They moved quickly. The men seemed inspired by the success of their mission, but Dorothy felt bone tired instead. All she thought about was her bed back at the palace, and how amazing it would feel to snuggle into it once she teleported everyone back home. And how amazing the sex would be if she could lure Nick and Lion into another threesome.
Home? Wow, I do consider the Emerald Palace, and Oz, my home now, she thought. Are Nick and Lion my family? Actually, more like my harem.
That thought left her feeling all warm and fuzzy. And more than a little scandalized. Boy, how everyone would be gossiping about her back in Kansas if they knew. She'd be the scandal of the year, if not the decade. A woman with a harem of big, strong men? Yeah, they had very nasty names for women like her back in her hometown.
Did I somehow, unwittingly change Oz when I visited so long ago? she wondered. Did I taint it with my world's dark obsessions with sex and violence? Maybe they're right after all, and I am responsible?
She wasn't sure who bore responsibility for her own dark needs and urges.
She'd noticed a big change in her attitudes about sex and violence since returning to Oz. She liked to blame Scarecrow and how his evil magic corrupted the Lands of Oz. But did being rejuvenated and set free in that wicked world allow her true salacious colors to shine through?
Once I deal with Glinda and the Wickeds, maybe I can find a way to heal the Lands of Scarecrow's corruption?
The eastern sky began to brighten with predawn before Dorothy made it out of the city. The soldiers milled around, cold and hungry, but with smiling faces. Nick ordered the soldiers mounted, but Lion was still gathering his beastmen. Their barks, yips, and howls filled the night air. She could hear them stirring in the surrounding forest and city.
A tawny bubble flew up to Dorothy. She opened her hand, palm up, and it dropped down upon it. She burst the bubble with a finger, and expected Lion's voice. But it was Locasta's bubble.
“Empress, Emerald City is besieged by the armies of East, West, and Glinda. I don't know how much longer we can hold out. Please hurry and bring a relief force.”
Dorothy stared at Nick, who just stared back. If Emerald City fell…
“Gather everyone together and wait here,” Dorothy said. “I'll be right back.”
Before he could object, Dorothy tapped her heels together three times. In a flash she found herself standing next to Locasta, high atop the Emerald Palace. Locasta hadn't bothered with the glamour spell, so appeared as herself in a purple form-fitting, off the shoulder gown.
“You dress nicer for battle than I do for a royal ball,” Dorothy said, startling the witch. “I just got your message. What's the situation right now?”
Locasta paused to look at the golden scepter in Dorothy's hands. She gave a nod, and the witch visibly relaxed.
“Yes, but you like to run around in your underwear,” the witch teased. Yeah, too many Ozians thought her shorts and sports top were underwear. “As for the situation? Dire. The Wickeds have temporarily abandoned their assault on the city's magical defenses to attack the Good Witches. I just received an urgent request for help from Diana. Glinda has her backed into a corner or something.”
“And Olivia?”
“Wanda and Jezebelle are attacking her as we speak. But I wouldn't worry about Olivia. She's First Witch and the defensive is ten times easier than the attack.” Locasta pointed to each of the three armies fighting their way toward the city. Dorothy could see some elements of her own army throwing down their weapons and running.
“Can you project my voice to the soldiers fighting?”
“Yes.” Locasta muttered some odd sounding phrase and tapped Dorothy's throat, sending an odd sensation up and down Dorothy's throat. “Done.”
“This is Dorothy! Hold your ground, men. Relief armies are on the way,” Dorothy commanded. “I promise, before the sun sets tonight, the field of battle will be ours!”
She turned to Locasta and pointed at her throat. The witch tapped it with her wand, and the odd sensation vanished. Dorothy could speak normally again.
“Hopefully that'll give them some backbone,” she said. “Now, give me a map with the situation I can show Lion and Nick. Then I'll use my shoes to gather up an army to attack the Wickeds' rear.”
“Three armies would be better,” Locasta said.
The witch quickly rolled out a map of Emerald City and the surrounding territory. Her wand was a blur above it, and one by one the armies arrayed against each other appeared on it. It occurred to Dorothy that in her short time as Empress, she'd spent way too much time staring at maps and battle plans drawn upon maps.
“Thank you, Locasta,” she said, rolling up the map. Then she held the map in one hand, and the scepter in the other, before tapping her heels three times. Locasta vanished, replaced by Nick's angry face. “Miss me?”
“Yes! Are you crazy, woman?” he cried. “Don't do that again. You are Empress of Oz. You can't leave your bodyguards behind.”
Lion came running up in full-blown lion form. He morphed into half-human, and then full human as he approached them. And then he stood before her in all his naked glory. The grin on his face showed he understood how that affected her.
“At least put on some pants,” she said, turning away. “Bring me a field table.”
Dorothy rolled the map out atop the small table while Lion pulled on a pair of linen trousers. Then Dorothy, Lion, Nick, and Captain Coldburrs studied the map. She advised them of her plan to gather up the armies and garrisons scattered across the empire, using the magic of her shoes to transport them into the battle.
Nick immediately stood straight and summoned an urgent message bubble. “To all army field commands and garrisons. Assemble your troops for battle! Close formation! Emerald City is under siege, and Empress Dorothy will be appearing before you to magically transport you into battle. Be ready to receive her!”
“We can't just throw them into battle as you pick them up,” Lion said. “They'll be outnumbered and slaughtered.” He tapped three spots, each behind one of the three armies attacking Emerald City. “Put half your units here and the other half here, behind the Winkie and Munchkin hosts. But first, put me and my beastmen here, behind Glinda's Sa'Kor.”
“And on Dorothy's command, we'll attack as one and crush them between us and the walls of the city,” Nick said. “I like it.”
Chapter 27
The battlefield was evolving quickly below. Wanda studied it with a trained eye from a thousand feet above on her broom. Jezebelle's feudal rabble of an army remained in better order than her Winkie professionals. Stupid noblemen loved fighting impossible odds and winning glory and honor on the battlefield. Her professional soldiers thought more rationally.
Yet, with Olivia's Gillikins bearing down on them, a disorganized mass of her own troops had turned to face them. Her commanders had lost control of their units, which could lead to defeat and dishonor.
Her blood boiled.
And then she felt something in the air. Magic. Her eyes widened.
“Olivia! You insidious Witch!”
Wanda recognized the spell the Good Witch of the North had cast to precede her army. It instilled fear and uncertainty in her foes. Worse, Wanda's Lesser Witches either didn't detect it, or couldn't stop it. Either way it was unacceptable.
She slanted a scowl over her shoulder. Jezebelle couldn't fly as fast with her wings. They looked impressive, but Wanda didn't think the Wicked Witch of the East's beloved wings were practical. But you couldn't tell Jezebelle anything.
Like her army and governing style, she's antiquated and slow.
There was nothing slow or weak about Olivia Moonstruck. Good Witch or not, Olivia excelled at magical duels. Wanda had known Olivia all of her life, both being Gillikin born and bred, and had once upon a time counted the exotic beauty as a friend.
Then Dorothy arrived that first time, so long ago, and threw their world into chaos.
Movement rising up from the Gillikin Ho
st caught Wanda's attention. A shapely young woman in purple halter and slit skirt stood upon a flying carpet. She wasn't wearing her purple Cardinal Witch's hat. Shame, because Wanda wanted to claim it as a battle trophy after she defeated her old friend.
Pulling up a yellow bubble, “Jez. I'm going to attack Olivia. I'll keep her attention on me, so you can swing around and attack her from behind.”
The message bubble streaked away with a wave of the hand. Wanda's eyes narrowed, even as a wicked little smile spread her lips. The thrill of battle rippled through her body and psyche.
Let us dance, sister.
Tightening her grip on the flying broom's handle, Wanda dove and accelerated into battle. Olivia's carpet ride upward couldn't achieve that kind of speed. A peal of laughter escaped the Wicked Witch's lips.
“Olivia!” Wanda cried, voice enhanced with magic. “You are MINE!”
“Take me if you can, Wanda!” she replied, and threw a lightning bolt.
Ka-Boom!
Wanda easily avoided that deadly blast. She whipped around to the other Witch's left, putting extra oomph in her broom. Olivia threw six more thunderbolts, but missed miserably every time.
I'm going to wear you out magically, Wanda thought. And then wear your body out afterwards. I bet you submit prettier than even Glinda.
Wanda lifted her wand of gnarly black wood. She drew a glowing red rune, and then poked it with a barked word of power. The rune exploded toward Olivia as it expanded and spread out into an intensely glowing mystical net. She thought the other Witch was done for, but Olivia's wand transformed into a ten foot long blade of purple energy and sliced through the incoming threat.
There was a muted thump in the air, and Wanda felt the back blast of her failed spell like a punch to the gut. She grunted and growled, while continuing to fly in circles around her foe. Then noticing Jezebelle's approach, she whipped around to the north of Olivia and stopped to face her.
“Well met, sister,” Wanda called. “But I've never lost a sparring match against you. Ever. You will kneel before me!”
Olivia shifted into an aggressive fighting stance, one purple thigh-booted foot forward and left hand out, fingers splayed and glowing with purple fire. Light reflected off a sheen of sweat on her exposed belly, arms, and face.
“Your pathetic lust for power and domination sickens me, sister,” Olivia said. “If the Cardinal Witches would work together, we could build a truly wonderful world. Give up your wicked dreams, sister, and join with Diana and me in service to Empress Dorothy.”
“You dream small, sister,” Wanda sneered.
Wanda concentrated on Olivia's wand, and quickly whispered a spell while drawing the required runes. The air cracked when she cast, but the Good Witch countered and deflected the spell. Instead of snatching the wand out of Olivia's hand, Wanda's spell ripped the halter top off her foe's body instead.
“You always did enjoy spell-fighting,” Wanda taunted, holding Olivia's top and staring at the other Witch's erect nipples. “I'm quite aroused, as well. You wanna?”
“You disgust me,” Olivia snarled. She covered her naked boobs as best she could with her left arm. “Strip me all you want, sister. In the end, I'll strip you of the only thing that matters. Power.”
Wanda grinned at her, but inside she scowled. If only Olivia would pause to use magic to cover her nakedness, then she could pounce. But stripping her opponents during magic duels was a trick Wanda used, so the Good Witch had suffered that indignity many times in their youth.
She knows me too well.
Jezebelle came in high above, and Wanda avoided looking up. Olivia remained oblivious to the threat. Visions of Olivia, naked and kneeling, flashed before her eyes. The Good Witch would bow to her power! She would swear fealty, or Wanda would completely subjugate her and Olivia would lose her position as Cardinal Witch. Either way, the exotic beauty would obey!
A visceral thrill washed through the Wicked Witch of the West when Jezebelle began a power dive toward the Good Witch's unprotected back. Poor Olivia never stood a chance. Victory never tasted so sweet.
“Surprise, sister!” Jezebelle cried as she plowed into Olivia's back.
The redhead's arms wrapped around the brunette, keeping her from falling off the flying carpet. She also pinned Olivia's arms down to her side, knocking her wand out of her hand. Wanda attacked, eager to finally put an end to Olivia as the Good Witch cried out in shock and fear.
“I am First Witch!” Olivia shouted. “I command you to release me.”
Jezebelle looked startled, then dazed. Wanda cried out when the other Wicked Witch released Olivia and staggered back a step. Then Olivia held out her hand, and a second later her wand flew back into it. So Wanda changed course slightly, and crashed into Olivia at full speed.
All three Cardinal Witches grunted when Wanda ricocheted off Olivia and into Jezebelle. In a flash, they found themselves plummeting to the ground below. Olivia recovered first, using her wand to call her flying carpet. Then Jezebelle's wings began to flap, saving her. Fortunately, Jezebelle also grabbed Wanda's left ankle.
Calling her broom, “Let me go!”
“You're welcome, bitch,” Jezebelle said under her breath, and released Wanda.
Her broom swooped in to catch her seconds before she struck the ground. It took a few seconds to sort herself out, but Wanda found Olivia attacking Jezebelle high above.
The air vibrated and the ground shook when their sorcerous attacks and counterattacks commenced. Wanda quickly looked around and found a pair of fallen trees. She pulled as much magic energy as she could from the nearest Ley Line, used her wand to channel it, while the runes she drew in the air with the wand formed the energy into the spell she desired. The massive tree trunks rose off the ground, and then went hurling through the air and straight at Olivia.
A dozen lightning bolts thundered down from the Good Witch, splintering the logs into little more than a thick dust cloud before they reached her. So Wanda picked up a nearby boulder with her magic. Just breaking it free from the surrounding earth almost drained the Wicked Witch. She felt her insides burning hot, but it broke free before her channeling became critical.
Olivia's bubble-like mystic shield flashed purple when the boulder smashed into it. The Good Witch gasped, eyes huge, as her personal wards crumbled under the mass of that assault. Wanda cried out in victory when the beautiful Witch bounced off the flying boulder and plummeted all the way to the ground.
Olivia laid face up and spread eagle on the ground, her all-important wand nowhere to be seen. Jezebelle immediately swooped down toward her. Wanda forced her broom faster to reach Olivia before the other Wicked Witch.
“She's mine, Jez!”
“We'll see about that!”
They landed to either side of the unconscious Good Witch, dropping into crouches with their wands presented. Wanda had full confidence in her ability to defeat Jezebelle, but she didn't want to lose an ally either.
“Wait, sister,” Wanda said. “Why are we fighting over the spoils of war? Olivia is ours, just as Glinda promised. She's woman enough for both of us, so let's share.”
Wanda quickly cast a little spell that yanked Olivia’s double-slitted silk skirt off. The Good Witch began to moan and writhe, sweat shiny body looking amazing in the grass. All Olivia wore were those purple thigh boots, both wrists loaded down with enchanted bangles.
“We can break her together,” Wanda said. “Imagine how much fun we'll have taming her spirit, and then claiming her body and soul.”
“Mmm, when Good Witches go wicked, they… Ooooh,” Jezebelle said breathlessly.
Jezebelle froze, lost in her own dark lusts, just as Wanda hoped. Perfect time to attack, or pull her in and seal the deal. Together, they could defeat Glinda after they captured Emerald City and all of the Lands of Oz bowed to them. Wanda would give Jezebelle Olivia to get her hands on Glinda.
“I don't know…” Jezebelle replied, watching her warily. “I don't exactly trust
you, sister.”
“You're smarter than I thought,” Olivia said, and suddenly lashed out with her legs.
Wanda saw the Good Witch's right hand open wide. Her wand flew into it. Olivia barked a command, and one of her bangles exploded. A powerful percussive force blasted the Wicked Witches back a dozen feet. Before Wanda regained her wits, Olivia was on her feet and once again fully dressed: Purple leather corset and lavender silk skirt.
“You always were half-again too sneaky to be a Good Witch,” Wanda said.
Olivia wagged her brows. “And, to your detriment, you have always been ruled by lust, my sinister sister.”
A bright red, flashing bubble appeared before Olivia. She slapped it, making Diana's voice cry out, “HELP!”
Olivia didn't hesitate. Her wand spun, and a flying carpet appeared under her feet. The Good Witch flew off at high speed before either Wanda or Jezebelle figured out what happened.
“Get her!” Wanda growled, jumping onto her hovering broom.
Olivia had too great of a head start, despite brooms being just a little faster than flying carpets. She flew straight as an arrow toward the southwest, and only veered slightly more southward after passing by Emerald City. Wanda spotted the trouble immediately.
Glinda stood over Diana, who fought on her back. They were locked in mortal combat, their spells flashing and writhing all around. Glinda had unleashed on the redhead like nothing Wanda had seen before.
Olivia started with the lightning bolts as soon as she was within range. The first one knocked Glinda down, but the former Good Witch returned as good as she got. Seconds later, Diana, Wanda, and Jezebelle unleashed their magic as well.
Three against two seemed good odds, but Olivia and Diana quickly switched to defensive spells. The three Wicked Witches lost their advantage at that time. They needed an advantage of at least two to one to win, and with Olivia being First Witch, probably a three to one was needed.
Within a few minutes the sorcerous battle petered out and all five Witches stood glaring at each other, huffing and puffing, clothing soaked with sweat. And then the tenor of the mundane battle changed around them.
Wrath of a Wonderfully Wicked Witch (Return to Oz With a Vengeance Book 2) Page 17