CHAPTER 41
I was up early. Still slightly out of synch with local times, and also a little sore in the forearms. The routes with Vern had been fine, apart from the need to fiddle about for ages with those lunatic Aussie bolts. I could imagine how that must push local climbing grades: if you can climb E4 while gibboning like an idiot to place pro, then the silly grades must be that much easier.

I took my laptop down to the kitchen, sneaking past the sleeping beauties and brewing a cuppa as I searched for details about those granite cliffs near ‘Maggie River’. I found a site called ‘The Crag’, which gave decent photo topos as well as rather abbreviated route descriptions, but, well, beggars and choosers. Kettle boiled, tea poured, bowl of cereal before me, and Maryam walked in.

Diva in Disguise Chapter 20

The maid got off the bed and walked purposefully to the door.

I was about to remonstrate further when a light dawned. “This is another wind-up isn’t it? Nice one!”

“How can you be sure?” Consuela glanced back over her shoulder with an arch expression. Then she put her head out of the door and called “Madame!”

Despite her action, I held to my surmise. “I feel sure of you.”

“Well done!” she sighed. “You’re finally joining the human race.”

Mantra tries to juggle two problems at the same time. What she finds out is gut-wrenching, but she has an important job to do and can't afford to get emotionally involved with the local problems of an alternate world. Unfortunately, things have a way of going wrong for Mantra.

Knight Group Banquet:
Susan and Sasha pull up in one of Sasha’s old-style Corvettes and turn it over to the valet. Sasha gets out of the car and hands the key to the valet.

“Please be careful with it.” Sasha didn’t want anything to happen to her old Corvette.

“Yes ma’am.” The young valet accepts the keys from Sasha.

“You know, we could have arrived in the BMW, instead.” As Susan and Sasha walk up the steps together.

“I know, but I wanted to drive my Corvette.” Sasha walks side by side with her wife.

CHAPTER 40
It was a superb evening, to follow a great day, and as the skies darkened, Chad spotted me looking up.

“You’ll be looking for the Cross, Mike. Won’t see it from here. Too much light pollution”

He laughed ruefully.

“And here’s me, from a place that’s all forest, clouds and bloody rain. Hey, Maz? Think we should take this one out for a night in the bush?”

After flubbing a powerful incantation, meant to give newly coronated Demon Queens the wisdom of their ancestors, Devilla Satanne awakens to memories of her past life as Jacob Divington, a human from Earth. Having gained a new perspective on life, she quickly comes to a rather horrifying conclusion: she's been a complete and utter brat! No wonder everyone hates her!

And then there's the fact that she's apparently been reincarnated as the villainess of Tower Conquest, a lesbian porn game with a surprisingly intricate plot. One in which the Heroine conquers Dimona Tower, turning Devilla's people against her in the process. In victory, the Heroine brings about a glorious age of peace between demons and humans for the first time in millennia. ...Which actually sounds pretty good for her people, come to think of it. Devilla knows her terrible behavior is beyond forgiveness, but maybe she can still make up for her past mistakes? She just needs to make sure the events of the game unfold correctly. Though there is one little detail she'd like to change - the part where Devilla herself is killed or enslaved!

The series cover was commissioned from https://twitter.com/HaizeUqei

Chapter 3

When we left the Chancellor’s office, we could hardly stop giggling. There we were, two students who were about to start a year with the University, and all we were asked for was our signatures on her collection of books!

We utilised the campus map we had been given and went around to look at the various buildings where we would have been studying, then found the canteen for a drink and talk.

“It looks as if the President has spoken to the Chancellor and sealed our fate.”

“That was interesting.” Cindy wondered where they were heading next.

“You weren’t bored, sweetie?” Jerry looks at his girlfriend. He knew she wasn’t into musical instruments and such.

“Nope, I liked seeing how excited you get around your favorite instruments.” Cindy leans forward and places a kiss on Jerry’s cheek.

“Now, that the instruments are taken care of. We need to buy some outfits for the gig and arrange what songs we're going to play.” Kassidy knew they needed something unique to make them stand out.

Chapter 2

When it comes to convenience, Mechelen really sits in the right place. Just over twenty kilometres from the campus in Antwerp, and a similar distance to the centre of Brussels and the EU headquarters. That was where some of Elaine’s family worked. Her uncle Jules was part of the security detail in the main building, while Juliette, his wife, was a secretary in the office of one of the Belgian Commissioners. There were three children, all who had left home and lived in Brussels.

Diva in Disguise Chapter 19

After lunch I was engaged in doing the dishes after clearing away. I had been left alone to complete these chores as Madeleine had engaged my co-worker in other duties, a circumstance I found unamusing. After I’d finished, I tossed the dishtowel in the laundry basket and moodily marched upstairs to the maid’s room. I was at an all-time low. That dark cloud threatened to engulf me whichever way I turned.

“She’s probably dead anyway,” said Hote, his voice flatter and distracted.

“Irish Dancing? Isn't that the rubbish where they keep their arms straight by their sides?" Nick peered myopically at the bulletin board. The poster actually showed a line of girls high kicking in unison, ponytails flying and, yes, arms held rigidly at their sides.

I shook my head, more to myself than anything. It really was a mystery to me how he'd made it to college with so little going on between his ears.

The next morning, I arrived at the Royal Oak just before 09:00. I was pleasantly surprised to find that Casey was waiting for me. She looked much better than she had when I dropped her off, the previous lunchtime.

“Good morning, Casey.”

In 2026, the United States embarked on a daring and audacious endeavor: testing a new weapon intended to replace atomic weapons. This singularity bomb, a marvel of cutting-edge technology, was engineered to unleash the destructive power of traditional nuclear weapons without any of the radioactive fallout. However, the test didn't unfold as planned.