Since their wonderful union, Lou had asked Kierra why she fought a handful of times.

  She didn’t ask often and usually it was in jest; Lou might not agree with elven culture and its veneration of strength, but she respected it. Her conqueror asked for compromise, but never outright denied who Kierra or any of her lovers were. It was one of her many charming points.

  The question was usually triggered by Kierra’s warmth, something akin to her admiring plants with Gajin or playing with Anna and her adorable pets. Her little conqueror shivered in the presence of the fierce, but kindness melted her like a cool treat on a warm tongue.

  The physical affinity was known more for healing than destroying. With her talent, she could be a supporter beyond any other. A boon to any clan. Her mother had even told her that she could travel to Twilight if she wanted to test the validity of Morgene’s stories, as even a matriarch would treat her well. Kierra was born favored by the world. She could never lift a finger and all of existence would rush forward to provide her with a life of luxury, for all eternity if she wished.

  Yet, she fought. She threw herself into the blood and guts. She slew enemies and lost friends. The reason? Freedom.

  She could live an easy life, but the cost would be living to someone’s whims. Those that protected her and showered her with gifts would expect her to imbue them with life in turn. She would have to fight, but it would be death and rampant ambition rather than monsters. Worst, she would be chained to them, kept behind tightly shuttered windows and heavy doors.

  If her magic was strength, better to give her strength to herself. To feel the heavy pounding of her heart. To leap and touch the territory of the great sovereigns. As a natural treasure, her greatest fear was someone stronger than her protector, her mother, taking her for themselves. Freedom. The only thing she valued more was her love, which unchained her heart.

  That was why Morgene chose to imprison her. She knew it would break her; Morgene had also hoped she would put herself together stronger.

  Kierra detested the loss of agency. She could understand that it became a necessity for a short durations but detaining someone indefinitely was an evil she wouldn’t wish on her greatest enemy. That was why she pitied Reynela. If Lou hadn’t offered to help her, Kierra wouldn’t have let the girl leave without extending the offer herself. A constant battle for control of her own body was horrendous to contemplate; self-determination was the one privilege that every creature deserved, one that they were born with.

  It was good that the pirate could offer Lou something in return. Geneva as well, though Kierra was less invested in the succubus’ enjoyment. Anything she approved of was very likely to the detriment of others. If not for her complete obedience to Lou, Kierra would be worried about her eagerness to complete her task.

  The morning after their conversation, Lou left early to retrieve the next part of the cache. Geneva saw her off before fetching Reynela. Stilly grumpy from sleep, the pirate was not in a good mood but what was she before an amoral master of magical and physical might? Kierra found her attitude cute, especially when the succubus told her she couldn’t have breakfast. Watching her throw a fit was like watching an oversized, fearless kitten hiss at bigger predators. Paired with her silliness, Kierra found the pirate endearing.

  The succubus was only interested in the creatures trying to eat her from the inside out.

  Geneva distracted her with conversation about her ideal body; her trust in their taste was flattering but it was important for the girl to have more of say in her own body. Under Geneva’s constant badgering, the pirate voiced a few of her preferences. The elf was sure that the succubus secretly unveiled far more. Soon enough, it was time. In the middle of the conversation, Geneva moved with the swiftness of a striking serpent, knocking Reynela out. Watching the physically smaller feminine form easily lift the large pirate onto her shoulder was amusing, aided by Geneva’s swinging tail and the jaunty tune she hummed.

  Geneva continued to hum as they carried Rey to the room she’d prepared, one of the servants’ rooms rearranged for the occasion; the bed and the minimum furniture were taken out, replaced with a simple table with sturdy legs. Grooves were carved along the sides, leading to two buckets on the ground.

  Love what you're reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.

  “To catch the blood,” Geneva answered when she noticed her gaze.

  “Thoughtful.”

  “It pays to be when you’re the one doing the cleaning.”

  “Is that a complaint?”

  Geneva chuckled. “Of course not.”

  “The powerful don’t usually enjoy being a servant.”

  “I would say those people aren’t truly powerful.” A trio of flames appeared over the table, providing plenty of light to work under. Geneva moved to the table and wheeled over a cart with a half dozen blades and other instruments arranged on the top. She picked one up, its edge catching the light. “It’s the same with knowledge, dear Master. Those who know too little are idiots and don’t know it. Those who know too much? Idiots who think they are smart. The wise? They know they’re idiots. Just as your world has dragons, being the inhabitants of this world could never dream of measuring up to, so does creations. The true pinnacles of existence. Beings that can swallow worlds as easily as they create them. I’ve witnessed that glory. Lou…she could become one such being. When all others are insects in her eyes, I am lucky to be her servant.”

  “But are you content with that?”

  “I am never content with anything. Such is my nature.” The succubus deftly cut away her Rey’s shirt. Kierra carefully removed the girl’s pants, tossing them toward the scraps.

  “Wasteful.”

  “More dramatic, don’t you think?”

  “You are spending too much time with the lightfly.”

  “Delightful creature. I could do horrific things and she’d applaud so long as it fits some narrative.”

  “Lou does have a way of surrounding herself with those whose morals conflict with her own.”

  “Do you think she wants to reform us? Deep down.”

  “You tell me, mind reader.”

  “I would never claim to know her better than her own wife.”

  The creature was a shameless flatterer. Kierra would be lying if she claimed she didn’t like it; she didn’t know anyone who could resist honeyed words from such a pretty face. “She wants to compare.”

  Kierra had a suspicion; Lou didn’t know who she was. She wasn’t a student of the mind, but she had lived for eight decades. She knew people. They became who they were through two things: influence and experience. Lou lacked both. She had experienced two perspectives in her short life: evil and apathy. That was why she was drawn to everything else. Kierra, the uninhibited and loving. Geneva, the logical and capable. Alana, the stern and the principled. Rolly, the whimsical and the adventurous. Her strange servants and her interesting friends. The problematic personalities that constantly dragged her into problems.

  It was as if a part of her knew she needed to grow and she was instinctively surrounding herself with what was needed.

  “You think? I see it more as a glutton at a feast, devouring everything in sight.”

  “Is that not how children learn? By tasting things.”

  “You have no problem being married to a child?”

  Kierra snickered. “Are you lecturing me? Lou is immature but has the capacity to know her own mind. One year from now or a hundred, the gap in our ages will remain the same. Better to love her now than later.”

  “You’ll hear no argument from me.” The creature’s pretty smile wasn’t the least bit reassuring. The way she unhesitatingly cut into Rey’s flesh turning it into something unnerving.

  Kierra’s glowing fingers touched the unconscious girl’s bare ankles as she sent forth her desire to stem the bleeding. Her brows furrowed as she encountered unexpected resistance. Rey had a fairly impressive core for her age; the last time she measured, it contained just over two hundred units of mana. Given she didn’t practice regularly and had no instruction, it spoke of incredible talent. But Kierra knew what it felt like to push against that level of mana. This was more.

  Her lips twisted as an explanation entered her mind.

  “The creature has mana of its own,” Geneva answered the unspoken question. “Quite a bit of it. There is also the matter or the other living creature inside her.”

  Kierra peered curiously. The succubus caused the blood to flow cleanly away, exposing a mosaic of pink, blue, and green flesh. It was strange yet beautiful. Especially the blue flesh, that twinkled under firelight. The green grew on it like moss on bark, silhouetting it the way a dress enhanced a pretty woman. Contrasting it all was the bright pink flesh, its simplicity making it appealing next to its strange neighbors.

  Kierra grimaced as the sight stirred her hunger. Her mother had warned her that she might have a craving for meat, so much that she ate it raw, but she hadn’t mentioned finding people, and whatever the other things were, appetizing. A hand unconsciously traced her stomach, but she pushed aside the thoughts.

  “We aren’t going to get anything done with this creature interfering.”

  “Convince it not to.”

  The succubus pouted, an expression no less adorable for its lack of its authenticity. Though Kierra suspected there was a hint of reality to the frustration it represented. “There’s risk. Speaking to it would alert the creature about our intentions.”

  “Cutting its host open has not?”

  “Oh, I’m picking up a little anxiety but it’s waiting. It doesn’t know we’re a threat and it has motivation not to make us one.”

  “Lou.”

  “She is rather popular, isn’t she?” Geneva’s tail whipped faster. “I have a suggestion.”

  “Go on.”

  “We remove her head.”

  If anyone else suggested such a thing, Kierra would think them mad. “Keeping her alive without her body will take substantial mana.” Far too much to do for long. “We also have to build a body.”

  “Which will be far easier if we’re not pushing through hundreds of mana. Question. How do you feel about graverobbing?”