Part 7C

Danica cast the fertility detecting spells into the ring, planning to give the ring to Andrea as soon as possible. She found that casting even those relatively simple enchantments exhausted her. I've been working too hard. I need to take a break.

More of Danica's purchases arrived late that afternoon. She wearily put away the kitchen utensils and clay working tools just in time for her new desk to arrive. A few coins persuaded the porter to take the desk to where Danica wanted it. A few other assorted items arrived shortly thereafter.

The clerk who watched the door arrived with the last of the porters, and he threw up his hands in exasperation when Danica informed him how many more purchases would eventually arrive. Danica chuckled as she directed the porters to put away their burdens.

She relaxed in the tub for a long while afterwards, the water actually growing cold before she reluctantly climbed out. She ached for sexual release, but faint twinges of dull pain reminded her that she'd indulged in that a bit too enthusiastically of late. She sighed in frustration, putting the thoughts out of her mind by making a roasted chicken and steamed vegetables in her new kitchen. The activity did the job of distracting her quite well.

After cleaning up from her meal, Danica located a book on silver and gold smithing in the library. She read until she felt tired enough to go to sleep that evening. The book proved informative, and gave her a few more insights that she hadn't picked up from her previous observations.

Danica awoke the next day from a sensual dream about Celes — not in her magically aged body, but as she should be. She bathed, retrieved her new toy, and then headed toward Andrea's room. Finding the young woman was busy with her duties, Danica decided to go to Heather's to retrieve her new spell component jar.

Danica went to the couple's small home and knocked on the door. Heather opened the door with a bright smile and said, "Come in. I've just finished another for you, so this is perfect timing."

Heather led Danica inside and showed her a jar sitting on the table in the middle of the room. It looked as though Heather had finished her work only moments before.

Danica sat down to examine it. The jar was the color of new leaves — about four and a half inches high and etched with very realistic maple leaves. Examining the top, Danica found it likewise etched with the same amazing detail. Removing the snug fitting stopper, Danica thought that it would surely keep out air.

Danica smiled and exclaimed, "It's beautiful. This will be perfect."

Heather climbed up on a stool to retrieve a second piece, and Danica cooed with delight upon seeing it. Smaller than the first, the jar revealed both Grant and Heather's skills. The shape and etching conjured up the image of a living rose bloom turned to translucent glass in Danica's mind. "They're so amazing," Danica remarked, patting her robes to locate her coin purse.

The blonde's eyes widened as Danica counted out coins. "How many do you want?" Heather asked.

"As many as you're willing to make," Danica replied, "But this is for just these two."

"It's so much. They're only jars," Heather said in stunned surprise.

"They're works of art. I'm paying what they're truly worth," Danica countered.

Heather blushed bright red. "Thank you. It's just a hobby. I never really thought it would amount to anything, except something to pass the time."

"You should try to get to a fair sized city with a stock of completed works on hand, and turn it into a full-time job. I think you could live comfortably on pieces with half this detail," Danica remarked, turning the glass rose in her hands.

"Someday," Heather sighed.

"Make it as much of a short time goal as you can," Danica suggested, thinking about how she hated to see Grant and Heather here in the madman's inner sanctum, "If nothing else, you could do this work in your spare time while continuing your normal trades. Sell a few, and eventually you might be able to afford to ease away from your regular work, to concentrate on your art. By the way, I would like some pieces in opaque glass. Not all of my spell components are particularly enjoyable to look at. Having a unique jar for them would allow me to find them without having to see them."

"I can certainly do that," Heather said with a smile.

Danica responded with a coy smile of her own and asked, "Where's Grant?"

Heather giggled, knowing what Danica was hinting at, "He's unfortunately stuck in the workshop. He's swamped with work and barely has time to come home and sleep for a few hours."

Danica reached out and stroked Heather's golden hair. "Maybe I could help take care of you in at least one way while he's busy."

Heather shuddered, nodding her head yes. Danica leaned forward and the two women kissed each other passionately. They went to the bed and pulled off their clothes, in no mood to wait. Heather took the initiative this time and kissed Danica as they sat down on the bed.

The two women explored each other with soft kisses and touches for quite some time. Danica almost always shared similar intimate moments with Andrea, and it was no less intense as she caressed Heather's body.

Heather lay atop Danica, gently rubbing her folds against Danica as they continued to kiss. She then slid down and ran her tongue in slow circles over Danica's right nipple while looking up into her eyes.

For long minutes, Danica ran her hands over Heather's back as the blonde gently sucked and teased Danica's nipples with her tongue. Both women moaned as their arousal increased by the moment.

Heather slid upward again, putting her breasts and her own small nipples within reach of Danica's mouth. She rubbed her sex against Danica's tummy as Danica suckled her slowly and softly. Danica could feel the wetness of Heather's lips against her skin.

Heather pulled away, but only to kiss Danica with heated passion. The two women kissed and intertwined their bodies for long moments, both of them lost in the intimacy.

With a sly smile, Heather moved to trace kisses all the way down Danica's chest, her tummy, and finally her mound. Heather kissed Danica's thighs — first one, then the other. Heather's last kiss on each side fell upon the crease of Danica's leg, tantalizingly close to the redhead's need.

Heather kissed Danica one last time, on the mound just above her clit. With a soft moan, she changed her attention to Danica's folds and kissed her there.

Danica shuddered as the woman's lips touched her. She moved her hands to run through the ringlets of Heather's hair as the blonde kissed and teased Danica's folds with her tongue.

After a few minutes of warming Danica up, Heather closed her fingers around Danica's hood ring and said, "Mmm, so pretty — and so convenient."

Heather pulled upward on the ring and held it against Danica with one finger, fully exposing Danica's clit. She then rapidly flicked her tongue over it, just barely touching the throbbing bud with the tip of her tongue.

Danica gasped and pulled down on Heather's head. Every flick of the woman's tongue sent tingling sensations throughout Danica's body. Heather wouldn't let Danica pull her any closer. She stayed at tongue-tip length from Danica's sex, drinking in the scent of the redhead's arousal.

Danica shuddered and gasped as Heather quickened her tongue to a dizzying pace. Danica could feel an explosion building deep inside her, and she knew it was going to happen soon. The intensity of Heather's tongue held Danica on the brink for long moments, delightfully poised on the edge of orgasm for what seemed like an eternity. Then finally, Danica arched her back and screamed as she came.

Heather sucked Danica's clit between her lips and continued to wash her tongue over it, slowing down as Danica writhed, screamed, and gasped her way through a series of strong orgasms.

Heather at last slid up on the bed, and the two women kissed again, Danica tasting her own juices on Heather's face and tongue as they kissed. Their bodies intertwined, their breasts pressed together, and their hands roaming all over each other's bodies.

Heather slid off Danica and onto her back at the foot of the bed, parting her legs wide and rubbing her folds while she stared lustily into Danica's eyes. Danica sat up and leaned over, lowering her face between Heather's thighs. She brought Heather to the first of many orgasms only a few moments later.

The two women lay together, kissing and pleasuring each other for nearly two straight hours. At last, neither of them could take any more. They relaxed in each other's arms until they could get up. They cleaned up and changed the bedclothes, sharing smiles and laughs. Once they finished dressing the bed, Danica gathered up her new jars and kissed Heather goodbye as she headed back to her chambers.

Danica awoke the next morning in a cold sweat. She had dreamed about the battle with Omark. Danica made some breakfast after her bath; the soak and the meal helping to dull the memory of the dream. She decided she needed to expand her spell arsenal. The battle with another user of the Art had highlighted the limitations of the spells she knew.

Danica went to her lab and focused on less powerful, but more varied types of magic. Over the course of the next week, she learned several spells she thought could be quite useful in combat.

She learned the Glassteel Spell, which could make metal objects extremely brittle. A sword affected by the spell would shatter against even leather. Kaleidoscopic Strike sucked magical energy from its target, and Mindfog made the target more vulnerable to mental attacks and intrusions. Danica thought the last could prove highly valuable considering her mental powers. She learned the Mirror Image Spell, which could bring into being numerous illusions that mimicked every move of the caster. Finally, she learned the Globe of Invulnerability spell — a far stronger and more resilient spell than the Mystic Shield spell that Omark had so easily defeated.

Danica tested her new spells and practiced the ones she already knew each evening in the Spell Engine. She also continued to hone her mental powers, until her telekinesis was second nature. She proved capable of making small fires surge stronger with her pyrokinetic powers, though she didn't spend much time on that weak aspect of her powers. Her practice enabled her to look into the mind of the old man who watched the Spell Engine's portal, even through the shielded walls where she could not see him.

Danica was returning to her rooms after leaving the Spell Engine one evening when she saw the young apprentice Andrea was spending intimate moments with of late. He spent a few seconds stammering and blushing, but eventually Danica found out he would be busy all night. More importantly, Andrea had no duties this evening.

Danica returned to her room, intending to take her new toy and finally give it a full testing of its measure with the beautiful blonde woman. Unfortunately, Zoraster awaited her in her room when she entered. He turned Danica's new toy over in his hands, examining it. "I cannot wait to see you test this remarkable little device. I'm quite sure it will be most invigorating," he said with a wicked smile as he put it down.

Zoraster continued, "It so happens that your next task will be made easier by the rapidly expanding skills in enchantment you are cultivating. There is a mage who is seeking a knowledgeable assistant to aid him in the crafting of an ambitious piece of magic. He has grown quite skilled and seeks to now craft a staff of great power — one distinctive to him that will be his measure amongst his peers. You know well how such is a mark of power amongst the ridiculous conclaves. He also seeks a mundane assistant who is knowledgeable in spell components to make purchases and make preparations for his castings. Celes shall transport you to the place and serve in this role well."

Zoraster stood from his chair before he continued, "He has in his possession an artifact of vast power. He has unlocked only a margin of its enchantments. It is a wand of platinum, tipped with a blue diamond of extraordinary clarity and value. I wish you to bring this wand to me. You shall be granted the freedom of access to the deeper recesses of the great library on the grounds in exchange for your success in this task. The volumes within this hidden part of the library hold the secrets of great power, as well as even greater insights into the Art by wizards of great renown, past and present. You understand your task little rose?"

"I understand," Danica acknowledged in clipped tones.

"Very well. Your studies proceed remarkably, little rose. Had I known your potential, I would have sought you out long ago. Perhaps you would have found yourself here as an apprentice instead of a prisoner. If you continue to show such aptitude, you may soon rival your sister Devan — perhaps even surpass her. I shall be quite pleased to have such a tool at my disposal."

"A man who isn't careful with his tools may find himself cut by them," Danica responded to the taunt thinly disguised as a compliment.

Zoraster smiled wide and laughed. "I am very careful with my tools, little rose — and my toys." He laughed again and said, "Good day, little rose," as he left the room.

Danica took a few moments to master her anger, and then rose to retrieve her toy from where Zoraster had laid it down. The thought that Zoraster was waiting for her to use the toy almost prompted Danica to put it away and go to bed.

Then she thought about how desperately she wanted to play with Andrea with her new toy. Spending time with Andrea would also delay her preparations for her next task. As she thought about it, her mind drifted toward what it would be like and the tingling of wetness between her legs caused Danica to shiver. Her decision made, Danica spoke the word of command that shrank the toy and headed toward Andrea's room.

The two women slipped into bed together not long after. Touching each other and kissing, Andrea told Danica about her experiences with the young apprentice when Danica insisted in sultry whispers.

Danica looked up into Andrea's eyes as the blonde finished speaking about her last encounter with the young man. "Remember when I used my toy on you? You liked that, and liked using it on me didn't you?"

"Mmm — oh yes." Andrea answered and leaned in to kiss Danica.

Danica's voice filled with husky desire, and she let her hot breath tickle the blonde's neck as she spoke, "I have a new toy. Would you like to play with it?"

Andrea shuddered and replied, "Oh, yes," with a wide smile.

Danica slid off the edge of the bed and retrieved her toy. She then spoke the word of command and caused it to return to its normal size. Andrea moaned when she saw it and ran her hands over her thighs.

Danica slipped into the harness and adjusted it. She then spoke the command word, "Live," and the device came to life.

Danica shuddered as the shafts turned pliable and warm against her body. The harness itself vanished into magical invisibility, as did the lower part of the main shaft. This allowed Andrea to see Danica's sex even while the redhead wore the toy.

Danica stepped over to Andrea, near the head of the bed. She moved up against the bed and Andrea leaned over near her. Andrea moaned in pleasure as she wrapped her hands around the cock, discovering it was warm and throbbed realistically. On impulse, she wrapped her lips around it and sucked it.

The inner shaft slid into Danica's depths as Andrea sucked on the outer. Danica shuddered and moaned as the shaft penetrated her, the little probe tickling the iris of her ass, and the lips over her clit sucking gently.

Andrea opened her eyes and moaned as she watched the inner shaft penetrating Danica. The sight prompted Andrea to suck the cock between her lips at a feverish pace in playful amusement.

Danica pushed Andrea back to lay her down on the bed. She then climbed up onto the bed and knee-walked between Andrea's widely parted legs. She put the head of the cock against Andrea's wet lips and slid inside her.

Danica and Andrea both arched their backs as the toy penetrated them. Danica slowly rocked her hips, looking down and watching as the throbbing shafts slid in and out of them both.

Danica gripped onto Andrea's legs hard as the throbbing probe in her ass hummed and the lips on her clit sucked and tickled her with their tongue tip. She finally found her stance after a few changes of position, allowing her to thrust the toy faster.

As Danica increased the speed of her thrusts, the lips sucked harder, the tongue flickered faster, and the little probe against her ass vibrated harder. She knew the shaft buried inside Andrea was throbbing harder and vibrating faster near the base, where it would make perfect contact with the girl's clit every time the toy penetrated to the hilt.

Both women loudly gasped, moaning in pleasure as Danica fucked Andrea and her toy fucked her. Danica pumped her hips faster, crying out now as the toy drove her to incredible heights of ecstasy.

Andrea bucked and let out a shrill scream as she came. The shaft slid out of Andrea's saturated sex when she arched in orgasm, and Danica quickly worked to get it back inside her. Danica maintained her quick pace, keeping Andrea writhing and lashing her head back and forth as her body pulsed with orgasmic energy.

Danica felt her own climax approaching. She had trouble continuing to thrust as her body started to shudder. She buried the toy in Andrea with a final, hard thrust — the shaft inside her doing the same — and exploded into orgasm.

Danica screamed and her body quaked as she came hard. The toy sucked up her sweet flood of juices as they flowed from her and ejaculated them into Andrea's depths. Danica's hot juices shooting inside her sent Andrea soaring into another wave of orgasm.

Every time Danica tensed and screamed while her orgasm rolled through her, her toy shot another hot burst of her cum deep inside Andrea. The feeling overwhelmed them both, and Danica had to pull the toy out. She collapsed on the bed, gasping for breath next to Andrea.