After the first wave of panic had passed, it left me shaky but functional. I made my way back to my work room, which they’d lately started calling the queen’s office.

  Ju was still overseeing the boys being moved to another wing of the castle, far enough from me to be safe, yet close enough for her to keep an eye on.

  My mood had sunk by several notches, so much so that even this beautiful room, recently furnished and tastefully decorated, seemed to have lost its luster, fading into dull gray.

  I sat in a beautifully sculpted, velvet-covered chair, in front of a polished desk made from some outrageously expensive spirit wood.

  The desk was cluttered with neatly arranged stacks of missives and documents, all waiting patiently for my brilliant judgment or royal signature.

  I held one in my left hand - some urgent request or proposal, I couldn't even tell anymore - and stared instead at the drapes fluttering in the breeze, my mind drifting away.

  I really, really, really needed a device, something that would beep or flash or shriek, anything to warn me when my aura was becoming dangerous to those around me, especially my human friends.

  Don’t they have any sort of magic-density measuring tool in this world? I shook my head in despair. I’d have to check with one of the handlers, surely someone would know.

  It couldn’t go on like this. How could I ask my boys to help me manage my mess if they kept collapsing just from being in the same room?

  What if I only surrounded myself with people above level twenty? Or thirty, just to be safe.

  I sank deeper into the chair, the thought settling like a stone in my stomach.

  Of course, that would send the cost of everything through the roof for maids, servants, staff. We were already scraping to make ends meet, and now this?

  But that seemed to be the threshold. Even the strongest still got headaches. Even Ju had felt it.

  The realization twisted inside me. Was this what it meant to be who I was now?

  From now on—no shops, no inns, no spontaneous visits to taverns or markets.

  Oh no!

  I covered my face with my hands.

  What kind of life was that?

  As I was still lost in thought, Ju returned, still in pajamas and barefoot, though at least someone had given her a cape.

  “They’re okay now,” she said, “but you need to let them rest a bit longer. Another shock like that, before they’ve fully recovered, could be fatal.

  And just so you know, almost half your maids fainted today. There was even an accident in the kitchen. One of the girls fell into a soup cauldron.”

  She paused, then sighed.

  “Don’t worry. I already healed her and made sure she got a few days off to recover. But Lores, you really need to control your aura better.”

  I nodded.

  “Yeah, I know. I got it.”

  “You say you got it,” she snapped, gesturing sharply toward the meeting room, “and then you go and do this!”

  I snorted, irritated.

  “Oh, stop it. This doesn’t help.”

  She sighed.

  “I wanted to talk to you about this,” she said. “We probably need to start limiting who can be around you... who can safely stay in your environment.”

  That was exactly what I’d been thinking... and dreading. But maybe she was right. Maybe it was the only way forward.

  “You want to isolate me?” I asked. My voice came out sharper than I intended.

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  She shook her head, her blond mane swaying from side to side.

  “No, that’s the wrong word. But we can’t risk people’s lives, Lores. It’s too dangerous. From now on, this wing of the castle should be restricted, only people above a certain level threshold should be allowed in. What do you think?”

  She paused, then added with a concerned frown, “By the way, your aura’s spiking again. I can feel it.”

  “I want to talk to my boys!” I snapped, stomping my foot in protest.

  “You can do it remotely,” she said with a shrug, infuriatingly calm.

  I raised a hand in exasperation. “It’s not the same thing!”

  Then I paused. My head tilted slightly, my gaze narrowing as I looked at her sideways.

  “You’re doing it again,” I said slowly, eyes sharpening. I felt the shift, a subtle flutter in the mana between us.

  She blinked, caught off guard. “What do you mean?”

  I let out a snort.

  “You tried to charm me yesterday. And now you’re doing it again.”

  Her face lit up, a guilty smile curling her lips, small dimples appearing on her flawless cheeks as she started to laugh. Her golden hair shimmered in the light as she shook her head.

  “Not true! I didn’t try!” she said, the laughter dancing in her voice.

  She sounded almost proud to say it. My brows drew together.

  Was she seriously trying to deny it? Right to my face? When I could see and feel it?

  I huffed.

  “You did try it! How can you say you didn’t?” I burst out, confused and a little offended.

  I pouted, and she chuckled.

  “I didn’t try,” she said sweetly. “I did charm you. And, by the way, you look absolutely lovely when you’re angry.”

  I snorted, aghast, and rolled my eyes.

  “You’re hiding behind semantics! Why did you do it?”

  She sighed.

  “To calm you,” she said without hesitation. “Your aura settled, and you slept like a baby after that. You can’t take that away from me!”

  “To calm me?” I echoed, still trying to wrap my head around the whole thing.

  “Yes! And it worked! I had to keep charming you almost the whole night so that you, and everyone else, could sleep. Just like now, my charm is still getting to you a little. Your aura’s already calming down. What harm is there in a bit of charm?”

  “What harm? What harm? That’s manipulation! And you even tried the seducing glance on me! That’s double manipulation!”

  She lifted her shoulders in a casual shrug.

  “And here we go again. Calm down! A little charm doesn’t hurt,” she said, batting her lashes like butter wouldn’t melt.

  I snorted. She was clearly trying to deflect.

  “It doesn’t work on me. I’m straight! Why would you even try?”

  She chuckled and gave me a broad, shameless grin.

  “Not true. It did work. You should’ve seen your face, completely melted! You calmed down and slept like a happy kitten. So, yeah, I say it was worth it. If you let me charm you again, I bet your aura would settle down right now!”

  I sighed, shaking my head. For a moment, I was very tempted to show her what a seductive glance from a succubus could really do, but I decided the fallout wouldn’t be worth the fleeting satisfaction.

  “You shouldn’t have done it,” I repeated. “Why did you?”

  She sighed in turn and dropped her gaze, a flicker of shame crossing her face. Then she looked up and met my eyes.

  “I told you… Oh, you mean the seducing glance?” She gave a small, helpless shrug. “I couldn’t resist. After I charmed you… well, you know... I’m an elf.”

  As if that explained anything. I rolled my eyes.

  She continued in a low voice.

  “You know… for every male elf born, there are three girls. And we don’t practice polygamy. Well, it does happen in rare cases, but it’s not the norm. On the other hand, it’s not uncommon for elf girls to form pairs. Even if they’re not what you’d call lesbians. They’re just… pairs, for a time. Like any other couple. Maybe for a few decades, sometimes a century. Some stay together for several centuries, or even a lifetime. But most part ways after a while, after a few decades, a century or two…”

  “So you suddenly decided I was a good pair for you?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

  She squinted at my direct question and brought her hands together in front of her chest, as if trying to shield herself.

  “I… I… I just thought… if it were ever going to be a girl, it would be you. We’ve been together for a while, and… I like you. And you… seem to like me too. I thought maybe… maybe you’re just timid? Because you do like looking at me, you know?”

  I rolled my eyes, sighed, and pulled her into a hug.

  “I like you, and you like me. We’re good as we are. So there’s no reason to change that… and no more charms, please.”

  “Not even when you’re sad or tired?” she asked, hopefully.

  I shook my head.

  “Not even then. Only if I ask for it.”

  She batted her eyelashes at that last line and whispered,

  “I’m sure you’ll ask for it.”

  “Is that a threat?” I asked, giving her a slantwise look.

  She shrugged and gave me the most innocent gaze.

  “No, it’s a promise. I’ll be here.”