The air in the room was tense. Sasha played with her magic. She was close to her former strength. Elias had said she would get all of it back as soon as she returned what she had stolen. Too bad that would not happen, the orb would stay with her. She could clear the curse he had put on her. She just chooses not to.

“You!” Elias said.

Isaak and Ivy had turned up. It was like waving a red flag in front of Elias. He rushed forward and hit Isaak in the stomach. He quickly lifted his fists again, aiming for his face. Sasha went for her knife, ready to interfere.

“You are as slow as always”, Isaak said laughing, putting out a leg and kicking Elias out of balance. “I thought you knew better than to fight with ladies in the room.”

Elias almost tumbled to the ground, but somehow regained his balance. Sasha let out a relief. Isaak was playing. And Elias was not going to hurt Isaak, they were behaving like boys.

“They are no ladies”, Elias hissed. “And you are certainly no knight in shining armor. They are better off without you.”

“Elias” Ivy yelled.

“Well, I am all for free will”, Isaak teased. His muscles were tense, but he didn’t burst forward. He anticipated Elias's move. “And if I remember correctly, they both choose me.”

Elias was rushing forward like a bull. Sasha smiled, he would make it too easy for Isaak. With less than two seconds Elias had run right into the wall. Isaak was bending his arm backward, making Elias squeak. She couldn’t pity him, but she called for the ball of magic, freshly remembering their last encounter.

“Now, you might want to tell me why there is a prize on my head and why someone tried to kill Sasha to get it?” Isaak said, the playfulness gone from his voice.

“Sasha?” Elias asked.

“Sister”, Ivy looked baffled. “Why haven’t you told me?”

“There was nothing to tell. He is dead. Denise roasted his corpse.” She laughed a bit, playing with magic fire in her hands. “I could roast you as well.”

Isaak didn’t care. He put more force at Elias's arm. Elias cried out.

“Take it, easy man, I didn’t tell about the ambush. The queen must have had her channels and decided to take action”, Elias said. “And that misconception would be cleared out as soon as I explain you are Sasha’s boyfriend.”

“They don’t know?”

“What do you think of me? The less they know about you or her the better” Elias said and broke free. “I am tempted to collect the money myself.”

Isaak laughed wholeheartedly.

“Man, you got me scared there.” He sobered up. Looking from Ivy to Sasha he shook his head. “Unfortunately no one of them will be my girlfriend as of today. He kissed Ivy on the forehead. I’m sorry darling, but I can’t put any of you in that danger. Elias is right, you are better off without me.”

“Isaak”, Ivy protested.

“You sick bastard,” Elias said. “All of you.”

Isaak turned around. There was a light in his eyes as if he suddenly had understood something.

“Brother”, he said and hugged Ivy closer. “I should have seen this one coming.”

“One day you will push my limits beyond the breaking point”, Elias threatened.

Isaak laughed, putting a kiss on Ivy’s lips and waving Sasha closer.

“You know Elias, they are both my girls.” He said and enclosed Sasha as well in his arms. “But Ivy is my girlfriend. There has never been anyone else for me.” He ruffled his hands in Sasha’s hair, sending a look at Elias. “Sasha is just the camouflage. With my reputation, I put any girlfriend in danger. Sasha is the exception. She is strong enough to scare away my enemies even more than I do me.”

Elias looked gobsmacked.

“Who are you really?” he asked.

“I? I am Isaak”, Isaak said.

“Dick head. I know who you are”, Elias said. “The question is who she is. She is not my sister. She is not your girlfriend and she is not honest.”

“I am an assassin and I am good at it”, Sasha said, “Want to take a walk in a dark alley? I can show you a trick or two.”

“You two stop it. We need to figure out how to keep him out of danger”, Ivy interrupted. She nuzzled at Isaak's worry written on her pale face.

“We just tell the queen Ivy would never forgive her if anything came to harm Isaak”, Sasha said.

“I have not told, but the queen must know you are his supposed girlfriend. Didn’t stop her?” Elias stated. “Or maybe she did know it was just fake and I was the only one you kept in the dark?”

His voice held promises of revenge. His eyes savoring her, and not in a good way. Ivy always said lies come with a price. She started to see what she meant.

“I hate her, and she knows she has nothing to lose. Ivy is the perfect daughter and she would not let anything disturb that”, Sasha reasoned, ignoring the temper boiling underneath Elias's controlled surface.

“An accident happens too easily Sasha. It will not do”, Ivy argued. “We have to come up with something better than that.”

“Yeah I agree”, Elias sighed. “And Isaak, you better not tell anyone who they are, between. Mother wants to protect them from fame and glory as long as possible”, Elias added, walking to the window, looking out. Sasha saw how he squeezed his fists tight. He probably was right, the queen would kill Isaak and they would never be able to prove it.

“She´s afraid they will attract assassins”, Elias told. “With the royals' popularity, they are an easy prey.”

“Fuck. Didn’t know I was rescuing princesses”, Isaak said, “I wonder if I can get a ransom for the two of you.”

Both Sasha and Ivy turned around, dropping Isaak as if he was the plague.

“That’s exactly why mother wants you to come back. Inside the castle, she can protect you.” Elias turned around, looking at Ivy and Sasha, his feelings in turmoil, but he riled himself in, smiling reassuringly. “Please come home with me.”

“That will not happen Elias”, Sasha said. “You three, come up with a plan. I am going out to kick some dirt.” She whistled to Denise, and the dragon landed on her shoulder. Sasha gently stroked her cheek.

“Sasha”, Elias said. “Don’t leave.”

She felt a pang in her stomach. He had questions for her. His face was going from tender to murderous as if he couldn’t decide if he wanted to kiss her or kill her.

“Then come up with a good plan”, Sasha said and walked out the door. She patted the dragon on her head, the scales cold and smooth against her hand. “I wouldn’t go anywhere without my protector. Would I?” Sasha laughed. Of course, she would.

“Denise, protect Isaak and Ivy. I have somewhere to be.”

Somewhere no one would ask her questions about all her lies. Or bother whether or not she had a boyfriend.

Sasha had taken the roads by night, walking in the shadows and avoiding being seen. She had underestimated Elias before, and to where she was heading now, he had no businesses, neither had her twin. The door in front of Sasha was dark blue. There was an emblem of the University of Vewinhart on the front, a fox on the hunt. She lifted the fox, letting the grey cast figure hitting the frame of the door, creating a hollow sound.

“Sasha!” a man ahead lower than Sasha, covered with a dark cape, opened the door. “How lovely. I have been missing you.”

“Greg”, Sasha said, hugging him close. “It has been an insane time since last.”

“Come in. I will brew you some tea, and then we will talk.”

Sasha enjoyed being fussed over. Greg always did that. He lived in a small annex and had been working at the university for the last five years. In that amount of time, he had filled his small apartment with so many things it was quite tricky drinking tea without breaking anything.

“So you are a princess? Really?”

“Yeah, didn’t see that one coming”, Sasha rolled her eyes. “The thing is, I don’t know what to do. The king is crazy, the queen is hunting Isaak. Isaak tries to break up with Ivy to protect her, but she is already in danger due to being a princess. And on top of that, I almost lost all my magic.”

“And Elias? Where do you have him?”

“I don’t know”, Sasha said. “I think he is good, or just cunning.”

“That’s not much of a hand. I think Isaak has to choose. Either he fights for Ivy, or he will lose you both.”

Sasha massaged her temple.

“If we speed up the power shift he would not need protection. I have the orb.”

“Ah, the orb.” Greg went over to stand behind Sasha. He massaged her temples. “I have a gift for you”, he said.

“I love your gifts”, Sasha smiled.

“I know. And I think you need some time off.”

He held out his hand and Sasha took it. She let him lead her to the bedroom, feeling the comfort of someone who had been there for her for years.

“You are too good for me Greg, always giving, never asking.”

“You are a skilled assassin and a dark witch, you need someone that just spoils you rotten and treats you like a lady”, Greg said. “Besides, I like our agreement.”

“So do I”, Sasha said.

Greg started to massage her shoulders and she forgot about the world outside of his annex.

“Will you still be here tomorrow?” she asked.

“I never leave Sasha.”

“Good”, she said and yawned.