Recovery and Fear

The next two days were tense.

Thursday was spent feverishly training with the Ring. I found a way to quickly boost my strength several times over, it was exhausting and I couldn't hold it for long. But when I twisted an inch thick bar of steel into a pretzel, my arms radiating a corona of violet power, I knew didn't need to worry about mundane threats.

I worked on simple telekinesis until my ring hand was numb and shaking, it was limited to line of sight and required gestures, but I was satisfied for now. I warily managed to summon a small sphere of blue-white flames before I snuffed it out. I was left drenched in sweat and blinking away spots in my vision after only seconds of exposure.

I shivered in fear and awe at how much damage I could cause already, less than a week with magic and I could do all this? Why hadn't a previous ringmaster conquered the world yet? Proclaimed themselves gods over the lowly mortals.

Maybe they had and just stayed quiet. How many myths and legends of gods and monsters were true?

How many wars had been fought then erased from memory?

I felt like a child playing in the woods who just heard a wolf's howl.

Once again I fell asleep instantly, too exhausted for anything else.

Friday morning was spent on enchanting. My kitchen knives formed into a long-bladed spear taller than my old body, and could shrink down into a ballpoint pen that fit in my pocket. I smiled in memory at a childhood book series I'd enjoyed.

I crafted a pair of bracelets, one dedicated to disrupting cameras and other electronics in a pinch. The other projected a glamour of my human form, I'd need to tone down on the exhibitionism for a while.

I made a knife for Gwen, enchanted to never cut its wielder. With an invisible sheathe for her that wouldn't come loose.

Friday night and Saturday morning were spent with Gwen, after a few minutes of her gushing over my updated appearance and my gift for her, I told her everything.

She kissed and held me as I cried, releasing the emotions from Taylor's betrayal. Then I held her as she cried in turn. We held each other close that night, reveling in the other's presence.

After a morning 69 to take the edge off we had a discussion on how to handle Taylor.

"No matter what, I'm moving out of the apartment, I don't feel safe there anymore."

Gwen tucked a loose lock of hair behind my horn, "I agree, are you moving in with me then?" I pulled her in closer.

"I'm thinking of finding or making our own place," I grinned, "How do you feel about castles?" Her grin matched mine.

We got distracted for a few minutes.

I sighed, "Taylor is dangerous. I can't leave her alone... I can't k-kill her either." Gwen gave me a sad smile.

"What if you converted her? You said you could command her, control her mind." I pushed down a tingle of lust at the thought of lithe, elegant Taylor kneeling at my feet, eyes full of adoration.

That would be fair right? She tried to take my life, I take her mind. I'm sure she'd be happier with me.

"That might be dangerous too, she could easily have another object to protect her. Let alone any friends she might have." I tried to talk myself out of it.

Gwen hummed and looked up at me, "You already broke one of those, before all the practice you just did." She said reasonably. "Why not take it slow and careful? Interrogate her on all she knows and either wipe her memory of you or claim her." She smiled eagerly, all three tongues licking her lips.

In the end I didn't need much convincing.

We made plans to meet for lunch the next day, then split up, Gwen to work and me to handle Taylor, one way or the other.

I had a nasty surprise on the way when I saw Miss GreenEyes loitering on the street in front of my apartment, clothes strangely disheveled. I shook my head, I'll deal with her later.

I snuck by, then hesitated at Taylor's door. I steeled myself and knocked.