The Three Sisters. Rebecca Locksley

looked at him narrowly. 'Yes?'

      'Yani,' he said. 'Dear Yani. I have to confess I saw you bathing this morning.' He was very pleased to see how embarrassed she was. He forged ahead. 'I'm so relieved. I… Well, I have to confess, I've been attracted to you ever since I first saw you. I've been so worried. I thought I was turning strange.' He gave a relieved laugh, which he thought was rather a good touch. She looked confused.

      'Yani,' he said softly, romantically tilting his head to one side. He reached out and took her hand and she, confused, let him take it without resistance, though he could see concern dawning in her face.

      Too late, bitch, he thought as he pressed the crystal in his palm against her flesh. There should be a brief burst of magical light. Yes there it was…

      Suddenly green flame burst out of their clasped hands!

      The flame shot up his arm. He shrieked and sprang back, tripping over his feet and falling over on his back. The green fire ran all over him. He beat desperately at his arms and legs. He felt the magic making his skin buzz with its power, felt it penetrating him.

      Suddenly there was a heavy weight on his chest. A little girl was sitting astride him. Her long, pale hair swung around her dark-eyed face as she swung back her fist and threw a great splat of green light into his face.

      Everything went dark.

      Then he was lying on his back looking at the blue sky. Where was he? What had happened? A hand hit his cheek. The little girl was still sitting astride his chest. She started slapping his face with both hands.

      'Ha, you slimy toad!' she shouted. Slap. Slap. 'I got you now!' Slap. Slap. 'Put a charm on my sister, will you? Toad.'

      'Marigoth!' cried a voice. 'Stop it. What's going on?'

      The most sublime woman appeared above them and pulled the little girl off him. He sat up and stared at her, forgetting everything else.

      He had never felt love before this moment, nor even ever really seen a woman before. His eyes could not get enough of this wonderful creature - this tall, slim, beautiful creature in chain-mail and dark hose who stood before him.

      'The bastard tried to enchant you,' the little girl shouted. 'Can you believe it? The sleazy fungus. The manure pile.' She kicked at him. He fended off her foot absent-mindedly as he continued to stare at the beautiful woman.

      'I knew he'd try something. That's why I put a warding on you, Yani. I never trusted him. And I was right, just like I told you. Ha. But I got you, didn't I? Now he's caught in his own web. Now he's enchanted by you!'

      She kicked at Ezratah again. Ezratah flinched but it was automatic. Yani. So beautiful. Yani. Oh Yani.

      A look of horror came over Yani's face. 'Marigoth! What have you done?!'

      'I knew he would try something when he saw you bathing. I knew it!' the little girl cried.

      'And how was it that he woke up and saw me anyway?' Yani asked hotly. 'I thought you were holding him asleep.'

      The little girl's face took on a self-righteous look. 'I can't think of everything.'

      'You set this up, didn't you Mari?'

      'He would have been a problem anyway. He's up to something and you know it. You heard him all day yesterday. All that awful stuff he said about women. Revolting Mirayan. It made me sick.'

      'Mari, he's just one sort of man. There are plenty of Dani just like him. And Seagani and Mori. Maybe even Tari.'

      She turned and looked down at Ezratah, who smiled beatifically up at her. She looked distinctly embarrassed. 'Now he knows I'm a woman, we'll have to wipe his memory.'

      'There's no need,' the little girl said. 'He's your faithful slave now. He'll keep any secret with his life. Won't you, Ezratah?' She nudged him with her foot yet again.

      He nodded enthusiastically, still staring up at Yani. Oh, Yani!

      'Oh yes,' the little girl gloated. 'I'm going to enjoy this. All that stuff he said about women being foolish and illogical. Smug, superior toad.'

      'No, Marigoth. This is wrong. We can't enslave him. You know it's wrong.'

      The little girl's face dropped. 'It serves him right,' she muttered defensively. 'Baser passions indeed!' She turned to Yani and put her hands on her hips. 'I just made the spell he was trying to cast on you backfire on him.'

      'Really?' Yani said looking at her with a raised eyebrow. 'So what was that green fire I saw, hmm?'

      'So I strengthened it. But it's still his spell, I promise you. A spell to make you love him, from the look of it. If he hadn't used it on you it wouldn't be affecting him now.'

      'Well, I think you should release him and wipe his mind.'

      'No,' the little girl said. 'I'm not going to.'

      'No!' Ezratah cried, jumping up anxiously. He came over to kneel at Yani's feet. 'Lady, please don't release me. I only want to be near you. To serve you. To be allowed to love you. That's all.'

      'Oh no!' Yani groaned. She put her face in her hands. Ezratah reached out to her, unsure, daring to touch her.

      In the background the little girl chortled gleefully. 'Isn't he soppy? And you know the best part. The spell is fed entirely by his power. He's actually enslaving himself. What a joke.'

      'Marigoth! You free him! Immediately!'

      'He knows you're a woman. He's a danger to you!'

      'Oh no,' Ezratah protested. 'I would never harm Yani.'

      'Rubbish,' Yani snapped. 'You could wipe his mind.'

      'I'd rather not. It's a very dangerous operation wiping minds. You can never tell what other bits you're going to wipe as well. He wouldn't thank us for making that decision. I think it's much better like this.'

      'Yes, yes,' Ezratah cried. 'This is the best.'

      'Marigoth!'

      'He could be very useful to us, Yani. You said so yourself. We've already learned a lot from him. He can speak Mirayan. He knows how they think.'

      'Yes,' Ezratah said, giving into the temptation to paw Yani's hand. 'Let me help you. Please, Yani.'

      'Shut up!' Yani snapped at Ezratah, who shrank back apologetically.

      'He'll do anything you ask, like a dog. And he'll never ask any questions. He's your complete slave.'

      'And you shut up, too!' Yani shouted. She took a deep breath. 'I don't want a slave, Marigoth. It's wrong.'

      'It's your only protection. If you tell him to keep your secret, he'll do it even if they pull his tongue out.'

      'Are you going to release him?'

      'He deserves what he got, Yani. You're too soft.'

      'ARE YOU GOING TO RELEASE HIM?!'

      'No,' the little girl said.