Nazarene was effusively apologizing for the fact that they had been physically and mentally freed from the kitsune and restored to human bodies brought a smile to Jasim's otherwise grim countenance.
Nonetheless, having a party of humans wandering through a djinn encampment was like dangling raw meat in front of a shark. Jasim had the humans transferred to the custody of the peri, an all-female race related to the djinn but lacking their malevolence.
++++++
A few days earlier, after another senses-shattering female orgasm courtesy of Tamthis, Karther realized what he had become.
A concubine.
And with that realization came another one--that he hated Tamthis with an intensity that dwarfed all other hatreds in a long and enemy-filled life.
Now Tamthis was once again asking him for advice--he who should have been in command was now only useful because he knew a few things Tamthis didn't.
Suddenly the fog of resentment in Karther's mind was cut by what Tamthis was saying. It seemed that the kitsune city was being beseiged by ten thousand djinn led by an angel.
TEN THOUSAND DJINN LED BY AN ANGEL!
Tamthis wanted to know what to do. Karther's first response was to find out what terms they wanted, but that was quickly brushed aside. Tamthis brushed aside all of Karther's warnings with an indulgent chuckle, then left to begin to organize defenses and even sorties.
Karther knew that there was one other, only one, kitsune who was not under Tamthis' control. Alexandra. He would have to trust Alexandra more than he had ever trusted anyone. Mustering all his strength, he cast a tiny illusion that would shield the conversation he was about to have from Jennifer, and through Jennifer, Tamthis.
"Yes, my lord?" It felt good that there was someone who still called him lord rather than lady, as most of Tamthis' kitsune did.
"I need you to do something very important to me, but you must keep it a secret."
"Yes!" Alexandra's eyes were bright. Briefly Karther described a secret tunnel he had built into the palace grounds from the beginning, for emergencies. Its hidden entrance was magically protected to survive all the changes that had come to the kitsune habitation, and its exit was still well outside the city walls. "I need you to go to the djinn army, and talk to their leader. Don't say anything to the djinn other than that you need to talk to the angel. Not one word!" Karther knew that impersonating an angel would be child's play for a djinn, but he did not think djinn in an angel-led army would dare this. "When you talk to the angel, offer him the knowledge of the tunnel and its magical passwords, but insist that he promise to spare me and you, and to return to me the power Tamthis took from me. Only tell him where the tunnel is under those conditions! Make the angel promise--angels are strict about keeping promises."
"Yes, my lord." Alexandra was eager to carry out the mission. Maybe now her lord's strength and true gender would be returned, and Tamthis reduced to her true role. Perhaps Karther's gratitude would even raise Alexandra herself as his consort? She hurried off.
++++
"You know" said Janice, actually verbalizing it as she seldom did anymore "there is one thing you have to say for Jasim."
"Really, what's that?" Tabra answered.
"He is a total hunk!"
Stunned silence, followed by a belly laugh from the gut Janice and Tabra shared. "Just once, just once" Janice said between gales of laughter "I wanted to put you at a loss for words."
"So you don't really. . ." Tabra began.
"No, not my type." Janice laughed again.