Capable women are vixens at heart, and the man who pursues one better be prepared to be a wife-slave their entire life. A man that dates more than one… that man is a damned fool!

~Aine, Goddess of Love and Vengeance

1st Floor - Rosdoe

Otto stepped through the café’s front door and paused upon seeing the scene before him. Cousin Aine was off to the side trying to contain her laughter, and a strange bare-chested man stood next to her. Otto smiled upon seeing her, but most of his attention was drawn to Crow, who finally showed up.

His little brother stood like a statue before one of the bigger tables. It was as if he was afraid to move or utter a sound. Otto had only seen him act that with his father, and he knew something was wrong.

The giant’s eyes drifted past him toward the table and saw four women sitting in a semi-circle, so they were all facing Crow. Their glares almost froze Otto’s big heart, and then he saw Lily standing on the table with her finger waggling at him with a stern look on her face.

Hahaha! Otto burst out laughing, and Crow practically jumped out of his skin at the sound but didn’t dare turn away. Aine, who had tried to contain herself, lost it too. Her laughter devolved into snorting, which added levity to the entire situation. Hearing the two of them, the whole café was interested and saw the happenings going on. Spotting Crow getting dirty looks from the four women, the other patrons roughly guessed what was happening and chuckled along with them.

“Big brother, you’re killing me. Please stop,” Crow pleaded but didn’t turn to look at Otto.

Mara almost lost it when the big guy started laughing but maintained her straight face. Even Song Lin’s normally placid face showed subtle signs of amusement.

“How about you tell us about the wood nymphs in your Soulscape?” Nin grumbled, and Crow glared at Lily, who smirked in response. Just by glancing at her, Crow knew she was getting revenge for sending on ahead.

“They are nothing, alright? I’m not interested in them. I rescued them, understand? Rescued,” Crow tried to explain, but it was hard to justify. Even he felt any excuse he could give lacked weight.

“I’m curious. How did you manage to move them into your Soulscape?” Mara asked. She didn’t really think Crow was fooling around with them, but she was curious about the process.

“I transplanted their trees…” Crow told them what happened in detail.

“Wait. What is a Soul Butler?” Song Xue asked.

“That… We should talk about that later,” Crow nervously looked around the cafe.

“Alright, and who is the first wife?” She asked viciously, and Crow winced.

“You are, of course. I thought you all settled that?”

“Hmph. You bastard, you are going to make us take responsibility for your wives?” Nin asked. “Not happening!”

“Song Xue is the first wife. It was something we established when we were four, and that won’t change,” Crow said decisively and tried to justify it. While Song Xue may have thought they were joking around that day, Crow had meant it. Life gave him a few twists, namely Mara, Song Lin, Nin, and Lily but Song Xue was still special. Thinking about it caused his mouth to downturn because he really felt it wasn’t fair to her.

“You dare give priority to one wife over the other?” Mara asked, and Crow tried not to glare at the vengeful woman. He knew she didn’t care and only wanted to stir up trouble.

At that moment, the door to the cafe opened, and a seductively beautiful woman walked in and glanced around. Crow saw her eyes lock on him and felt his skin prickle with goosebumps. Ahhh, dammit. Don’t talk to me.

“Crow! I’ve finally found you.”

The temperature of the room dropped to subzero temperatures.

“W-wait! I don’t know her. I swear it! I’ve never met that woman in my life,” Crow tried to defend himself and could hear Otto chuckling again. “Tell them, lady. Do we know each other?”

“Well, I know you.”

“Bastard,” Song Xue hissed.

“Dammit, don’t say it like that. Who are you?” Crow grumbled.

The woman grinned, and both men and women felt attracted to that smile. None of Crow’s wives were even looking at him now. He wasn’t sure if he was happy or sad about that.

“I’m Nadia. He really doesn’t know me, but I find this situation amusing. I wouldn’t mind knowing him—kidding!” Nadia gulped when five sets of eyes gave her a death glare. “Do you remember Kafele?”

Crow thought about that for a second. It seemed he had an impression of a one-armed guy during the Clocktower event with that name.

“Maybe…?” He replied cautiously.

“Can we talk somewhere private?”

Crow looked over at Nin. He did not know since this was his first day at Rosdoe. When he arrived, his women all had a private meeting and then scolded him, which made his heart bleed. The dragon woman nodded and led them back to a private room. Otto, Aine, and Ahote followed them, curious about this mysterious and seductive woman.

Inside the private room were several sofas lining the wall and a long table with a dozen chairs seated around it. Otto said on his specially made stool near the two-way mirror, and the others took a seat around the table.

Crow couldn’t help but take a few sly glances at Nadia. The woman was a born seductress, and it was tough to take his eyes off her. Even Otto was eying her, but he didn’t bother hiding his interest.

“I know you know who Kafe is, and I want to kill that evil bastard,” Nadia’s direct statement shocked everyone. She licked her lips, and Crow shuddered at how much desire she was pulling out of him.

“First, can you control whatever it is you are doing?” Crow asked as sweat beaded his forehead. “I know my self-control isn’t that bad, and your allure or seductress aura or whatever is making it hard to concentrate.”

“You can resist?” Nadia asked. Few men had ever resisted her, and it was her curse and stain. She wondered what would have happened if she had met Kafe or Crow when she was twelve. Perhaps men wouldn’t have abused to the extent she despised most of them. It wasn’t like her to have these kinds of thoughts, but she delved into more introspection after becoming a monster.

The aura fell away, and Crow felt his ragged breath returning to normal while his wives stared at him. Sighing, he just shook his head and pretended he didn’t see their looks.

“May I know why you came looking for me?” Crow asked and then sensed something odd. “Wait… are you even alive? What are you?”

“Kafe wanted to use me to get close to you. Using my innate… ability, he wanted me to seduce you and remain by your side as a spy. He even killed me, captured my soul, refined my body, and turned me into a Corpse Bride Puppet to get what he wanted. Do you know what that is?”

“I’m afraid I’m not that familiar with Hex Vodun practices.”

“He was my lover, and my ability is more than the aura. If a person does those things to me too often, they’ll die. I wasn’t sure what was happening to me, but he figured it out. Told me I was taking away his vitality during climax—”

“You are offspring of a Leannán Sidhe!” Crow nearly jumped up from his seat and left the room.

“You know what I am or was?”

“Didn’t your mother explain it to you?” Crow asked, unsure how to broach this uncomfortable topic with his wives present.

“No,” Nadia said, refusing to say more.

Crow sighed and glanced at his wives, who were staring at him. All of them but Lily show curiosity. The little fae stared at Nadia once Crow labeled her.

“Am I right?” Crow asked Lily. The fae flew over to Nadia and touched her hand, but he couldn’t read her expression. Turning toward him, she nodded but mimed a few things. “She was, but no more? Or do you mean she is something more now?”

Lily nodded.

“She’s definitely dead,” Nin said bluntly. “Her body isn’t even human anymore. You are more like a Clockwork Doll now.”

“Your original body was a hybrid fae. You are half a Leannán Sidhe which is probably why you suffered. Your mother should have taught you how to control the Aura of the Muse. They are a type of fae with a tragic fate because they can’t resist love and become their lover’s muse. Their lives are often short and end with premature death.”

“What about now?” Nin asked. “If she really is a Corpse Bride, she shouldn’t have autonomy, nor would she be able to tell us what Kafe intended unless he wanted her to do so. The only method I know to release control is death.”

“Well, I’m not sure. I mean, she is an anomaly now. In her current form, I’d say she changed her fate. Partially avoided it. She still died but lived on, and it appears she has control over her aura now, which only full-blooded Leannán Sidhe should be able to do.”

“Then why did my mom live for so long if her race fated her for a premature death?” Nadia asked.

“She had a child,” Crow explained. “If you had given birth to a child, it would have destroyed your cultivation. You’d have lost the Aura of the Muse and lived on like an ordinary human cultivator. The problem is your kind is notorious for living their entire lives without giving birth, no matter how many partners you seduce.”

“My cultivation is gone. I can still gain power from sex, but the cultivation method my mother taught me no longer works. It’s like I’m filling a water sack with holes in it.”

“Okay, stop,” Nin said and slapped the table. “She is not our ally, and while giving her knowledge isn’t bad, we need answers. How the hell does she have autonomy? Did this Kafe guy die?”

“No, he lives, and I vow I’m released. I’m not sure how to explain it because I don’t know what he did to me. Before, when I was under his compulsion, every thought of mine, even those allowed, was under his control. I was a beast under the yoke. A presence constantly hovered over me, and the pressure stifled me. That pressure is gone. I won’t say he can’t harness me again, but as it stands, I can fight against him without repercussion. I’m free.”

“He lost his cultivation,” Ahote said with certainty. He was the ‘bond’ guru, and Crow didn’t doubt what the man said. Still, he wanted to know more.

“Go on, explain that.”

“I saw it happen once with a Beastlord. During a large-scale battle, the man had his Shield crushed, and his Source extinguished. The beasts under his control were freed the moment it happened, but he had treated them well, so they continued to protect him. Normally, a disconnect like that comes with some serious backlash, but since she appears to be fine… then I’m not totally sure how to explain it.”

“Unless his Shield and Source are intact,” Song Lin’s voice weighed in.

“Which means he dispersed his cultivation on his own. Would that remove the bond?” Crow asked Ahote.

“I’ve never heard of anyone doing that, but the theory is partially wrong. If Kafele did that, then Nadia would still be bound to him. However, giving it up means he can regain it, but his bonds will not remain unaffected. Most likely, they’d change but remain. Even if he relearned it, the bonds would remain untouchable. I’m not sure if he can regain control—”

“He can’t,” Nadia said with certainty. “But I want to know more about what I am. I can vow we’ll remain allies, provided you don’t try to control or restrict me. I can even tell you about a certain woman that’s arrived here looking for most of your group. Is there an Acco, son of Maddox, here?”

“That sonofabitch!” Crow growled.