The Edge of Madness (ClearSight x Javorcek)

[ClearSight]

Footsteps echoed through the halls of a dimly lit dungeon; heavy metal boots fell against stone in a steady march. A guard was on patrol, moving indifferently past each cell, not even bothering to hold up his lantern and taking a second look. There was only one cell he paused in front of, his eyes looking past the thick bars at the prisoner locked inside.

A woman sat in the corner, beyond the reach of the lantern’s light. Her head hung down, dirty black hair covering her face. Her legs were pulled in, and her hands were wrapped loosely around her knees, clasped in thick iron manacles. She was motionless, the only sign of life the occasional draw of labored breath.

The guard release a soft sigh, a trace of empathy flittering across his eyes. She was barely older than his daughter, but her fate was to die.

The woman raised her head when the echo of footsteps receded into the distance, bright violet eyes peering through tangled raven locks. Her body had been beaten and deprived until she was more shattered than whole, but her frailty didn’t extend to her spirit.

Amelia Reinhart, Princess of Periodica, was soon to be executed beneath the full moon, but she refused to fall to despair. The Evernight Empire wanted to show they could not be defied, to make an example of her, but at most they would make her a martyr.

A calm smile played at her cracked lips. Her body screamed in pain with every movement, she had been abused and humiliated, but they hadn’t been able to take the one thing they wanted most, her dignity. She would walk towards her execution with her head held high and show the world that the tyrants they so feared could be defied and that there were scarier things than death.

 

[Javorcek]

Soft footsteps padded on the cold stone stairs as Michelle made her way down to the kitchens. She prayed no one heard the thundering of her heart in her chest, or if they did, they ignored. Once she managed her way to the kitchens, she cleared her throat, “Excuse me, Cook, the Princess has forgotten her dinner again. Could I please trouble you for a plate?” Michelle offered her most disarming smile even though it probably wasn’t necessary. Her Mistress often became so wrapped up in her books that she missed meals. But still, she was nervous. If her actions were found out, it wouldn’t matter that she was the princess’ handmaiden; the feral King Adrian would have her executed...and probably his own sister to boot.

“Of course, does the Princess have any requests or...?”

“You know her highness, anything will do.”

The cook nodded and then went to prepare something for the princess personally, leaving Michelle alllllllllll alone with the pot of stew that was meant for the royal guard. Poor bastards She poured in the vial of her Mistress’ concoction: castor oil, senna, and a few other herbs to hide the taste. She stirred the pot and hid the empty vial back in her skirts. Step one of her Mistress’ plan was done...now on to step two.

———————-

Breathe. Breathe. Breathe.

The plan. She had a plan. She had a plan and it was going to work.

Why was it going to work...?

Because there is no other way.

The prisoner was going to be executed in the morning. Sarah needed a way out -now-. This was her only option. This, or death.

She took another deep breath and tried to stifle down the panic as her ears strained. Michelle had done her part of the plan well. At midnight when the shifts had changed, the new patrols had only had a half hour or so of peace before having their insides cleared out. Sarah hadn’t passed a single guard on her way down to the dungeons and now was left free to steal keys and make her way deeper into belly of the castle.

Soon she came upon the cell that housed their most dangerous prisoner. Crystals that inhibited the flow of mana were part of the architecture here. Carefully, she put in the key and swung the cell door open, cringing as the door creaked and groaned on its hinges.

Unfortunately what she saw in the cell didn’t shock her, her brother and mother were less than kind to their prisoners. Still, her lips pursed and her brown wrinkled as she looked upon a woman who was no older than she was and whose position was none less than hers. “Princess Amelia.” Polite as always, Sarah referred to the beaten down mage by her title. “I am here to break you free.” The wolf gulped and steadied herself a bit because she was not used to giving ultimatums. “But I have one condition: I wish for safe passage out of Evernight. I want you to take me with you as you flee.”


Sarah took the guard’s keys out from under her robe and showed them to the mage to hopefully further entice her. “Guarantee me freedom later and I will grant you freedom now.”

 

[ClearSight]

Tattered clothes and drafty walls allowed the chill to seep into Amelia’s bones. Torture and the discomfort from chains and the stone floor kept her in constant pain. Her only escape was the memory of her home.

Amelia’s head was down, and her eyes were closed as she envisioned places and people from her home. Small comforts for what was to be her final hours.

It was a rather pitiful end, but as mad as King Adrian was, he was thorough. Her wounds were severe, but it was the annulite that kept her in a powerless state. She was weak, and without her magic, she couldn’t escape her cell, much less fight her way out of the secure dungeon. From every angle, she was locked into her current fate.

So, she allowed her mind to wander, from her family and friends to the city and palace she was raised in. It was for them she had ventured into the heart of Evernight because what was going on couldn’t be allowed to continue.

The Mad King had turned his eyes to Periodica, the city of magic. He wanted to start a war, one that had been bubbling beneath the surface for far too long, but he lacked opportunity. He found it in the form of annulite.

She had traveled to Evernight when others refused, to discover what their plans were and, if possible, throw a wrench in them. She had been wildly unsuccessful.

At least she had thoughts of home.

She wandered through the palace gardens as she sat in her cell, nearly able to touch and smell the spring flowers. It was the soft sound of leather on stone that returned her to the damp, sour scent of her cell.

Guards wore metal armor; plate mail making a distinctive sound against the floors. Nobles wore leather, and they only entered the dungeon to exact further torment. She raised her head, curious who her latest tormentor would be.

“You’re not who I was expecting.”

King Adrian’s sister, Sarah. A woman she had yet to meet, and the person she least expected to find standing in front of her.

Violet eyes shone brightly from the dark corner of the room, locked on the single member of the Evernight Empire’s royal family with a decent reputation. It wouldn’t be surprising to learn that even she was a monster.

The offer of freedom caught her off guard, but there was no excitement on her face. The only emotion displayed at the newly found hope was a shudder that vanished as quickly as it appeared.

Could she be trusted? It was the first question that crossed her mind, followed quickly after by. Did it matter?

It wasn’t as if she had another option aside from being put to death. The only consideration was whether it was a plot, that after failing to break her, King Adrian had chosen to embed a spy. It would be a clever tactic, and she didn’t doubt for a second that the Mad King would use his own sister as a convincing pawn.

“It’s an attractive offer, but you’re not the only one with a condition.”

Amelia appeared to be in the weaker position, but if Sarah was seeking her out, a prisoner in her brother’s dungeons, her own situation was bleak. She could reduce the risks.

“You free me, and I’ll bring you safely out of Evernight, but first you have to give me a reason to trust you. After all, considering what’s already been done to me, I wouldn’t be surprised if you’re simply another attempt to gain something from me.”

“We form a Soul Contract. Our lives will become irrevocably linked, but I will give you your freedom and can trust you with mine.”

A Soul Contract was extreme, but it would remove trust from the equation. All it required was a short ceremony, and all she needed was the use of her hands. She looked up at Sarah and lifted her hands, dragging the chains across the floor as she revealed chafed wrists clasped in iron.

 

[Javorcek]

The absolute hatred of mages belonged entirely to Sarah’s brother and mother (maybe even her father, but he had passed away when Sarah had been young so she couldn’t remember.) King Adrian saw them as dangerous beings who subverted the natural order of things with their magic. The Queen Mother spread tales of their savagery and had an overall disgust for them. The entire royal court had bought into this hatred and distrust and used it to justify the impending war on mages. It was the duty of werewolves to contain the mage menace!!! (And also claim their coastal territory for their own)

Sarah on the other hand didn’t really have an opinion on mages, nor did she see a point in acquiring a coastal territory when they had no navy to speak of. She had never met a mage before, had never even seen one herself until Princess Amelia had been dragged into the royal court. At first glance, at least to her, they didn’t seem to be anything menacing. Granted, Amelia had been wearing an annulite collar, but still, she didn’t look like a barbarian or savage at least. Besides, Sarah didn’t see the point in going to war with mages one way or another. Why fight a nation who does not stray from its own borders?

Sarah had been anticipating this mage questioning her motives due to her people’s hatred. She has practiced the response, but she ended up delivering it with more emotion than intended. “Just because I do not wear chains, does not mean that I am not a prisoner here as well.” Her gaze hardened into a glare, letting the mage know this was a sore subject. Sarah’s fate was not her own, and that bothered the young wolf greatly. While she was not destined for execution, to her that would almost be a relief. Sarah was an omega, she was to be a bargaining chip for her brother to forge alliances, forced to marry a man that repulsed her.

She thought that would be end of it, but the mage pressed on, wanting a more...tangible agreement. “I am not here to go from being one royal pawn to another.” A growl in her voice now, a slight peeling of her lips. Omega though she was, Sarah was still definitely a wolf. “If you think for one second that I will —-“

Suddenly her demeanor changed, her head perked up, her ears strained. She heard footsteps, thudding, metal footsteps; far away but no doubt coming to resume their patrol. They didn’t have long to keep arguing. She had to make a decision now. It is just magic, it cannot bind you, not truly. Wolves didn’t have an immunity to magic, but they definitely had a resistance. But still, she didn’t want to be bound to anyone, not even a little bit!!! Well if you don’t do something now, you’ll be forcibly bound to someone your brother picks.

Alright. Fine. She’d do the stupid Soul Contract thingy. From her understanding, it was similar to a mating bond just without the mating part.

“Grrrrr… you may bind our destinies together but nothing else!” Sarah huffed, looking less than pleased. She quickly undid the girl’s locks and helped her out of her chains, trying to put them on the ground as quietly as possible. “The guards will be back on patrol soon. We must hurry.”

 

[ClearSight]

Amelia had seen Sarah before, standing with her family in their royal court. The wolf stood next to her brother, watching from above as guards shoved Amelia onto her knees in front of the Mad King. The sadistic grin and cruel gaze of her brother and mother overshadowed her mildly sympathetic gaze, and she failed to leave much of an impression.

She was probably a kind person, but what was that worth when she couldn’t even express herself for fear of her family? Or so Amelia had thought. The woman in front of her at that moment was far more impressive.

Sarah was a strong woman, willing to walk away from everything she had ever known to retain her freedom. Fleeing from oppression may have seemed like the obvious choice, but it was never that easy. It took strength, willpower Amelia would never have thought the soft looking woman capable of. Her brother probably felt the same, never imagining his sister’s rebellious thoughts.

“You won’t be a pawn, Sarah, I promise,” Amelia spoke firmly, extending her arms out. She would help her, there was no reason not to. Even if she were being selfish, helping Sarah was helping herself.

What will the people of Evernight think when even a member of the royal family turns away from the Mad King?

War was coming, her people would need every advantage they could grasp.

The removal of her bindings was the first step for both of them. As the shackles slid from her wrists and ankles, she found the freedom she never thought she would have again. She was still weak, the torture and malnourishment from her time in captivity made it difficult for her to stand, but she did.

Amelia steadied herself against the wall, letting her legs grow accustomed to her weight. She was lighter, but they were weaker.

When she was sure she wouldn’t fall, she turned to Sarah. “Thank you, I owe you my life. Once the Soul Contract is made, I will repay what I owe.”

She took a wobbly step forward, closing the gap between herself and Sarah. Her hand moved from the wall to Sarah’s shoulder, and she closed her eyes.

Soul Contracts didn’t require mana, it dealt with the soul. Under normal circumstances it was a rather straightforward thing, two people made promises and used their very life as the collateral. Nobody knew how it worked, but everyone knew that if a Soul Contract were broken, the very soul of the one who broke it would undergo great torment.

Amelia was doing something even more binding. It was a Soul Contract, but it was one handed down through her family. It was called Entwining, and there was no greater bond. It was used only between the most intimate of partners in Periodica. Under normal circumstances, she would never go so far, but she had to.

Firstly, it ensured they couldn’t betray one another; They would be bound inseparably. Most importantly, it would give Amelia the strength she needed.

Amelia was weak, but linking herself to Sarah would help restore her strength, and if they were going to escape Evernight they couldn’t afford to waste time needed for her to recover naturally.

“Okay, Sarah, in a moment you’re going to feel something strange, do not resist.” She had already prepared, and after she spoke the process began.

Sensory overload almost sent Amelia back to the ground as the Entwining occurred, unfamiliar emotions enveloping her. Another presence aside from her own seemed to invade her consciousness, but she didn’t push it away. It was warm, comforting, and despite the disorientation, it felt pleasant.

It only lasted for a moment, and even then it didn’t disappear entirely. Amelia felt her legs steady as a surge of strength returned to her, and she opened her eyes once again, finding Sarah’s face right in front of hers.

In a haze she leaned forward, doing what she had seen others do after the Entwinement, she kissed her.

She realized her mistake instantly, but she couldn’t bring her lips to stop. The strange closeness she had just felt lingered, and the lip lock felt natural. It was almost an extension of the pleasant melding she had experienced.

 

[Javorcek]

”Don’t resist.” How can you tell someone not to resist and then expect them not to resist while you’re invading their very soul?! It was difficult for the young wolf to remain calm a normal day, while fleeing for her life and being asked to be bound to this mage, relaxed was not a state she could find herself in. But she tried; huffing softly, still reluctant, but putting forth the effort to not panic of cry out.

And cry out she wished to.

Her entire body felt as though she had caught on fire. As if searing pain wasn’t enough, she couldn’t breath, couldn’t scream if she wanted to, it was as if her lungs were filled with a liquid that was not there. An invisible, boulder sized weight fell on to her shoulders and the only thing that kept her on her feet was sheer force of will. She would not kneel to pain, she would bend like a tree in the wind, and she refused to break.

As quickly as sensory overload had invaded her body, it was gone, leaving her with a sense of...warmth? Solace? Support? It was difficult to describe. She felt almost…lighter, like something she had been carrying all this time had been set free. Perhaps it is the part of my soul that Amelia now carries. And she also felt something else, a consciousness not her own. It was separate from her wolf; the part of her that was wild was a presence she was familiar with. This was something else...something that hummed with a power that she couldn’t tell if she liked or not.

That power came forward with lips pressing to hers, startling the young wolf. The omega in her cried out for her to yield, to melt into the embrace of a strong potential mate. Part of her rational mind was furious, another bit wished to flee, and an overwhelming majority of her was deciding that it didn’t like this invasion of her personal space. Sarah of the house of Canid was not to be kissing strangers! So, she did what any proud omega with a shred of dignity would do; drawing her hand back and slapping Amelia right across the face. Sarah looked a bit surprised at herself as she did so. Proud as she may be, she wasn’t used to striking anyone outside of a training ring.

“I will deal with...this later.” Sarah motioned between the two of them exasperatedly, refraining from yelling at Amelia only because they didn’t have the time. “We must leave. Now.” The footsteps were getting closer, their window was closing, they need to go. So Sarah grabbed Amelia by the hand and pulled, hurriedly sneaking the two of them down the hallways of the dungeon and out a hidden exit on this level that came out to a muddy, brambly patch of land.

They had to sneak around the edge of the castle and towards the stables. “We will take the horses. But...they will come and you will need to slow them down. You can do that, right?” Sarah whispered in a hushed voice as she tugged Amelia among. She stopped when her ears picked up movement, pushed forward when the way was clear until finally the two of them made it to the stables. There, her handmaiden was waiting for them with the horses. Werewolf though she was, it was exhausting for an omega to maintain her form without the help of the moon. Even the weakest Alpha soldier would be able to catch her after an hour or two of chase.

 

[ClearSight]

Amelia lost herself briefly. As a genius who transcended the limitations of age and stood beside those far older than herself, she was confident in her understanding of all magic. Yet, she had overestimated her knowledge about the Entwining.

There should have been pain or discomfort, a side effect of joining two souls together as one, but she didn’t feel anything unpleasant. She felt relaxed, and her guard dropped long enough for her rationality to grow foggy as passion overtook her.

On instinct, Amelia pressed her lips against Sarah’s, capturing them in a fiery kiss she had never expected to be capable of. Amelia wasn’t a passionate person, but it felt natural as if what she was doing was the only sensible thing to do. The small voice that told her it was a mistake was swallowed up in what only became a more profound and more passionate embrace.

She is mine.

It was a declaration of possessiveness that startled her, but only after she was snapped back to reality by a loud slap. Her stinging cheek was the stimulation she needed to pull herself away, her eyes widening slightly at the uncharacteristic state she had just been in. It was hard for her to believe what she had done, that she had lost control, but the taste of Sarah was still fresh on her lips.

Magic required a great deal of self-control. From a young age, Amelia had been taught how to control her gift, and herself pushed to ensure that even during combat she didn’t waver. Her kiss with Sarah was the first time since childhood she failed to live up to her training.

Her first instinct was to apologize for doing something so rash, but her intuition told her it wasn’t the time. They needed to leave, and she couldn’t understand what happened, much less explain herself. As much as it bothered Amelia to be seen as a lecherous cretin, she would have to ignore what just happened until they managed to escape. She just hoped she still had a shred of trust left after the kiss, her reputation and promises of freedom no doubt severely undermined by the forceful display.

Actions spoke louder than words. She couldn’t offset what she had done with words, but she planned to make up for it with further action. She took a deep, calming breath as Sarah grabbed her hand and shook the rest off, her eyes hardening with determination as they moved through the winding halls.

The further they got from her cell, the strong Amelia felt. She was still battered and weak, but by the time they reached the secret exit she could feel her magic responding to her call. It was still inadequate, but just feeling its return was enough. There was a chance they could escape.

If she had to rely on physical prowess, she had no confidence they could escape. Even if she wasn’t in terrible form after the cruelties of the Mad King’s interrogations, Amelia was no match for the prowess of even the weakest wolf. Her magic was the only chance, and it was returning faster than she anticipated, giving her confidence in the face of Sarah’s expectations.

“I can, the difficult part will be-” She started, only for the sound of footsteps and hurried voices to reach her ears. She was going to say the difficult part would be getting out of the city before being caught, but it seemed to be too late for that.

The vital part became leaving the city before the gates were shut. Amelia was restricted in the city, she couldn’t cast magic as she wanted without involving innocent people. It was the reason she had been captured, to begin with, and the reason they needed to escape before the city locked down.

“We have to go. Now.” Amelia didn’t have time to think about what she was doing. She moved off of a newfound instinct, grabbing Sarah in her arms and pushing her battered body across the final stretch between them and the stables.

Amelia moved with a speed and grace that didn’t belong to her, not stopping even as they reached the horses. She jumped, landing on top of one with the wolf princess still struggling in her arms. She didn’t take time to appreciate the impressive feat, instead determined to leave as quickly as possible, knowing it wouldn’t take long for the guards to catch her scent.

She properly steadied Sarah onto the horse and pushed it into a gallop, not planning on stopping until she left the werewolf city far behind.

---

Michelle had done everything to ensure Sarah’s escape would go according to plan. Even if she thought breaking a mage out of the dungeon was ridiculous she had followed the princess’ orders down to the last detail.

The only bright side to everything was that it provided Michelle with a chance of her own. She didn’t plan on staying behind, having prepared not two horses but three, as well as a rather persuasive speech about why she should be allowed to go with them. After all, she couldn’t allow her princess to venture out on her own!

Yet, she didn’t have a chance to deliver her well-practiced speech. The moment she caught sight of Sarah, right as she was preparing the first word on the tip of her tongue, she saw a shocking scene. Her princess was kidnapped!

“What do you think you’re doing?!” Michelle forgot herself, yelling in a panicked voice at what she perceived to be the forceful snatching of her princess.

No doubt due to her loud shout, the sound of footsteps hastened, causing Michelle to curse beneath her breath. The calm and gentle look she often presented crumbled, and her eyes sharpened as jumped on her own horse to give chase. She couldn’t let some mage take Sarah, even if she was in the awkward position of running from one side while chasing another.

 

[Javorcek]

“What are you-?!” Sarah let out a rather undignified squeak as she was manhandled into Amelia’s arms. One second she had been leading them along, the next she found herself being gathered up and sprinted off with. “Put me down!” She hissed. She was trying not to be loud but this was ridiculous! She wasn’t some frail thing that needed to be carried about! Her instinct to struggle could not be suppressed, her mind telling her that the less freedom of movement she had, the more likely she’d be caught.

She was waayyyy too annoyed at being treated like some helpless omega to even marvel at the fact that this mage was sprinting with this much body weight in her arms. That she should not have been able to leap onto the horse while carrying a full grown werewolf.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Well it looks like she’d be caught anyways. So much for the guards attempting to fix their mistake without alerting the entire noble line of Evernight.

Ideally, she had expected the guards to try to quietly capture them as to not receive the ire of her brother. Such a plan would afford them enough time to escape before the guards on the wall could shut the gate. Unfortunately, the prospect of losing their prisoner -and- their Princess shifted their reaction into Sarah’s worst case scenario. Now she was in a panic, searching for her back up plan while riding on a galloping horse while another individual was in her way. Where is it?!?! Where is it, where is it where is it?! Sarah was checking all pockets of the few packs that she had dared weigh their horse down with. Finally she felt a small bag full of sandy, grainy material; then another, and another.

As they neared their escape, she steadied herself on the saddle and then took aim for the torches and braziers near the controls for the gate. Sarah had practiced this at least a thousand times before today, of all the fears she had, missing her targets was not one of them. Her plan to escape her own home had been in the works for nearly a year now; she had just required a catalyst. With remarkable precision (for an omega Princess anyways), each packet full of flour, sawdust, and magnesium exploded into giant plumes of dust. The impaired guards coughed and sputtered just short of the gate, and Sarah urged the horse onward, luckily the creature seeming to understand that what was behind them was more dangerous than the cloud of dust in front of them.

As they cleared the wall, she heard shouts behind them. One of the captains was yelling at the guards to take up arrows and shoot them. Then there was a female voice screaming that the mage had kidnapped the princess and to not shoot. Sarah turned around to see none other than her trusty handmaiden bearing down on them with her own horse.

As far as surprises went, this wasn’t necessarily a bad one. Michelle was acting a hero, pretending to save her, and actually really saving her from a swarm of arrows. Unfortunately without any other way to put an end to this chase, the Alpha guards all began to shift. A great howl rose up from the city and it wouldn’t be long before a squadron of werewolves was on their tail.

 

[ClearSight]

Escaping the city was supposed to be the tricky part. They had been discovered, and Amelia was still recovering, but Sarah had ensured their success. Even without magic, the wolf princess was capable of creating chaos, buying them just enough time to exit the city before the guards reached the gate.

Impressive.

A slight grin found its way to Amelia’s face despite their situation. She couldn’t help herself, because the girl she had thought would be a burden was proving more useful than herself. Even her handmaiden was chasing them down, providing a convincing reason for the guards to stay their hands. Not that a few arrows would have stopped Amelia, but it bought her time.

The time it took the guards to shift and catch up was enough time to leave the city far behind. The wall and the buildings behind it grew smaller, and Amelia finally found herself at ease, knowing she could go wild without fear.

The distance between them and the wolves continued to narrow, but Amelia looked more at ease than ever. She didn’t even bother getting off the road and heading towards the trees off in the distance, slowing the horse and turning it to face the werewolves on their heels.

“Be at ease Sarah, allow me to show you my worth.” Amelia’s arms reached past Sarah, bringing their bodies close as they extended outwards. Amelia didn’t shy away, too focused on controlling her magic to mind the warmth and skinship.

It wasn’t easy for her to cast magic in her current state. It wasn’t just her lack of mana, but she had been inexplicably distracted since the Entwining. It only took her a moment to adapt though, taking a deep breath as a gentle breeze started from her hands and pushed outwards.

The sound of wind on a still night was calming, but what started as a gentle wind soon transformed into a roaring gale. The werewolves that had nearly reached them were stopped in their tracks, struggling to move forward another inch.

“I will protect you,” Amelia spoke softly, but her voice brought the werewolves struggle to an end. The guards, who had been holding on until that point, were sent flying backward, soaring through the air before smashing into the ground a considerable distance away. For Sarah’s sake, she had pushed herself to use a non-lethal spell, but that was where Amelia’s mercy ended. There was a chance, even in their wolf state, a few would never get back up. The exception was the handmaiden, who Amelia had avoided.

“I haven’t kidnapped your princess, so you should go back.” Amelia didn’t say anything else. She was trying to put on a strong front in case the woman didn’t believe her or in the event any of the guards were still conscious, but she was drained. Amelia hadn’t had enough time away from the annulite, and even taking care of a handful of alphas was exhausting. She was breathing heavily, leaning onto Sarah ever so slightly for support.

---

Michelle caught up but found herself frozen atop her horse as she watched the guards be dispatched with ease. Yet, no matter how nervous she was, there was no way in hell she was just going back.

“First of all, you’ve taken care of a few city guards, congratulations, the guards are where we put weaklings who can’t make it in the military.” Michelle snorted, walking her horse closer as she inspected Sarah. The princess seemed fine, and after meeting her eyes, she realized she had been wrong about the kidnapping part. She had already assumed, but she still felt silly.

“Secondly, I’m not going anywhere. My job as the princess’ handmaiden won’t end just because she leaves the palace. Besides, there’s no way I’m going back and facing her brother’s wrath.” She shot Sarah a glance, pleading with her silently to not make her return to what would only be a living hell.

 

[Javorcek]

When she looked over her shoulder, Sarah saw glowing eyes and flashes of fur gaining on them, heard the snarls and howls of a horde of ferocious werewolves. So when Amelia slowed their horse and turned it around, she was a little less than pleased. Everything in Sarah wanted to push forward, to get away from the danger behind them as quickly as possible, not turn around and be a sitting duck!

This was the part of the plan that had always terrified her. Every scenario she had dreamt of had ended like this: escaping the walls only to be dragged back by the Alphas in the guard. Having a taste of freedom only to brought back to a fate worse than death. All the planning in the world could not guarantee her safety and so she had had to put her faith in this wild card: the mage. A thrill ran down her spine at the promise of protection, her inner omega just about preening in front of this mage that was close enough to an Alpha for her. Grrr...stop that!

Uninvited feelings of attraction aside, the idea of a creature being able to manipulate the elements fascinated her. Sure, Sarah could change her actual physical being. But a mage could change things they weren’t even touching! The gust of air that rushed past them picked up speed, bending grass and branches and flinging grown wolves backwards. Sarah cringed a as her sensitive hearing picked up the thuds of bodies, cracks of bones, and the yelps of pain….but she couldn’t feel too sorry for them. They certainly would have taken her back to her brother with no remorse for the omega’s fate.

“Thank you…” Sarah turned and offered a soft smile to Amelia once the mage had dispatched the wolves. She brought a hand to the other girl’s side; having noticed her exhaustion and feeling a bit of it herself; Sarah was ready to catch her in case she fell out of the saddle.

As Michelle approached, her smile only grew. It was difficult to form friendships in a nobility that thrived in backstabbing, let alone when your brother was so cruel to anyone who crossed him or his family. Michelle was the closest thing Sarah had to a friend and it was good to see her here...even if that wasn’t according to plan. After her handmaiden has spoken, Sarah bit her lower lip, indecision plastered on her face. She could never have asked Michelle to give up her comfortable position in the castle and follow her into an unknown future. Nor could she afford to compensate her for her services. “I cannot repay you, Michelle; but you are always welcome by my side.”

It was settled now, Michelle would come and they would push forward into the night.

They kept going until dawn, crossing creeks and streams, making loops to confuse others to their scent. When the sun rose, they stopped to make camp. It would be harder for wolves to change form without the help of the moon so they should be safe for a short rest.

 

[ClearSight]

They had escaped the city and temporarily rid themselves of their pursuers, but Amelia was still uncomfortable. She wasn’t worried about being caught now that her magic had returned, but there was something still weighing heavily on her mind. Her strange emotional state.

She had severely underestimated the Entwining. The unique soul contract had caused changes she didn’t understand, such as her massively improved physical capabilities and her the impulsive kiss before. She was having trouble maintaining the sense of calm she prided herself on.

Is it because of who I Entwined myself to?

Amelia was a highly talented mage, but even she didn’t understand everything about magic. As intelligent and prodigal as she was, there were times when even she could only guess. Currently, she was doing just that, guessing, but it was a reasonable assumption. Sarah was the reason for the changes, physically and emotionally.

The Entwining had connected their very souls, in a way Amelia quickly realized she didn’t completely understand. A basic soul contract was only meant as an insurance measure, but they had gone far beyond that. There was an intimacy to their bond, one strong enough that Amelia was being influenced by Sarah’s wolf, something that should be impossible.

I… Want her.

The very thought made Amelia flinch. She had never had such intentions, yet she had kissed Sarah and was now thinking such inappropriate thoughts.

Sarah was a beautiful woman, but Amelia hadn’t had thoughts of lust or affection when they met, she had been calm. Amelia was always calm, even cold when it came to intimacy. She didn’t have time to it. As the future leader of Periodica, she pushed herself to be perfect. Studies, magic, learning to manage the mage haven, she took it all on herself.

Her desire for Sarah was a drastic change. She found herself having to fight against urges to press against her, to touch her, to bite at her cute little ear or her soft neck. It had been growing worse as they rode on, to the point that Amelia’s mind was hazy.

She could barely hold on until they found a place to stop, but when they did, she leaped from the horse, putting space between her and Sarah. Amelia needed fresh air, her mind a mess after a night of breathing in Sarah’s intoxicating scent.

“You’re both welcome in Periodica.” Amelia offered a smile as the two talked, trying to play off her strange actions with a disarming look. She still wasn’t completely rational, her eyes flashing with desire when she looked at Sarah.

Amelia turned her head away, trying to hide the look, though Michelle seemed to catch it. Great, it wasn’t as if she hadn’t already lost enough credibility during the first leg of their escape.

“I’ll gather some wood so we can make a small fire.” She offered, turning to leave before matters grew worse. She could use a few minutes to herself to calm down.

Michelle watched Amelia like an eagle until she left, only then getting down from her horse and moving to help Sarah dismount.

“I’m not sure you should follow that woman.” She sighed. As if they had options.

She walked the horses over to a nearby tree to secure them before reaching into one of the bags and pulling out a blanket she had prepared. She returned to the princess’ side and laid it out on the ground. The blanket was probably too beautiful to use outside, but she couldn’t have the princess sitting on dirt.

Amelia wasn’t gone for long enough though, returning with wood almost immediately, making the irritable handmaiden curse the mage’s efficiency. She hadn’t even had time to try and dissuade Sarah from following her yet!

Amelia returned quickly with a bundle of sticks. Everything was easier with magic, even mundane tasks if one was willing to spare the energy. As if to prove the unspoken point she walked past the girls and made a fire pit with earth magic before stacking the sticks inside and igniting them with a flick of her hand and a mutter beneath her breath.

A flame cropped up crackling with delight as it started to devour the paltry meal of dry wood. With a satisfied smile on her face, she turned to Sarah. A small, uncharacteristic desire to impress had formed in her chest, but she managed to snuff it out by the time their eyes met.

Control yourself.

She took a seat and enjoyed the warmth. The dungeon had always been cold. Unfortunately, the moment of relaxation was disturbed by the hostile glare of a certain handmaiden, the girl glaring at her intensely.

It was only then she considered her first impression as a kidnapper, causing an awkward look to appear on her face. Worse was the fact that her first impression on Sarah was likely worse. Amelia needed to explain herself, and it was as good a time as any for the overdue apology.

“Sarah, I know that my actions may have caused you some degree of discomfort previously, but I assure you that was not intended. I’ll be honest with you, our connection after the Entwining has exceeded my expectations, and well... “ She paused, almost embarrassed at her blunder and what she had to admit to explain herself. “I’ve had moments of impulsive and possessive thoughts ever since the ceremony. I believe it has to do with the influence of your wolf.” As if to prove her point, she reached up and pointed to a symbol on her neck.

The triquetra was a common sight in Periodica. Each mage gained their own upon awakening to their powers. For most, it would be a single color representative of their element, but Amelia’s was special. As a member of the royal family, she was capable of using any element, and like her eyes, her triquetra was violet. Yet, the Entwining had changed even that, the curves of the symbol, something that had remained the same since her childhood, was now outlined with shimmering gold.

 

[Javorcek]

————————-
“My Lord…” The Captain of the guard bowed his head low before the king, willing himself to not shake in fear as he delivered the news of the mage’s escape.

“You mean to tell me...you lost a broken mage and an omega… And the only person who even made it -close- to apprehending them as a pathetic little handmaiden?!!!!!” Adrian’s voice rose in volume and fury. He stood from his throne, shaking in fury, “FIND THEM!!!” The wolf roared, his voice echoing off the walls of the grand hall.

The mage was useless to him, a mere toy for him to play with and a way to break Periodica’s spirit while they mourned their lost princess. But his sister...his beautiful little omega breeding bitch of a sister...he needed her. She was the key to his alliance with the kingdom of Berges, a nation with an impressive naval fleet. With Berges and Evernight allied together, there would be no stopping them when he finally marched on Periodica.

“Bring me my precious sister back,” The King spat. “Put a bounty on her head if you have to.” His eyes narrowed dangerously as he added, “She is to be alive, unmarked, and have her purity intact...make sure your contacts understand that they will not be paid otherwise.”

—————

Sarah was glad to be off of her horse by the time they had finally stopped. Not that she disliked horse riding; she just preferred to do it in a saddle that wasn’t occupied by another person. Amelia’s presence so close to her was...uncomfortably intimate. Her rational mind wanted to be an appropriate distance from a stranger she had just met less than 24 hours ago, while her omega just wanted to lean back and snuggle herself into the tall, powerful mage...maybe lean up and nuzzle at her chin...turn and find her pulse point to nibble… Alright! That is quite enough! she scolded her wolf, bringing herself to focus as she separated herself from Amelia and set up their little camp.

They hadn’t brought much in the way of food or camping supplies. Sarah had managed to sneak enough gold coin and precious stones to buy a small building wherever she went; probably a little shop she could also live in. (Somewhere she could pursue her hobby of growing plants and mixing salves and potions.) Part of her packing space was devoted to the tonics and powders she needed to suppress her omega nature if she got into heat...and others still to calm her mind.

Werewolves didn’t need much to survive. If she needed food she could shift and hunt; or if it was too cold she could find cover and stay warm in her own fur. It would be tiring, of course, but nothing extra food and a slower pace couldn’t fix. Most of the ‘camping essentials’ that had been packed were for the mage, and obviously far too fine to be considered ‘camping’ anything because they had come from Sarah’s quarters. The wolves hadn’t known what exactly what it would take to make her die from exposure or hunger and wanted to be on the safe side by packing extra blankets and a change of clothes. And it was nice now to have a comfort from home as she sat down on the blanket, stretching out her back and legs while she quietly watched the mage work.

“There are no other options for us.” Sarah spoke quietly to Michelle, sounding slightly distracted as she did so because her eyes were still on Amelia, watching her. “We must make it past Periodica and into Argis. The Princess is our best chance of doing so..” Argis was a northern kingdom that had zero ties to Evernight. If they could make it there, they wouldn’t have to worry about her brother’s men anymore.

With the fire now going, Sarah scooted closer to the best. “You’ve...had...thoughts…?” Sarah blushed at the implications as Amelia spoke. She remembered, long ago having urges brought on by her wolf. She had had many years to put both sides of her mind at peace with one another. Amelia would have no such luxury.

Green eyes fell down to see Amelia’s mark. When the mage touched it, she absently reached up, touching her own neck as if to search for a proper mating mark. When the collar of her tunic was shifted, Sarah may as well have uncovered a poisonous snake for the reaction she gave. Green eyes widened with pure fear when she caught a glimpse of the shining mark. “Get it off!!!” Silver! It was silver! The wolf shrieked at the metallic brand on her body, arms flailing in a rush to get it off of her.

Michelle got up and rushed over to help, becoming just as distressed as her Mistress. The silver would kill Sarah! (Not a quick death either, because that had been Sarah’s back up backup plan to escape: death). The mark as small, but still, it would slowly burn her flesh until it got into her blood, then infect her blood. If she was lucky, she’d live….but very few wolves lived. Without thinking, her first instinct to defend her Mistress even potentially at the cost of her own life; Michelle brought her bare hand up to get the silver off of her flesh. At the first swipe of it, she became acutely aware that her hand was not burning as if she had just put it through a fire. Well that’s not right… She looked closer. It was -definitely- silver. Not iron, not tin, not steel, -silver-. But it wasn’t...it wasn’t burning Sarah’s skin. In fact the only signs of irritation were the nail marks around it where Sarah had aggressively tried to get it off.

“M’lady… I think it is contained?” Usually she called Sarah by her name in private, but with this mage here, they weren’t really in private. Ugh. And speaking of mages…. That mage!! “Why would you mark her with something so dangerous?!?!” Michelle snapped, the Alpha turning her anger towards Amelia. “Why mark what is not yours in the first place?!?!” Michelle’s posture became aggressive, becoming every inch the overprotective Alpha guardian that was part of her duty as handmaiden to an omega princess.

Now both Michelle and Amelia were on their feet, looking as though they were about to murder one another like two juvenile wolves fighting over the same bone. Of course her omega was curious to see if a potentially worthy mate could best her alpha handmaiden, but Sarah didn’t need the two of them killing eachother over something that could not be changed. She got up and put herself between the two of them, a gentle hand on Michelle’s arm and a more firm hand in the center of Amelia’s chest. “Enough.” Her voice was calm, soothing, dripping of omega honey and persuasion. “We are still very close to Evernight and we do not have time to fight amongst ourselves. We must eat, rest, and then continue on. I will not have the two of you acting like bratty pups.” She sighed, then addressed each of them with a little sense. “Michelle, you need to be understanding that Princess Amelia doesn’t know how to control her feral emotions yet. And Amelia, you must figure out how to correct this...thing…. I’m sure there will be books and the like in Periodica about it, correct?”

 

[ClearSight]

Amelia’s urges were far more than mere thoughts. The desires that occasionally found their way to her were so vivid that, for brief moments, she found herself experiencing the sensations she would then be forced to resist. Knowing how good something would feel and then having to deny yourself that pleasure was far more torturous than anything the Mad King had ever done to her. If the Entwinement hadn’t been something of her own doing she may very well have thought it was a plan to get what he wanted from her.

Still, there was a part of Amelia that found herself curious about what was happening. While magic rarely had a corrupting influence on those who practiced it, there was still a great demand for control and discipline. While wolves clearly required similar traits, the application was different, and Amelia found her years of meditation and training useless.

One moment she felt fine, and the next her urges would flare, leaving her in an emotional limbo. It was to the point that Sarah panicking over her mark had ripped all sense of restraint and sound thinking from her head and caused her entire being to go into overdrive. The need to protect overwhelmed everything else and she shot to her feet. If not for Michelle being by her side Amelia knew she would have rushed over without a second thought.

As it were, despite knowing why it wasn’t hurting Sarah, she found herself incapable of saying it, instead focused entirely on the furious handmaiden. A possessiveness inside of her found it ridiculous that Sarah, someone she barely knew, was being attended to by anyone other than herself.

I don’t like this.

Despite the thought she bristled at Michelle’s outburst, but not for the reasons she should have.

What’s not mine? She is mine!... No, she’s not.

Her internal struggle was the only thing that stopped Amelia from leaping at Michelle, a very slim remnant of her rationality telling her that the extreme emotions steering her towards violence were not her own.

It was a fight she was losing, but before she lost her sense, a soft voice entered her ears. Sarah managed to break through the loud voice egging her on, and the gap in her bout of madness was enough, allowing Amelia to regain a modicum of self-control.

“Sorry…” Amelia mumbled absentmindedly. She was embarrassed, irritated at her own weakness, but ultimately almost driven into another kind of emotional turmoil all together as she looked down at the hand pressed firmly into her chest.

For a moment she was tempted to step forward, it wouldn’t have been challenging to get the closeness the so-called feral side of her desired. Just a single step and she would get what she hungered for.

I need to learn to control this, immediately.

Amelia took a step back instead of forward, sucking in a deep breath as she closed her eyes and tried to steady her mind.

When she opened her eyes again, they were glowing. It was subtle, but the violet hue was brighter than before, and with it, she had a sense of calm that hadn’t been there before. It dimmed soon after but she managed to return to a state of normalcy as she plopped back down to the ground and moved into a lotus position.

“I apologize, this is far harder to control than I could have ever imagined.” She had read about wolves, most in Periodica knew a fair amount about the species, but knowing and experiencing were different.

At least her meditative state seemed to help. She took slow, purposeful breaths as she drew energy from the world around her, calming her mind and gathering much-needed mana. It was what she should have been doing all along, preparing, because Sarah was right, they were still close to Evernight. They weren’t safe yet.

“First of all, I’d like to answer your handmaiden’s question. The mark is not dangerous, it is a symbol of magic, the triquetra, and something all mages have. The color it takes is dependent on the user, though I’ve never heard of a silver mark before. As for removing it… I’m afraid that may be impossible.” Amelia sighed, feeling somewhat guilty. Part of her wanted to lie, to make the journey easier, but she disliked the idea of dishonesty, especially when the whole point of the mark was trust.

“If there’s a way I will help you remove it, but the soul contract we underwent was special. It’s called the Entwining and something far more complex and binding than the, often exploitable, soul contract most people are familiar with. The fact that I’m influenced by your wolf is just one example of its peculiarity. At the same time, it helped me recover faster by relying on the bond, which is why I was capable of using magic so quickly during our escape.” She looked at Sarah with a slightly apologetic look. While the physical capabilities and the speedy recovery had been instrumental in their escape, she felt responsible.

Amelia’s guilt and the effort she was taking to keep herself calm brought a rather solemn atmosphere to the surroundings. It was only broken when a small growl from Michelle’s stomach caused the handmaiden to glare at Amelia, a strange reaction to her own embarrassment, but Amelia just ignored it and continued with her meditation.

It was Sarah’s response that caused her to widen her eyes, disrupting her collected state. “W-What are you-?” She started, stumbling over her own words as she watched Sarah stand up and start removing her clothes.

Amelia snapped her eyes shut, a small layer of sweat appearing on her brow as she tried to regain control of her now tumultuous emotions. She could barely control herself as her entire body trembled as she tried to resist the very unsettling urge of jumping to her feet and rushing to “claim” a woman her inner voice kept referring to as “hers.” Though, as hard as she tried, her eyes didn't remain shut for long. She couldn't settle down, and soon her eyes were opened once more, determined to get a glimpse of the beautiful woman, whether she wanted to or not.

 

[Javorcek]

Sarah looked a little dejected to hear that there was no way to remove the mark from her body. It wasn’t exactly where a mating bite should be, but it was certainly close. That closeness made her feel odd...perhaps that was the source of this attraction she felt to Amelia. Her wolf saw a brand, an attractive Alpha type, an intelligent female...and put all those things together into thinking she now had a mate. But Amelia couldn’t be her mate! She didn’t even know her! Well you’ll have plenty of time to learn more about her as we go along…

Grrr! Hush!

Michelle didn’t seem to want to go hunting and leave Amelia here alone with her. Amelia didn’t look like the type to go traipsing about the woods in search of food. So Sarah decided that it was going to fall upon her to get them something to eat. (Plus she could use a moment away from Amelia and all of her confusing feelings towards the mage).

Before she could hunt, she needed to strip so that she wouldn’t ruin her clothes. She wriggled out of her boots and then stood so that she could pull her tunic off over her head, exposing a taut stomach and lightly muscled arms. Like most omegas, Sarah was on the smaller side. She was shorter than either Michelle or Amelia and her body for more lithe than Michelle’s. What she lacked in power, she made up in grace and speed. She wouldn’t be able to take down a full grown deer like the handmaiden but she would certainly be able to bring them back some small game.

“I’m going to hunt.” Sarah blinked, her brow slightly furrowed, looking confused because she thought it was fairly obvious what she was doing. Amelia seemed actually distressed at her loss of clothing though. But, after more thought, she supposed that mages never did this sort of thing. Taking pity on the confused mage, she explained, “I can’t shift in my clothes, I’ll just ruin them at the seams. We didn’t pack any weapons or trapping gear and our rations are only for an emergency...so...I’m going to go get us breakfast.” With that, she wiggled out of her riding pants, exposing long, runner’s legs. Once she was out of her underclothes she was entirely bare for the mage’s viewing and found herself just the slightest bit self conscious.

“I’ll be back soon. Try not to fight while I’m gone.” She offered a soft smile and transformed. Her coat was darker than a moonless night, a sign that she was from the noble family. Her body grew in size and in muscle, but wasn’t as monstrous as a full grown animal. She was more cute than ferocious. And then she was off, tearing into the woods, her wolf happy to stretch its legs...and maybe show off a little of its physical prowess to the mage that hadn’t taken her eyes off of her.

—————

Sarah came back an hour later with the good parts of a woodchuck and two rabbits. She’d also managed to find some wild mushrooms that were safe to eat. She set them down for Michelle to cook and stayed in that form awhile longer, licking her pelt clean of blood before she shifted back. She tried not to blush as she felt Amelia’s eyes on her nubile body as she dressed and then sat back down so that she could eat.

————-

Sarah woke to the sound of chattering teeth about a half hour later. Well fed and exhausted from her transformation, she barely had enough energy to pick her head up and see Amelia tossing in her lone blanket, trying to find a way to position her body so that she’d stay warm and comfortable. “‘Melia…” Sarah mumbled, scooting herself closer into Michelle’s sleeping form (her handmaiden had curled up next to her for their rest to keep her warm). She opened up the blanket and motioned for the mage to come to them and sleep huddled up together like a pack rather than freeze on her own.

—————————————————

Jocelyn rubbed her tired blue eyes as she read the same paragraph in her book over again for what must have been the 5th time. The young half-elf mage knew she should focus on her studies but it was difficult while her mind was elsewhere: she was concerned for her Solstice Sister, Amelia. With her parents having perished during the Dark Elf War, the king and queen of Periodica, as well as their daughter, were the only family she had.

And Jocelyn was determined not to lose another member of her family.

So far they knew for sure was that Amelia had been captured on the northeastern border of Evernight. If she was dead or alive, they still could not say. It was far too dangerous to send spies into the Mad King’s realm. To make matters more complicated, the mages of Periodica were not a warring people...they believed in peace and knowledge instead, having formed alliances with many other countries.

The only possible way to reach her adopted sister was to scry for her and that had been impossible as well. There was something out there inhibiting the flow of magic. Jocelyn couldn’t find her and it was driving her -crazy-. Just like her Solstice Sister, she was brilliant and talented, primarily excelling at many of the old disciplines of magic such as conjuring familiars and scrying. I can do this. I -have- to do this. With a sigh, she pushed her chair back and made to get up, causing her familiar to awaken.

“Come on Sacha…let’s go try again.” The grey wolf picked his head up and yawned, then got to his legs, shaking out his coat, and falling into step beside Jocelyn. Jocelyn made her way out of the study and into the massive hallways of the palace. Straight, left, and third door to the right and she was in the crystal room. The entire room had shelves of crystals and geodes of every color one could think of. In the center was a large, light blue stone that sat atop a round wood table.

Sacha sat down on his haunches, later and on guard, ready to retrieve his Mistress from the Veil if she lost her way.

——————-

As soon as she focused her mind and touched the stone, Jocelyn felt her consciousness leave her body and travel into another plane. It was an odd feeling being in the Veil; no sense of time, no sense of direction, not even a sense of gravity or temperature, all the physical properties of the earth seemed to disappear for as long as one was traveling. This place was a barrier between all realms...a place where mana traveled freely...it could provide you great insight if you knew where to go...and great danger if you did not.

Jocelyn moved through the Veil with no fear, searching for the light that was her Solstice Sister’s. Surprisingly enough, she found it after only a few minutes! Strong, bright, a light that matched hers. She had found her! But she couldn’t -see- her. Couldn’t see where she was, couldn’t find her location, she would have to go into her mind, into that place between awake and dreaming where the subconscious floats in the Veil. Unfortunately for her, Amelia’s mind was always locked tight in order to control her magic. She couldn’t break in, couldn’t see…

There were two other lights near her sister’s. One that resisted her...it wasn’t locked like Amelia’s, more like someone had put a heavy weight near a door. She didn’t push too hard, for fear of waking whatever creature was near Amelia. The other light was easier to get into, though once inside she gasped. It was...raw in here. Powerful, wild. It was so unlike anything she had ever felt before. She struggled to keep herself focus and summon a partition of herself here, a ghost that could move around and search through the subconscious. Now she just had to see what this creature remembered seeing last...

A growl behind her caused the half elf to whip around, startled. “What are you doing here?” Jocelyn blinked, honestly surprised to see this massive grey wolf growling at her. It wasn’t Sacha. It was far bigger, more muscular, untamed and absolutely magnificent in its wildness. She must be in a werewolf’s consciousness… “Is this what its like to always have a monstrous creature pacing around in the shadows? Fascinating! Two consciousnesses in one mind!” Jocelyn mumbled to herself, a grin on her lips as she looked at the creature with interest. “Can you understand me?” She said the phrase in Common and then again in Wolfish just to cover all possibilities.

 

[ClearSight]

Amelia completely malfunctioned at the sight of the gorgeous princess stripping in front of her eyes. To her, there was nothing about hunting that connected to nudity, and even Sarah’s explanation seemed to baffle her “civilized” sensibilities. No matter how innocent it sounded or how indifferently Sarah appeared, Amelia couldn’t control her own wild fantasies.

She couldn’t calm down as she watched, her eyes glued to Sarah’s body as it was revealed inch by inch. She was beautiful, and no matter how hard Amelia tried she couldn’t pull her eyes away, even when the woman shifted into her werewolf form.

More than ever, Amelia felt she didn’t have a leg to stand on. She had been so sure of herself when Sarah first came to her, intent on competently helping her, and nothing had worked out like she wanted it to since then. As if her self-deprecating wasn’t enough, once Sarah left she turned and found Michelle grinning at her, silently ridiculing her for gawking like a fool.

Sarah’s return didn’t find her in any better a state. Amelia had meditated the entire time, trying her best to regain both her mana and her control, but it proved worthless. Sarah shifted back and Amelia once more struggled against the unwanted urges. It wasn’t that Sarah wasn’t beautiful, but she couldn’t stand feeling powerless to resist, and in an effort to retain some rationality she grew quiet, even going as far as to separate further from the duo.

Perhaps it was fear or her own pride, but Amelia was doing anything it took to restrain herself. She knew Sarah understood it was something she couldn’t control, that she had no resistance towards the feral presence, but she didn’t want to show such a distasteful side of herself regardless of the reason.

Unfortunately, pride was expensive. Amelia rarely traveled without proper supplies, which for mages included a plethora of magic appliances to provide adequate shelter and temperature control. While she could keep herself warm with magic while she was awake, she could do nothing after she had fallen asleep, not having a single spell in her repertoire that would keep her warm while she slept. Well, nothing that would allow them to remain inconspicuous. She was forced to suffer the cold.

It wasn’t until Sarah spoke her name in affectionate shorthand that her determination wavered. She tried to resist, tried to hold onto her pride, but when she turned to look at the girl she found herself powerless. Not because of her urges, but due to the concern on her face.

Amelia sighed, giving Sarah a small smile as she made her way over to Sarah and crawled under the blanket. “Thank you, Sarah.” She felt the need to apologize, for her inability to control herself, for her stubbornness that put them all at danger. After all, if she grew sick to avoid embarrassment, what would happen when her magic was needed? Instead, she just moved back into Sarah’s embrace.

I will protect you. I promise.

---

Sky was unable to sleep. Laying in bed and snuggling Leo was her greatest love aside from magic, but her mind was restless.

She knew the reason, it was Jocelyn. Their bond as Solstice Sisters was a powerful one, enough to keep her up because of Jocelyn’s own restlessness. It had been that way for days, neither able to calm down.

Amelia was their other Solstice Sister. Ordinarily, it was a bond limited to two, but Jocelyn and Sky were special, their similar magic affinity allowing the impossible. It was great in many ways, but it served to amplify their own worries, making the days since Amelia’s capture challenging to say the least.

Sky opened her weary eyes, looking down at the soft bundle of fur in her arms. Leo was her spirit animal, a leopard cub she was never without, and the greatest comfort in her tumultuous life. If not for the fact that she and Jocelyn could both use the rare magic, the king and queen likely would have never adopted them.

“It’s time to get up Leo.” She whispered, rousing the tiny Leopard cub from his slumber. He looked over at her with sleepy eyes filled with confusion, unaware of why he had been disturbed when he was having such a delightful rest. “Jocelyn.” It was all she needed to say for Leo to nod his cute little head and push his way out of her arms. Once he was free, Leo turned and looked at her, pawing her face to hurry her up; if he had to be up, so did she.

Sky giggled, rolling out of bed and stretching her small body. Her mother was a gnome and her father a human, at least that had been what she was told. It left her short of stature, smaller than most humans, though thankfully her developed body kept her from looking like a child.

It made the sight of Leo next to her all the cuter, though he didn’t stay by her side for long. He soon jumped into her arms, earning him a playful glare from the sleepy girl. “Behave,” She warned, tapping the alarm stone behind her to deactivate it before moving into the hall. She could sense that Jocelyn wasn’t in her room, so she started walking down the hall, letting their connection guide her.

She couldn’t tell precisely where Jocelyn was without using magic, but she had a general sense if she focused on their bond, which was telling her the girl wasn’t even on the same floor. She made her way to the elevators with a sigh, already having an idea of where she would be.

Sky sighed again when she reached the crystal room. Jocelyn was scrying again, a method that had proven useless, but one Jocelyn still tried incessantly. Not that Sky could blame her, they had both been anxious since Amelia’s capture, and even she had tried a few times during the first few days. She just stood at the door, watching her, a thread of hope still present that maybe it would be different this time.

---

Michelle was born into a noble family. Her father was powerful and had the respect of the werewolf community, but he was cursed with difficulty when it came to having children. He had wanted a son, a successor he could be proud of, but after finally having a child of his own he found himself with a daughter.

Knowing it was possible he didn’t give up, trying to impregnate his wife many times, but after years he lost his patience. No woman within their manor escaped her father’s hands, but when he still couldn’t sire another child, he grew cruel.

Michelle tried everything to earn his love or just his acknowledgment, but it had proven impossible. He didn’t want her, no matter how intelligent and capable she showed herself to be. He scorned her, taking his frustrations out on her physically and mentally. In his words, she was at fault for her gender.

It had been devastating to the young girl, but Michelle found herself alone. Even her mother shunned her to stay on her father’s good side. So, she made a decision, she left her home. She joined the military, serving for several years despite her young age, and even becoming a Shadow, an elite unit created by the former king.

Few survived the training required to become a shadow, but Michelle managed, and for her effort was given a new life. She was assigned to guard Sarah, sister to King Adrian. Only, instead of showing absolute loyalty towards the crown as she had been trained to, Michelle found her loyalties turn towards the princess. She could understand Sarah’s struggle, of being seen as a tool, and before she knew it Sarah’s happiness and safety had become everything to her. She didn’t care what she had to do, she would protect her, though she knew she would soon have to reveal her true self for that to happen. She feared that day, but she was also ready to protect her, no matter what.

Even in her sleep Michelle remained alert, not dreaming but drifting in a state between resting and awake. So, when she felt something invade her mind, she instantly shifted, growling angrily at the intruder.

It was only when she turned to see the figure in her mind that she froze, her animosity stalling before the gorgeous woman in front of her. For a moment she forgot herself, only waking up when the idiotic words spewed from the beauty’s mouth.

Awe turned to outrage as Michelle growled, louder than before, her wolf keen on the idea of ripping her limb from limb. “Can I understand you?” she snarled. It was always more difficult to control her wolf within its own territory, but she managed.

To retain some reason, and because part of her knew a mage suddenly appearing in her head had to be connected the mage princess, she pushed her wolf down, slowly shifting back to her human form.

Michelle had never revealed herself to Sarah in all the years they had been together. It was, but she knew if she had ever shown herself or her wolf the princess would have put together details about her past.

She had tantalizing curves, but her powerful form didn’t lack muscle. She was lean, but there was no doubt about the immense power hidden within her form. Her core was well-defined, but her impressive muscles weren’t what stood out, it was the scars that littered her otherwise flawless skin. They were the wounds of someone who had survived Shadow training, and badges of honor for a proud wolf, like Michelle.

“Tell me, half-blood, what gave you the courage to enter my mind, and why should I not rip you apart right here and now?” She took several steps forward, an almost arrogant expression written across her face.

 

[Javorcek]

Jocelyn couldn’t help but stare as the wolf transformed into one of the most gorgeous women she had ever seen. Tall, lean, muscular, and seasoned with battle experience...not many mages came like that; elves either, for that matter. “Mmm? Courage??” Jocelyn repeated distractedly, obviously too busy admiring/ogling/sizing up the wolf to really be paying attention. She shook herself a bit, at least having the presence of mind to be a little embarrassed for her staring and actually blushing a little bit. “Ahem. Well. I’m looking for Princess Amelia; most mages have their minds locked so I couldn’t enter hers without disturbing her. And of the two wolves here, you had the weakest defenses and were much easier to enter…”

Apparently she had said the wrong thing because the wolf was now threatening to rip her limb from limb with the most arrogant of looks on her face. As if she would fear this wolf harming her!

She was Jocelyn of the House of Marrok! The wielder of elvish bow, Vela’lim! Daughter of Arlann the White; the Crystal Mage who had quite literally moved a mountain in order to bring an end to the Dark Elf War. Daughter of Lady Mara, the elven general who had held the line at the Battle of Ahamkara, slaying the dragon that the dark elves had corrupted and buying time for her wife, Arlann the White, to end the war.

She was the child of legends and she would not disappoint her lineage by falling to one lone wolf.

Jocelyn’s lips quirked into a smirk. “You may try, wolf, but you will not best me here.” In the Veil, mana flowed freely and abundantly. Tricks that would drain her and make her exhausted in reality were free game here. And tricks she did use! Her strategy was to tire this creature out, knowing that she could not win from sheer strength alone. When the wolf charged her, she blinked from existence, appearing a few feet away. But when the wolf caught her this time, Michelle would find that her target was nothing but a projection and that the real Jocelyn was standing behind her, lightly tapping her shoulder before jumping back to avoid a swing.

She did this for awhile, using mana to create decoys of herself or to empower her muscles so that she could move away faster than one could blink. When the wolf appeared properly frustrated that it’s prey could not be caught, Jocelyn grinned and held up her hands. “Alright. Alright. No tricks of magic this time.” To prove she was serious, she fell into a more defensive position, ready to meet the wolf blow for blow.

Michelle was -powerful- and had they not been in the Veil, Jocelyn was not sure she would be able to best the wolf. In a test of strength she certainly would have lost...but elves did not fight with brute force. She was quick, opting for light taps to test her opponent rather than to come out aggressively swinging outright. She took a fair share of blows from the wolf, was nearly pinned once, but was always just a tiny bit faster, a tiny bit more flexible.

Unfortunately once the wolf realized that Jocelyn was barely physically strong enough to escape a pin, that’s all she attempted. Jocelyn soon found herself being forced to wiggle away from strong arms and an imposing body weight, her silken robes ghosting over the wolf’s body every time. Of course such movements caused an inevitable reaction, one that Jocelyn -definitely- noticed. When she found herself losing, pinned to the ground with an angry wolf growling on top of her, she decided that her quick wit and powers of observation would be her savior today. “It is not cold in the Veil, wolf.” Jocelyn gave a pointed look downwards to Michelle’s hard nipples. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d guess that you -like- nearly losing to a half blood.”

With a grin, Jocelyn took this moment of distraction to shoot her pinned wrists up, sending her opponent’s body weight forward, causing her to fall into her. Now that the wolf was off balance, she managed to kick a leg free and roll the two of them over. Jocelyn was now on top, a leg covered in silken robes pushed between Michelle’s and into her center, her wrists pinned to either side of her head.

Suddenly she felt a thrill of excitement, a burst of heat and desire. Part of that feeling was probably hers but she knew a larger part must be in Michelle’s...they were in her mind after all. “You do like this, don’t you, wolf.” Jocelyn’s bright blue eyes shown with a knowing look, her voice full of conviction. The more Michelle thought about her desire to submit, the more Jocelyn could actually feel those wishes.

 

[ClearSight]

A grin crept its way up when Michelle noticed the way the mage was looking at her. She was proud of her body, and as much as the situation pissed her off, she didn't mind showing off a bit. Her look became predatory as she took another step to close the gap, and certain expectations were flaring up as her eyes fell upon blushing cheeks.

"How cute,” she hummed, finding her desire more difficult to control in the primal recesses of her mind.

She soon froze though, the pleased expression and building lust shattered as the mage dared call her weak. The word triggered fury in the proud alpha. How could she—who had survived a childhood of abuse, made it through countless battles, and joined the Shadows—be weak? She would never allow someone to slander her in such a way.

Michelle was too enraged to see reason; her mouthy nature suppressed as her eyes flashed a bright gold. She didn’t shift, but there was an evident change in her disposition as she allowed her instinct to lead her even in her human form.

Without warning, Michelle shot forward, her speed easily surpassing any of the alphas that had pursued them previously. She didn't hold back, a terrifying punch flying towards the mage. When she missed, she was surprised, but it wasn’t enough to stop her. Michelle used her momentum to roll across the ground and explode up at the reappearing mage as if she knew where she would appear. She expected to find her with the next attack but was met with further disappointment as she collided with air and fell through the projection.

Michelle growled in frustration as she rose back to her feet, growing far angrier than before at the humiliation. She met a tap on her shoulder with a wild swing of her arm, unable to control her emotion as she attempted to smash the annoying nat that dared toy with her.

“Are tricks and taunts all you can manage, mage?” she roared, a strange sound escaping her throat as her wolf threatened to force its way out and deal with the infuriating creature before it.

She soon grew infuriated at the mage's response. How dare the mage believe there was no need for magic to best her! It was an insult to not only her pride but her years of hard work and training.

“I’m going to crush you, half-blood.” Michelle didn’t charge forward recklessly, instead, taking a stance of her own and narrowing her eyes while she observed the mage.

"Focus." She took a deep breath, no longer allowing her emotions to force her into a mindless brawl. Her strength was her training, and even without a weapon, she could at least manage to fight with some trace of form.

She moved forward with purpose. She had less momentum as she closed the gap, but her blows became far more terrifying. She didn't waste a single movement, and if not for the mage’s speed she would have buried her in a single attack.

She was impressed with how a mage managed to be so adept at close-quarters-combat, but Michelle was calm. She was seething beneath the surface but didn't show a trace of it in her actions. She was relentless.

Time after time she sent out blows and tried to pin the tricky half-elf against the ground, but she only managed to land a few hits, and they were glancing blows at that. It soon became clear she needed to remove the mage's ability to use her speed and skill.

Her focus switched to grappling, her hands eager to get a grasp on the woman’s surprisingly powerful form. To her wolf, what had started as the furious urge to rip the mage apart had turned to something akin to foreplay. Even her temper was beginning to wane as she slowly looked for openings in their combative dance.

By the time she managed a proper pin on the mage, she had found herself unable to finish her, a tinge of respect mixed with wandering eyes causing her pause. If only she would be quiet.

“Shut up, I would never lose to—” before she could finish her sentence, she was knocked off balance and flipped to her back. Before she could form a growl, she felt pressure against her core, causing her anger to get stuck in her throat.

Her eyes contained a look of shock at the sensation, and she peered up into the mage’s glowing eyes. Michelle found her mouth unable to form words as her body began to betray her.

She found powerful women attractive, but it had been some time since she had the opportunity to be with one. Her last relationship had been with a superior in the military, one that had ended when she decided to join the Shadows against her former lover’s wishes. She hadn't been with anyone since, and she could feel her defenses crumble the moment her her wolf could rationalize what was happening as defeat.

“You’re getting ahead of yourself, half-blood, I’ve not lost to you.” There was an angry tone to her voice, but despite what she was saying she didn’t push her strength to its limits in an attempt to escape. Instead, the heat and desire filling her mind grew stronger, and she began to pant as lust took over her expression. If not for her overwhelming pride she likely would have started moving her hips or reaching up to remove the mage's clothes.

 

[Javorcek]

Bright eyes studied the wolf’s reaction very closely; while she was fairly certain that the other female wanted this, it didn’t hurt to make sure. Judging by the blown out pupils, lusty pants, and lack of struggle, it appeared that Michelle was right where she wanted to be. “Hmm...no, not lost.” Jocelyn conceded. She flexed her thigh, rocking it against Michelle’s core as she leaned closer to purr, “I suppose submission is not a loss if it is the thing you crave.”

At the word ‘submission’, the mage felt another thrill go through her...as well as the wild urge to just -ruin- the female underneath her. To just take her defenses apart piece by piece until she had explored every humiliating and taboo fantasy that was in thus little wolfy brain of hers.

Guh. She needed to pull herself together before she got too carried away and forgot why she was even here in the first place.

With a soft growl (that was more Michelle’s influence than her own) and a new sense of purpose, she leaned down to one of the wolf’s cute little ears, nipping at the lobe lightly. “I will make a deal with you, wolf. I will fulfill some of these naughty little desires you have if you just let me see where you are.” If Michelle had been worried that Jocelyn was just wandering about her mind and prying information out of it, she could now be at ease. Jocelyn was considerate, not invading anywhere she wasn’t invited. It was only when Michelle relived the memory of their escape that Jocelyn could tell where the wolves and her Solstice Sister were. About 20 miles northeast of Evernight...still so close to the border. Jocelyn was worried but she at least was worried a little less.

They still had a two week’s ride before they got to Periodica. Jocelyn could at least send a party out to meet them halfway in Uruk. Good! This is very good… Pleased, she gave Michelle a light nip to her neck before propping herself back up to look down at her. “Good girl...now, tell me what you’d like your reward to be.”

The response was almost immediate and strong. Because they were in Michelle’s mind, the Veil shifted here, swirling and accommodating her imagination by creating a projection of the two of them. Michelle on her knees with her hands bound behind her back, looking up eagerly as she serviced Jocelyn. Then Michelle was on her hands and knees while Jocelyn was behind her, thrusting her fingers into the wolf’s willing slit while her other hand had a rough grip in her hair, pulling her head back to force her cries free.

Jocelyn looked like the cat who had gotten the canary once she noticed Michelle trying to make the projection disappear. “Aw my poor little sub. Embarrassed to seem so eager?” The half elf teased and began to stand, noticing that the projection of her had been a guess, and not one that had done her justice! Though, in the prudish robes that all mages wore, who knew what was hiding under there? She began to strip, showing off a form that was more muscular than the average elf’s, though not as impressive as a wolf’s. She was tall and lean with small but lovely breasts and a cute little rear. Her body was quintessentially elvish: perfect and pure.

With a soft utterance in elvish and a wave of her hand, Jocelyn created a stone to sit on. She took a seat and let her legs fall open, revealing a glistening, pretty pink slit. “Come here, wolf. Show your new Mistress what you are made of.”

 

[ClearSight]

Michelle wasn’t allowed to keep an ounce of dignity. The mage goaded her into a place of comfort, allowing a confident smirk appear on her lips as she admitted Michelle didn’t lose. Then, as if waiting the mage had been waiting for her pride rebound, destroyed it by pointing out her submission.

“I’m not a sub—” She stopped, a jolt running through her as teeth nipped at her earlobe. She froze, looking up at the mage with wide eyes. She didn’t understand why, but she wanted it so damn badly.

It took everything Michelle had not to verbalize her desire, her mouth opening and closing as she struggled against her own urges. She couldn’t lose her deniability, no matter what happened. Her delusion was proof of how powerful the mind was, able to rationalize anything with the proper motivation. As long as she didn’t admit to wanting it she could accept the offer and pretend she didn’t want to after the fact.

“Besides, if the mages know where we are, they can send help. This is the best way to keep Sarah safe.”

As if knowing her internal struggle, the mage hinted that she hadn’t seen anything, allowing her to relax and her defenses to recede. She no longer had a reason to delay, sharing the memory of their escape. She was even feeling rather proud after the fact, her own quick thinking on full display.

Despite her newfound cooperation, Michelle was still caught up in her thoughts about the situation. She, while seemingly outmaneuvered both physically and verbally, managed to convince herself that she wasn’t in a compromising position, even grinning when the mage nipped at her neck. Michelle was fond of physical affection, and eager for it with her inner hedonist rousing after years of repression.

She was so caught up in her delusions that she forgot where she was, her mind. The moment the mage asked her what she wanted for being “good girl” her imagination was sent into overdrive. The most tantalizing thoughts spilled forth, causing her instant panic when she watched her perversions come to life.

“No…” Her voice had a trace of defeat, and her eyes widened as she struggled beneath the mage, desperate to make the humiliating scenes. “I don’t want any of this!” Michelle’s voice squeaked as she cursed her mind for betraying her.

She was prepared to defend herself when her tongue forgot itself, preventing her mouth from forming words. She had never imagined herself being with anyone other than a wolf, but seeing the mage’s body caused her perspective to shift remarkably. She was more beautiful than Michelle imagined, but a woman being beautiful wasn’t unheard of. Mere beauty wouldn’t cause the wolf to become a bumbling idiot unable to talk, but an elf with visible muscle was entirely different.

Michelle found herself smitten by a possibility she had never imagined. She had seen elves before, but they seemed almost incapable of gaining muscle. No matter how beautiful, Michelle had never desired such weak looking creatures. She suddenly found herself thinking half-blood was more a compliment than derogatory.

Michelle gulped, her body quivering as her eyes followed the mage’s every movement. Her breath quickened, and she struggled to control her wolf. Whether she wanted to admit it or not, her imagination had made her desires clear, and her wolf quickly forgot its pride when offered the pleasure it desired.

“I…” She stopped as soon as she started, finally remembering to move from her back, only to stop at her knees. She could barely believe her actions, but the idea of standing up caused her pause. Instead, she found herself falling forward, her hands slapping against the ground as she grit her teeth and glared at the indistinct “floor” of her mind space.

She was visibly struggling, the two parts of her fighting to decide what she would do. Would she push up and maintain her pride? Under normal circumstances, she had no doubt that would be her choice, but there were so many reasons to ignore reason, like how they were in her mind, and she couldn’t imagine anyone learning of it. It wasn’t like she would be staying in Periodica.

Michelle eventually looked up, still struggling, but slowly moving across the “ground” on her hands and knees. She stopped between the mage’s legs, a deep blush coloring her cheeks. Before reason had a chance to make a comeback, Michelle took her first lick, her soft tongue slowly running the entire length of the beautiful little slit. Intoxicated by the taste she immediately returned her tongue to the starting point, pushing harder as she ran it upwards again and again. It wasn’t long before her eagerness revealed itself, going so far as to look up at the mage, unsure what she was looking for as she attempted to remember the skills she had used to please her past lover.

 

[Javorcek]

Jocelyn could barely keep the delighted grin off of her face as she watched her new toy crawl toward her. It was rare that she received a chance to play into such fantasies. After all, human mages tended to be very serious about their studies, to the point where that desire for knowledge left only a miniscule space for them to entertain carnal passions. Her elvish side did not share such views however; after all, every experience was a learning opportunity...and right now she was about to learn how depraved the werewolf species was.

As the wolf came forward, Jocelyn took more time to form the simple pedestal that elevated her into a more comfortable chaise / throne. By the time her pretty pup was settled between her legs, she was properly comfortable and ready to enjoy an eager tongue servicing her. The mage practically melted at first contact, letting out a content sigh. She lazily laced her fingers through Michelle's hair, grip tightening just hard enough so that she could help guide the other girl exactly where she wanted to be.

With magic and desire thrumming through her in the Veil, the mage had little trouble taking this further, creating a projection of herself who knelt behind Michelle. The projection gently put a hand on her back, announcing her presence as to not startle the occupied wolf. "Keep going, pet, try not to get distracted." Easier said than done she supposed, because now Jocelyn was taking the time to inspect the gorgeous, war-seasoned body before her. Her fingers traced over a few scars, down the curve of the wolf's rear, down and a across a thigh, before back up to examine the dripping heat between the other girl's legs.

"Mmm...I know you want to be filled and fucked properly, pet. But not just yet..." the projection spoke as she played with her slick folds just a moment more before she leaned forward, letting her tongue explore the wolf's swollen slit instead. She gave a few feather light licks, letting the other female get used to the feeling of hot velvet against her before toying with her in earnest. Swirls, circles, and flutters were lavished over her sensitive clit before Jocelyn began to draw one large stripe upward, dipping her tongue into the source of the wolf's arousal...and then she felt this unmistakable craving for something more and something absolutely filthy.

But once she inched up just a tad more, she could feel the wolf tense as Jocelyn's nose and tongue edged just a little too close, could feel her mind start to swirl with doubt, shame...and maybe even a little fear? As the projection grabbed her rear, fingers pressing as though they would expose the wolf's more taboo hole, she could clearly feel that there was desire here, more than just on her half. But with so many negative emotions plaguing the wolf, Jocelyn couldn't bring herself to go forward. The elf in her craved submission, thrived off of it even, but only if it was given willingly.

"Look at me," the half-blood who sat upon her comfortable throne spoke up; voice was sharp, an unrelenting command. However, once she was obeyed and could actually see those golden eyes, she softened measurably. "Your desires are my desires," she crooned her assurances, the biting of her nails easing so that she could lightly scritch the wolf's scalp to relax her. Jocelyn was not some overbearing male, here to force his will upon the wolf. Nor was she some weak omega, here to obey but also secretly recoil at the task. The mage wanted to feed into these desires, wanted to be a part of this act that was terribly taboo. "We are safe here, my little wolf. No one but I need know that you have such...unique predilections."

"Just relax..." the projection spoke, her fingers becoming more solid as she spread her pet.

 

[ClearSight]

Michelle felt out of sorts from the start. In the real world, she maintained a great deal of control over herself, hiding everything behind a strong outer shell. From her identity to her past, Michelle never allowed anyone to know the truth. Even her master only saw the surface, the facade displayed for all to see.

In truth, Michelle hid many things. She hid her identity as a member of the Shadows, her skills and intelligence, and most of all, the unhealed traumas from her youth. Abuse, both physical and emotional, scarred her, leaving behind cracks that never received proper care. How could they? Michelle struggled to survive from a tender age, leaving her no time to properly face her demons. Instead, she bottled them up, telling herself it didn’t matter.

In her mind, however, Michelle lost much of the protection she relied on. Her thoughts and desires revealed themselves willingly, as if desperate to finally be seen, and she felt her self-control slipping entirely, to the point that she crawled between Jocelyn’s legs before her internal struggle came to a proper conclusion.

The same mindless desire propelled Michelle into action, her tongue reaching out towards warm folds. It only took that single taste to crush whatever resistance remained and send lust coursing through her like a river rushing through a broken dam. It sent her mind rolling.

Michelle looked up at Jocelyn, eyes cloudy and lips parted slightly, hot breath spilling from between gorgeous lips still wet with the elf’s juices. She didn’t speak, but the neediness in her gaze couldn’t be hidden. Even as fingers entered her hair, she remained almost docile, overtaken by the sudden shift from resistance to surrender—not to Jocelyn but to her own wants.

Perhaps submission to the mage only needed time, but even that thought floated far from her mind, displaced by more immediate concerns, such as how to best indulge herself in what lay before her.

Fortunately, Jocelyn gave her direction, sending her lips back where they belonged. She even released a purr as a hand touched her back, her skin heating up on contact. Of all the things Michelle craved, skinship and affection topped everything. Such a truth never passed her lips, nor would it, but the feeling of a gentle hand roaming across her body satisfied a very deep desire she hid even from herself.

Despite the pleasant sensation, Michelle did flinch once, when Jocelyn first brushed her slender digits over one of her scars. She took pride in them, found strength in them, yet carried a fragileness that made her nervous about how others viewed the wounds of war. Of course, such thoughts vanished upon further touch, but her reaction stood out, as did the hitch in her breath when it happened.

Michelle tried to ignore what came next, as impossible as it proved to be, focusing on pleasuring Jocelyn as opposed to the pleasure she received from the skilled woman. Her tongue, while clumsy at first, soon returned to form, regaining the skills she once honed on past lovers. Even as they continued, she improved, learning from what Jocelyn did to her.

For a moment, Michelle forgot where she was, forgot how each thought echoed about, revealing her innermost desires. She forgot how badly she wanted more, and how filthy the things she wanted were. Moans and her eagerness to pleasure Jocelyn competed against one another, causing Michelle to release a desperate whimper, and only then did realization crash down upon her like a crashing wave.

Negative emotions surged to the surface, thrashing against the pleasure and lust heating up every inch of her skin. Her cloudy eyes regained clarity, at least a part, and trembled, mirroring her the internal struggle between desire and fear that once more muddled her heart.

Sensing the conflict, Jocelyn called out to her, and Michelle looked up, meeting the half-blood’s eyes. Jocelyn’s sharp, commanding voice had cut through her confusion and forced her to focus, and her beautiful eyes provided a strange sense of comfort that Michelle didn’t quite understand. Still, she listened to her voice and relaxed to her touch, calming slightly.

Right, nobody had to know. Yet, that did nothing for her. Michelle’s emotional turmoil came from something far deeper than embarrassment. She cared little if someone found out that she desired submission, even if she so adamantly refused the idea just before. What Michelle truly feared, or perhaps simply didn’t want to admit, was that she found perverse pleasure in things so close to what tormented her as a child. Humiliation, submission, punishment—the very things that riddled her with anxiety and suffering in her youth—now filled her with lust. She feared giving herself over to those urges, falling into waters she escaped long ago, especially at the hands of a stranger.

“I…” Michelle didn’t know what to say, but as she remained there, beneath Jocelyn’s oddly comforting gaze, her body relaxed, and her mind calmed. Nervousness and the slightest touch of fear still remained, but they quieted down, replaced by a single strand of trust that even she didn’t entirely understand. She didn't speak, but she lowered her head, and after a moment, nuzzled at Jocelyn's thigh, biting it gently. She wanted to continue.