CHAPTER 18

Celia locked up. Gella, right here in front of her. Thoughts began, got tangled up, and sputtered out before she even began to vocalize them. Her desire, already set simmering, unhelpfully climbed a few more degrees. A choked “Wha…” Finally managed to escape.

Gella’s eyebrow rose at that. “It would seem a cat has got your tongue, and I think I know exactly which Pretty Kitty it was.”

Celia felt her mind calm before she could say another word. Violet’s voice whispered from somewhere deep within her memory and the chaos quickly stilled. She felt concepts that were so central to her soften and melt away before she could even remember what they were. Then, without so much as a heartbeat of missed time, her mind cleared. There was a distant memory of playing some kind of game before that too vanished without a trace.

“Gella!” She found her thoughts easily enough now. “I…” The wind from the mountains picked that moment to blow and Celia felt it raise goosebumps on her skin. She wrapped her arms around herself to ward away the chill.

Gella’s eyes went up and down and gave a small smile. “The nights here can get cold. Let’s go inside.” She gestured toward the manor and Celia gratefully walked toward the grand doors. Once they were inside, the mage led Celia toward the living room. Gella glanced at the pile of kindling and logs laid on the grate and gestured toward it with a casual, “lasair.”

A tiny bead of flame flew from Gella’s hand and landed exactly in the middle of the kindling. Gella found a seat on the couch, and the tiny flames slowly began to grow, casting a warm glow across the room. Despite the tiredness plainly evident on her face, she didn’t slouch. She sat straight-backed and regarded Celia carefully. With a single crooked finger she beckoned Celia forward and the warrior swore she could feel the tug.

“Now,” Gella began as the room became pleasantly warm. “The last time we spoke, it was right here in this room. I seem to recall it having quite the effect on you as well. I wonder what that blossomed into while I was away,” she said with a smirk.

There was an expectant silence, and Celia found herself compelled to fill it. “While you were gone, Tabby wanted to throw a party and–” Gella held up a single finger and Celia quieted instantly. Something about that felt wrong, though. She didn’t need to stop talking just because Gella held up a finger.

Before she could object, Gella continued smoothly on. “Tabby, of course.” She smiled softly, looking amused. “I wondered how long you would be able to resist her charms,” she continued, expectantly looking at Celia. “I’m sure there is more to it than that, though,” she prompted.

Celia focused intently. She didn’t feel anything brush her thoughts, not a single tingle of magic. But still she felt a need to meet the unasked question. She frowned and tried looking in deeper. She felt her flame, strong and proud as ever. Nothing should be compelling her, and yet…

“You look troubled, Celia.” Gella’s inquisitive voice lifted Celia out of her introspection. “Tell me what’s wrong.” It sounded so reasonable and sincere that Celia struggled to find anything to lash out with. Despite everything that she and the girls had shared, Gella was still trying to subvert her will. She couldn’t give in; not to her. Gella’s eyes seemed to look past her, though her, into parts of herself. “You’re feeling uneasy – I can see it in your eyes,” she proclaimed, and Celia hated how correct she was.

Celia glanced away, breaking whatever connection Gella had seemed to make. Her eyes landed on her bracelet, on the gleaming silver that had become so familiar that she hardly thought about it. A collar for her in all but name. She hadn’t been here long, and already the memory of her despising Gella for collaring her seemed distant and absurd. Not that she trusted Gella to control her. The word yet traitorously leapt to her thoughts. Something tugged at her memories, the vague sense of rightness and belonging. Quickly following that was a sharp wince. A thought caught on a bramble in her mind. One she felt herself almost compelled to tug at.

“Celia,” Gella’s voice again captured her attention. “Tell me what’s been going on the past few days.” It was a simple request, with only a hint of a command. Celia fought against it, staying quiet and looking from Gella, to the now merrily dancing flames, then back to her bracelet.

Aversa rose in Celia’s thoughts. The demoness was sitting pretty right below their feet. It has been her that drove her into Lauren’s arm’s. Driven her to… to…

She sighed heavily, reliving the memory. It had driven her to experience a level of love and care she hadn’t even considered. Aversa was too much for right now, too much to explain. But this… She needed an answer to this. “I let Lauren put me under her spell,” Celia finally admitted in a whisper. “I asked her to control me, my mind,” she continued, feeling a weight leave her shoulders with every word. “And I really, really liked it,” she finished, feeling curiously drained, as if she had finished a hard workout. It was only when she felt a hot prickle at the corner of her eyes did she realize she was beginning to tear up.

The tears flowed, blurring the room until she blinked them free. The confusion swirled around her inner flame like fine dust, bursting in an intense heat. “You!” She began, nearly shouting at Gella. The mage sat still, expectantly looking at her. “You and this… Everything is just…” She wasn’t making sense, she knew. Between the roiling emotions and bubbling confusion she felt stealing over her mind and her mouth, the thoughts were colliding and falling to pieces. “You fucking confuse me!” She finally yelled.

With her emotions shifting faster then she could even identify them, Celia brought her legs up and hugged herself into a ball. Soft careful fingers brushed through her hair, interrupting a sob. “Just let it out, Celia,” Gella offered. “Let it all out.”

That first morning at Cair Dwemor rushed through Celia’s memory, her sobbing after learning of Gella's plan. The mage had acted much the same then, simply letting her cry it out. She distantly remembered feeling better afterwards, though in the midst of the tempest of emotions she simply wanted to do nothing more than cry.

Her sobs continued, Gella staying still and running her fingers along Celia’s scalp. It was pleasant enough, a light touch that Celia found rhythmically soothing. Eventually her sobs stopped and her tears ebbed. She didn’t feel good, more like she was pleasantly empty. Wrung out and released. Still feeling very fragile, she lifted her head to meet Gella’s gaze. “Crying into your arms is part of the process?” She joked, smiling weakly at Gella.

“You’ll drive yourself to distraction if you start trying to think of everything I could do to that end,” Gella responded with a wink. “Right now I can see the exhaustion in your eyes, Celia. We can continue this tomorrow.” She paused and Celia thought she saw something like trepidation pass over the mage’s features. But a second later she looked as coolly controlled as ever, and Celia was sure she imagined it. “I would like to put you in a magical sleep for the night.” Before Celia could object Gella raised a hand and she stilled. “Just a way to make sure you get some rest. I promise.”

Celia frowned. So far Gella had honored their contract to the letter. And getting some good rest after such a long and emotional evening sounded wonderful. Feeling like she was taking a step into the unknown, the warrior nodded.

Gella took Celia’s chin in her hand and gently guided the warrior to look into Gella’s deep gray eyes. “Cadal,” she said softly, and Celia felt the spell fall on her like a heavy blanket. Her limbs suddenly felt far too heavy and relaxed to even try to move, while her thoughts slowed to a lazy meander. Her eyelids dropped and slipped shut for a long moment before she forced them open to continue looking at the mage. “Sleep, Celia,” the mage commanded, holding her gaze.

Celia felt herself nod and her eyelids slipped shut, sending the warrior into a deep slumber.

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Fire scorched her skin and smoke choked her lungs. Screams, hers or theirs, rang out through the flames. There was a way out, there had to be a way out. Frantic searching brought her back to where she started. Something huge and powerful, heat and smoke made manifest was bearing down on her and–

Celia’s eyes snapped open. Her heart was hammering in her chest and she could feel a cloying clamminess around her brow. She lifted her fingers, feeling the fresh sweat. Suddenly finding the comforter stifling, she tossed it to the side and slipped out of bed.

Her shirt and pants were lying on the chair by her desk, so when and how she was dressed in the light silk nightgown, complete with panties, was a mystery to her. It was easy enough to imagine Gella puppeting her sleeping body via magic, or perhaps waking a tiny part of her enough to get to her bedroom and dressing for bed. Would that count as controlling her mind? Clearly Gella didn’t think so, or maybe she had agreed while still mostly asleep.

The loss of control didn’t sting or alarm her, she considered while stepping into her slippers. Glancing at the clock she gave a little groan at the time. Two in the morning and she was certain she wouldn’t be getting back to sleep. The adrenaline from her fading nightmare still felt far too sharp in her veins for that.

Easing her feet into the waiting slippers, she slipped out into the dark hallway, waiting a moment while her eyes adjusted to moonlight pouring in from the windows. While she did, her mind dwelled on the horrific images that had encroached on her sleeping mind. They had been so much less frequent since her encounter with the fae couple. Walking down the hall Celia couldn’t stop a small smile from crossing her face. The memory of her time with them was still as hazy and indistinct as ever, but she knew they had both been very gentle with her and her mind.

As she crossed under the wide picture windows, she wondered if they could somehow keep the dark memories away forever. The view from here looked out on the back gardens. An immaculate lawn with small shelters dotted around, and behind them stood a large greenhouse where she had learned Violet and Lauren kept their alchemical plants. The silvery moonlight reflected from its many panes, though at this late hour it was dark inside. Beyond that, the trees in the forest swayed in the wind coming down from the mountains, themselves massive shapes blotting out the stars.

Finding the fae couple again might be a challenge. They had been in the woods past Wand’s Reach, but Celia wasn’t certain exactly where. Then again, they had her True Name now. Maybe they would be searching for her. She passed into the other wing of the manor and down the long hallway. Would they be willing to help her with the nightmares? She supposed she could always ask Gella. The mage had–

Celia froze.

She was outside Violet’s door. A sense of vertigo passed over her while her own hand rose to knock softly on the wood. She had no idea what it was that had driven her to the elven woman’s door at such an early hour, And to her growing unease she couldn’t even summon the will to turn around. She stood looking at the wood, breathing slowly in and out, unable to bring herself to even turn away from it.

The unease was beginning to bubble over into something more dire when the door opened. Violet was standing there in a loose cream-colored nightgown. Her long hair hung unbound behind her and her ever-present glowing rune cast a dim radiance into the dark hallway. Her lips curved up into a slight smile. “Hello, Celia. Resume the game, if you please.”

Celia took a short sharp breath. The words, delivered so casually, sent plumes of smoke and clouds from her inner flame. She could feel it swamping her mind, covering some thoughts and forming others entirely from cloudstuff. She shut her eyes reflexively, dizziness rising and washing over her. Distantly, she felt Violet’s steadying hand on her shoulder. Then there was a final bloom of confusion before it was all washed away with a subtle wave of pleasure, tenting her nipples against the silken fabric.

Opening her eyes, Celia found Violet expectantly looking at her. “What… What happened?” Celia asked. “I remember leaving Tabby… er… Amalia,” she quickly corrected. “And then I think I saw…”

She tried to push through, but the memory was suddenly as slick as weapon oil. Try as she might, the warrior couldn’t focus on anything that had happened between leaving the party and knocking on Violet’s door. “It’s alright, my knight. Stop trying to remember, if you please,” Violet said evenly, stepping aside to let Celia into her room.

Instantly Celia’s focus leapt from the murky memories to the here and now, and a drop of pure delight trickled into her mind. She smiled happily and followed the elven woman.

Her large bed was occupied by the sleeping forms of Lauren and Amalia. Watching the sweet priestess cuddle the altered cat-girl close sent a surge of affection that melted Celia’s heart. They both looked so peaceful, smiling and holding each other through whatever dreams were giving them such content smiles. “Why aren’t you asleep, Violet?” Celia asked. The adrenaline and panic that had woken her up seemed so distant now and the promise of sleep was beginning to tempt her again.

“Elves don’t need to sleep quite the same way humans do,” Violet replied. “And we can get by with much less,” she continued, looking into Celia’s eyes. Celia nodded before a yawn forced itself free. She looked away, slightly embarrassed. “Not something I would recommend for you,” Violet continued with a superior smirk. “The suggestion I gave you was to see me as soon as you woke up, though I wasn’t expecting that for several hours. What happened?”

A request to remember just moments after she had been commanded to forget. Confusion crossed her face for only a moment before Violet nodded at her. “Recall with clarity what happened to wake you up, and then let it slip away, if you please.”

The memories revealed themselves, like watching a duplicate of herself. “I had a terrible nightmare and woke up,” she said effortlessly, letting the memory sink just as quickly beneath the fog in her mind.

A look of thoughtfulness crossed Violet’s features. “It must have been quite awful to overcome a sleeping spell,” she said with a thoughtful look. “Something that will need to be addressed after we win the game.”

“Oh?” Celia perked up. Violet’s game was important to her, she wanted to help them all win. The promised reward was also delightfully distracting. She glanced at her friends and let her imagination flourish just a bit about each of them. She had realized she had slipped into a waking daydream about Lauren’s kisses or Amalia’s wild passion until Violet’s fingers tapped her on the shoulder.

“Just a bit longer, my knight,” Violet promised with a nod. “We will finish the game before breakfast . Damian is on our side, and through him the rest of the Heralds. I have taken care of the rest of the manor.” She looked pleased with herself, and Celia shared in it. They were going to win, Gella would be so happy with them. “I have some last minute things to take care of before Gella wakes up, but you don’t need to be awake for them.” She gestured to the bed. “Get some sleep Celia.”

The bed looked incredibly inviting. There was an empty space right next to the slumbering Lauren that Celia could swear was shaped just for her. Nodding her thanks to Violet, the warrior slipped under the sheets and cuddled up to Lauren. The simple closeness of the friendly girl was like a warm bath for her tired mind, and she felt the tug of sleep soon after.

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Awareness slowly returned to Celia, accompanied by stifled sighs and short gasps. She smiled without opening her eyes, it sounded like Lauren and Amalia were having a very good morning. The fantasies and memories from the party washed over her, and she felt a little tingle dance along her nerves. It wasn’t enough to need to be sated, but certainly enough to appreciate her friends enjoying themselves.

Opening her eyes she saw Lauren, her long pink hair pooling behind her and a blissful expression on her face. The adorable priestess’s eyes were shut tight, and from the movement from the sheets draped over her spread legs, Celia had a very good idea why. It was confirmed a second later by a tufted tail poking out and swaying slowly back and forth.

Scooching closer to Lauren, Celia leaned and smiled. “Pleasant dreams?” She asked teasingly, echoing that morning in New Gyr.

Of course Lauren didn’t flinch or look away or do anything other than smile widely. “Very much so,” she sighed sweetly. A gasp of pleasure caught in her throat and she lifted her hips up a little. “Amalia, mmmm, decided to be an attentive pet and wake me up like this,” she continued, slipping the neck of her nightgown down and cupping one of her creamy breasts.

Celia watched, captivated by the way Lauren’s fingers trailed over her body. The pinkette was obviously completely relaxed, happily drifting in the pleasure the cat-girl was providing. Reaching toward the girl, Celia paused. Last night had been so freeing, the restrictions she had against pleasure seeming almost silly now, but that was then. Delicate fingers intertwined her own and she looked into Lauren’s pink-rimmed eyes. She gave a wordless nod, smiling at the warrior.

Warmth and desire bloomed anew and Celia grinned back. Brining Lauren’s fingers up to her lips, Celia pressed a gentle kiss on them. Lauren squirmed and giggled, the fingers on her free hand lightly rolling a stiff nipple between thumb and forefinger. Celia’s kisses traveled up, the warrior herself scooting closer, until she could kiss Lauren’s parted lips.

She was snuggled up so close that she could feel the heat radiating from the lovely pinkette, and she felt it fan the flame of her own desire. The scent of need hung lightly in the air and Celia took a deep breath of it. This wasn’t like the focused desire of last night, this felt far more diffuse. She didn’t just want to see the pretty priestess cum, she wanted to kiss her and cuddle her and just share her closeness.

A desire that Lauren herself seemed caught between. From the sweet soft sounds spilling from her lips Amalia was doing her best to make Lauren dive into the sea of pleasure. Grinning mischievously, Celia twitched aside the sheets and revealed the painted but otherwise naked cat-girl. She lifted her face from between Lauren’s legs, her face flushed and lips shiny with Lauren’s desire. “Good girl,” Celia praised, adoring the dreamy blissful expression it gave Amalia. “Want to work together?”

Understanding was slow to dawn on the cat-girl’s face, but eventually she eagerly nodded. Celia watched her kiss back toward Lauren’s pussy with a renewed vigor while the warrior herself kissed up to Lauren’s ear. Brushing away the sweat damp hair, Celia sighed quietly enough for only Lauren to hear.

“I was thinking about something like this,” she confessed, earning a questioning sound that Amalia’s talented tongue melted into a blissful moan. Celia’s fingers brushed along a yielding breast. “After the party, Violet promised a reward,” she cooed warmly, cupping Lauren’s perky tit and teasing the nipple the same way Lauren had moments earlier. “I think this is better,” she decided, savoring the warmth and the intimacy of a soft bed and the beautiful priestess. Celia felt Lauren’s body beginning to tense up and shifted to look along her silky soft body, toward the beast girl currently lapping away at Lauren’s folds. She pressed a few more tender kisses to Lauren’s cheek, and feeling the tension grow until all at once Lauren crested the peak and shut her eyes tight, squirming and writhing.

The heady musky scent increased and Amalia slipped away from Lauren’s legs, licking her lips and grinning. “Tasty pretty girl,” Celia heard her say from Lauren’s other side. Celia laughed a little, glancing at the enthralled cat-girl currently nuzzling into Lauren’s chest. A tiny twinge of unease made itself known as she looked at the cat-girl. Lauren had been adamant that Tabby’s mind was safely put away, and she trusted Lauren deeply. Still, Celia found herself nervously running her fingers up and down Lauren’s thigh.

“Something on your mind?” Lauren asked warmly, glancing at the two inch spot Celia had been absently rubbing up and down. The warrior stopped with a tiny flush of embarrassment. Turning to look away, she was stopped by a gentle hand on her shoulder. She looked back toward Lauren, and felt her heart skip a beat at the concern and care in the priestess’ expression. Celia nodded, and Lauren shifted up to sit cross-legged, letting her nightgown flow back down over her body. Amalia looked from one girl to the other, and when no attention was forthcoming she gave a playful growl and butted Lauren in the shoulder with her head.

Lauren rolled her eyes but relented. Gesturing for the cat-girl to continue, Amalia crawled closer. Stretching out and showing off the gorgeous markings on her skin, Amalia settled her head in Lauren’s lap and shut her eyes. Celia’s eyes wandered down her lithe tight body, admiring every little bit. Between watching Lauren cum and the unintended display from Amalia, Celia felt the unease slip away in favor of a pleasant, unhurried need. It took Lauren giggling to dispel the fog of desire and if not quench it, at least bank it for the moment. “Ri– Right,” Celia recovered. “It’s… “ She gestured to Amalia. “I know you said Tabby is perfectly safe but…”

Lauren nodded with an understanding look. “But it’s still unnerving.” She looked thoughtful while her fingers glided through Amalia’s short, tawny hair. They passed her ears, making them twitch a little and pulling a content soft purr from Amalia. The cat-girl looked perfectly happy, but there was still something off about her. An essential Tabby-ness that was missing.

Celia sat cross-legged and looked at Amalia without really seeing her. She trusted Lauren to a level she couldn’t ever remember trusting anyone besides Violet. Certainly not anyone at the guild, or before that with Krisk. The past turned dark and thorny, warding her away after that, and she was more than happy to retreat back to this comfortable soft room with her friends. “I trust you Lauren,” she said firmly, the tiny gnawing unease fading slightly. “I can’t imagine you ever hurting Tabby on purpose.”

The priestess pulled a face and shook her head firmly. “Never,” she proclaimed. Celia watched her look down at the relaxed cat-girl with an expression of utter adoration. After a moment she looked up at Celia. “I do know something that might help you though.” Her fingers left Amalia’s hair, trailing down to the orange and black tiger markings on the cat-girl’s shoulders. “These are magical paints, yes,” she began “But only in that they won’t fade or wash off before I want them to. What I did with her mind,” she continued sweetly, “was only hypnosis. She had to trust me enough to believe the role I painted for her.”

“And the herbs that we used on her?” Celia asked. “They didn’t change that?”

Lauren shrugged. “It helped us get her in a trance faster, sure, but I didn’t use any mind-altering magic on her. As soon as the game is finished, I promise she will be right back to her usual self.”

The door opened and Violet strode in, dressed in her usual maid’s dress. In her free hand she had a tray loaded with three slightly-steaming bowls. “Breakfast,” she announced, handing a bowl and spoon to Celia. Amalia was roused from her cuddle-induced daze by Lauren before being handed a bowl as well. It turned out to be oatmeal, warm and thick and slightly spiced.

“Once you all finish and get dressed, we will enact the final phase of the plan,” Violet announced while Celia enjoyed the warm breakfast.

“What would that be?” Celia asked excitedly. It seemed like everything was taken care of. All three of them and the Heralds were on Gella’s team. If this were real, Aversa wouldn’t have anything left to use.

“We are going to take Gella as well.” She said it so casually that Celia needed a moment of concentration just to convince herself she had heard it correctly.

“I’m sorry, we are doing what?” Celia asked, ice forming in her stomach. Playing a game was one thing, but trying to go against Gella just felt wrong. The mage had been completely on the level, there was no reason to go against her. Violet had to be mistaken, surely.

“We are going to corner Gella, and then claim her to win the game,” Violet repeated

Celia’s eyes widened. “But you said we were on–”

“Celia, be silent, if you please,” Violet commanded and the words instantly fled Celia’s lips before her mouth snapped shut. The tingle of being a good knight and doing as was told was drowned out by the hollow feeling churning in her gut. She looked desperately to Lauren, who just nodded along, and then to Amalia, who – having finished her oatmeal – was again lounging in Lauren’s lap

“I know what I said,” Violet continued, moving closer to Celia. “My team is going to win.”

Celia looked again at Lauren, silently willing her friend through eye contact alone to speak up. The pinkette frowned, looking into Celia’s eyes before brightening up. “Celia, we’ve played these kinds of games before. This isn’t for keeps, none of it is.” She sounded so confident, and Celia trusted Lauren deeply. As deeply as she trusted Violet. The elf who had obviously horribly bent the truth about the stakes of the game.

Her wide eyes darted to the door, only feet away. It opened inward, and all Violet would need to do is command her to be still anyways. Her heart was racing in her chest while voices deep in her mind whispered seductively, telling her to be a good girl. To do as she was told. She needed to… To do something.

“She should be coming back in from practice soon. I made sure that Damian will encourage her to exhaust herself more than usual,” Violet continued. “We will catch her in the main hall. Lauren, be ready to use your silencing spell for this. Amalia, my lovely pet, be ready to pounce on the gray-haired woman on my signal,”

“Violet!” Celia forced her lips apart, ignoring the stern compulsions to submit and obey. “This is insane! You can’t do this!”

Violet raised an eyebrow. “This is quite a show of defiance,” she observed. “I thought you quite liked being a good girl for me.”

The words hit Celia hard, a creeping insidious pleasure winding from her suddenly flushed pussy. It promised so much more, if she would just obey. “N-no,” Celia said through gritted teeth. “This is wrong.”

“Maybe we should–” Lauren began, and Violet snapped her attention to the priestess.

“Far endless fall, Lauren.” For a second, fear – ice-cold and razor-sharp – raked down Celia’s spine. Surely Violet wouldn’t–

She breathed a sigh of relief when Lauren managed to nod before slumping back against the pillows. Amalia glanced at the girl and simply shifted to curl up close. From the smile on her lips and her deep, easy breathing, it was obvious that the priestess had simply been put to sleep. The relief quickly froze over, leaving the core of conditioned arousal to simmer. “This isn’t like you at all Celia,” Violet commented, looking the warrior up and down.

“I could say the same!” Celia snarled while her mind chaotically whirled. Nothing was making sense. That rune on Violet’s head was supposed to be the ultimate guarantee of obedience. The confusion was beginning to pound, sending sharp spikes that doubled back and rebounded through Celia’s mind. She shut her eyes, rubbing her forehead to try and force the pain away.

“Celia, listen to the snaps,” came a voice she wasn’t expecting, the fae woman, Deborah. Celia darted up just in time to see Violet with a tiny glowing crystal in her hand. Before she could move or speak, the elf snapped her fingers twice.

Celia’s inner flare roared to life, colored by the mesmerizing lights. Blue and Indigo fountained up, coating all her worries and fears in a thick layer of calmness and safety. She dreamily smiled, all tension draining from her shoulders. Her eyelids suddenly felt pleasantly warm and heavy, and she slumped further in time with them. She simply drifted, the wonderful Logic surrounding her. It wasn’t quite the same as she remembered it, though, and Celia giggled. Pleasure infused the wonderful multi-colored flame, sparkling Pink-ish Gold tinting the other Colors, a deep thrum that begged to be sated. “Celia, listen to Violet,” Deborah’s voice came again, coming from the little crystal. The voice that held her and the Logic, the voice she needed to listen to. She focused as much as she could on the beautiful elf.

“Celia, how are you feeling?” Violet asked intently.

Blue, so Blue,” Celia sighed. She remembered feeling scared and anxious, of course. Violet was planning on enthralling Gella, and already enthralled Celia’s friends. She just couldn’t bring herself to focus on those tiny flickers of Orange when Blue coated so much of her mind. Even the distant, dangerous, fiery Red was smothered by it. “Indigo, Yellow,” she added with a happy sigh. Indigo pleasure, freed from the worry and fear, seeped through her veins like molten syrup and Yellow highlights kept her feeling so dreamy and pleasant

Violet looked into her eyes and Celia looked back dreamily. “You know what I’ve done, right?” She asked intently.

Celia nodded. “Yes. When I heard the two snaps from Gella I was to find someplace safe and comfortable, and let my mind open up.” Her thoughts swam through the Blue, languidly reaching a conclusion. “You’re not Gella though.”

“That’s nothing for you to worry about, Celia,” Violet said by way of an explanation and Celia stopped trying to figure it out. Instead she just continued looking placidly into Violet’s eyes, blinking slowly and luxuriating in the endless Blue. “You’re going to help me complete this game and capture Gella, Celia.”

Another nod, but this time a few sparks of Orange blew by her. She felt a grimace tug at her lips but kept silent.

“You won’t listen to anyone’s words but mine until I say otherwise. They will just slip right over your mind,” Violet said evenly, and Celia nodded right after. Of course Violet’s words were the only ones worth listening to. Violet turned to Lauren and leaned in close to whisper something in her ear. A moment later Lauren stretched out, dislodging Amalia who gave a tiny huff. Lauren giggled and said something Celia couldn’t possibly understand.

The cat-girl gave a lazy nod, seeming to come much more alert. Lauren asked something. Or at least, Celia assumed it was a question, even if the actual words drifted far beyond her reach.

Violet nodded and gestured at Celia. “The fae sorcery they left on her. Deborah was either planning on using it herself, or just worded it very poorly.”

Lauren’s lips moved again, but Celia was far more focused on how beautiful the priestess was, and the memory of how amazing her lips could feel.

“You’re right.” She turned to Celia. “You’ll be able to hear everyone except Gella,” she said, giving a nod to Lauren.

Lauren and Amalia got off the bed, and the pinkette held Celia’s hand, giving it a squeeze. Celia looked down the intertwined fingers and up into Lauren’s genuine smile. “Everything will be alright, Celia. Promise.” The warrior nodded back from a sense of courtesy if nothing else. She was betraying Gella, it was hard to see how this would be alright, but the Blue pushed that worry back, and she simply let Lauren lead her out into the hall.

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The walk down the hallway was wonderful. The colored smoke and cinder pouring from her inner flame kept a constant fall of Colors on her thoughts. Indigo flared for a moment while she gazed at Amalia’s hips, then it was swamped by Green. She was exactly where she needed to be, there wasn’t anything to worry about.

The hallway was illuminated by bright and clear sunlight from a window at its end, and something about that shook the little Red grain. Celia wished it would stay as pushed away as the deep Red door, lost in the peaceful Blue. Violet took them across the landing and past the big picture window, showing a brilliant blue sky. It was looking like a wonderful day. The same kind of day as when she had flown with Lauren.

Her attention was brought suddenly back to the present when the front doors were pushed open with enough force to rebound on the walls. Sunlight poured in behind Gella, her backlit silhouette seemingly glowing silver. She hovered a few inches off the ground and was flanked on either side by… Celia couldn’t quite understand what she was seeing. They looked like humans, but made of a material that gleamed white in the morning sun. Their faces were generic with unmoving features. One carried a large shield which it held close to Gella’s body, while the other had two thin, curved blades that seemed almost translucent.

Without waiting for orders, the one armed with twin sabers leapt at Violet, moving swiftly despite its large size. “Celia!” Violet commanded while leaping out of the way. “Use this to subdue Gella.” She tossed a sheathed rapier toward Celia.

Catching it, Celia recognized it at once at the same blade that Gella had used on her to render her compliant. “Obey me, my knight!” Violet insisted, before she was forced again to backpedal from the unnatural white humanoid.

The order seized Celia, focusing her on Gella. Green and Blue strengthened her resolve. She needed to do this, as Violet’s knight. The thin, slender blade was unfamiliar to her, but she found its balance with a few quick twirls, and dashed toward Gella. The mage spared her a glance and said something that her mind refused to listen to, and the humanoid with the large shield interposed itself between them.

Remembering the blade's ability to pierce solid matter, she thrust forward toward the shield. The blade passed through the shield like air, buried up to the hilt with ease. But the thing with the shield didn’t seem to notice. It just kept the solid wall of dark wood banded with metal between her and the mage. No matter how Celia tried to outmaneuver it, the thing kept pace. There was no way she was getting past whatever defense this was without help.

“Barrière sacrée!” She heard Lauren cast. Lauren’s magic could help her find a way to obey, so Violet’s grip lessened enough for her to find the priestess. She was kneeling in the middle of a dome of shimmering golden energy while Gella slowly stalked around it. The mage was gesturing and her lips were moving, clearing saying something, casting some kind of spell. Whatever it was caused the energy dome to react, but it remained stable despite the apparent onslaught of magic.

She tried to get closer, to get Lauren’s assistance, but the damned creature with its shield was too quick. It halted her every movement. Looking around, she spotted Amalia sitting on the top steps, away from the fighting, simply watching while swaying her tail. Why wasn’t the monk fighting with them? She remembered the Grotto, what Lauren had done to make her easier to tame. “Lauren!” She yelled across the entry hall. “Do whatever you need to do to give Amalia her skills back!”

Both Gella and Lauren turned their heads to the cat-girl. She watched Lauren’s concentration falter, and the energy shield failed along with it. Before the priestess could so much as speak, Gella had the pinkette in her arms and was kissing her passionately. Celia blinked, stunned at such a nonsensical move in battle. It was proven effective a moment later when Lauren went limp in Gella’s arms. Whatever else the kiss had been, it had taken Lauren out of the fight.

She watched as the mage gathered Lauren in her arms and reverently carried her out of the hall toward the living room. Concern crept over Celia, without some sort of magical edge she wasn’t getting past this thing Gella had brought with her. Worse, she wasn’t sure if Lauren was out of the fight, or Gella was even now pulling her back to the mage’s side. Still, she had to obey Violet and keep fighting, no matter what.

If the priestess was out, there was an entire barracks full of Heralds that could help her! She broke off her attempts to get past the shield-bearing thing and ran out into the bright, clear sunlight. Heedless of the rocks and pebbles poking her unprotected feet, she ran towards the squat building.

Upon throwing the door open, Celia was taken aback at the scene within. The normally orderly and neat room had been thrown into chaos. The tables and chairs were knocked away from the middle of the room, and the beds had been piled haphazardly near the door down to the Grotto. In the empty space left behind slumped Damian, Clara, Erin, and Electra. The only one awake was Joshua, sitting close to his stunned companions.

She took a step toward them and Joshua whipped his head up and threw out his hand. “Celia! Stop!” He yelled with such force Celia halted in her tracks. “Don’t come any closer,” he said not as a threat but with an edge of pleading.

Celia nodded and looked around. “Gella did all of this?” She asked instead

“Yes, and those things she whipped out.” He gestured at Damian with his free hand while still keeping one hand on Clara’s shoulder. “He did something that tipped her off and she stunned all of them.”

“Not you?”

Joshua shook his head. “Nope,” he said, oddly calm despite the circumstances. “Stunning spells usually don’t have any side effects, but she had me watch them, just in case.” Whatever else might be the case, Gella didn’t want any permanent harm to befall her Heralds. Celia nodded at that. “But, if you take one more step I am going to knock you out too,” he said matter of factly.

“Something Gella did?” Celia asked, looking around for anything that could help her against the mage.

“Yes. I can keep everyone healthy, but other than that I can’t leave, and I can’t help you or let you help them.” He shook his head. “I’m sorry Celia, but you’re on your own,” he said with an intense stare toward the armory. She followed his gaze and nodded wordlessly. She might not be able to get assistance, but there had to be something in their stores she could use.

The forge was still glowing warm, bathing Celia in its welcoming heat. Daniel was nowhere to be found, and Celia couldn’t waste the time searching for him. Gella didn’t seem intent on seriously wounding anyone, so she just had to hope that he was okay. Heart thumping in her chest, Celia looked at the spare weapons and armor. A full suit of mail would take too long to don, but…

She grinned. This wasn’t a normal forge in a normal manor. Magic suffused every part of Cair Dwemor, and she had seen enough to know that the Heralds carried all kinds of alchemical devices. She opened the little closet next to the storage racks and marveled at the array of crystals, vials, charms, and wands. All of them helpfully labeled in Daniel’s neat hand.

She grabbed a vial labeled Stoneskin and quickly downed it in a gulp. The moment the liquid hit her stomach, she could feel a layer of protective stone infuse her, turning her tanned skin a slate gray color. She grabbed another two, one for Essence of Bull and Essence of Bear each. They frothed and bubbled all the way down, but she could instantly feel a burst of physical strength, followed quickly by a surge of vitality.

That would definitely improve her chances, but she still needed a way to get past that shield-carrying monster. Her eyes fell on a vial marked with Fly, and she grinned. Perfect. Then she saw there at the bottom of the closet, a whole box of softly-glowing white gems. It had nearly worked against Gella once before after all, and perhaps if she couldn’t hear Gella’s spells, then they couldn’t affect her. But Violet had her controlled via magic, too. Celia hesitated. Would this affect the sorcery that bound her? She needed to obey, needed to subdue Gella. She had to risk it. She palmed one in her left hand.

Knocking back the vial of flight left her feeling slightly nauseous, but also incredibly confident. New knowledge she had no words to describe magically bloomed in her mind, and she mentally pushed off against the wooden floor and hovered in midair. Despite the pressing need to obey – or perhaps because she was now so prepared to do it – she let out a excited cry and glided swiftly back toward the manor

She spotted Gella as soon as she arrived, still protected by her shield-bearing creature, and watching Violet dart and dash away from the one wielding the two blades. It was clear Violet could outrun the thing, but whenever she tried getting close enough to Gella to strike, the shield-bearing thing would impose itself like a wall. A stalemate, but one that Celia was here to break in favor of Violet.

She rose in the air above where the shield-bearing thing could reach, her nightgown rippling in an unseen breeze against her enhanced body. The magical infusions left her feeling strong and vital, and the fae Logic reinforced her confidence. With the enchanted rapier held out like a lance, Celia dove through the air toward Gella.

The mage vanished with a warp of space before her blow could land, leaving Celia to impact the ground hard. Bending her knees did little to cushion the blow, but Celia rose again for another pass.

“Ground floor, Celia! By the living room!” Violet called, dodging a swipe from a translucent sword. Celia nodded to Violet, and spotted Gella with her hand inside nowhere. Whatever the mage was pulling out, Celia couldn’t let her keep resupplying herself. She darted through the air, all grace and power concentrated on that tip of her rapier. Gella again vanished, and this time Celia could hear the warp from the other side of the hall. Skimming along the wall close enough for her toes to brush it, the warrior again made to dive at the mage.

The shield-bearing thing blocked her though, this time grabbing her leg with its free hand and pulling down. Whatever force Celia was able to manifest to counteract it wasn’t enough to overcome the thing’s strength. It lowered her to face Gella, and Celia tried with all her might to dart the last few inches to strike the mage with her weapon.

Frustratingly, Gella remained just out of reach. Her lips moved and her eyebrow lifted, probably a question, but Celia couldn’t understand. Gella seemed to reach that conclusion and pointed her hand, obviously about to cast something. This was it, she had to risk using the gem or Gella would defeat her!

She crushed the gem, releasing the brilliant blue-white pulse of anti-magic. Instantly, the thing holding her released its grip and Celia’s magical flight ended, sending her thudding to the ground. She rolled to the side, springing up and rushing Gella before she could begin casting again.

Without the shield construct to protect the mage, Celia had a much easier time disrupting her casts. She didn’t know how long the anti-magic pulse would stop it though. With that ticking clock driving her, she pressed a full-on attack. A single good strike was all she needed, but Gella wasn’t staying still long enough to allow it.

The mage ducked, weaving around the thrusts. She spun on her heel, back down toward the open area of the hall. Before either woman could move further, a thunderous sound of cracking stone reverberated from the upper levels. Both women turned to see a shattered torso twitch and spasm before it turned still as stone. Green light flashed around Amalia’s body, crawling over her legs. Violet stood next to her, disheveled and breathing heavily but otherwise unharmed. Celia felt a rush of exhilaration seeing the docile kitten turned back into a powerful warrior.

The emerald energy crackled along tensed calves and Amalia leapt straight down in front of Gella. The beast girl moved with a fluidity that boggled Celia, even as she ran to join the fight. The mage tried keeping both girls in her line of sight, but between Celia’s thrusts and the flurry of sweeps and feints from Amalia she was soon outmatched.

Dodging a powerful thrust from Celia’s rapier, Gella failed to notice Amalia backflip behind her. A tawny hand clapped over the mage’s mouth, and just before Celia could finally fulfill her commands and subdue Gella for Violet, the elf called out, “Celia! Hold!”

Instantly Celia’s body relaxed and she looked curiously at Violet. The maid said nothing to her, only moving to Gella and withdrawing a single needle from her apron. Watching the mage’s face, Celia didn’t see fear or anger, but a composed resignation in her eyes. “You fought as well as ever, my Lady.” Surprise bubbled up from under the smothering Logic. The adrenaline and thrill of the fight was quickly fading, leaving Celia all too aware of the betrayal she was being compelled to assist with. Yet Violet had addressed Gella with all the reverence she usually did.

The surprise only doubled when Gella gave a single nod to the elven woman. The needle pricked Gella delicately, leaving only a tiny dot of blood. Whatever mixture coated it worked quickly, as Gella’s eyes rolled back in her head, and soon after, Amalia was holding a slumbering mage.

Celia let out a relieved breath. Violet’s order was fulfilled, and that left the Blue to drift back and coat her thoughts anew. “You did magnificently, Celia,” Violet told her, carefully accepting Gella from Amalia and holding her in a bridal carry. “Follow me,” she called over her shoulder, heading toward the living room.

Violet delicately deposited Gella next to the still sleeping Lauren, and a ghost of a smile crept across Celia’s lips despite the circumstances. Both women looked adorable at the moment. Absent all the focus and concentration Gella normally employed, the mage looked completely worry free. Lauren too was deeply asleep, and Celia felt a sudden painful ache that was swiftly swallowed by the Blue. Violet produced a small vial of a blue liquid from her apron and handed it to Celia who sat close to Lauren. “I am very sorry for all that I put you through, Celia,” Violet said with a softness to her voice. “That will put you into a deep sleep, and when you wake up everything will make sense.” Celia hesitantly brought the vial to her lips, smelling the light floral scent. Knowing the elven woman could simply command her to drink, Celia swallowed the potion.

The moment it hit her stomach a powerful lethargy flowed outward. Her muscles felt full of warm, heavy sand, and her thoughts turned slow and sluggish. Violet carefully helped into a comfortable position on the couch, away from the sleeping pair. “I… uhm… I want Lauren,” she muttered. Violet paused and nodded. She guided Celia’s head to Lauren’s lap, and immediately the scent and warmth of the priestess pulled Celia seductively toward sleep.

Just before sleep stole over her completely, Violet whispered something. “The game is over, Celia.”

The unfolding memories and thoughts evaporated into meaningless fragments in seconds, leaving Celia to curiously watch a spike of what would have become panic not quite manage to break the surface of the deep sleep that called for her.