Wyrn jumped out into the path to find…nothing and no one. Looking left gave him a narrow view of the mouth of a maze. Right was no better.

A hand held his shoulder and he jumped away, turning with his knife drawn. The sight of his brother, Shaza cowering behind, calmed him.

Bonn wasn’t pleased with his findings.

“Wyrn?” Mother’s voice called. “Where have you gone? You’ll be lost in here.”

As soon as Wyrn opened his mouth to answer, Bonn’s hand stopped him from making a sound. His brother kept his firm hold until Mother’s voice grew distant.

When she was gone, Wyrn lost all hope. He shoved Bonn back finally.

“Are you mad! Now what will we do?”

Bonn hesitated then clutched Shaza’s left hand and said, “Succubus hearing. We cannot follow Mother. She doesn’t want to find your woman.”

Wyrn stepped back, taking insult. His eyes drifted from his brother’s miserable frown to land on the succubus in question.

“Since when do you trust her?” Wyrn demanded.

Bonn let out a weak sigh. “Since I’ve come to realize I haven’t been fair to her.” His voice held affection when he tugged her close.

Never had Wyrn imagined a succubus could be embarrassed but she was bashful in Bonn’s embrace.

“And ever since she’s been making me privy to some things.” Bonn pulled Shaza closer when he took a deep breath and told Wyrn, “Mother let the prince go.”

Wyrn broke in two. He imagined a hammer brought against his manifested frame.

The shock evaporated, allowing him to pull himself back together again but Bonn stopped him from reaching for Shaza’s throat.

“She speaks the truth,” Bonn shouted. “Look at us. Look where we are!”

“You…. What sort of son are you?”

Bonn let out a sigh. “My wife’s habit comes with pleasing others. That’s all she knows because that’s the very basic nature of a succubus, extracting praise any way they can. The most basic is through cardinal means. I was resentful, especially since Dalin had been a virgin. I am to blame for much but there is one thing you need to understand, Shaza’s never lied to me. What gives me pleasure is knowing what she’s been up to, so she tells me. And I believe her.”

“Why? Why would Mother do such a thing?”

All eyes fell to Shaza who kept her head hung. “I do not know, but what I do know of her will get me injured. So I beg that you don’t ask it.”

Wyrn turned on her, but Bonn reminded him, “We’re losing time.”

They’d lost time. Wyrn meant to argue that with fate so steadily against this rescue, he’d decided to give up.

“It says go right,” Shaza whispered.

“What?” Wyrn waited and looked down to where she pointed. The fairy.

Hand clutching the jar in seconds, Wyrn said a silent thank you. He started to run, and Bonn followed.

Five minutes later, they emerged from the maze, their mother thoroughly vindicated. Their family was nowhere in sight, but a black tower stood before them.

Wyrn scanned the darkened brick. A part of him wanted to examine it closely—there was something familiar about it. But he hadn’t the time.

They entered the archway and took the steps two by two.

What they emerged to find was even more amazing than he’d imagined.

The throne room held no chair, instead, it had a pool filled by the massive waterfall outside. They could see the blue-gray sky in all directions but that of the water.

Next to the pool, two naked people slept.

Wyrn tried to rush them, but Bonn caught him and put an index finger up, asking for silence.

Sitting atop Vadde’s stomach, the purple wood nymph examined her face. He braced against her breasts to do so and Wyrn reached back for his blade.

Shaza explained, “He says, she won’t sleep for long. Not with refusing to eat, but the other one was a fine catch. His appetite was…malleable.”

Wyrn’s grip on the knife remained constant.

A green nymph, hands behind her back, marched down Orm’s torso. Upon reaching his groin, she kicked his limp member over.

Shaza stifled a laugh next. She asked Wyrn, “Do you really want to know?”

“Spare me.” Wyrn wondered, “How do we get them away?”

“I don’t know if we can,” Bonn said. “They’ve already engaged the nymphs.”

Vadde made a sound as she stirred and Wyrn longed to rush to her. That was unwise with just the three of them, two of which had no defenses as a succubus wasn’t known for their fighting skills.

There was a hollow in the hall, pockets of space where they could hide.

Bonn whispered, “What are you doing? What we need is to find something to trade.”

“There’s no point,” Wyrn countered. “Not if they are here freely.” Before his brother could make a foolish suggestion, Wyrn reminded him, “I cannot hear her voice any longer.”

“Should I—should I tell you what’s happening?”

Ever eager to please others.

Wyrn leaned back against the wall then slid to the floor. Better that he stayed here and not make a fool of himself.

The princess awakened first, being polite yet firm in asking the nymph to disembark her. For a short time, she and the nymphs argued, asking questions back and forth which Shaza deemed inconsequential and unworthy of repetition. Vadde then asked for them to awaken the prince.

As far as they could gather, Orm hadn’t fallen asleep naked but was pleased nonetheless.

Yet, it was the princess who said, “We wish to have intercourse.”

The male nymph asked, “Why? You do not seem interested.”

“I’m interested enough,” the princess insisted.

A slap sounded with Orm’s hand against her naked ass. “That’s more like it.”

The male nymph was less than pleased. “How boring. Just being here makes anything pertaining to desires of the flesh inconsequential.”

“Meaning?” Orm asked.

“Meaning,” the girl nymph said, “you need not make a trade past asking permission for this here. Meaning that we are allowed to ask permission for entry someplace of importance to you as well.”

Orm hesitated only briefly before nodding. “Yes, yes, good, good. When can we start?”

“The bargain is struck,” the male said, cheering. “You can start now.”

With a bing, bing, they were gone.

Wyrn could stomach only to the moment Shaza said they kissed. The details about Orm’s hands running down the princess’s shoulders then past her stomach was enough. Wyrn stood. “We can go now,” he said.

Bonn watched him, equally heartbroken. “I’m sorry, brother.”

“They kissed,” Shaza said, slowing in her speech when she focused on Wyrn finally. “I’m sorry.”

This was the first time she sounded—looked genuine when saying those words. Wyrn was equally sorry. Sorry he’d come.

“It doesn’t matter. They are safe and I can rest easy knowing that.”

Bonn wasn’t satisfied. “Why would they need to come here?”

Wyrn could think of only one reason. He loathed sharing it. “Because she’s been with a fairy, and it’s ruined her.” His eyes gravitated to the jar affixed to his waist. He wanted to spit. “At least I know I’m not the only lover spurned.”

Shaza looked foolish standing there with nothing to say. And Bonn wasn’t much better.

After sucking in a deep breath, Wyrn gave one definitive nod. “I’m done. Can we go?”

One sound broke through his misery, and it was one he knew well—a hand striking flesh. Perhaps a face. Wyrn was considerably slower as he emerged from the hiding place.

In the distance, the lovers still faced one another, Orm making some sort of demand. Had he actually struck her?

Perhaps he had but Wyrn reminded himself that she was here of her own volition and it was no longer his business.

They made it back to the stairs with no fanfare. Bonn looked more disappointed than Wyrn himself.

When Wyrn reached the bottom step, he lost power and had to use the wall for support. He couldn’t understand why. Eyes still fixed on the white marble below him, he willed the world to stop spinning.

It was foolish to ask it, but he wanted to know that much. “Did he hit her?”

Shaza hesitated but gave a nod.

And what was Wyrn supposed to do with this knowledge? Each attempt he made at walking away came with a sinking feeling as if he was swallowing his heart to keep it from leaving his body.

“But it’s all right,” Shaza assured him. “She’s right in saying that a princess wouldn’t do that but with time she’ll learn. I’m sure.”

Bonn gave Wyrn support and helped him to stand.

It was no use; he shivered.

“Wait,” Wyrn panted. “Do what exactly?”

Shaza looked from him to his brother then back again. She hesitated and said, “Well—I…I had a cousin….” It was the first time she left the narrative and admitted, “The—the thing I requested of you once and you called me a name.”

Bonn’s brow furrowed. “What exactly are you two talking about?”

Usually, Wyrn would answer but the expression on Shaza’s face said she’d rather he didn’t. That was surprising. Had Wyrn’s reaction been so strong that she’d never attempted anything like that with her husband? The irony wasn’t lost on him that the one thing he’d thought he’d never do with a woman, he’d happily tried for the princess.

The world shrunk then fell away and Wyrn stood rigid. “Something’s wrong,” he said.

“What?” Bonn allowed him to stand. “Are you feeling all right?”

“No. I’m not.” The princess had done that—put her mouth on Wyrn, and done so without his requesting. Wyrn stared into Shaza’s confused eyes. Knife drawn, he turned and took the steps two by two. Upon seeing Orm shoving the princess to her knees before him, Wyrn sent the dagger flying.

It sliced Orm’s cheek as it sailed past and disappeared into the white of the waterfall.

“Brother!” Bonn yelled out a warning.

Wyrn heard the weapon before seeing it and he turned to offer his back while guarding his head.

His own dagger slammed into his shield. Despite having thrown it forward, it came back out from the other side of the room. If he ever got it back, he was careful to note never to throw it again.

He certainly got Orm’s attention, but not the princess who still sat looking at the floor.

Orm wasn’t the only one shocked then angry.

A green and purple nymph appeared out of thin air.

“Who dares interrupt?” the green female demanded.

“A bargain has been met. It cannot easily be undone!” the purple one bellowed. “What authority do you have here?”

Wyrn’s pulse raced. Although his composure was shaky, he raised a finger to indicate the princess. “That’s my wife.”

Both nymphs looked back at the princess who’d froze upon hearing his voice.

When they regarded Wyrn again in unison, the gleam of their teeth was unmistakable. They shot toward him, mouth open. Wyrn’s dagger rose from the ground and traveled with them.