Yes, and escapes.

As she’d expected, the other side of the room had Torax’s work room. It was outfitted as only a rich guildmaster mage could manage, with everything from alchemical equipment that formed nests of glass tubes to strange metal devices whose purpose Shairi didn’t know.

But her eyes were on an ornately carved pedestal in the centre of the room. On it was a book, bound in leather. Its cover was unmarked, but Shairi could feel the power from it.

She took a step forward, gazing hungrily at it – and stopped short. There was a circle of runes round the grimoire, and Shairi recognised it as a keyed ward. It would activate if anyone crossed it without the correct key, and doubtless inflict some horrible spell on her.

Normally, keyed wards were considered completely secure, as there was no way to know what the key actually was. However, Meritheir had favoured such wards. And Shairi, to help in exploring her tower, had cobbled together a simple spell that allowed her to find out what the key was. As far as she knew, it was a magic all her own – she’d never encountered any reference to it in other works.

She cast the spell, and the knowledge blossomed in her mind. She chuckled. “Randy old goat,” she muttered. For the spell had detected that the key to the ward was the pussy juices of the apprentice, Fyneen. Every time he wanted to use the spell, he must have to stick his hand in her panties.

Of course, this presented Shairi with a problem. She might be able to get out, dip her fingers in Fyneen’s honeypot and get back in here without being noticed, but she didn’t think it likely.

Perhaps there was another way. Shairi lifted her fingers to her nose. The refined elven sense she had inherited from her mother could just detect the faintest scent of Fyneen’s arousal on her fingers. She blessed the lecherous urge that had made her toy with the girl, and hoped that trace of her juices would be enough.

Tentatively, she raised her fingers and moved them across the line of runes. For a moment, nothing happened, and she was afraid the defensive spells would activate any minute. Then the runes glowed, and she felt the ward open.

She stepped forward, took a moment to check for more traps, and then grabbed the book. She wanted nothing more than to sit down and read it, but she knew that would be unwise. Instead, she’d have to figure a way to get out with the book. But she had a plan for that, too.

She grabbed a flash of strong acid from a workbench, and charged out of the door. Torax was now fucking Linimra’s tits, but he looked up as Shairi burst in. “What are you doing, whore?” he demanded, but before he could react further, Shairi threw the acid on to one. It ate through the symbols in moments.

With a gleeful laugh, the succubus abandoned Emiet and leapt onto Torax, pushing Linimra aside and bearing him to the ground. She slammed her cunt down on his cock, and began pumping up and down. Shairi had hoped the circle she’d damaged would have been the one for the bull demon. If she’d freed it from its bindings, it would doubtless have killed Torax, possibly **** him first. As it was, it would continue to obey its last orders and have its fun with the prostitutes until its summoning ran out and it was returned to the demon realm..

The succubus might kill Torax from sexual exhaustion, but it was just as likely that he’d manage to banish it, or that others from his guild would. Still, it would buy Shairi enough time to escape. She grabbed her clothes and ran for the door, dressing hurriedly on the stairwell.

“Wait!” a voice said, and Shairi spun round, the grimoire clutched to her and a hand raised threateningly. It was Fyneen. “Please,” the girl said. “You’re a Rogue Mage, right? Take me with you!”

“What?” Shairi didn’t try to hide her confusion.

“Please!” Fyneen said again. “I hate it here! You can teach me better than that bastard. He thinks because I’m a woman, I’m just his sex toy. I beg you, make me your apprentice.”

Shairi considered. “If you were to be my apprentice, you’d have to obey me utterly. Your body would be mine to do with as I wished.”

Fyneen swallowed, but nodded. “I agree. I think you’d still treat me better than he did. And…” she blushed “you’re… sexier than him.”

Despite the dangerous situation, Shairi laughed. “Fine, you can be my apprentice. Now, quickly, we must leave.”