He cursed and rolled into a sitting position.

  Endellion clicked her tongue. “You’re just a boy.”

  The man had strawberry blonde hair parted down the middle and a face not yet capable of growing a beard. He hit the ground with his fist.

  “Unbound my legs, woman! Or I will hurt you.”

  Endellion laughed. “Good help must be hard to find if Vladnoch is hiring children.”

  A red gemstone glinted in the darkness beside the young man; it was on the end of a staff that he held at his side. He tapped it on the ground.

  “Veshima’s Bees, appear!”

  A portal opened on the ground beside the young man. He tapped the staff on his legs. “Break these bonds!”

  With his legs free of restraints, he rapidly crab-walked back behind the portal and jumped to his feet as a swarm of flaming bees poured forth.

  “Contain them,” the young mage commanded.

  Endellion threw her arms over her face as hundreds of bees pelted her body.

  Phia’s invisibility cloak lifted, and she appeared beside Brune, with her elbows at her sides and her fists clenched as bees hovered around her.

  “Here!” Brune said. “Watch her.”

  He put the battered fairy on her feet, and Phia cradled her protectively. But before Brune could act, Endellion raised a wand and summoned great gusts of wind.

  Brune nodded his approval.

  Good elf. Using Elemental Magic.

  Bees kept pouring out of the portal, but they were all carried away in vortices of air. A few seconds later, the fire bees disappeared, and the portal closed.

  Brune motioned to Phia. “Stay behind me.”

  The alleyway was quiet once again. Endellion’s wand pulsed with an eerie light. The young mage got to his feet shakily.

  “Should I get rid of him?” Endellion said.

  “What?” Phia touched Brune’s arm. “What does she mean, get rid of him?”

  “Just make him have a nap,” Brune said.

  Endellion waved her wand in front of the mage. “Sleep.”

  The young man wavered as if he was drunk, his brown eyes glaring at Endellion. The staff fell from his hand, and he dropped onto his behind. “Dhar Jattab will find you. He’s... more powerful... than both of you together.”

  “Sleep well,” Endellion chirped.

  Sticking to the back streets until they were a suitable distance from the Dragon’s Head, they set about finding horses. Most stables kept a man on shift through the night, and they also sold travel supplies, such as food and blankets.

  Within half an hour, Brune was astride a massive horse with the fairy, wrapped in her blanket, sitting in front of him. Endellion mounted her own horse, with Phia behind her.

  They left Krugl by the eastern road, which snaked through lonely fields bordering a wilderness.

  With the city still visible behind them, Brune stopped his horse in the middle of the road.

  Endellion rode up beside him. “Where to, Hargish?”

  He nodded towards the dark fields. “That way. To Bambioch.”

  Phia’s mouth popped open. “Bambioch?”

  “Yes. I want to have a talk with your uncle.”

  “You do?”

  Endellion looked across the windy fields towards hills that stood black against the night sky. “You don’t want to take the road?”

  “Fuck no. This way’s faster, and it’ll be harder to follow us. But if you don’t want to come, we part ways here. I’ve got about 100 gold. You can take it, plus my share of our loot from the slave market. I know it’s a paltry compensation—”

  “Stop it, Hargish. I’m coming with you.”

  “Good. Don’t worry; I know my way around this country. Now…” Brune cleared his throat. “Uh, everyone hold hands. I know it’s corny. Just do it.”

  They all held hands, forming a circle atop the two horses.

  Brune murmured, “Veil of Shadows, cover our trail. Hide our scents and hide our tracks. If any should follow, show us their backs.”

  Lilly whimpered and shifted under her blanket.

  Phia shivered. “I felt cold air down my spine.”

  “Don’t worry about it,” Brune said. He pulled out a black crystal, dropped it on the road, and trotted north into the field.

  They galloped towards the hills for a few minutes before Brune stopped his horse and turned around to face the road.

  “Doppelgangers, come forth!”

  Back on the road, two horses appeared, each carrying two riders. They turned south as Brune and his party continued their path in the opposite direction.

  CHAPTER TEN

  SPARKS CRACKLED AS Brune tossed a chunk of wood onto the kindling. It was safe to start a campfire now that dawn glowed on the horizon.

  The fairy stirred under a knitted blanket. Phia, watching her attentively, pulled the blanket up over her neck.

  “She getting better?” Brune said.

  “I think so. Poor little creature.”

  “The potion helped, then.”

  “Seemed to.”

  “Give her a bit of Amesynth—it’s the red one.”

  Endellion cocked an eye at Brune as she placed a frying pan onto the campfire. “Don’t you think we should save the Amesynth?”

  “We can give her a little bit,” Brune said indulgently. “She’s small. A sip or two will be enough.”

  A minute later, the fairy’s eyes fluttered open, and she looked around with alarm.

  “It’s okay,” Phia said, stroking her head. “You’re with us now.”

  Blinking her emerald green eyes at Phia, she laid her head back on the folded-up blanket. Her chest rose and fell, and a fearful look was in her eyes.

  Phia kept stroking her head. “Don’t worry. That man can’t hurt you anymore.”

  The fairy’s lip quivered. “I… I fought back… Stopped him from… violating my honor… But thank the gods you came when you did.”

  She dissolved into tears as Phia kept talking to her softly. When her crying calmed down, she spoke again.

  “Th-thank you. Thank you for your kindness.”

  “You’re welcome. My name is Phia, by the way. Phia Callidora.”

  “It’s nice to meet you, Phia. I’m Lilly Starsparkle.”

  Phia beamed. “Lilly Starsparkle? That’s pretty. I’ve washed your wounds and given you some medicine, Lilly. I’m not sure if you remember.”

  The fairy smiled. “I feel much better than before.”

  “I have another potion here. Please have some.”

  “Oh, thank you so much.”

  She raised her head and took a few sips of the red potion.

  When the frying pan was good and hot, Endellion opened a breakfast kit and took out a package of bacon. Brune leaned over her and grabbed a piece of hardtack.

  “Did you try to unlock her sigil?” he said, crunching into the hardtack.

  “I did.”

  “And?”

  “Couldn’t do it.”

  “Oh. Too bad. I thought you were good with that sort of thing.”

  Endellion slapped bacon onto the hot frying pan. “Breaking a slavery sigil isn’t easy. It’s like trying to crack a combination lock.”

  “Yeah, I know. I’ve tried it once or twice.”

  “Well, consider this one a top-quality combination lock with gazillions of numbers.”

  “Alright. We’ll have to find someone who… can… ”

  Brune forgot what he was saying as Lilly sat up, the blanket falling away from her bare chest. She raised her arms above her head and stretched.

  “Oh! I feel so much better!”

  Phia blushed and scratched her head.

  The fairy stood up, shook her legs, primped her hair, and preened her injured wing.

  “Is it better?” Phia said, trying not to look at Lilly’s boobs.

  “Much better!”

  Looking over her shoulder, the fairy leaned forward and flapped her wings experimentally, inadvertently shaking her breasts.

  Brune took a ferocious bite of hardtack and munched aggressively. Endellion watched Lilly through hooded eyes.

  Phia clapped her hands. “They work! You think you’ll be able to fly soon?”

  The fairy pouted. “No, the sigil prevents me from flying.”

  “Sorry, Lilly,” Brune said, scratching the back of his neck and trying to look anywhere but the fairy’s chest. “We’ll get that sigil unlocked as soon as we can. And then we’ll see about getting you back to your people.”

  Lilly put her feet together, clasped her wrist, and bowed to Brune. “Thank you, Sir. Your kindness will be remembered. However, my people won’t want me back. Not yet.”

  “Why not?” Brune said.

  She giggled and skipped up to him. “Because I’m your servant.”

  “What?”

  He looked way, way down at they fairy’s little face, which was tilted up to look at him. Don’t look at her tits. Don’t–

  Oops.

  “I’m your servant!” she repeated. “‘He who saves a fairy from death or slavery shall receive her service for two revolutions of the globe.’ It’s fae law.”

  “What sort of services are included?” Endellion said with a wry smile.

  “A fairy can be useful to have around if you’re in some kind of trouble,” Lilly said innocently. “Though I’m afraid I won’t be of much use without my magic.”

  “What if I don’t want your service?” Brune said.

  Lilly looked at him and blinked. “You… don’t want my services? Oh...” She tapped her finger on her chin and frowned.

  “No offense, but the whole reason I rescued you was to free you.”

  Lilly slumped her shoulders and crossed her arms. “I see. That’s a tough one. I suppose I could ask the Automnova Council…” She grimaced as if it would be awkward to bring the matter up before the fae council.

  Phia piped in, “I bet fairies are persnickety about their customs, and they feel anxious if the customs aren’t followed.”

  “Yes! We are like that.”

  “I understand because I grew up with the priestesses of Feron. They’re the same way.”

  “Alright,” Brune said. “If that’s your custom, I accept your service.”

  Endellion looked at Brune with a knowing smile as she chewed her bacon.

  “Thank you, Lord,” Lilly said. She bowed and brought her face to Brune’s hand, which could have enveloped her entire face. Brune felt her tiny hands take hold of his fingers as she kissed his hairy knuckles.

  “Normally I could go away if you wanted,” she said. “And then I would come whenever you called me.”

  Brune’s hand tingled with the heat from her fingers. Far, far down, past his stomach, almost level with his groin, her little face looked up at him: big green eyes; soft lips like little cherries.

  His chest rose as he took in a breath.

  “But I suppose you can’t do that now because of the bondage sigil.”

  Lilly nodded. “That’s right, Lord. I’m sorry.”

  He slipped his fingers out of her grasp. “No need to apologize. And you can call me Brune.”

  She bowed. “Lord Brune.”

  For some time, Brune had observed Phia from the corner of his eye. She’d been trying desperately to get his attention, tossing her hair and primping. She cleared her throat. “I’m sorry you have to go about naked, Lilly. I’m sure we’ll find you some clothes at some point.”

  Lilly looked down at herself. Her arms flew over her breasts.

  “I’m sorry. I forgot I was... naked? That’s what you called it, right? Naked.” She ran back to her blanket and wrapped herself up.

  “I’ve never been away from the meadows and forests of Automnova. We wear little clothing, but then again, we don’t see men unless they wander into our forests, which is rare. But even then, we don’t reveal ourselves to them unless we like them.”

  They ate breakfast as the sun came up. The campsite provided a good vantage point from which to view the surrounding hills, the rolling plains, and the winding, glassy river reflecting the pink morning sky.

  When Brune went to the horses to pack up the blankets and cookware, Endellion sidled up to him.

  “Thank you, Lord Brune,” she said in a mincing voice.

  Brune smirked and dropped the breakfast kit inside his saddlebag.

  “Poor boy,” she said, draping her arms around his waist. “That little fairy got you all excited.”

  Brune snorted. “Hardly.”

  She groped his cock. “Hard is right.”

  “Cut it out. Now’s not the time.”

  “What’s wrong? Three girls are too much for you?”

  “Three girls are too much for any man. Gods know one is trouble enough.”

  Endellion patted the horse’s neck. “Just think, Hargish; you’ve got two beautiful virgins eating from your hand.”

  “Yeah, I’d better take care or I’ll be the one eating from their hands.”

  Endellion grinned. “She is a sweet little thing, isn’t she? Exactly what meadow fairies are supposed to be like—fluttering from one moment to the next like chirpy little birds.”

  Brune chuckled. “She’s pretty cute.”

  Endellion hung her arms around Brune’s neck. “Fuck me right now. Right up against the horse. Let them see us.”

  Brune shoved Endellion away, even as his length pressed against his pants.

  “Is that all you ever think about? I’m telling you, this is neither the time nor the place.”

  Glancing back at the campsite, he saw the girls were gone.

  “Shit. Where the fuck did they go?”

  Their soft chatter carried over the curve of the hill, and Brune caught sight of a blonde head and a brown head side-by-side in the morning sunshine.

  Brune sighed. He needed to have a talk with them. There were things you didn’t do in the wild. Skylining yourself on a hill was one of them. Sleeping by a campfire was another; that’s why he’d waited until morning to make a fire.

  Phia and Lilly had discovered fireweeds—a medicinal plant—growing a little way down the slope from the campsite. Brune found them kneeling among the orange flowers and chattering contentedly as they picked the ones that were fully blossomed. Phia had tied the blanket around Lilly so that she was wearing it like a shawl.

  Walking towards them, Brune looked down over the landscape they’d traversed the night before. Something caught his eye. Two black specs.

  “No way. It can’t be.”

  Endellion came over with a pocket telescope. “Two on horseback,” she said, handing it to Brune.

  He cursed and put the instrument to his eye. Yup. Two robed figures in black.

  “You think that’s our friend?” Endellion said.

  “Skull head.” Brune closed the telescope. “So much for my spells.”

  “They seemed so impressive, too, especially the doppelganger thing.”

  Brune rolled his eyes. “It wasn’t cheap, I’ll say that.”

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  BRUNE SQUINTED AS the wind threw dust in his eyes. Lilly squealed and curled up against him, hiding her face in his chest.

  They’d spent two nights in the wild country with pretty fair weather. Brune hoped it would last a couple more days.

  The sky was clear, at least, and the late-day sun painted the ridges behind them with gold. Brune wiped sweat from his forehead and scanned the dusty ridge on their right, noting every clump of brush and outcropping of rock.

  The wind died down.

  All was still.

  Brune strained his ears for sounds: grass stirring around them, the aspens whispering at the bottom of the slope ahead, and—farther ahead—the faint hum of the river.

  As much as they wanted to stay ahead of the sorcerer, Brune knew well enough not to rush through that pass. Especially when it was so peaceful and still. That was when you had to be especially wary.

  They’d rest soon, at the river. He knew a good place to cross where there was lots of coverage from the aspens. That’s where he’d let the horses drink and take a rest.

  After 10 more minutes of careful plodding, they reached the bottom of the slope. Just as Brune rode into the dappled shadows of the aspens, a sad wail rose from the ridge on their right. Another joined it.

  “What’s that?” Lilly said, as Brune stopped the horse.

  A third howl—up ahead, beyond the trees.

  “Wolves,” Phia said, looking at Lilly from the back of Endellion’s horse.

  “Really?” Lilly said, clutching Brune’s thighs to get her balance and look around. “We don’t have those in Automnova.”

  “I’ve never run into them in this area before,” Brune said. He glanced at Endellion. “Be ready.”

  Riding through the aspen wood, Brune searched for colors and movement that didn’t fit the pattern of slender white trunks and shimmering leaves. The chorus of howling echoed over the ridge behind them.

  Emerging from the trees, they rode into the valley, staying under the shadow of the ridge.

  “So beautiful!” Lilly said, looking at the river, which sparkled on the other side of a grassy meadow.

  The wolves’ howling was easier to hear now. Brune saw some of them on the ridge, outlined against the sky. Answering cries rose from the direction of the river.

  Endellion rode with her bow across her lap.

  “That looks heavy,” Phia said, peering around the elf.

  “My bow? It might look heavy, but it’s very light. It’s made from the same stuff as my armor.”

  “It’s pretty.”

  Brune kept the party under the shadow of the ridge until they came to a clump of aspens. Then they turned towards the sparkling river.

  * * *

  The heavy waterskin dripped as Phia took it from Brune’s hand.

  “Thanks,” she said.

  The river water went down cold and smooth. Phia wiped her mouth and looked at Brune. He was constantly scanning everywhere—the ridge behind them, the aspens, the field on the other side of the river.

  “You don’t like being out in the open, do you?” Phia said, handing him back the waterskin.