To one side was a small clearing, complete with a picnic table and benches."I had to call in the bulldozers to help me with this, her father-in-law ex...lained. "It's my design, though. The pond's spring fed and most of the year it's downright cold, which keeps the snakes away." Snakes?" Diana glanced up at him."This is bayou country. There's plenty of cotton mouths around," he answered. "But don't worry. Like I said the water is plenty cold, too cold for them. But on a hot summer's day, this. He’ll be surprised!” Bahren finished laughing.“You are only the third High Protector of the Canbierra history, and the first who isn’t from a Ghallan clan! High Protector means more than two Ghallan clans have sworn their allegiance to you. It also means you’re family now! Come and let me hug you, little sister!” Cybrien lifted and wrapped the giggling Athea up in his arms.“Great, I’m the brother of the Matassaja and High Protector. A few month from now and I’ll probably need a list to remember. Erin offered me coffee, and I accepted. I’d had it a few times before and I was developing a taste for it, but I still preferred to get my caffeine from Coke or Dr Pepper.“Erin, both of you are aware of the rules, right? Of how this works?”“Yes. You play chess and take off one piece of clothing for each piece you lose. And for each pawn, you have to kiss.”“And you are both OK with that?”“Yes!” they said in unison.“And the prizes? Mary told you about that?”“Yes. If you win, we have to suck you.. “It’s straight! I owe you the big ups fah real. You came through for a young nigga tryin’ tah make it today!”“Oh yeah. No problem!”“Can we take a detour to my hotel? I gots a li’l extra payment for the group over there.”“If you’re sure, then yes,” replied the drunk thirty-three year old.“You ain’t gon’ tell my moms or no press and shit, right,” Ced checked.“Naw. We cool. I swear.”“Fah real.”“Yeah. I’m serious.”“Okay cool!”Ced pulled in the parking lot of his hotel. He handed a keycard to the.