Under Her Spell

by Maggie Morton

  Roiling flames leapt from each of his horns, and though he held a ball of crackling fire in each hand, his face was still hidden in darkness. But once he reached the doorway of the room containing the goblet, his face was lit up by the moonlight, and Terra whispered his name. “Eros.” Her voice shook a little as she said this, but she used some of her magic to lift herself up into a fully upright position, her feet hovering a little above the floor. Terra watched, then, full of fear, as the horned man—or Eros—entered the goblet’s room, leaving only moments later. His hands still held the fireballs, the goblet neither in his right hand nor his left.

  “Where is it, you bitch?” he growled, the rumble of his low voice reaching Terra and almost shoving her to the floor. But she managed to stay afloat and just smiled at him.

  “You can’t see it, can you?” She didn’t try to hide the haughtiness in her voice, instead letting it leap right out of her lips, along with a touch of pride. She had found the goblet, and she had completed the entire quest, and this monster, standing before her, had not. “You can’t see it,” she repeated, this time with more certainty.

  But that seemed to be the wrong thing to say. Eros yelled out with fury and then hurled one of his fireballs right at her. Terra shot to the right, the fireball barely missing her, almost touching her skin as it flew past and hit the wall. The wall began to burn, the fire quickly spreading in Terra’s direction.

  The next fireball Eros threw didn’t miss. It hit her squarely in the chest, her body becoming enveloped in flames quicker than her eyes could track. She screamed as they burned against her skin. It was the most painful thing she’d ever felt. She tried to fight her way out of the fire, but it was no use. Eros had won, and though she still continued to struggle as he raised his hand, she couldn’t stop him from drawing her forward, closer and closer, until his face—his angry, dastardly, cheating face—was inches from hers.

  “You will get me the goblet, or you will die. You choose which it will be.”

  “What, I don’t get a third option?” She might have been in immense pain, but she still had a little more fight left in her. This was all about Athene, after all, and she couldn’t lose, not when something so precious was at stake.

  “Of course you don’t. Can’t you see that I am holding your life in my hands, Witch? Can’t you see that I could put out your own flame of life in a mere instant?” He smiled with dark, angry eyes, and the fire got hotter. Terra could barely breathe, and while she loved Athene with all her heart, was giving this man her life going to help anything? She had to fight this—she had to win…but how?

  Her answer came in a cold, incredibly pissed-off voice right behind her. “Put out that fire, Eros, and let my daughter’s lover go.”

  Even despite the horrible pain of Eros’s fire, Terra could still feel the power behind her. It burned stronger than the fire, but this was a cold, chilling burn, one that slowly, bit by bit, lowered the temperature of the heat surrounding Terra’s body.

  “Cer? What are you doing here? And what do you mean, your daughter’s lover?” Eros looked truly shocked, and Terra found a bit of hope returning as Cer’s face came into view on her left. Her body was glowing, brighter than the moonlight, brighter than the burning light coming from Eros’s flames and the fire that still surrounded Terra.

  “Put out these flames, or I will make sure you are very, very, very sorry, young man.”

  “Cer…please…I…I am…” He looked terrified, and it seemed he was well aware that he was no match for Cer.

  But then he smiled in a most horrible way and raised his hand and shot a spray of flames from his fingers, the fire surrounding Terra now burning even hotter than before. “I’ll take her with me, then!” he shouted, and the heat around her rose and rose, sucking the breath out of her…sucking the life out of her.

  I’m sorry, Athene. I failed you. Terra’s thoughts began to grow foggy, and although the fire around her burned incredibly brightly, everything was still growing dark.

  Terra thought she heard someone say, “No, Eros, no, you won’t!” And then the coldest sensation she’d felt in her life spread across her skin, spread into her as well, and she began to shake, violently, from the freezing feeling that rushed throughout her entire body. She began to cough as she shook, and she slowly drifted to the ground. The fire was out, and she was alive, and slowly, reality came back to her.

  She saw the hallway again, saw Cer and Eros shooting fire and ice at each other, sometimes striking each other and sometimes missing. Then she watched as Eros yelled, “Father, help me!” and Terra looked on as his whole body turned to flames, every inch of him fire, every inch except for a ring on his left thumb. Right after she noticed the ring, he slammed Cer against the wall, pinning her to it, and it looked as though he just might win after all.

  But that was completely unacceptable. So Terra pushed herself up off the floor, shut her eyes, and thought of water. She thought of every single drop of water she’d seen in her life. The water running into the sink in her bathroom. The small river and the koi pond near the mansion. The ocean she’d visited with her father and mother every summer until her mother died and she and her father moved into the Werths’ mansion. She even pictured the fluid that had soaked the sheets when she and Athene had last had sex, and then she thought of Athene, her lovely, loving face and the beautiful smile on it whenever she looked at Terra.

  Terra’s eyes shot open, and she flew off of the floor, and she raised her hands. She heard a sound like the ocean on a stormy day, waves crashing violently against each other, each of them hungry for rain; she heard the rushing sound of a river…the rushing sound of hundreds of rivers; she heard Athene’s juices splashing against the bed and her thighs. And then the whole hallway—and she just knew, somehow, the whole castle—filled with water.

  She was floating, now, surrounded by water, but somehow, she could still breathe. She began to paddle in Eros and Cer’s direction, and Cer was breathing, too, but Eros was not. He was choking on the water, clutching at his chest and neck, and his eyes seemed to plead with Terra as she looked into them. She knew her own were completely empty of compassion for him as he began to drown.

  But what would Athene have done in this situation? And what would her mother have wanted her to do? After a moment’s thought, she swam up to him, putting her mouth to his, and gave him a few mouthfuls of air as she removed the ring he wore, the one she was certain gave him the power he’d had up until that moment. The power that had almost killed her, the power she now felt flowing into her body as she crushed the ring in her hand, turning it to little flecks of gold that floated away down the water-filled hallway. She looked at Cer then. They made eye contact, and Athene’s mother swam a few feet forward and took Terra’s hand, bringing it to her mouth and kissing it softly.

  “Athene told me everything,” she said to Terra. “And while you may not believe it, I do want the best for her, and you seem to be exactly what she needs…and deserves. Now, my dear, how about we get that goblet and head home?”

  What could Terra do but smile and nod? So she did each, and they swam into the small room, Terra first, and she picked up the goblet. She didn’t need to use the spyglass to see it any longer, nor was she unable to pick it up, despite the fact that it looked like her hand would go right through it. The goblet solidified as she took it off the table, and she heard a loud, shrill ringing sound, which grew louder and louder until she feared it would shake her apart, and then she realized it was coming from the goblet.

  “Time to leave!” Cer shouted over the incredibly loud ringing, and she took Terra’s hand in hers. Terra gripped the goblet tight in her other hand. No fucking way she was going to let go of it now.

  Chapter Twenty-five

  With a loud splash, Terra and Cer landed on the floor of the castle’s dining hall. Both of them were soaking wet, and for a few moments, the shock of the sudden change of scenery kept Terra from taking in her surroundings. She just lay on the floor with her e
yes shut and luxuriated in the exquisite pleasure of having won the quest. She was grinning, and she’d never been so completely happy in her entire life.

  But her joy quickly doubled as she felt arms wrapping around her, instantly recognizing the familiar scent of Athene’s favorite shampoo as it wafted in her direction. Athene put her lips to Terra’s ear and said, “I’m never letting you go again, Terra. And I’m definitely not letting you out of my sight any time soon, either.”

  Terra wrapped her exhausted arms around her, smiling even wider. “Sounds good to me. Especially if there’s a bed and some nudity involved.”

  She heard a few sounds of laughter at her words, and then she did take in the room, as it seemed that she, Cer, and Athene weren’t alone. With a large amount of struggling and some leaning on Athene for support, she got to her feet.

  They weren’t even close to alone, she now saw. No, they were practically surrounded, all of the mansion’s staff and residents scattered around the room. Her father and Zeus were standing next to each other, with matching looks of shock on their faces. Then both of them rushed forward, her father hugging her tight. “I missed you, sweetheart! I’m so, so glad you made it back! And you succeeded!” Her father’s voice matched his words, filled with equal parts awe and affection. When her father let go of her, Zeus approached her next and held out his hand.

  “I believe some thanks are in order,” he said to her, his voice sounding a fair bit less empty of doubt than it usually did. “My wife lent me her seeing mirror, and we all watched the battle. I tried to travel there to help, but the doorway stone Cer used to get there didn’t work. I was terrified, to be honest, to be completely unable to help my dear wife when Eros had her pinned to the wall. I owe you an immense debt of gratitude.” Terra was surprised to see that he was crying, and then he pulled her to his chest, wrapping her in a tight hug as he began to shake and cry even harder.

  “In terms of that debt of gratitude, what would you say to paying me with your daughter’s hand in marriage?” Terra patted him on the back, feeling a little uncomfortable hugging him and a fair bit more uncomfortable with his tears.

  “Gladly!” he sobbed, and instead of letting her go, he squeezed her harder.

  “Uh, Zeus, you’re kind of crushing me.”

  He quickly released her at those words, backing up a few feet. “Excuse me, Terra. It’s not every day that you almost lose your wife.” He wiped his cheeks with his hands and cleared his throat. “I believe a banquet of celebration is in order.”

  The banquet occurred that very night. Since Freo knew all of Terra’s favorite dishes, that was what they had, dining on salads filled with goat cheese and candied walnuts, Cornish game hen with rosemary and lemon and garlic mashed potatoes, a cheese course, and crème brulèe for dessert. It couldn’t have possibly tasted better to Terra, but later that evening, when she climbed into bed with Athene without having to sneak into her room, she decided that Athene’s mouth tasted even more wonderful than the whole meal put together.

  “You taste amazing,” she told Athene, in between kisses.

  “Vanilla lip gloss,” her soon-to-be wife told her the next time she came up for air.

  “No, it’s not that, it’s you. You taste like the woman I love. That’s a taste I’ll never, ever get tired of. Not as long as I live.”

  “Let’s hope so, because we’re getting married in just a few weeks.”

  “Why don’t we consummate our wedding a little early?” Terra suggested, as she slid her hand in between Athene’s thighs.

  “You mean like we’ve been doing for months? Hmm,” Athene said, cupping Terra’s breast and moving her mouth much closer to its erect nipple. “Give me a minute or two to think it over. I’ll tell you my decision in just a bit.”

  As Athene kissed her nipple, Terra sighed and relaxed even further against the bed’s multiple pillows. This was their first time making love since she’d returned, and her first time being able to spend the entire night in Athene’s room. Although it wasn’t the first time Athene had taken her nipple into her mouth, Terra couldn’t help but think that it didn’t feel any less amazing than it had that first night they’d slept together. No, not one single bit less amazing.

  “Mmm, you’re doing that just right.” As she said this, Athene slipped her hand in between her thighs, a hand that began to vibrate as it played with her clit. “A new trick, huh?” She spread her lips into a wide smile as Athene’s vibrating hand buzzed away against her cunt, and then her lips began to part more and more as she gasped and sighed and moaned, getting closer and closer to the precarious spot between not having come yet and falling into a delicious orgasm. And then she tumbled over the edge, falling into bliss, bliss that seemed destined to occur at least four times before she said, “Enough, enough! Oh, God, Athene, you’re so, so good. Just…just give me a moment, and then it’ll be your turn.”

  “Take all the time you want,” Athene said, placing her soft lips on Terra’s mouth. “Now that you’re officially mine, we have a fucking large amount of time.”

  “That’s good.” Terra sighed as their lips parted for a moment, and then she began to make out with Athene—her soon-to-be wife!—once more. “That’s so, so good.”

  When she’d regained enough strength, she kissed and licked her way down Athene’s body and then placed a vibrating tongue and vibrating lips onto Athene’s pussy. Athene’s back arched in an instant. “Oh, you naughty, naughty…girl…how do you ever catch on so fast?”

  Their fun continued into the early morning hours, as they took turns making each other come, took turns placing fingers, and dildos, and whatever else struck their fancy, deep inside each other. But eventually they were both exhausted, and so, begrudgingly, Terra suggested they call it a night. Athene acquiesced and lay on her side. Terra spooned her and placed her hand gently on Athene’s hip.

  Then she began to sing to Athene, a song her mother had sung her to sleep with when she was little. It was a song about a prince and a princess, and how their love for one another spanned streams, rivers, and oceans, and Terra smiled as she sang, because now that love was hers. Just as Athene was now hers, and she was now Athene’s. As she drifted off to sleep, she realized that for the first time in ages, she was excited about what the next morning might bring. After all, she had a wedding to prepare for and plan, a wedding and a whole life to spend with the lovely woman in her arms. She knew that some people got cold feet before these things, but her feet were practically on fire, getting ready to walk the aisle…or, perhaps, to stand at the altar. Either way, she would be there with Athene, and they would be joined together, woman and woman, wife and wife.

  Her excitement made it hard for her to sleep, but finally she did. She didn’t dream at first, but then she began to, and it was her mother whom she dreamed of.

  *

  Terra was sitting on a porch swing, sipping some mint iced tea, slowly swinging back and forth as she looked out across the sunny garden in front of her. The house seemed familiar, and she tried to place it, but failed. And then she heard a voice, coming from her left, and she knew exactly where she was—she was at home, and the voice was her mother’s, calling her in for dinner. She quickly finished the tea and raced inside, right into her mother’s waiting arms.

  “Nerit! Mom! I’ve…I’ve missed you so much!” Terra’s cheeks quickly became wet with tears, and she squeezed Nerit tight as she cried.

  “My dear, darling girl, it’s wonderful to see you, too. We haven’t much time, you and I, so let’s make it count. I’ve prepared supper for us—pot roast and mashed potatoes, your favorite. And you can either have more mint tea or some wine, if you’d like. I make it myself, in the shed near the house. There are grapes growing nearby, and your other relatives help me make it—and help me drink it, too,” she said with a warm laugh.

  Terra pulled back and looked at her mother—her hair, her face, everything was the same. “Am I…am I really here with you? I mean, this isn’t just a dream?�
��

  “Yes, I have been granted the ability to give you passage into my world, where all of us Magic Ones go when we…when we die.” Nerit brushed a few strands of Terra’s hair behind her ear and kissed her on the forehead. “Now, why don’t we eat? I’m looking forward to hearing about your life these days, more details about the little bits and pieces I’ve been able to see over the years I’ve been gone.”

  Terra made herself let go of her mom then, but doing so was a challenge—possibly just as big a challenge as the quest had been. She sat down at the table and proceeded to tell Nerit about all she had missed. “Well, you already know I’ve fallen madly, deeply in love with a woman—with Athene. And you also probably know my powers have been growing, and they’re pretty damn awesome at this point in time.” She scooped some mashed potatoes onto her plate and made them into a bowl for the pot roast, just like she had when she was little.

  “I see that some things haven’t changed at all, though,” Nerit said with a gentle laugh.

  Her mother’s laugh—Goddess, Terra thought, how she had missed it…how she had missed everything about her mother. “So, I guess you don’t know that Dad and I, we’re living and working with the Werths, whom I’m pretty sure you’ve heard of. We both miss you, tons, but we’re getting by, I suppose. He hasn’t found anyone since you, well, you know.” Terra took a bite of mashed potatoes and meat then, and it was just as delicious as it always had been, rich and sweet and so tender it practically melted on her tongue. “You were always such a good cook. The chef at the mansion is really good. Her name’s Freo. She seems to like Dad, but he hasn’t really noticed, I don’t think.”

  “Either that or he won’t allow himself to notice. I want you to tell him I’m fine with him moving on. It’s certainly been long enough.” Her mom smiled and placed her hand over Terra’s. “I’m glad you’ve found love, my dear, but I hope your father can do the same someday, too. I’m curious, though—do you approve of Freo?”