“He knows,” Phaedra said, her breathing so fast she would have likely hyperventilated if she were still human.

  “He doesn’t know,” Yroth said in a soft, soothing tone while she gently stroked her back with her tail.

  “He has to know,” Phaedra said. “Why else call me? Why else call EVERYONE?”

  “He doesn’t know,” Yroth said. “If he did, he would be coming here, not calling you to his side.”

  “But he has to,” Phaedra said. “If he knows I’m still here, then who else could it be?”

  “Why would it be you?” Yroth asked. “You have told me and done all in your power to prove it, yet even I often doubt. The Wolf didn’t know you even a fraction well as I did.”

  “But what if he has a way to find me?” Phaedra asked. “I-I should hide. I should run. We could run, together. You and me, we--”

  “Morgana,” Yroth said, her voice cold and harsh. “Do you truly believe running will solve any of this?”

  Phaedra stared at her before, very slowly, she just sunk back against her. “N-no. I don’t,” she said softly. She felt tears welling up in her eyes. “I-I have to face him again, don’t I?”

  “Likely,” Yroth said softly. “But you do not need to fight him.”

  “But how can I not?” Phaedra asked. “Everyone is going to be there. Daddy, my uncle, my cousins. T-they’re going to kill me and, and I can’t fight them. I’m going to die and fail again and--”

  “Morgana!” Yroth yelled, making Phaedra once more glad that she had used her silencing spell around the room. “The Wolf is powerful, but also arrogant. If he knew who you were, then he would be coming here. He is not one to lay traps.”

  Phaedra gave a light whimper before nodding. “I… I guess. But… but my uncle is.” She could feel the dragon twitch at that.

  “Indeed, he is,” Yroth said with a low growl. “But he is being summoned as well.”

  “I… I guess he is,” Phaedra said. “Do you think if I’m fast I can get in and out before everyone arrives?”

  “Perhaps,” Yroth said. “It will likely be many days before Circe manages to locate the rest of your family to deliver the message. Assuming they all come.”

  “T-then I should leave immediately,” Phaedra said, but she didn’t move. She couldn’t move. All she could do was lay there. Trembling.

  “Morgana,” Yroth said in a gentle, soothing tone. “I will not allow him to hurt you a second time. I will protect you, if need be.”

  “C-could you?” Phaedra asked. She then frowned and shook her head. “N-no. No. You can’t.”

  “Perhaps together we can face him,” Yroth said. “We--”

  “No!” Phaedra yelled. “You are NOT coming!”

  That made Yroth go still, the stroking of her tail even stopping. “Excuse me?”

  “You’re not coming,” Phaedra said again. “You need to stay here.”

  “You wish to face the Wolf alone?” Yroth asked.

  “No,” Phaedra said. “But if you come… if you come I’d need to collar you again. And if he knows, he’ll kill me. Then he’ll kill you. I don’t… I…”

  “Morgana,” Yroth said in a cold voice. “I will not allow you to face the Wolf alone a second time.”

  “Your people need you,” Phaedra said softly. “If he… if he knows. He’ll kill me. He’ll kill both of us. Even if we were together, we couldn’t fight him. You know this.”

  “So I should leave you to die?” Yroth asked.

  “If it comes to it, maybe I can run,” Phaedra said softly. “I’ll contact you. Somehow. You’ll need to be ready for me. But if you come with me… if you come with me, we’ll both die. And… and even if I do die, maybe I’ll be reborn again. I mean, it happened once, right?”

  Yroth stared at her before sighing and, slowly, nodding. “A miracle doesn’t happen twice, Morgana.”

  “But it’s probably not a miracle,” Phaedra said. “Something happened. And… and if it does happen again, I’ll find you. Somehow. I’ll come back to you. I promise. But… I need you to be here. To be alive for that. Please. If something happens to you… I’ll… be alone again.”

  Yroth sighed before lowering her great head back to the ground, letting out a slow, steady breath of air that made her whole body lower slightly. “Very well. But do not take any risks. The Wolf is… likely unaware of who you are. But you must try to find out how he knows. If he can, eventually, track you…”

  “Trust me, I know,” Phaedra said softly, trying to will her heart to stop pounding so hard. “Nobody knows just how deadly he is more than me…”

  “Bring the mouse with you,” Yroth said.

  “Huh? Emma? Why?” Phaedra asked.

  “She’s quick and tiny,” Yroth said. “She may prove useful. Or a decent final meal.”

  “I am not eating the mouse!” Phaedra said firmly. “Don’t joke about that!”

  Yroth rolled her eyes before, slowly, embracing her in a wing. “Be careful, little Morgana. The Wolf is… not the most clever of foes. But he is arrogant, not foolish. If you are too obvious he will put it together.”

  “I’ll be subtle, I promise,” Phaedra said.

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  “Can you?” Yroth asked.

  “I can fake it well enough,” Phaedra said. “And if I can’t, I can run decently fast. I even know a teleportation spell, though it’s kind of exhausting and I’d rather not use it if I don’t have to.”

  “You know a teleportation spell?” Yroth asked, the surprise obvious in her voice.

  “Yeah,” Phaedra said. “Of course I do. I mean, I learned it once I knew I could. Who would come to a magic fantasy world and not try to learn at least one?”

  Yroth sighed and shook her head. “I will never understand your world…”

  “Don’t worry, neither did I,” Phaedra said. “I like this one more. It has you in it.”

  Yroth gave a light snort before pulling her wing back. “Silly, pathetic lamb.”

  “Giant, adorable dragon,” Phaedra said. “Keep my home together while I’m gone?”

  “Just return safely,” Yroth said. “Without revealing who you are.”

  “Of course,” Phaedra said. She just hoped she’d be able to keep her word this time.

  ------

  Phaedra rocked back and forth, nervously, in her bed. She wished she would just hurry up and get there already, but she knew time didn’t work like that. It would still be a while until they were anywhere near the front lines.

  Amazing how something could feel both too close and too far away at the same time.

  “Lady Phaedra?” Emma asked.

  “Huh?” Phaedra asked before glancing down at the small mouse she was hugging. She had to give it to her, she really was a soft, comforting thing to just hold. “Sorry, too tight?”

  “Uhhhh, no,” Emma said. “Is… there anything you require of me?”

  “Oh, ummm, a cold drink,” Phaedra said softly. “In a bit. Just a little more, okay?”

  “Whatever you desire,” Emma said. “You’re not going to, err, eat me, are you?”

  “Of course not,” Phaedra said. “You’re just very soothing to hold. Let me know if I hurt you or anything, okay?”

  “As you wish,” Emma said.

  For a while the only sound in the room was Phaedra nervously rocking on her bed. She knew making Yroth wait behind was the right choice, but she really wished she could just curl up under her wings right now.

  “My lady?” Emma said softly. “Are you truly so frightened of the return of the hero from another world?”

  “What?” Phaedra asked. “I-I’m not scared of him.”

  “Of… course not,” Emma said.

  “I’m just… worried about what his return means,” Phaedra said. “That’s all.”

  “Your father killed him once,” Emma said. “If he… has returned, I am certain this time will be no different.”

  Phaedra nodded, unable to say that that was what she was scared of. The mouse let out a light whimper and she realized she’d gripped her a bit too tightly. She loosened her grip and sighed. She needed a distraction, desperately. “Hey, Emma?”

  “Y-yes, Lady Phaedra?”

  “Where did you get that outfit?” Phaedra asked.

  “This?” Emma said. “Err… I… made it.”

  “I know that,” Phaedra said. “But the design. Where?”

  “Uhhhh…” Emma said softly, nervously. “It was passed down in my family for generations.”

  Phaedra blinked and couldn’t help but notice that the mouse had managed to seem more nervous now. She lightly moved her around and held her up, staring into her nervous, frightened eyes. “What’s wrong?”

  “N-nothing, your majesty,” Emma said quickly. “Is there anything I can get you?”

  Finally, it clicked. No wonder the maid outfit looked so much like the ones in her world. “I haven’t seen this kind of style before, where did your family learn it?”

  The mouse cringed and gave a small squeak. “Oh, err, long ago, from a--”

  “Hero summoned from another world?” Phaedra asked. Judging by the whimper the mouse gave, she hit it on the head.

  “M-my apologies, Lady Phaedra,” Emma said fearfully. “Carth discovered it amongst my belongings and he found it amusing to make me--”

  “It’s fine,” Phaedra said with a small, nervous chuckle of her own before giving the mouse another little hug. “I think it’s cute. Do you think you could make me one?”

  “Make you one?” Emma asked, the shock filling her voice. “M-my lady, they are meant as servant garments, n-not for one of your station.”

  “So?” Phaedra asked. “I think they’re cute. And I’m the Demon Lord’s daughter, I can wear what I want. If you think you could make me some?”

  “I… I could try,” Emma said softly.

  “Then ummm… try that,” Phaedra said. “I’ll have some fabric delivered to you. Let me know if you need anything, okay?”

  “Of… of course my lady,” Emma said.

  Slowly, Phaedra let her go. “I’ll take that drink now.”

  “Of course!” Emma said before disappearing. She had to give the mouse credit, she made an excellent servant.

  She still wished she had her comfort dragon, though.

  ------

  Phaedra stared at the Wolf. He knew. He had to know. He had to know who she was. She couldn’t breathe, all she could do was watch him walking towards her and her procession. The way the demons across the airfield stopped whatever they were doing to quickly bow to him made her feel all the more worried. He was alone. He didn’t even have an honor guard with him, not that they could really protect him if anything here could challenge him.

  She felt her blood running cold when he came closer. Her soldiers stopped to kneel behind her. She didn’t, though. Not because she didn’t want to. But because that would have required her to move. His mere presence was enough to make even the fiercest of demons cower, the airfield that had been such a bustle of activity only moments ago having gone so quiet that the only sound she could hear was the pounding of her heart and the wind blowing across tied down airships.

  The Wolf knew.

  He was in front of her, looking down.

  He knew.

  The Wolf’s claws reached out.

  He had to know.

  The Wolf cupped her cheek.

  He was going to kill her.

  “Oh, my sweet little lamb chop,” Fenrir said, his voice filled with adoration. “Why do you look so worried? Don’t you fear for one little hair.” Fenrir then leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead, breaking the spell she had felt she was under. “Daddy has everything under control.”

  Red flooded Phaedra’s cheeks and she quickly pulled back. “D-daddy, not in front of everyone,” she said sheepishly.

  “Ohhhh, my little sweet girl,” Fenrir said with a laugh. “I’m so proud of you. Claiming your first heart already. I hear you’ve been making quite the stir in your new territory.”

  “Daddyyyyyyyy,” Phaedra whined, her cheeks burning now. “Everyone’s watchingggggg…”

  “Oh nobody cares that I love my precious little daughter,” Fenrir said with a hearty laugh before giving her a gentle pat on the head. “Now, come along. I want to hear all about what you’ve been up to.” He then took her hand in his, guiding her away from her airship.

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