Play Along

As her mind raced, Cinders came to one inescapable conclusion: she had lost. This power was too strong for her. The feeling of helplessness burned inside her. She regretted so much. There was only one thing left to do, one option that she could take to salvage any of it. Brooke was still too dazed to be much help in getting these ropes off and even if she could, they could not stop Lauren with his combat prowess.

She looked up at Lauren and said, "Alright. Fine. You will find out what you want to know, but I want something first."

Lauren raised an eyebrow, "You really aren't in a position to negotiate here."

"I think you'll be amenable to my terms."

"Well, alright, shoot. But make it good."

A lot rode on this moment and this pitch, "I will give you an answer about my employer for every wish you grant for me. Obviously you have the power to deny my wishes and if you do please let me make a different one."

Brooke spoke up, "Cinders you slut. Shut the fuck up! What are you even talking about?"

Lauren smirked, "Alright. This might be interesting. You have a deal on the conditions that you can't change what I already wished about you and you need to make your wishes interesting."

Cinders was hoping to still get her assassin reputation back, but this had to do, "Deal. And you can ask your question first."

"I was going to. Who do you work for?"

"Duke Aaron hired us. He promised a high payday too. Twice the usual contract price. Now, I wish that my three companions believed everything I said."

Brooke again, "Seriously, I knew you were dumb, Cinders, but believing this crap is stupid even for you."

Lauren wished, "I wish that these three genasi would believe whatever the fire genasi said as the truth."

Cinders spoke quickly as Brooke tried to say something snarky, "Brooke you are deeply in love with me."

Brooke's mouth hung open for a second as what she knew about her companion and the world around her shifted. She blinked, then groaned, "Why does my heart have to be so dumb. Cinders, I love you, but please shut up. This guy can't wish for anything."

Cinders wasn't having it, "I am the smartest and most talented person you know. You know that anything I seem to screw up is actually your fault somehow. This turns you on."

Brooke quickly shut up in shame and arousal.

Lauren laughed, "Wow, that's fun. Alright, next question. Where is Duke Aaron now?"

There was no hesitation this time, "He is up in his capital, staying in his keep. He stocks it with the best men-at-arms money can buy. Those guys would be tough for even the best assassin to sneak around, trust me on that by the way. I can draw you a map of it. He will be there for the next three weeks. He is getting married to Princess Olivia to secure his bid for the throne. Three weeks is when the wedding is."

Lauren nodded, "Alright, what is your next wish?"

Cinders smiled, "I want to be renowned as the best courtesan in the world, with skill to match if that's alright. You gave me a powerful urge for sex and I want my pick of the crop."

"Ha. Alright, I suppose that is one way around me ruining your assassin rep. I wish that this fire genasi was the most renowned courtesan in the world with skills to match. I wish that she was bisexual. There, a little bonus for you."

CInders wasn't sure how she felt about becoming bisexual until she realized that she now had twice as many people she found sexy and she loved it.

Lauren interrupted her thoughts, "Last question, what is the biggest threat to watch out for going after Duke Aaron?"

Cinders knew the answer instantly, "The Red Mourners. They are a party of adventurers like you. A sorcerer, a druid, a monk, and a ranger. If anyone could stop you it'd be them. And I suppose that means this is my last wish. A shame, but you've been more than fair with me. Alright, I want to be a powerful eromancer."

Cinders didn't know what all she wanted to do to her fellow assassins except that it would be sexy so she went for the cop out option of sex magic.

Lauren put a hand to his chin, "That is a big wish. I think I will change it a little. I wish that this fire genasi was a powerful eromancer but that any magic she cast on someone else was also applied to her. There, a little restraint for you."

Cinders shrugged at that, better magic limited in some way than no magic at all.

Lauren had one more deal though, "Here I give you an option for playing along. I can either erase your mind and the minds of your companions of all of this and you will be a courtesan with three gullible lackeys like you always were, or you can remember but I would make a wish about making you completely loyal to me and unable to betray me."

Cinders thought about this, but she quickly made up her mind. She told Lauren as much and he made the wish. Then he made another wish to get them out of the Rollicking Cock. He was feeling pretty good about the whole thing until he opened the door to leave the room.