The town lay across the wide river, the river itself between levees and block-stone walls. The increase in the number of small farmsteads had become o...tlying houses, then a full-blown town, the outer reaches of one of Syrisia's large cities. They were close to the Gulf now, two-and-a-half days later. Esfalan and Pylonem had conferred, and agreed that the elves would ride in a shield of the legion-as-infantry. No one could guess what conditions might be like in the town; caution was certainly. Then it happened. A completely innocuous song started and River froze. Her mind reeled. She was back in the lab for a moment. Doctor Mathias was doing something, something her mind shied away from as it usually did when her memories transported her back there. She could hear that same song and realized it had been used to trigger some reaction. She didn't know what the reaction might be. Could it be more violence? No, she would NOT hurt Kaylee no matter what. She clung to the image of Kaylee,. It all came tumbling back. The anger, the frustration and sheer outrage all oozed past the mental door I hid them behind. I tried to push it back, but it refused to accede the ground it had taken. Nancy looked at me oddly and we went up to the counter.The rank injustice infuriated me.When the clerk was free, I spoke up. “Hey. I have two steaks waiting under Billings.”“Two minutes, let me grab them.”He went into the rear of the store and was soon back. “I’m sorry, what was the name?”“Billings.. “You know Jacob doesn’t want to just do you behind the stadium on lunch break, don’t you?” Rachel asked. “Believe me, you want the first time to be relaxed and in a big bed after he’s showered you and oiled your body all over.” I think it was Livy who moaned.“I know,” Desi sighed. “I just get so excited thinking about it that I wet my pants. You aren’t going to back out, are you, Jacob?”“No, but Rachel is right, sweetheart. I don’t just want to bang and run. If we can arrange it, I’d like to.