“I believe that concludes the negotiation,” Jax said smoothly to the wrinkled old king.

“Can you be certain of your success?” the man asked.

“The negotiations would not be complete if I were unsure,” Jax said. “I have heard of this Fire Dancer’s reputation, and she will fail.”

“But her power…”

“Have I been unclear in some fashion?” Jax asked, the faint smile that almost always touched his face slipping away.

“The lives of my children are at stake,” the king said. “You need not attempt to intimidate me for my thoroughness.”

“You have made an offer, and I have accepted,” Jax said, beginning to feel annoyed. “The offer was made to me, because of your knowledge of my competence. I see no reason to waste time with senseless prattle. I will have your word on your fulfillment of the agreement, and then I will leave.”

“Very well, then,” the king said. “You have my word. Go, then, and may the gods show favor on you.”

Jax felt no need to respond, and turned to leave. Were it not for the need for peaceful relations with the countries in which he worked, along with resources, he’d never waste time with politicians.

The cool spring breeze felt nice on his skin, as he teleported back to the entrance of his tower. He preferred to walk in, rather than have a weakness in his security network that could theoretically be exploited. Teleporting into his home wasn’t necessary.

At thirty stories tall, it wasn’t yet done. Still, even now, it was a marvel of stone and wood. To the naked eye, it looked almost humble - no larger around than a usual house, and with virtually no decoration. It was plain, and entirely functional.

To a mage’s eye, however…

It shone with glorious, breathtaking splendor. The enchantments wove and danced in a display that would catch the eye of even the gods, were any inclined to look at it.

Which was why the surface enchantment was designed to hide the tower from the gods. They could bypass it, if they noticed… but of course, that was the point.

He wanted no unnecessary attention.

A few commands left his mind as he entered the tower, and a flurry of servants fluttered about to provide him what he needed. None had any sort of mind, and all were unique, experimental creations - after all, why bother making the same thing twice? Better to forever push the boundaries of the possible.

Despite the cavalier confidence he’d demonstrated to the king, he was taking this mysterious Fire Dancer very seriously. Many of the stories were obviously exaggerated, and there was a great deal of contradictory information. The only thing he could be certain of was that she was an exceptionally powerful spellcaster who favored Flamus.

He couldn’t even know for sure she was truly from the Fire Dancer clan. They were known for executing any members who deviated from the clan’s leadership, which begged the question of how a rogue or exile of that clan could even exist.

He decided to bring some of his finest offensive and defensive enchantments. Hopefully, he wouldn’t have to use them.

A mere day later, he waited in hiding at the castle, ready to act.

It was a beautiful landscape. Rolling hills, a fine piece of architecture in the form of a castle, forests serenely casting their shade just south. One could get lost in the view.

And then another work of art appeared.

Jax couldn’t help but sigh in appreciation. She was deadly, dangerous, and said to be utterly insane, but she was beautiful.

As planned, he activated the teleportation enchantment, to evacuate the heirs. Now that she’d arrived, he could track her, and any attempt to follow the heirs would result in his retaliation.

To his disappointment, she didn’t seem to notice that her targets were gone. In fact, he didn’t even feel a probe into the castle.

She just started blasting.

His admiration of her power turned bittersweet at the senseless destruction. The raw force unleashed on that castle would strain even his best work. He couldn’t protect it from her.

Strange, though, that the orbs and streams of flame were fueled with anger. Strange, too, that the emotion within the magic was so blatantly visible. Wasn’t this a mercenary attack? From the taste of her magic, he’d have sworn it was personal.

Had the king lied to him? He frowned. He’d not noticed any deception, and neither had there been any tampering on the king’s mind. Not that the king knew he’d looked, of course.

Her anger seemed to be heightening. She was looking for something, after all.

Spellcasters, he realized. She’d reacted significantly, with hope followed by disappointment, when she’d noticed some healers fleeing the devastated landscape.

At least she’d not destroyed the little orchard in which he was hiding. She was looking for spellcasters… could she be looking for him, personally?

He disregarded the thought after a moment. It didn’t seem likely.

There was no sense being upset at the damage that had been done. He was curious, and so he would watch her work.

Absolutely magnificent. Her control of Flamus was achingly smooth, making him feel a pang of envy. The power, too, one would only expect from the gods themselves. He hadn’t been able to see her body yet, but the wreath of fire around her was nothing short of extraordinary.

Perhaps she truly was a Fire Dancer.

Her anger seemed to die down to a simmer, and he took the chance to try to examine the emotion. He didn’t have a chance of seeing her soul, not with the sheer amount of magic around her, but the emotion within her spells was so tangible he couldn’t resist.

It was a righteous anger. She believed that she was doing the right thing.

He frowned at that. It was a good sign, ultimately, but it made her monstrous reputation rather curious. He had a certain weakness to curiosity.

She slowed in her aggressive display, and began to scan the area more closely. He held his void shielding steady. He could flee, but he wanted to see what she was up to.

A wave of power washed over him, but most casters still wouldn’t notice void shielding…

Ah. She’d seen him. Awareness flooded her magic.

A shame.

A handful of little orbs containing a flurry of powerful offensive spells fell from his hand and released a month’s worth of magic in a scant second.

The attacks were homing, spread out to attack from multiple sides, and designed to pierce virtually any barrier… but she dodged.

He couldn’t help but smile in admiration. The grasp of Flamus that she had… it was beautiful. To use the element of change to fundamentally shatter any spellcaster’s grasp on active spells in her vicinity was truly magnificent. Once her burst of magic began, his offensive spell was no longer under his control, and therefore could be dodged by ordinary means. Even so, the attack was fast enough that most spellcasters wouldn’t have a chance, and yet she dodged as though it were easy.

“Come and face me!” her voice yelled out, mixing delight, excitement, and challenge into a unified melody.

I think not, he thought to himself wryly.

Time to leave.

Another enchantment popped into his hand, and he activated it, putting him hundreds of yards away from her. Hopefully, she’d see that he had access to teleportation, and would give up the chase, instead of forcing him to use his best resources.

He sighed as she released a wave of magic in his direction, tinged with amusement, of all things. What was he to her? A toy?

The first few layers of defensive enchantments actually crumbled beneath the force of the blast and he staggered back. The amount of power she casually threw around was a mix of obscene and magnificent.

His eyes widened as she did something that, for most spellcasters, was almost standard, but unnerving, from her - she began to draw her power forth, so as to amplify its might.

If that wave was just her playfully flinging magic around…

He didn’t want to kill her, but he couldn’t permit this attack to land. Nothing he had could withstand a focused assault, if what he’d already seen was any indication.

Somewhat begrudgingly, he pulled out one of his finer pieces. And then impulsively pulled out a common one. If he was going to be using space-time magic on her anyway, he might as well take a gamble on her survival.

Lum - glorious Lum, the element of the very foundation of existence - hummed within the fabric of reality itself. Using his own magic with speed, precision, and utmost caution, he anchored his location. Next he delicately encased her in an anchor. The magic she wielded was so intense that he couldn’t affect reality within several feet of her, but he could take the entire area around her, with her in it. The fun thing about space-time type teleportation was that unless one were specifically focusing on space-time, it cannot be resisted by any conventional means.

He scarcely had a second to spare. Almost as soon as his “bubble” was in place, the wild fury of her magic was en route. He activated the enchantment that he’d primed, and experienced the usual disorientation from this sort of teleportation.

He couldn’t help but grin at the look on her face when she’d realized they’d switched places.

He wondered if she’d notice that he’d used the opportunity to drop a tracking enchantment on her.

In any case, he was relieved to see that she’d not been killed by her own attack, but rather, had used another excellent display of skill in recapturing the magic, sending her flying away at dizzying speeds. This should, ideally, give him enough time for a proper, long distance teleportation spell.

He had more than enough time, as it happened. He waited with the spell primed, too curious to simply leave quite yet.

“Taste the true might of Flamus,” she said, her voice echoing across the distance, every whisper of her being glowing with euphoria.

He also couldn’t help but notice the fact that she wielded a true fireball in her hands. It was almost beautiful enough to make him want to stay, to see it in action.

Almost.

As she charged towards him, a phoenix in all but flesh, he released the teleportation spell.

At a hundred miles away, she would certainly not pursue him. He relaxed and started doing some repair work on the enchantments that had buckled under her attack. One of his better barrier defenses had taken such a beating that if it wasn’t fixed in the next few minutes, it’d be irreparable.

As he began to focus on the intricate patterns, he abruptly noticed a wisp of spirit, touched by Flamus.

Was she…?

He expanded his senses back towards where he’d fought the firedancer. To his mixed admiration and displeasure, she was blazing towards him at nearly five times the speed of sound.

A sigh slipped from him as he put away the barrier enchantment and pulled out another of the precious teleports. He activated it, reaching its max range. This time, he kept an eye on her, to see if she followed him again.

It didn’t take her long to discover his new location and change course. He wasn’t sure how exactly she intended to deal with him after she arrived - surely, burning through this much magic would exhaust her eventually.

At least she was easy to spot, with that much raw power pouring out.

Annoyed at the loss, he took out a third teleportation enchantment, and slipped away again.

Finally, she gave up the pursuit.

He managed to salvage some of his damaged enchantments, and then began to return home to his tower, at a much more sustainable rate.

His mind kept returning to her, as he worked. Envy, appreciation, admiration, and no small measure of frustration plagued him.

With power like hers, the things he could do would be incredible. He’d never seen a mortal spellcaster with that much raw magic.

He’d been a prodigy in enchantment work, but no better than average in terms of strength. Still reasonably young, at fifty years old, his enchantments were showcases of efficiency more than anything else. Skilled though he was, he continually had to give up on more ambitious projects due to a lack of strength.

What heights could he raise to, with someone like that at his side?

Thoughts of her and her power plagued him into the night.

He had to learn more about her.

This infatuation was unwise and distracting. He’d find out something about her character that was repulsive, as had always happened before, and then these obsessive thoughts would leave him.

He wouldn’t be able to get any work done, otherwise.

Disappointed in his own inability to drop the matter, he begrudgingly gathered a number of enchantments he felt would be specifically useful against her. He knew that he should take days, at least, to prepare to chase her, but he found himself impatient.

She hadn’t discovered the tracking enchantment he’d placed on her, and so he was able to go directly to her location without effort. He kept invisible and under a haze of void magic again, to keep from being detected by anything except a focused attempt.

Her anger was palpable from a mile away. She was grilling some mundane about false information, and her emotions were a tangled mess. Jax tightened his jaw. If she had so little ability to suss out the proper use of her power, then she was even more dangerous than she seemed.

She needs someone like me to direct her, he thought.

He chastised himself for the thought.

She most likely needs to be destroyed, he corrected himself, ignoring the pang in his chest at the idea of destroying such a magnificent work of art. She almost certainly cannot be trusted with power of that magnitude.

Her conversation had progressed to taking information from the mundane’s mind. To Jax’s relief, she took the matter quite seriously. He couldn’t help but smile at her rage when she saw the mundane had been tampered with. Somehow, being angry for such a good reason was incredibly endearing.

Her rage induced murder of him, regardless of her judgement of his soul, was a little less endearing.

There’s your reason, you infatuated buffoon, he thought to himself. That’s enough reason to discard her. She murders too freely.

But look at the guilt in her heart, another part of his mind replied. She is torn, tormented, wild. It isn’t a lack of a heart, it’s a lack of focus.

His argument with himself continued until she noticed his void magic.

All parts of him completely agreed with the idea of getting the hell away from her.

He activated the teleportation enchantment again, seeking his destination, when a surge of magic from her disrupted his efforts.

Disruption, from someone I’d decided was lacking in subtle skills? he thought, distracted from his work by another surge of admiration.

Sighing, he focused his efforts on blending into her disruption wave, weaving through it to find a spot to teleport to. His range would be wretched with that effect, but at least he’d get far enough away to buy some time.

This time, he was going to sit down and prepare some better escape enchantments. He had a feeling it wouldn’t be long before she stopped his ability to teleport entirely.

After a week, he couldn’t stand to work anymore. He had to find her again.

Carefully, he approached the tracking enchantment on her, keeping his distance. He found her in a run down shack a short distance away from a little village. He couldn’t understand why she’d live in a place like that, with power like she had.

She was incautious in that village. One would think she had no magic at all - she seemed utterly defenseless.

She bound her hair, dirtied her face, and simply relaxed. Jax was astounded to see her laughing and playing with the children with as much passion and energy as she’d spent trying to question the mundane, and to kill him. She played tag with a wild fervor, acting as though she were really trying to move quickly, at a child’s running pace, when she could outrun the wind by an order of magnitude.

To his delight, she put no barriers on her spirit, letting her soul be “seen” by anyone who glanced her way. He studied it intensely, soaking up every scrap of insight he could glean. Her emotions were a strange tangle. He watched in fascination as a desire for peace warred with a desire to act, as she ached for joy and purpose in unison.

For three days he watched her, including as she slept. During that time, he integrated the tracking enchantment, to make it even harder to detect. Unless she knew what she was looking for, it’d look like a natural part of her own spirit.

When she was awake, she acted as though she were a weak caster, and did favors for the townsfolk regularly. She asked for nothing but food and drink in return. She’d also hunt her own meals, as well, reducing even that small burden.

At the end of those three days, the desire to act had made her impatient, antsy, and anxious. She couldn’t remain. She said loving farewells to the townsfolk, the children especially, and headed off.

It was when she arrived at her destination, beginning to act like the wild storm of magic that she was, that she again examined her surroundings magically.

When she found him that time, he hesitated. He felt a desire to talk to her, though he knew it would be foolishness. But if she didn’t charge him…

Alas. Her excited frenzy forced his hand, and he tore past her attempts to stop him from fleeing.

The next several times he followed her, he managed to avoid her attention. This obsession was rooting deeper in his heart, as he kept finding things that he admired in her. Such a strange blend of characteristics - both gentle and vicious, passionate and peaceful, loving and murderous.

One note in her soul particularly compelled him. There was an ache in her. Like loneliness, except not for a person - she needed something. As the months slowly passed, that ache kept growing stronger, and he could see it slowly tearing at her soul. He hadn’t the faintest idea what it was.

He kept trying to convince himself to drop this infatuation, that he didn’t have time to take in a pet, no matter how extraordinary she was. He had a vision, and this was slowing him down.

Still, no matter how he tried, he couldn’t stop thinking about her. Around three months into his obsessive stalking, he decided to take a different approach.

The islands of the Fire Dancer clan were hard to get to, mostly due to the fact that the failures of their strange “ascension” process were driven to insanity, and permitted to guard the outskirts of their territory. These failures were nothing but raw magic and a desire to act, embodying the core of Flamus, but with no mind to guide that action.

Jax was amused at the fact that he had an easy time getting in, having been stalking and dodging Selina for months.

It was a week of careful, respectful, and polite inquiry before he was permitted to discuss with one of the clan elders.

Once he mentioned that he knew Selina, the elder had to disguise his pain, but didn’t guard his soul well enough to block Jax’s senses. Her loss had hurt their clan dearly. Jax’s curiosity grew.

Selina had been the hope of the clan - she’d possessed unprecedented talent with Flamus. She’d been half mad before the ascension process had even begun, and it was hoped that her natural affinity for thinking and acting in ways so fundamentally aligned with magic, with Flamus in particular, that she would be able to achieve a new height of power.

The clan was opposed to the pantheon of gods, and had hoped to forge a new method to achieve godhood. Jax was disappointed in this, realizing the lack of understanding they had of what the gods were, but was honestly impressed by what they’d achieved.

In a sense, Selina was barely human at all. She was the latest in a long line of strange breeding, trying to create a race of human that possessed uniquely intense potential with magic. Balancing inbreeding problems with amplified potential was an unending challenge, and Selina had demonstrated truly incredible luck.

Unfortunately - for them - Selina had no interest in becoming breeding stock. She was, as someone who succeeded in their ritual, one of the “Flame’s Heart,” and would have been worshipped as a goddess, but not permitted to leave. Most of the “Flame’s Heart” individuals were so enamored with their own magic, and so easily distracted, that they were easy to pacify, as long as nothing provoked their anger.

Selina had proven impossible to contain. She wasn’t the only one… but she was the only one who’d also proven impossible to kill.

Jax was fascinated to find that the only reason they weren’t hunting her down and trying to capture or kill her even now was that the only ones who could were also Flame’s Heart. Which meant they weren’t allowed to leave.

He stayed for a time, learning more about this unusual process. They didn’t especially want to share their knowledge, but his enchantments were too fantastic to pass up. They’d focused so heavily on Flamus that they lacked massively in a large number of ways, and couldn’t trade much due to the consequences of their obsession with isolation.

Jax left the island after nearly a month with a troubled mind and a heavy heart.

For the next while, as he watched her, he focused on the tangle of emotions that she wore on her sleeve. A sorrow was there, building in her. Her control of Flamus was growing more chaotic. She still had the intuitive control that she’d gained from the Flame’s Heart ritual, but it was as though her mind was beginning to fall apart.

It was painful to watch. Jax wasn’t entirely sure why it bothered him as much as it did. Something about the idea of a work of art of this caliber breaking down was tearing at him. His obsession continued to grow.

She gained a lead, about five months since their initial meeting, leading her into an isolationist nation. Shortly after her arrival at the border, a divine avatar greeted her.

Jax was initially frozen at this. Skilled though he was, he wanted absolutely nothing to do with the gods, and preferred to be unnoticed by them. He felt a flicker of magic in his direction that made it uncomfortably clear that the avatar had noticed him.

He held his breath, waiting to see what the avatar would do, but it gave no visual sign of its observation. Curious. He slipped a little closer, and the avatar still paid him no heed.

The conversation she had with it was extraordinary. She casually threatened the god Auloman, and in practically the same breath, was offered a position in the pantheon. No minor role, either - as the actual god of death.

Jax was flabbergasted at how cavalier she was on the subject. He could see in her spirit that this was no bluff, no artifice.

Then the avatar mentioned that she was dying.

Jax’s heart froze.

Why am I feeling like this? It’s just an obsession. Mere infatuation. This is nothing. She is nothing.

Lies, he realized with a pang. He’d been lying to himself.

Her death was a potential that must not be permitted to come.

A slow smile came to his face and he hung his head in surrender as he realized the obvious. He’d been so taken with her that he’d not examined his own heart at all.

He’d fallen in love.

At that realization, the world seemed to sweep away from him. A vision of intense beauty filled his mind.

His skill with magic, blending with her might. His calm, against her passion. His purpose, with her need to act.

He could fulfil her. And she…

Desire lashed at him with such strength that it seemed pure pain.

The idea of her being in love with him…

He had been so focused on his dream of a world free of gods and monsters that he’d not ever permitted himself to acknowledge how lonely it was. The idea of someone standing at his side, someone worthy of the sort of power his dream would grant... Someone who would turn down the position of a god, because she only cared for doing the right thing. Someone who would live in poverty, without the faintest resentment, so that she could know peace and joy with others.

He’d need to work on her temper issues, but aside from that…

His vision, his dream, his purpose in life shifted within him. She, Selina, was a part of this future. She must be. She would love him, as he loved her.

It was the only reality that he would accept.

The avatar went on to say that what she needed to survive was a purpose. He would be her purpose. He, and his vision.

She noticed him.

He ached, bound in place by emotions he could scarcely understand. But she didn’t charge.

Instead, she continued to have a remarkably disrespectful conversation with a divine avatar, but this time, about him. Jax vaguely made a displeased note that, apparently, the gods did know about him.

He watched, in bemused discomfort, as she complained about him. She was annoyed at this stalking. He decided he wouldn’t do it again, in that moment. He should leave. Probably now.

He couldn’t quite seem to find the will to turn away, enraptured by her, imagining her smiling at him.

She told the avatar she was going to chase him, and then charged.

Begrudgingly, but swiftly, he fled for his life.

He couldn’t let her catch him. He would prove himself her equal. He had to.

Three days later, as he was using up some of the last of his emergency stores, she finally backed off.

That was far too close.

He returned to his tower and schemed. Days turned into weeks, and her absence felt like fire burning him. He wanted to see her, but this was no longer an excuse of a scholarly study of magic. He was not, and would not be, a stalker. Now that he loved her, that he’d realized the obvious…

He had to show her only the utmost of respect.

He considered all that’d he’d learned of her, these last months. Her personality, her passions, her values. He thought about what caused her to act, what caused her to be passive.

In particular, he considered the fact that she only acted with hostility in a few situations. One, when angry and feeling betrayed - that was the worst of her wrath. Two, when she felt that violence was necessary to solve a problem, such as when she believed there was evil that needed to be eradicated. She’d destroyed quite a few monsters in the last months, and was prone to overkill. By… rather disturbing degrees.

Those, however, were fueled by anger and the desire to help, respectively. Neither applied to her hostility towards him.

Actually, she didn’t seem hostile to him anymore. It was delight she expressed, more than anything else. She didn’t particularly regard him as a person, so much as something to test herself against. She wanted to fight him again, to prove herself superior to him.

He smiled as he realized… her issue was that she saw him too much as an equal.

It really was quite convenient that she left her soul so unguarded. Some would consider it prying to examine an unguarded soul, but he was never one to turn away accessible information. As far as he could tell, she’d never do such a thing, but he was certain she’d get over his prying.

He considered the things that she had proven she valued, over these months. Honesty. Bravery. Confidence. Power. Trust. He could use that.

But it wasn’t enough to just see him as an equal, in a non hostile way. He wanted… needed… intimacy.

He had to stand before her as naked as she stood before the world… and invite her to see his soul. Perhaps in a playful way, since she seemed to find serious things annoying.

A plan came together in his mind. If he had judged her correctly, it should work perfectly. If not…

There was no “if not.” It would work. He had studied her. She would be his. He was already hers.

Six months to the day they’d met, he sought her out again. He kept at a distance, waiting for a good opportunity.

Longing flooded him as his eyes found her. She was so beautiful.

She was feeling melancholy that day, as she wandered the forest. Intelligent beasts avoided her, perceiving her power, though a few dumb, hungry brutes thought she looked tasty. Jax tried not to laugh out loud at the fact that this didn’t even seem to register in her mood.

Near the afternoon, as she sat on a tree stump and admired the beauty of the forest, he decided it was time.

Activating a teleportation enchantment, he crossed the several mile gap, and appeared behind her.

She turned instantly.

“You,” she said, surprised. “No void magic this time?”

She looked suspicious, but he only smiled.

“What do you want with me?” she asked.

To hold you in my arms for the rest of eternity.

He waited, instead, for her nerves to settle. As soon as she looked like she wasn’t on the edge of attacking, he took a cautious step forward.

She flared like a mighty phoenix, and his heart ached to see it. Flames danced around her, encasing her in majesty. Still, though, he’d sparked her curiosity with his unusual approach, and as predicted, she didn’t attack.

He held out his staff to the side, and after making sure it had caught her attention, he cast it away. Her jaw dropped in a hilarious display of shock, and he suppressed another laugh as he took a second step towards her.

She stared at him, appraising, as he slowly took off his gauntlets. These were cast to the side as he took his third step towards her.

The open curiosity on her face and in her spirit soothed any unease he’d had. He had judged her correctly.

With his already extraordinary confidence bolstered, he continued his approach, until he stood before her without any protections or supports whatsoever.

His soul lay naked before her, as well. But, as predicted, she refused to look. It was honestly adorable.

“What is this?” she asked, with a cute frown. “What are you trying to do?”

Make you mine, magnificent creature.

“You know I could kill you, right?” she said, puffing out her chest.

It was very hard not to smile at that. She could have killed him with his full array of enchantments, let alone now.

“I’m not to be trifled with,” she said, with a frustrated tone.

This is not a game, my darling. This is my entire world.

She glared at him for a long moment.

Magic began to flare from her again as she said, “Whatever this trap is, I’m not falling for it. You attacked me. I’m going to take a look.”

Her spirit gradually encircled him, and he tried not to laugh at her wariness. An outright attack, she felt comfortable. But being open with her? That provoked caution.

“You don’t fear me?” she asked, her jaw agape again. “At all? You… you’re an idiot!”

He felt an acute urge to cup her cheek in his hand.

Not an idiot, my darling. Just in love. Well, actually, I suppose that does make me a bit of an idiot.

“No one mocks me. Defend yourself or die,” she said, pushing latent frustrations and anger into her spirit, as though he hadn’t already seen them clearly.

The heat was intense, and he had to use a bit of magic to keep it from charring his skin. But as expected, the flames themselves hadn’t touched him.

Relief flooded him. He’d not doubted himself, but the proof was nonetheless heartening.

“You’re laughing at me,” she said, sounding flabbergasted, which did not help in his attempt to keep his amusement suppressed. “You… you’re insane.”

I’m the insane one?

He couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow at that.

“You attacked me that day. By right of war, I claim access to your mind and soul.”

Interesting. She didn’t quite believe those words. Truly, even under these circumstances, she still felt like it would be wrong to examine his soul?

She closed the distance between them, and grabbed roughly at his throat.

It took a great deal of will to hold completely still at the feeling of her skin on his. Even the natural resistance of life was gone from him, as his heart embraced the contact, yearning for more still. He closed his eyes for a moment to steady himself.

The gasp from her didn’t help, as it set his mind to other ways of eliciting such a sound.

He focused, and opened his eyes again. He mustn’t flinch at anything, even desire. She required control, and he would demonstrate he had enough for them both.

Her cheeks were faintly flushed as she gazed at him in fascination.

“Fine, so it was just a bluff. I don’t have a right to you, I know that. But you should have…” she hesitated, then glared at him again. “You should have resisted me! Why? Why are you doing this?”

She was close enough for him to feel the warmth of her body. She would see his love, soon.

“Well, if you’re not going to answer me with words, I will pull it out of you. Let’s play a game, shall we? If you want me to not dig into your mind and soul, resist me with magic, or say something, or… just about anything. Okay?”

This time she reached towards his chest, but without the aggression she’d previously shown towards his throat. The feeling of his heart beating under her hand made him abruptly anxious, as though it would give him away. Which in turn made him want to laugh, since being given away was rather the point of all this.

Her eyes grew misty as her soul slipped into his. He ached at the intimacy of this connection. He suppressed the urge to kiss her, though he honestly wondered if she’d resist.

He saw it, the moment she perceived his love. She tried to ignore it, at first, looking deeper at his core nature instead. He saw the way she trembled at seeing his vision. She, who needed a purpose, was seeing the soul of someone who lived and breathed for his ambition.

She tried to resist her own ache, plainly visible in her unguarded soul, as she gravitated towards him.

She is mine, and I am hers.

“Selina,” he said, emotion infusing the name. “My name is Jax Koryn. May I have this dance?”

He reached his hand out to her, and for a passing moment, she tried to continue to resist.

But then, as he knew she would, she surrendered to her own nature. She took his hand, and he kissed it, letting his love for her flow through the connection. She gasped again, and he took a breath, to hold himself steady.

Music began to play from one of the enchantments he’d cast aside, and she gave him an affronted look, like she’d only just then realized he’d set up this entire moment.

Still, she offered no resistance as he took the lead in their dance, guiding her in a variation on one of the courtship dances of her own people. As a people who’d taken mass breeding seriously, and were thus rather open sexually, the dance was quite… provocative.

His body moved against hers, and she groaned as she felt the physical evidence of his desire. She grew more aggressive in the dance, attempting to gain control, but he was able to still her with but a single look.

He touched her, as the dance permitted. His hand cupped her cheek, his fingers ran through her hair. She, too, touched him to the extent he allowed, and his lust grew exceptionally distracting.

This was a dance that had several parts, the last of which was supposed to be a public orgy. But he’d made a variation, and ended their dance with the finale of mere courtship.

As the music slowed to a stop, she was panting with desire. She was ready to push him to the ground and have her way with him on the spot.

“You never do anything halfway, do you?” he murmured, amused.

“Never,” she said. “If you desire me, you’ll learn to accept that.”

“And if you are to have me, glorious phoenix, you’ll need to learn patience,” he said.

“Patience?” she said, and huffed. “Ha! Never!”

He smiled.

“Look into me,” he murmured, pressing against her. “See how much I desire you.”

She was startled at the invitation, but she slipped into his soul again and gasped with delight.

“Mine,” she whispered hungrily, pulling his face closer.

“Not yet,” he said, smiling and putting a finger on her lips.

“What do you mean, ‘not yet?’” she demanded. “We desire each other, and nothing can stand in the way of that.”

It took all he had to suppress a grin, and to resist the temptation to give in. But he had a point to make. He had to temper her, else she’d burn wildly and go elsewhere, as she had done a hundred times before.

He stepped back as she looked at him in confusion.

He gestured. All of his enchantments teleported back into place on his body, and her eyes glinted with appreciation at the finesse involved.

“I will see you soon, my love,” he said, and bowed.

With that, he activated the teleportation enchantment, and disappeared. She knew she couldn’t catch him, so she didn’t bother trying this time.

Still, he examined her spirit from a distance, and finally let himself laugh, as she was contorted in a rather awkward mix of lust, anger, frustration, and bewilderment.

The next day, he teleported to her side as she was walking next to a river.

“You!” she said, spluttering as the tangle of emotions returned.

“Indeed,” he said. “You’re looking lovely, as always.”

“I… but…” she said, tripping over herself in utter confusion.

“Tell me, Selina,” he said, still thrilling to the feeling of her name on his lips. “Have you ever been to the Akerash mountains?”

“I…” she began, still spluttering.

Then she gave up on her confusion, just accepting it, and continued walking. He walked alongside.

She said, “Not personally.”

“There is a glacier there,” he said. “It is exquisite. The shades of blue within its depths are unmatched anywhere else in the world. To see fire such as you, amidst such hues… I can scarcely imagine beauty such as that.”

“Are you inviting me to your homeland?” she asked.

“To take you there would be a joy,” he said, smirking at her.

She tried to frown at him, but couldn’t quite manage it, and laughed instead.

“You are a bizarre creature,” she said.

“And you are more glorious than the gods themselves,” he said. “I would almost think I was outmatched.”

“Almost?” she asked archly.

He smiled at her. She felt the impulse to charge him, to fight him again, but she kept it constrained.

“It is good to see that you know how to resist desire,” he said.

“You’re looking at my soul?” she asked, glaring at him.

“You leave yourself open for all to see,” he replied.

“That’s rude!” she said, crossing her arms.

“To avert my senses from beauty such as that requires will that not even I possess,” he said. “To glimpse it would be worth my life, were I not bound to a purpose.”

“What is your purpose?” she asked, distracted from her earlier line of inquiry. The intense curiosity within her was at odds with her feigned casualness.

“In due time,” he said, and she flared up again. “Will you permit me to gaze upon your beauty within the heart of Akerash?”

“I… you…” she spluttered, then glared at him again. “You. Why do you think you can just up and mess with me?”

He took her hand to his lips and kissed it delicately. She stilled.

“Because I can,” he said. “Join me.”

“I could kill you, you know,” she reminded him.

“A feat that few others in all the world could hope to accomplish,” he said. “But you are capable of even more. Join me, Selina.”

“What if I don’t want to play your little game?” she asked.

“But you do,” he said.

“Stop looking at my soul,” she grumbled.

“Do you truly mean that?” he asked. “For you, I would be willing, but little else has given me such joy as to gaze upon your heart.”

She blushed at that, looking away.

“I… I guess there’s no harm in it. Since you’ve seen all of me, anyway,” she said. “But it would only be fair for me to have free access to see your soul, too.”

“Be welcome, my love, but also be warned,” he said, his smirk growing.

“Warned?” she asked. “Why?”

“The desire I have for you might drive you mad,” he said. “Join me.”

She bit her lip uncertainly, then gave him a wry smile.

“Fine,” she said.

He’d already set up a series of teleportation beacons, allowing him to seemingly instantaneously bring them to a chosen location. He wrapped her in his magic, and activated the beacons.

The Akerash mountains were dark, in the last minutes of night. The stars glistened like diamonds over the harsh landscape, and both of the visitors used a trifle of magic to stay warm.

“Aren’t the mountains thousands of miles away?” she asked, stunned, as she looked around. “You never went this far when fleeing me.”

“Preparation makes many impossible things possible,” he replied. “Come.”

As he walked, he shed his enchantments again. She eyed him warily.

“Had this been a bluff, or just a game, I’d have killed you for your impudence,” she said.

“Possibly,” he said. “But do recall, my dear, that you turned down the role of death. You needn’t focus on it so heavily. Dawn has almost arrived, and I would have you see it in all its splendor.”

She sighed, shaking her head, as she followed him along the precarious ridge. Soon they reached a cliff that overlooked the glacier. She waited a little impatiently, but when dawn crested, she gasped.

The golden light scintillated in the depths of the glacier, causing it to glow, almost as though it had been born as a new enchantment. She fell to her knees, holding the cliff’s edge almost as though she were a child, lost in rapture.

After a moment, something else caught her eye.

“Is that… a dragon?” she asked, startled.

“We’re in his territory,” Jax replied. “I’ve arranged to be permitted here for the day.”

She started laughing at that, falling back onto her rear.

“You… you strange creature,” she said, bringing it down to a series of confused giggles. “The things you have done… to negotiate with a dragon over its territory for a… what is this, a date with me?”

“Almost,” he said with a smile, then reached out to her again. “Dance with me.”

She accepted more eagerly this time, which warmed his heart. The music enchantment had followed him, and accepted his cue to begin. He led her in the second phase of her traditional dance, modified as before.

Again, their bodies moved against each other, more provocative than the first. She fell quickly to her lust, and watching her dance was an exercise in restraint.

This time, as the music reached its end, he pulled her close and kissed her.

The pleasure of the kiss almost broke his resolve and he let out a choked sound of desire.

“Not yet,” he said as he broke free, barely able to force out the words.

“Let me have you,” she said, pressing into him, nipping at his neck. “Stop resisting this.”

“Soon,” he said. “But not yet.”

“I could force it,” she growled at him.

“You could,” he agreed. “I haven’t will enough to stop you. But you won’t.”

She whimpered and clutched at him.

“Why?” she demanded. “Why do you wish to wait?”

“Because it is not your body that I have fallen in love with,” he said. “I crave it as I’ve craved little else before, but I desire far more.”

“That’s nice,” she said. “But that doesn’t answer the question.”

He took a breath. It was hard to think under these rather straining circumstances.

“There are things I wish for you to know, and things I wish for you to feel,” he said. “I want you to love me, as I love you. I want you to know me, and to know yourself.”

“I know myself, I’ve seen your soul, and sex has fuck all to do with love, so why the hell are you fighting this?” she said.

“It has meaning, to me,” he said. “You are more to me than mere satisfaction of desire, and I wish to be more to you, in turn. The finest way to prove you matter more than desire is to resist it.”

“Perhaps a compromise,” she said, pressing her body against his in a way that made him tremble. “Take me here, now, and I’ll give my word to play along with the rest of your game.”

Part of him seemed to have entirely forgotten the point of all this. That same part seemed to think that her compromise was an absolutely excellent idea.

A groan escaped his lips as he fought to stay in control, and she pushed him to the ground, clawing at his shirt. She didn’t quite let herself tear it, and he ached as she pressed herself against him.

“Permit me,” she said. “I desire you, accursed beast, and I will have you.”

“Soon,” he said.

“Now,” she growled. “Don’t make me beg. It’s unbecoming of a lady.”

He couldn’t help but laugh at that, which set her off into a small fit of giggles. She rolled over to his side, nuzzling at his chest.

“You’re not going to let me, are you?” she asked, though it came out more like a statement.

“Not yet,” he said.

“If it weren’t for the desire I know you feel, I would be mortally offended,” she said. “Instead, I am merely bewildered.”

“I desire to make love to you,” he said. “I want to sink into you, body and soul. I want to feel the entirety of you wrapped around me, lost in your heat, in your fire. I crave the full intensity that you can bring to bear, enhanced by love and anticipation both.”

Her gaze turned curious.

“You really believe that you can handle me,” she said. “All of me. You know that… I mean…”

She hesitated, and looked away.

“That you are dying?” he supplied. “That you were born unusually insane, and were driven to greater heights of madness by the rituals of your people? That certain mental functions, normal for humans in general, are difficult or impossible for you? That you are lost within the core of Flamus itself, bound to be unendingly passionate and driven, with no hope of true peace?”

“That’s a rather…” she paused. “Tactless way of putting it, but yes.”

“Perhaps you would disagree with the morality of my actions,” he said, turning to face her. “But I have seen you. I have watched you. I have studied you. I know who you are, Selina of the Fire Dancers, in some ways better, I suspect, than you know yourself. And you have seen the conclusion I have come to.”

“But… I don’t understand,” she said, burying her face in his chest. “If I am doomed, if I’m insane, then why…?”

“And that is what I meant by you knowing yourself,” he said. “I would have you see why I love you, before we share in physical pleasures.”

She groaned.

“That might take a while,” she grumbled. “I’m not very patient. Are you so sure about that compromise? They’re good for relationships, I hear.”

“You need to know that you are safe with me, Selina,” he said. “And I don’t mean physically - we both know that few besides the gods themselves could threaten you. You need to know that no matter how intense you are, no matter how swept away I might be, that I am strong enough for us both. That you can trust in me.”

She gazed at him, holding very still, and it was clear she understood what he meant by that.

“It would be maddening, to live with such restraints,” she whispered.

“Would it?” he asked. “Though a fire burns brightest when unrestrained, so, too, does it die quickly. I would have you live with me forever.”

She frowned.

“A lot of women would be a little overwhelmed with how strong you’re coming on,” she said.

He just smirked at her.

“Is all of this,” she said, gesturing to the cliff and at him, “Just an attempt at manipulating me into falling in love with you?”

“Yes,” he said, and her eyes glinted. “But it is to get you to fall in love with who I truly am - none of this is artifice. I intend to impress you, to demonstrate to you that I am who you need, and when you begin to love me, to give you pleasures beyond any you have known before.”

“A bold claim,” she said, smirking. “I’ve had quite a few good lovers.”

“How many were as insightful into what it is you truly desire?” he asked.

“None,” she admitted, then sighed. “Look, Jax, you’re charming, compelling, and… kind of creepy sometimes. And powerful. And a good dancer. And… lots of things. But…”

He waited for her to continue, stroking her hair.

“Love is…” she hesitated again. “Sex is easy. Killing is easy. Doing things is easy. Getting attached is easy, and I won’t deny that I’m already feeling attached to you. I do that. But love…”

She shook her head.

“Love is dangerous,” she said. “With what I am…”

“I know,” he said, stroking her cheek. “Tomorrow, let me show you who I am.”

“I don’t want you to leave,” she said, pouting.

He smiled.

“Perhaps that will be our compromise,” he said. “Might you enjoy being introduced to the local dragon?”

She grinned.

The next morning, they woke in a meadow, resting on a quickly woven bed of grass and leaves. Goofing off with the dragon had exhausted Selina enough that Jax had easily held off her amorous aggression, and she’d happily passed out as soon as the sun had set.

He let her sleep for a while as he double checked that they weren’t overstaying their welcome, and then gathered some nuts, berries, and fish from the area, for a nice, local breakfast.

Selina woke up to the sound of a crackling fire and the smell of roasting fish.

“You’re still here,” she said, surprise revealing the warmth of her emotion.

He just smiled at her.

“I’m not the best cook,” he said, handing her a Aquas-crafted wooden plate, “But it should be edible.”

She took a cautious bite of the fish, then rolled her eyes.

“It’s delicious,” she said. “I mean, it could use some salt, but -”

She cut off as he immediately cast a spell, and pulled salt out of the dirt.

“Here you go,” he said, giving her a small handful.

She smiled wryly.

“Not every problem has to be solved, you know,” she said, adding a few pinches of salt to the fish.

“If it’s bad enough to qualify as a problem, then it is worth fixing,” he replied.

“The world is full of problems,” she said.

“Then we fix the world,” he said.

She paused at that, looking rather silly with a piece of fish halfway into her mouth.

“You’re serious,” she said.

“A bit premature,” he said and chuckled. “We’ll get to that later today, when you’re ready to go.”

Her eyes narrowed as she continued eating.

“Revealing your master plan?” she asked dryly.

“Yes,” he said.

She blinked at him.

“You’re just going to answer directly when I ask questions like that, aren’t you?” she asked.

“Yes,” he said again, smirking at her.

She tossed a berry at him.

“I have a lot of questions for you,” she said.

“Later,” he said. “Let me show you what I’m fighting to achieve, and then I will answer any questions you have.”

She nibbled on a nut, looking at him speculatively.

“I’m ready to go,” she said abruptly. “Show me.”

He smiled and reached a hand out to her. She took it, he wrapped her in his magic, and then used the teleport relay to take her to someplace very special to him.

“Welcome to my home,” he said, as she gaped at the tower. “It’s where I -”

He cut off abruptly as her hand closed over his mouth.

“Quiet,” she said. “I’m admiring this. Best done in silence.”

He tried to suppress a laugh as she moved closer to the tower, examining the magic thoroughly.

“It’s beautiful,” she said, after a minute. “The complexity of these enchantments is like nothing I’ve ever seen. They’re interconnected in ways I can barely even perceive.”

“Thank you,” he said.

“Though…” she said.

“Yes?”

“I mean, it’s quite complex, to be sure,” she said. “But the amount of power in each enchantment… it’s really quite tiny, isn’t it?”

He frowned.

“You may be accustomed to greater amounts of power than the usual, but I can assure you, the amount of raw power is entirely adequate,” he said. “Besides, it’s how that power is used that matters most.”

“There’s something to be said for that,” she said, smirking. “But as you said, I am quite used to a great deal of heft... in enchantments.”

He suppressed a sigh and just smiled, deciding to play along.

“You can rest assured that, with my expertise, you would never be left wanting,” he said.

“Can you be so sure?” she asked coyly. “I’ve already been left wanting more than once.”

“You can’t always get what you want, when you want it,” he said. “But when it’s yours, you’ll find it greater than you ever imagined.”

“Bold claim,” she said, laughing. “You’re really quite proud of your enchanting work.”

He laughed with her, and guided her inside.

She ooh’d and aah’d appropriately at the various levels of his tower. At the highest level, though, she simply paused again, taking it in. He waited, letting her take all the time she needed.

“What… what is it?” she asked, her voice unusually subdued, after several minutes.

“My ambition,” he said, walking up to the portal. “Though, to be honest, without your help, I’m not sure I would have the ability to realize it. Even with your help, it will be… challenging. You see, my aim is to reach even beyond the gods.”

“Beyond…? You mean, beyond the interdimensional planes in which they live?” she asked.

“Precisely,” he said, smiling warmly at her. “Standard lore is that there is nothing beyond them but the chaotic wellsprings of magic that fuel the entire world, beyond the power of gods and man alike to harness in their entirety. That lore isn’t entirely wrong - I have reached that level myself.”

“But you’ve also gotten past it,” she said.

“Not… exactly, no,” he said, grimacing. “I acquired a set of notes from an old enchanter who’d attempted to create a device that would kill a god by destabilizing its realm - its personal, pocket reality. He employed it, successfully, but the god within used the entirety of his might to try to keep the pathway open.”

Selina flinched a little at the thought of the amount of raw power that would be involved in such a confluence.

“You understand, then,” he said, approvingly. “The god died, and in his last moments, as his very soul was torn, the enchanter realized that he could detect, via magesense, other forms of life. He’d been shielded via a series of sensory relay devices, many of which had been destroyed. But…”

“But he’d sensed another world?” she asked, her eyes alight.

“We believe so,” he said.

“We?” she asked.

“It doesn’t matter,” he said. “I’m working alone, now.”

She crossed her arms and glared at him.

“You said you’d answer all of my questions,” she said.

He sighed.

“I was working with that enchanter, that’s all,” he said. “Now -”

“It’s not all,” she said. “Spill.”

He rubbed his forehead.

“Very well,” he said, looking away. “That enchanter was my grandfather. In retaliation for creating a god-killing weapon, the pantheon killed him, and everyone in his family one step removed from him, by blood or bonds.”

“Oh,” she said, her arms falling back to her side. “I’m sorry.”

He gave a faint smile.

“It’s fine,” he said. “It happened some years ago. My siblings and cousins are fine, but as you can understand, they aren’t especially interested in continuing my grandfather’s work.”

“So that’s what this is?” she asked, confused. “A way to kill the gods?”

“No,” he said. “My grandfather’s aims weren’t enough. Killing the gods does nothing - others will replace them.”

“Then what is your aim?” she asked.

“To let them have this world,” he said. “Power hungry spellcasters have ruined it. Monsters consume the masses, random magical flurries create natural disasters of monumental proportions, and bickering gods rule every aspect of our existence. Those that lack the talent for spellcasting…”

He trailed off, and they were both silent for a moment.

“You’ve seen me with the village,” she said quietly.

“It’s one of the reasons I fell in love with you,” he said, looking at the portal. “So many spellcasters turn their attention away from mundanes, because it’s too painful to get attached.”

“Pain never stops me,” she said.

He laughed, a little sadly.

“Determination, power, passion, a heart that will embrace those lesser than herself, and refuses to sway even when threatened by the pantheon itself…” he sighed wistfully. “You are extraordinary.”

She took his hand in hers.

“So what is your plan, exactly?” she asked.

“To find another world, untouched by man, magic, or gods,” he said. “One suitable for humanity. To bring over people, a little at a time, keeping it stable. To -”

“A little at a time?” she asked. “Why not a mass evacuation?”

“We have to ensure the new world isn’t destroyed by the same forces that ruined this one,” he said.

“Why not have me become the god of magic, and I’ll prevent anyone else from ever ascending?” she asked.

“Lacking the aptitude to become a god myself, that had never occurred to me,” he said dryly.

She rolled her eyes.

“I thought you were sure of me,” she said. “You should have updated your plans.”

He started laughing at that.

“And I thought you weren’t interested in becoming a god,” he said.

“I’m not,” she said. “Sort of. It’s the politics I wouldn’t be able to stand. I don’t mind responsibility, or power.”

“Wouldn’t it be a lonely thing?” he asked. “To be the only god in all existence, to never have another who is your equal?”

“I’ve never had such a thing as an equal in raw power,” she said, “Besides, why would I be lonely? I’d have you. Though we’ll have to make you immortal, too, at some point.”

She squeezed his hand, and he pulled her in to give her a kiss.

“You would join me, then,” he said, his faint uncertainties rising to the surface. “In this wild, potentially suicidal ambition.”

“There’s some kinks to work out,” she said, smirking as she turned towards the portal. “For instance, that isn’t nearly big enough.”

“I daresay that all I have will swell at your touch,” he said, returning her smirk.

She giggled at that, then abruptly turned serious.

“What is it?” he asked.

“You said I needed to know who you are,” she said. “You were right. I need to know. There’s one thing that… one thing that’s a problem.”

“Which is?”

“Going into people’s souls without their consent,” she said.

“Selina, it is knowledge,” he said. “Knowledge should be freely available to all.”

“Says the man who maintains shielding of incredible caliber on his soul,” she retorted.

“Under the circumstances, I have to be cautious,” he said. “But aside from keeping certain things from the gods, I never hesitate to trade information.”

“Then you can handle just trading, and not taking,” she said.

“I’m not going into their minds, Selina, save to look for manipulations,” he said. “Only their souls - it is critical that I know with whom I am working.”

“Then you can ask for permission,” she said, crossing her arms.

His jaw tightened.

“You say you love me,” she said. “I need to know what that means. I need to know if you’re willing to sacrifice a tool for something that I dearly value.”

“It seems premature to surrender something of such utility without exploring all avenues,” he said. “You might be persuaded.”

“Maybe,” she said. “But, until my mind changes - which it most likely won’t - this is where I stand, and I have to know if you’ll stand with me.”

He frowned, trying to think of a way out of this. She watched him - his face, his body, his soul. Her aggressive stance eased a little as she saw how much this position pained him, but she didn’t back down.

“Perhaps some sort of compromise might be in order,” he said.

She snorted.

“You’re talking about being my harness for the rest of my life,” she said. “Utilizing my power, giving me direction and focus, being my moral compass so I don’t have to go crazy figuring out the right thing to do, being the person I rely on for not just my life, but for my entire world - this one and the next. A compromise on my values of the sanctity of a person’s will is not in order.”

“In desperate circumstances, I must use whatever resources are available to me,” he said. “I would not be able to stand by and, for instance, watch you die, if morally ambiguous resources could change the outcome.”

She frowned.

“You’ve got me pretty well figured out,” she said. “If you know that I would agree it’s a truly desperate circumstance, then fine. But not otherwise.”

“You know that I wouldn’t have fallen in love with you, had I not seen your soul,” he said.

“Good things occasionally result from evil actions,” she said. “Besides, nothing wrong with looking at the magic someone uses - you’d have seen me clearly enough from just my spells, loose as I am with putting my heart in them.”

He sighed.

After another minute of contemplation, he reached out to take her hand. She uncrossed her arms and accepted.

“Selina, for you, I’d give even my life,” he said. “Though it is quite a sacrifice you are asking of me, I suppose I will also surrender one of the most useful insights into knowledge ever known to mankind.”

“You sound so committed,” she said dryly.

He smiled a little.

“I give you my word, Selina,” he said. “Even should you leave me, by death or choice, I will accept this limitation for the rest of my life.”

She startled at that.

“I… really?” she asked.

“You seem so surprised,” he said.

“It’s just that… it seemed to really matter to you,” she said. “To make an oath that reaches beyond us…”

“It does matter,” he said. “But your values matter more. To hold a piece of what matters most to you in my heart - even should I lose you, in this, I will still have you with me for all of my days.”

Her eyes grew misty.

“You really do love me,” she said, sounding awed. “You’re not just insane. You actually do.”

“Perhaps a little of both,” he said wryly. “But I believe our ‘insanities’ blend well.”

She pulled him closer and stroked his hair affectionately.

“I think so, too,” she said, looking up into his eyes.

“Selina,” he said, her name once again sounding like a prayer, “I would see this moment as the beginning of the rest of our lives. So, I ask you, my fiery beloved - may I have this dance?”

She kissed him, and his skin heated in anticipation. This time, he would hold nothing back, and she trembled in excitement at seeing it in him. Her own passions began to heighten and she gripped his shoulders tightly.

“You’ve got some hype to live up to,” she whispered to him hungrily.

“The more you desire, the more enjoyable the reward,” he said. “Dance with me, and join me in madness.”

She laughed and stepped back, taking a traditional starting position.

“For the rest of our lives, my harness, let us dance.”