Wizard Ch. 13

"That's... not encouraging," Roxanne said as she tried to make sense of his words.

Helleen smiled. "Oh, it's a very good thing. He means if I were being tortured or eaten alive or having some real demon feasting on my soul, he'd spare me the agony."

"Yay?" Roxanne said with a wince. "I'd rather it didn't come to that though."

"Well, of course!" John chuckled. "None of us wants that, least of all me. But it is my responsibility to take care of those I care for. Those I am committed to."

"Committed to?" Roxanne asked.

Helleen grinned. "I told you, we struck a deal. A contract."

"Sweet Leander, I didn't.... you really meant you made a deal with a demon? Well, John, who isn't a demon but serves one. And... do those deals work? Are they binding?"

John held out his hands to slow her down. He nodded. "Yes, they are binding and yes, Helleen and I have struck an accord. For a year, unless we both with it to go longer, she is bound to me and I am bound to her."

"Ahem," Jennaca cleared her throat. "He's been bound to me for a while now."

John chuckled. "I am. Jennaca and I kind of stumbled into it but, well, we have no regrets."

"Damn right we don't," Jennaca said.

"Wow," Roxanne said. "I need to think-- wait, what about Matthew? The show? You're not going to travel with us, are you John?"

John winced. "I doubt that very much. When we're done here I'm not sure what I'll do, but it must be something I can use to further Mistress's goals."

Roxanne nodded and looked at her sister. "You're going to leave with him, aren't you?"

Helleen bit her lip and nodded.

Roxanne sighed. She pulled her hands out of Helleen's and said. "I need to speak with Artesia."

Helleen's face fell. "Wh-- why?"

"I need her to train me better on how to handle myself in a real fight. All I know is show moves and fighting defensively," Roxanne said.

Helleen's face brightened.

"You want to come with us too?" Jennaca asked.

"Of course," Roxanne said. "I won't leave my sister... or let her leave me, in this case. And I'm not about to let her have that cock to herself when I had it first!"

Zynga cackled while Jennaca and Helleen's mouths fell open. Jennaca recovered first and said, "Actually, I had it before either of you. Just, you know, for the record."

John shook his head. "There's enough to go around... Roxanne, that's something we'll need to decide between us. You are welcome to join us, of course, but whether you travel with me as a companion or as one of my bonded we'll need to decide."

"There is more than enough to go around," Helleen agreed. She held her hand just below her sternum and winked at Roxanne.

Zynga laughed louder.

"Come on, I want to see how the town is faring... how long has it been, anyhow?" John asked as he threw back the sheet and exposed himself.

"It's nearing mid day," Jennaca said while handing him his robe. "I found this out there. Brought your spear back too."

"Don't know what I'd do without you," John told her.

Jennaca beamed while he dressed. They led him out of the bedroom and across the house and out the door. John took in his surroundings and saw they were next to the smithy. He'd been put up in Brodrick's house. He looked around and saw signs of torn up earth and, at the outer edges of town glimpsed trenches filled with sharpened sticks being constructed. He also saw a dirty path in the grass where it looked like a great many animals had been dragged.

The villagers stopped working as they saw him and watched as the women led him after the bloody path to where a pile of demons had been gathered on top of dried grass and cut branches.

"Why is everyone staring at me?" John asked.

"Same reason the women are all blushing," Zynga happily replied.

John's eyes narrowed as he looked at her.

"Don't you remember, Helleen dragged you into town in naught but your boots and that medallion," Jennaca said.

John glanced down at himself. He'd been naked and the entire town had seen him... or most of them. He shook his head and sighed.

Zynga's grin stretched wider as she said, "After what they saw you'll be lucky if you can leave Highpass with only the four of us and Artesia!"

There's more Wizard coming soon, I promise (next week, even), but I also want to raise some excitement for the next project I'm 11 chapters and 25,000 words into. I'm breaking a very large story into smaller parts but the overall story arc is called "The First Wand." It's fantasy, but modern fantasy. A new world / setting altogether. Modern concepts and language, but in a world where magic, not science, powered industrialization. And no, it's not steampunk.

That's it for now. Check back next week for more Wizard. As always, thank you for reading