Her back was feeling strained and tired, and it was late in the day when she arrived, sun dipping beneath the horizon, shadows stretching long. Janaxia’s heartbeat felt strangely skittering, as though she were nervous – what was she up to? Several of the guards on the battlements and turrets saw her, saluting in respect, and she made the gesture back, before banking into a curve, aiming for a wide balcony close to the royal suites.

A pair of guards stood aside to let her land, her wings flickering away, shadows fading in.

‘Commander Stathis! The Duchess Janaxia is in your chambers. Ambassador Brina is with her as well.’

‘Very good. Keep it up.’ Her shoulders were sore and aching, and she’d be glad of the chance to ditch her armour and have a bath – there’d been a bandit raid in the wilds that had needed sorting out, otherwise she would have been here hours ago. Hopefully Janaxia would have prepared food as well! Or had someone else prepare it, at least. She shuddered, remembering Janaxia’s attempt to cook personally, with far too many spices, the result like fire on her tongue.

She headed inside – what was Janaxia doing? Her heartbeat was fast and skittery. She shouldn’t be this nervous about an anniversary meal, and it seemed unlikely she would be exercising. Was she working something over with Brina? The two of them had been working on some formal treaty with the Sethans together. It was good for Janaxia to have company as well, the two of them now friends.

She strode through the halls, guards saluting as she passed, everything looking peaceful and orderly, just a short walk to their apartments. Outside the door, the guards on duty both saluted.

‘Lady Janaxia has been waiting for you.’ There was an awkward pause, before one continued. ‘She said that we were to remove ourselves once you arrived?’

‘Um, OK? I don’t know what she has planned, but I suppose you can have the night off. Go enjoy yourselves.’

‘Thank you, commander!’ They both saluted again, before one of them opened up the door for her. Inside, Stathis could see the familiar space, except it was lit by cool, purple mage-lights, rather than the usual bright and warm glow she expected, the fireplaces cold and empty, not that they were needed in the summer warmth. What was going on? It didn’t seem very romantic.

‘Anything else to report?’

‘No, Sir. All quiet.’

‘Good. And Skotadi?’

‘Lady Skotadi has been busy with the dressmakers guild.’

‘Good, they’re still keeping her out of trouble. Then go enjoy yourselves, I suppose.’

She let herself in, closing the door behind her, hearing the magical seals engage. Why was it so dark? It was like stepping into the depths of Hakara’s research lab, where pale-faced students that never seemed to see the sun worked away, poking at the secrets of the cosmos, and occasionally blowing things up, Armoniki now amongst them.

‘Janaxia? You around?’ The heartbeat against her finger was faster now, thrumming with excitement. She could hear a sound from up ahead, movement, fabric rustling. ‘Everything OK?’ She eased her sword from her sheathe, the light suddenly seeming threatening and ominous, the shadows deeper than they should be, sharp-edged and harsh, black pits into an endless void.

She moved towards the bedroom, glad of the thick rugs that made it easier to move quietly, the floorboards taking her weight without creaking. The door to the bedroom was partially open, more purple mage-light spilling out around it, along with more sounds of movement. As quietly as possible, Stathis slid her sword out, and advanced.

As she moved forward, a line of red-black light flared beneath her feet, flaring up and racing away, vanishing through the doorway before she could do anything about it. She heard an intake of breath, before Janaxia’s voice spoke, loud and precisely enunciated.

‘Now I have you in my power! When she returns, then Stathis too will become mine!’

There was a pause, and then Brina’s voice, her accent less rough than normal. ‘No! I will try and stop you!’

Stathis frowned, walking faster, as nonsense-chanting sounded out – not Janaxia’s usual un-words of power, but just incoherent babbling, a strange attempt to sound vaguely magical without any power behind it.

She slammed the door open, sword in hand, ready to fight, Janaxia’s heartbeat quickening around her finger.

Ahead of her, the bed was scattered with rose petals, while Brina stood in front of it, wearing the outfit of a female servant, although the skirt was very short, fluffy petticoats poking out from beneath it, the tops of her stockings visible, and in heels that didn’t look very practical to work in. She turned to see Stathis, her face flaming red, hair-beads clicking and clacking, cleavage deeper than usual, pushed upwards.

There was a flash of darkness, Janaxia blinking into sight in the middle of the room. She was wearing what looked like shimmering, diaphanous gauze, clinging to her curves, revealing the shape of her body every time she moved, her choker partially covered by ruffles of the stuff. Her nails shone bright red, matched by her lips, and she stepped forward, the material sliding around to reveal a long leg, a garter around her thigh.

Brina winced, then gave a short and strangely melodramatic screaming cry. ‘Oh no!’

Was Janaxia possessed? Although her eyes were a bright emerald green, they weren’t glowing with any magical energy, and the rapid shimmering of her hair-lash seemed to show excitement rather than anything else. What was going on?

‘You shall fall into my power, Stathis, along with your meddlesome servant!’ Janaxia stared at Stathis, looking expectant, Stathis having no idea how to react. ‘Soon I shall command the both of you, and will force you to serve me!’ Well? Kindly react!

Stathis twisted her fingers, using her own powers to blow apart any magical spells in the area. The lights shimmered and blinked out for a moment before resuming, Janaxia now naked except for her choker and the garter belt on her thigh.

Brina looked slightly surprised for a moment before speaking. ‘Huzzah! The evil sorceress has been defeated!’

The air around Janaxia rippled, golden ropes appearing from nothingness, binding themselves over her waist, hips and around her breasts, creating a harness around her body, with her arms tied behind her back.

‘Quick! You must seize her!’ Brina gestured at Janaxia, who was turning around, showing off the curves of her body.

‘What’s going…’

Really, Stathis. The least you could do is play along! I went to quite some trouble to prepare this. Janaxia staggered backwards, falling onto the bed, with enough force to make rose petals puff upwards.

‘You should gag her before she casts another spell! Use this!’ Brina produced a long strip of silk from her cleavage.

If you could try to avoid mussing my makeup, that would be appreciated. Janaxia was wriggling around, although without any seeming intent to escape, mostly showing herself off, apparently enjoying the snug fit of the rope harness.

‘Uh, sure…’

A little more dashing enthusiasm, perhaps? This is meant to be a ravaging conquest of a wicked sorceress!

‘Let me seal her powers first.’ It was hard work acting, Stathis struggling to sound interested, suddenly hating the flat sound of her own voice, but she pulled out the bracelet and held it up so Janaxia could see, her eyes going wide with pleasure. ‘This will prevent her using her, uh, wicked and evil powers! And then, once I’ve removed my armour, then we can… teach the wicked wrongdoer the, um, error of her ways?’

She approached, looking down at the writhing Janaxia, trying not to be distracted by the way the golden rope pinched lightly at her skin, highlighting the curves of her body, Janaxia still showing herself off. Stathis put a hand beneath her and pulled, easily flipping her over, revealing that the rope ran between her buttocks, her arms securely tied in place. It was easy to slide the bracelet over a wrist, Janaxia making a satisfied sigh before grunting as she was rolled over again.

Mmm. Satisfyingly strong! You may continue. Her voice was getting vaguer and more distracted, her eyes not entirely focused, as Stathis wadded up the silk and pushed it into her mouth, tying it around her head to gag her. Mmmm, excellent! ‘Mpphh!’

That done, she looked at Brina, not quite sure what to do next, and even less sure why Brina was dressed as a maid, and standing awkwardly in heels, still short even with them on.

She walked forward, swaying her hips, then crawled onto the bed, looking up at Stathis. ‘Now she is at our mercy!’

Hmmm, yes please! Although do remember that we have to meet the Sethan diplomatic corp tomorrow, so…’

Stathis reached down and pushed a gauntleted finger into the cleft of her navel, Janaxia shivering, her mental voice fragmenting into a wordless squeal.

‘We’ll take our time with her. We have to find out everything she knows!’ Stathis slid her finger upwards, hooking it around the ropes and pulling upwards, using them to lift Janaxia, so they bit deeper into her skin. Her eyes were starting to roll back into her head, lips forced wide in a kiss around the wadded-up gag.

‘Mmmpphhh….’

Her body was limped and unresisting, a cord between her legs vanishing from sight into her, Janaxia sighing with deep satisfaction as Stathis gave her an experimental shake. She could feel that Janaxia’s heartbeat was faster now, her finger thrumming with a transmission of Janaxia’s pleasure. She looked over at Brina, who grinned and shrugged, before whispering.

‘Said it was a gift for you. And some advice from Kinnevar?’

‘Well, it’s not what I expected…’

If you wish to discuss the matter, kindly wait until after I have been ravaged? After all, we have been apart for quite some time, and I would like to have my appetites sa…. Mmmm, yes…

Stathis shook her again, watching how the rope was starting to leave little indents in her skin, snake-marks winding across her body. With her other hand, she reached down, and twisted her belt, her armour vanishing.

I was rather expecting to take charge but…

Stathis pulled on the chains that dangled from the choker, Brina’s hands slipping, before she pulled another silk strip from somewhere, wrapping it over Janaxia’s eyes as a blindfold.

Mmmm… I suppose surrender is…

Janaxia squealed in delight, now wriggling around herself more, ropes putting further pressure against her skin, her pleasure obvious as Stathis stroked her, body heating up. Brina kicked her heels off and the crawled around the bed behind her, sliding one hand over her eyes, the other drifting downwards, cupping and stroking flesh.

‘Now that you have saved me, brave knight of the sun, shall we punish and interrogate this wicked wench?’

‘I think so, yes. She certainly deserves it.’ It was strangely pleasurable to shake Janaxia around, her telepathic mumbles getting mushier and wetter, words changing to gasping mumbles, the rope pinching tighter and tighter. She leaned in, kissing her on the forehead, then brushing hair away from an ear and whispering. ‘There’s no guards, so if you’re good, I’ll ungag you and you can scream.’

Mmmpggg! Yes… Please?

And so the night passed, the rose petals falling to the floor, or adhering to sweat-stained bodies, as much pleasure was had, moans and cries of pleasure as the light conquered the darkness.

THE END