Dungeon Mistress: Session 4

Author's Note: There's only one more "session" after this. Thanks so much for reading.

---

Subj: Next session

Greetings, intrepid heroes! Sharing a few things in advance of next session.

First: those rituals you completed. Here's how they work:

● Meldrin and Cedwin completed the Ceremony of the Grove. In the same way that groves of trees have comingled their root systems, making each individual tree stronger and more resilient, the two of you now share an unassailable bond. At will, either of you can call upon the strength of the grove. It makes you immune to all psychic attacks, mental manipulation, and other, similar effects. However, the other person will become the target of any attacks or psychic effects against you instead. The effect lasts sixty seconds. You can each use it once per session.

● Enna and Lucia completed the Ceremony of the River. A torrent of strength flows into Enna from Lucia, its course as inexorable and true as flowing water. Enna can call on Lucia for aid, granting a bonus to damage or to any skill check or other effort of her choosing. This effect is quite powerful and can only be used for one such attack, check, or other effort, once per session.

Second: we are starting this next session as you arrive at the Arcanatrix's sanctum. As you may recall, it is located deep in the harsh windswept mountains that line the northern border of the Night Queen's realm. The journey -- even led by a skilled druid like Enna -- is inhospitable, treacherous, and unforgiving.

As such, the party must decide whether to risk the penalties from the arduous journey without resting, or the dangers inherent in resting outside the sanctum before entering. Let me know which you prefer, so I know to be prepared on how to begin the session.

Chris, show up early again to get in costume! Everybody else, bring your outfits. We're nearly at the campaign finale, I think -- the big remaining question is whether the Arcanatrix will be lending her aid as you attack the Night Queen, or not.

I look forward to learning the answer in this session.

Your Dungeon Mistress,

Monica

---

I stared at the email.

The ritual descriptions made me suspicious.

It was easy to imagine how they might be used during combat... but even easier to imagine how they might be used during other encounters.

My phone pinged again, a few seconds later. I pulled it up hurriedly, wondering if it was an email from the secret admirer.

But it wasn't. Whoever that was, they had been radio silent ever since their emails before last session.

Instead, it was just an email from Liz, who said that she didn't think we should take the risk of resting outside the Sanctum -- the Arcanatrix would know we were there, and we'd be ambushed or attacked in our sleep.

This kicked off an extended and rapid back and forth, just like the argument last session.

Mike replied shortly after, saying that he thought it was important we were well-rested.

Erin responded after that, saying we should just take the exhaustion hit.

Mike replied, saying that he didn't want to risk not having all his spells ready in case he got into a wizard's duel.

Liz responded, saying that he lost the last duel against the Arcanatrix's servant, not even the Arcanatrix, so it wasn't like he'd win even with all his spells anyway.

Mike said that he hadn't lost, he and the Consigliere had reached a truce until the next time they came to the sanctum.

Erin told him to shut up about the truce, that only losers make truces.

Mike said that he would not shut up about the deal and that actually Erin sounded like SHE needed some rest, because she clearly was suffering from exhaustion penalties.

... And then Erin asked what I thought.

I was about to reply, when Mike texted me, to ask me to back him up. You want us to be prepared, right?

And then -- after two weeks of silence, finally -- I got another ping. A separate email.

---

Subj: this stupid fucking discussion

Tell Mike that you also think we shouldn't rest. He probably just wants some kind of weird fantasy dream sequence with the Consigliere.

-- your secret admirer

---

Well, honestly, that rankled a little.

Someone -- one of my friends -- had jerked me off in a hot tub, made me cum while my other friend was teasing me. Presumably the secret admirer was the one who'd done it.

And she'd said nothing. Not immediately after, not in the weeks after. And now they were emailing me to weigh in on a fucking discussion about whether the party made camp or not?

I fired off an annoyed reply.

---

Re: Subj: this stupid fucking discussion

Why should I? You haven't said anything in weeks, and now you send this?

Chris

---

There was a minute or two before another ping.

---

Re: Re: Subj: this stupid fucking discussion

Oh, I'm the one who's supposed to be in touch?

I was in touch, Chris. Lots of touch, remember? You liked it enough that you lost control of yourself in a hot tub.

But you didn't even say thanks.

So now I'm annoyed. You can start working your way back into my good graces by making sure we don't go with Mike's plan. Or you can bet that where I went out of my way to make the last session have a happy ending for Cedwin, I'll go out of my way to make the next one miserable for you.

-- your secret admirer

---

Well, that not only gave me pause, it brought me back to the central question about all of this: who the fuck was sending this emails?

This cemented that it had to be Liz or Erin. I could imagine either of them sending this aggrieved, slightly hostile, teasing email. Maybe it sounded a little more like Liz? But Erin had sent the last reply on the email chain before I'd gotten this note...

But I couldn't imagine either of them jerking me off to completion in a hot tub. Even though I knew one of them had.

At any rate, I wasn't sure I wanted to find out what happened if I went into the next session pissed off at me.

So I decided to opt for contrite, perhaps a little overwhelmed, and appreciative. It was an easy tone to opt for because it was mostly how I felt.

---

Re: Re: Re: Subj: this stupid fucking discussion

Look, I didn't know what to say, okay? Whoever you are, we've never... done anything like that. I still don't know who 'we' even is.

I'll tell Mike we're not resting outside.

And it was really hot. By the way.

---

The reply came back almost immediately.

---

Re: Re: Re: Subj: this stupid fucking discussion

During the next session -- make sure you're checking your email. Maybe turn notifications on. I don't know what Monica has planned, but I don't trust it. I want to make sure if I need to get in touch with you, I can.

I'm glad you liked it. Maybe there'll be more where that came from, if you're lucky.

-- your secret admirer

---

And then I texted Mike and said I didn't think resting outside the sanctum was a good idea.

He replied almost immediately: C'mon, dude, I need to be at full strength. Part of the deal I was telling you about is that I've gotta do this... trial, thing, while we're there.

I mulled that over for a moment, but I decided that I actually had some good reasons for not wanting the rest, and sent a text: Well, we've got that ceremony of the grove boost now, so that'll help, right? And honestly, Monica will probably just use the rest as an excuse to attack or weaken us or something anyway. Maybe kidnap somebody.

There was a long pause before he replied: I really want Meldrin to do this on his own without help from the ceremony, but I see your point. And yeah, you're right, it feels like a bit of a trap option from her. Ok.

Well, the trial -- that Meldrin really wanted to do on his own -- felt a bit odd. I remembered that Mike said he had struck some kind of deal with the Consigliere during that last visit, but he'd been light on specifics.

Satisfied that I wasn't going to unduly piss anybody off, I sent the email, and with Mike outvoted and consensus established, Monica said she'd plan the session assuming we forged ahead and went straight in to the sanctum.

---

I was both excited and anxious as the day of the session got closer.

Between Mike's return, Monica, and the secret admirer -- the dynamics in these sessions felt increasingly strange to me, so unlike the games I used to run for my friends from high school.

The vibes I had been getting from Liz and Erin -- teasing, flirty -- were also increasingly confusing from two friends who had only ever seemed platonic, however much I might've wanted things to be different.

I was jealous of Mike, and this unspecified trial that felt all-too-similar to the interactions I'd had with Monica. Or... the characters Monica was playing, anyway.

It had been one thing when I'd been worried mostly about what was happening between me and Monica, but now... it felt like what had once been my friend group was... evolving.

And I didn't know what it was evolving into. That scared me, a little.

---

But in spite of my misgivings, time did its thing, just like it always does. The night of the session arrived.

I knocked, tentatively, on Monica's door. It swung inward, slightly, making me realize that it was actually just open, not even closed all the way.

"Come on in," I heard Monica call from inside. And then I heard her say, "On three, okay?"

I opened the door and walked through her small front entryway into her living/dining area.

And stopped in my tracks.

"One, two... three!"

She and Liz were -- with some significant effort -- in the final step of putting her flatscreen TV, which normally sat on media console up against the wall, on the table where we usually played.

They were both facing away to me, bending over and struggling to lift it up to the table while keeping it balanced.

As a result, I was treated to an excellent view.

Liz was wearing her Lucia outfit. My eyes traveled up her heeled boots to the skintight leggings she was wearing. That strappy top -- and the bandolier of knives -- put her back on full display, and I watched the muscles on her back flex as they started to pick up the TV.

And Monica...

Well.

Monica was neck-to-ankle in black latex. It clung to her body, showing off round thighs, an appealing ass, wide hips that narrowed at her waist.

A pair of black stiletto heels sat on the floor next to her. The rational part of my mind -- which was absolutely operating without its normal level of resources -- informed that was probably because nobody wants to lift something heavy in that kind of heels.

But most of my brainpower was devoted to staring at the two of them.

They were facing away from me and I watched as, simultaneously, they bent over to hoist the TV. They were about the same height, and my eyes flicked from Monica's ass -- soft and full, clad in latex -- to Liz's, lean and round in those leggings.

It was impossible not to compare them.

Even harder to decide which I liked better.

Monica glanced at me over her shoulder. Her pale features were flushed from the exertion. "Hi, Chris." She leaned over, putting her heels back on.

Liz turned too, and gave me a withering look. "You could've come over and helped too, y'know."

"I, uh... I just walked in and you all were in the middle of it, I didn't want to get in the way..." I protested, weakly.

Liz rolled her eyes. "Anyway, good work, bro," she said, making her voice deeper, more masculine. She reached over and slapped Monica on the butt with all the casual, no-homo energy of one guy congratulating another on a new PR in the gym.

I could feel myself blushing, watching Liz's hand go to Monica's ass.

Monica looked surprised, but laughed quickly enough. "Hah. But you're right, we didn't need him. Thanks for the help, Liz."

Then Monica turned to face me fully, and I could see that the black latex bodysuit was zippered, straight down the front -- currently unzipped to show a vee of pale skin at her chest, and full, enticing cleavage. "Chris, your stuff is in the bathroom this week if you want to get changed. Liz is helping me finish getting set up."

"In... the bathroom? Not your bedroom?" I tore my eyes off her chest. I had been inside her apartment for thirty seconds and I already felt completely off balance.

Monica gave me a sly smile. "While it's nice you've gotten so comfortable undressing in my bedroom, there's some stuff in there that's set up for today's session, and I don't want to give you any spoilers."

I got even redder.

Liz's expression radiated disapproval.

I retreated to the bathroom to change.

---

The outfit was my usual Cedwin attire, and by the time I was changed, Mike and Erin had arrived. I opened the bathroom door to find them in their respective costumes, chatting with Monica and Liz.

"Okay, I've gotta run and check on a few things, guys," Monica said. "But I'll be back in a minute. Mike and Liz, can you make the drinks?" She gave me a once over. "Erin, will you help Chris with his tattoo?"

"Sure," she agreed, cheerily. She walked over to me with a sponge.

And then Monica left.

"What, uh... what do you think she's doing?" I said, staring after her, watching the way her curves moved in the latex.

Mike gave an exaggerated shrug, adjusting his robes slightly. "Something to do with today's session, I guess? Maybe we're using the pool again. She might not be back, though; the cops are probably gonna arrest her after that outfit she's in gives some old man a heart attack in the hallway."

I laughed, and so did Erin. I glanced at Mike questioningly. "She's dressed up as the Consigliere, right? That character you were telling me about, Mike?"

Mike nodded, handing Liz a drink.

Liz looked serious. "That reminds me, guys. We have to stay together this time. Last time in the Arcanatrix's sanctum, everything went off the rails after we split up. We stay together this time, right?"

"I mean, if we can. It's not like we split up on purpose last time, is it?" Mike sounded irritated. I got the feeling this was not their first run at this conversation.

Erin was frowning, biting her lip, trying to make sure the tattoo was applying cleanly to my forearm as she sponged it. "I mean, you were pretty happy to follow the Consigliere into that other room, Mike..."

"Yeah, but I didn't know the door was going to close and seal behind me!" He protested.

Liz snorted. "Right. You seemed so upset to be alone with the Consigliere," she said, sarcastically.

Mike's face was red, now. "I-I had plenty to worry about and I figured you guys would be working on how to get the door open," he muttered, pouring bourbon out and handing it to me.

"We had our own problems," Erin muttered.

My eyes flicked to Erin, who was leaning forward over my forearm, applying the tattoo. I couldn't see her face. But I had a nice view of her decolletage in that dress that Monica had altered for her.

I could see her collarbone all the way down to her cleavage, and admittedly, my eyes lingered for a long moment. God, she was hot. I had fantasized about her many times over the years, about kissing my way down her neck, down the freckles of her chest...

I realized, staring... that the soft skin of her upper chest wasn't pale, as it usually was. I couldn't see her face, but there was a flush at her neck that was unmistakable.

She was blushing.

Erin was embarrassed by whatever had happened with the Consigliere last time, too.

Erin's embarrassment -- cheery, positive, enthusiastic, go-with-the-flow Erin -- hit me in a way I wouldn't have expected. Erin, who I'd always had a crush on.

Erin, who didn't look like a D&D player, but was a bit of a powergamer when you got right down to it. Who was always the first one to ask how much experience we'd gotten from an encounter.

Erin, who was never embarrassed.

"Hey, it's all good. It's all four of us, now," I said. "We'll work together."

There were murmurs of agreement from the others, but all of us were uncharacteristically quiet, after that.

Normally we'd chatter, filling whatever time there was by catching up, asking each other questions, laughing about inside jokes from our childhood.

The silence was new, different.

I had to admit, even I didn't feel confident in what I had said. I was wondering what had happened to Liz and Erin. What Mike was going to do with Monica. Who the secret admirer was. The mix of jealousy and curiosity was confusing.

And I wasn't the only one who recognized that the dynamics were shifting, obviously.

I was still mulling over what all of this might mean as we all sat in silence when Monica returned.

"Well, then. Shall we get started?" Monica's voice was cheery.

I watched my friends try to snap out of whatever funk had descended on us as we gathered around the table.

---

Monica's voice was smooth, as she set the scene.

"Your arrival is different, this time. For one thing, it's snowing. And clearly, it has been for some time. The blizzard has coated everything in a blanket of snow and bitter cold. You are, in truth, glad not to be attempting to rest in preparation, just heading inside. There's little respite to be found here. Winter has descended upon the Arcanatrix's mountain sanctum. In another month's time, attempting this journey would be foolish, even for seasoned adventurers like yourselves."

She paused for a moment, then said, "Since you aren't resting, you all need to make a round of Survival checks. 17 is the number to beat; anything less and your character shows up with some kind of penalty."

We shrugged, and all began rolling.

"Twenty six," Erin said, cheerfully. "No problem!"

I rolled. "Nineteen," I reported, breathing a sigh of relief. I didn't want to find out what the penalty would be.

"A fucking sixteen," Liz said, with a sigh.

"Okay, here." Monica handed her a slip of paper.

Liz was glancing at hers and shrugged. "Okay, fine. Beats the Arcanatrix jumping us in our sleep."

All of us turned to look at Mike.

"I got a five," Mike said glumly.

Monica handed him a slip of paper, too. He read it, and his face reddened. "Come on, Monica. This is bullshit."

Monica waved her hand irritably. "Whatever. Don't argue with the Dungeon Mistress. You guys picked this approach. Look, you have indeed arrived. The curved, dome-like shape protruding from the mountain's steep peak is unmistakable to those of you who have been here before -- though the shimmering crystal that you know it to be constructed out of is now covered in snow."

I could see Mike gearing up to object some more about his penalty. I tried to redirect.

"So... how do we get inside?" I made Cedwin's voice extra weary, given the description.

"You walk through it. The crystal keeps out inanimate matter, but lets through living beings into her... foyer," Mike said. He was using Meldrin's reedy tones.

"C'mon, I'm tired of the cold," Liz said, using the smoky purr for Lucia.

Erin just nodded in agreement.

"Who steps through first?" Monica asked, a sly smile on her face.

I opened my mouth, but Mike spoke up. "I'll go in first in case the magic feels... odd, in any way."

"We're all following him right away, though," Liz added, quickly.

Monica nodded. "Alright. Meldrin, you step through first. There's a flash of wet cold -- the snow coating the surface of the crystal dome is frigid indeed, and the only way is going through it -- but then a tingle across your skin as you push past that, like static electricity. And then you're through. It's immediately thirty degrees warmer, and the ground is cleared, here, bare rock with no ice. The others follow with the same experience."

And then, Monica turned on the TV screen, and began fiddling with her phone.

"A moment later, though, the light flickers oddly around you, and in front of you, a figure takes shape..."

Monica trailed off as a video began to play on the TV.

---

"Hello, Meldrin, Lucia, Enna. And whoever else you've brought with you." The voice was slightly British, cool and even.

"Regrettably, I'm not available to greet you right now. A little busy."

On the screen was a woman. The camera was centered on her face. Brown skin -- perhaps Indian, or mixed race. Black hair, cut in a short bob, though a shock of electric purple ran through it. Full lips that were curved in a superior, confident smile. Dark eyes that bored into us as she looked at the camera.

"Your last visit to my sanctum was so... destructive. But I'm willing to put the past in the past. I know why you're here. Murmurings of your new allies -- the dryads, the Daughter of Blades and her sisters -- have reached my ears. I have known for some time now that I'll need to take a side in this conflict between the Night Queen and... well, everyone else." A smirk played across her lips. "I'll assume you saved the best for last."

"Here's the thing: I don't side with losers. So I've arranged some challenges for you, to test your mettle. See if you can really stand strong against the Queen. Impress me, and I'll ally myself with you."

The smirk twisted into a wry, evil-looking grin. "But fail to impress me, and I will ally myself with the Night Queen instead. I'll be at her side when you confront her."

---

We were all quiet for a moment as the video went black.

Mike was the first to break the silence. "Damn, that's what Arcanatrix Ravenna looks like?" He was aghast. "I figured you'd be playing her, Monica. She's a smokeshow. I-I mean, I'm sure you'd pull it off too, but, uh... is she a friend of yours? How do I get to meet her?"

Liz snorted.

Monica laughed. "That's Ravenna, yes. And yes, she's a friend of mine; she owes me a favor and agreed to help out with some videos for this session. Oh, but I don't think she's looking to date right now, Mike. Sorry." Monica gave Mike a commiserating pout.

"I'm sorry, did we just get her... answering machine?" Erin giggled.

"Seemed that way, yeah," Liz said, resigned. "Well, she wasn't here last time, either. Just her servant. Who seems nowhere to be found."

"The image of the Arcanatrix fades, leaving you standing before the Grand Lock, the entrance to the sanctum you recall from your last visit."

"Is the Lock... locked?" I asked.

"Yeah, it's a puzzle. Or at least, it was last time," Erin murmured.

Monica cut in. "The Grand Lock is much as you remember it, a sturdy and immense oval of stone, its surface etched with arcane runes. The words of the riddle inscribed upon it have changed since your last visit, though. It now reads as follows." She cleared her throat, and read out:

"Sometimes soft, sometimes hard, sometimes in-between.

Sometimes big, sometimes small; often felt, not always seen.

Passion, life, a little death; I can bring all three;

Show me then, what am I? Thy answer grants entry."

"What did it say the last time you guys were here, and what was the solution?" I asked, cautiously. It certainly seemed like it was... pointed towards a particular solution, but I figured it was better to hear more about what had happened last time before I assumed.

"I, uh, don't remember what it said, exactly," Mike said, "but we each had to--"

Liz interrupted him. "Oh, I remember what it fucking said. It was rhyming mumbo jumbo, but it boiled down to a tale of your first deflowering grants you entry," Liz said, irritation rising in her voice. "We each had to say how our characters lost their virginity. God, I hate the Arcanatrix."

Monica blinked innocently. "Look, personally, I was a little surprised by the direction you all took things. I was expecting answers related to horticulture or botany. "

Liz groaned, and buried her face in her hands. "It makes me so angry that I know you would've accepted an answer about the first time my character pulled the petals off a dandelion or something, if I had thought about it for long enough. Instead I had to listen to Meldrin tell us all about how he--"

Now Erin interrupted. "Okay, so this time, let's focus on this riddle and not miss an easy solution. Any ideas?"

But Liz was clearly over it. "Yeah, I've got an idea: Lucia's out of patience for the Arcanatrix's games. Fuck this. Lucia is trying to pick the Grand Lock."

Monica raised one eyebrow. "You're sure? It'll be tricky."

Liz nodded, firmly. "Unless you're saying I can't attempt it. I've had enough of the Arcanatrix's bullshit already, and this isn't the week where I'm making Mike's dreams come true."

"I didn't even say anything!" Mike protested.

Monica shrugged. "Okay, then. You can definitely attempt it. Go ahead and roll a Thievery check..."

Liz rolled, but before she even announced the result, Monica's lips quirked into a satisfied little smile. "... which you fail. Automatically."

Realization dawned on me -- the notes Monica had handed out, this must be Liz's penalty from the journey -- even as Liz glanced down at the slip of paper that Monica had handed her only moments before. "Seriously? This is the dexterity-based check you're having Lucia automatically fail? My very first roll of the session?"

Monica nodded, all smug assuredness.

Liz's lips thinned. "Fine. God, I hate this place even more than the first trip here. What happens?"

"Lucia starts fiddling with the door. It does have some mechanical components, and she's just working a flexible metal tool behind one of them, when there's a click sound that she didn't expect. She must have tripped some failsafe trap that's built in to the Lock. There's no fanfare, no sound or effect... Lucia just vanishes. The rest of you stare as the tool she was using clatters down the face of the Lock to the ground. Liz, come with me. The rest of you -- I'll be right back."

"Where are we going?" Liz, suspicious.

"I got some more space for this session, in case you all got split up. C'mon." Monica walked out of her apartment.

Liz followed, reluctantly.

---

Mike, Erin and I looked at each other.

"So much for not splitting the party," I noted. "So... while we wait for Monica to come back... what's the Arcanatrix's servant like?"

Mike looked indecisive for a moment about how much to share, but then relented. "She's not really the Arcanatrix's servant. The Consigliere kind of comes with the sanctum, as it were."

"Isn't it the Arcanatrix's sanctum, though?" Erin looked confused.

Mike nodded. "Right now it is. But a wizard can challenge for control of the sanctum. I was going to try it last time, but, I uh..." he got a little red in the face and looked away, "... I don't think I was... powerful enough. So I cut a deal with the Consigliere to let us all go, as long as I promised to make a challenge the next time we came to visit."

"So... you have to challenge for control of the sanctum this time, then?" I asked.

He nodded. "If I win, even if the Arcanatrix won't side with us against the Queen, I'll control the sanctum. It's a powerful engine for magic and spellcasting; it'd be a huge asset."

"What kind of challenge is it?" I could imagine what a challenge was going to entail in one of Monica's games. Jealousy flared in me, again.

"I, uh... don't know, exactly. Something about facing your deepest weaknesses and insecurities," Mike mumbled the words out.

It confirmed my suspicions. I tried to tamp down the jealousy.

"Okay. So can we help you, or..." Erin trailed off as Monica returned, sitting back at the table. We all looked at her, expectantly.

Once she sat, she began speaking.

"You're all surprised when Lucia vanishes without a sound. You're even more surprised when, moments later, another figure takes her place. For Chris's benefit -- the Consigliere is a bit odd, a magical construct. It looks human enough, but there's something off about the way it moves -- fluid some of the time, unexpectedly birdlike and twitchy others. Like it has read about the way humans move in a book and mostly gets it right."

Then Monica put on the mask.

It was the kind of mask that you might see at a masquerade ball -- the type that only covers the eyes and top half of the face, leaving everything below the nose bare. The mask was matte black, but with silver trim that swirled into strange runes and sigils along the edge of the mask. Jagged, jet-black spikes exploded outward from the mask on one side, giving it an odd asymmetry.

Dark eyes regarded us from behind the mask, now. "Your companion has broken the rules." The voice Monica was using wasn't exactly robotic, but it certainly had a flat affect, devoid of emotion.

"What happened to her?" Erin asked the question tentatively, the way Enna might.

"She has been sent inside the sanctum; if she can prove her worth, her transgression will be forgiven." Again, no expression on Monica's lips or in the words.

"But --" Erin started.

But Monica pivoted her head, regarding Meldrin with a twitchy movement that was decidedly birdlike. "Meldrin. We made an agreement. Will you honor it?"

Mike nodded, slowly. "I will. Can I--"

"Okay. With Meldrin's agreement, he and the Consigliere vanish. Come with me, Mike." Monica took off the mask and stood up.

"Well now this feels kind of railroad-y. It's like splitting the party is happening automatically," I said, irritated by the sudden declaration.

Monica stiffened and, slowly, turned towards me. "It is not my fault that Liz has no patience. It is also not my fault that Mike doesn't choose his words very carefully. Now, instead of blaming me, why don't you and Erin actually try to solve the riddle or otherwise get inside together, so you don't spend the whole session sitting here, bitching about railroading while Mike, Liz and I play. C'mon, Mike."

Erin chimed in. "I don't even remember what the riddle--"

"I knew you wouldn't." Monica pulled out another slip of paper and put it in front of us, the words of the riddle on it. She turned and left without another word.

"I, uh... guess I'll see you, guys..." Mike said hurriedly, following her out.

---

Sometimes soft, sometimes hard, sometimes in-between.

Sometimes big, sometimes small; often felt, not always seen.

Passion, life, a little death; I can bring all three;

Show me then, what am I? Thy answer grants entry.

We had both been staring at the slip of paper for a minute or two in silence.

"Okay... so what do you think the riddle is about?" Erin asked, after a moment of the two of us staring at the slip of paper.

"I, uh..." I had an opinion, but wasn't sure how to say it to Erin that wouldn't potentially make me sound like a perv.

Cocks. I thought the riddle was about cocks.

Except maybe the little death part?... No, as I thought about it, that was a reference to la petit mort.

The more I considered each clause, the more confident I was that Monica had made a riddle where the answer was penises.

"It's kind of... suggestive," Erin said, giggling. "I mean... Sometimes soft, sometimes hard?"

"Yeah," I agreed, relieved. "Suggestive." I was glad she'd been the one to broach it, so I didn't seem like a creep.

Erin mulled it over for another minute. "Well, that seems like the answer to me. So, is Cedwin just gonna whip it out when Monica comes back?"

I laughed, warming up to her humor. "Enna would love a little show, wouldn't she?"

Erin was laughing too, now. "Yeah, Enna's got one speed, and it's horny."

Monica came back as she was talking, and raised an eyebrow but otherwise didn't say anything.

Erin continued, glancing at Monica. "Although... I guess she's seen it already, right, Monica? You said our characters were naked for the Ceremony of the River..."

She nodded. "Yeah, they were. So how much do you think Enna saw?"

It felt odd, the two of them discussing whether Erin's character had seen my character naked.

But the comment had reminded me of what happened last session. This discussion was not as odd as wondering if Erin had jerked me off in that hot tub.

Erin glanced at me. "I mean, Cedwin doesn't seem like he's modest or anything..."

I tore my mind off the idea of Erin being the one sending me those emails.

Being the one who'd made me cum.

"Yeah, not really, I guess," I agreed. "I don't think he'd have avoided people seeing. She probably saw everything."

"So was she impressed?" Monica was amused, now.

Erin giggled. "I mean, I dunno. How much is Cedwin packing, Chris?"

I was surprised she was game for this conversation, but she'd been pretty flirty and suggestive in the last few sessions. And maybe without the others she felt more comfortable.

"Uh..." I considered how to answer for a moment. "I think he's um... well above average. Not hung like a horse or anything, y'know? But pretty big."

I realized that I was describing how I thought about myself. And that maybe that wasn't the wisest choice. But too late now.

"You were pretty ready with an answer. Someone is very detail oriented when creating a character," Monica noted with a smile.

"I-I came up with that on the fly!" I protested.

Erin snorted. "I mean, at least you didn't say he's got a twelve-inch dick or something insane. I feel like every guy would allocate all their points to dick size if it were a stat. Anyway, I think Enna eyes Cedwin and says..." her tone shifted to Enna's bubbly enthusiasm, "Well, at least one of us has the right equipment to open the Lock."

I nodded, and in my best ironic Cedwin voice, I said, "Well, it's nothing you haven't seen already, Enna. Shall I?"

Laughing, Erin rubbed her hands together gleefully. "Ready when you are, paladin of the Tower."

"So, uh, Cedwin gets it out," I said, looking at Monica.

"Gets what out? Be specific, it's a riddle." Monica looked delighted by my discomfort. "Or if you want, you can just demonstrate..."

Erin snorted.

"Ha, no thanks, I'll just narrate. Cedwin pulls out his cock." I said it as evenly as I could.

"Okay, you're standing there, dick in hand. Nothing happens." Monica glanced at Erin. "How's Enna reacting?"

"She's, uh, staring... at his... cock..." Erin stumbled through the sentence a little, flushing. "But I think she's also confused, because she thinks this ought to have worked."

This whole situation was turning me on. Getting me hard. But I tried to stay focused on the puzzle. Erin and I looked at each other, at a loss.

"Well, perhaps this doesn't solve every problem," I quipped in Cedwin's voice, ironically. It got a laugh out of both Monica and Erin.

"Uh... well... maybe you have to... touch it to the Grand Lock? It says show me, but the Lock doesn't have eyes..." Enna asked Cedwin, tentatively.

I nodded. "Very well," Cedwin answered, cautiously.

But a thought occurred. "What if it simply teleports me inside, like the others? And leaves you out here?"

Even as those words left my mouth, a second thought occurred: how much of this had Monica orchestrated? Cedwin and Enna alone, after the Night Queen had promised to give her to me...

"Good point," Enna responded. Erin made her sound distracted, and her eyes were drifting downward, towards my crotch, the way Enna's presumably were with Cedwin.

I swallowed. I was hard, now. I tried to resist the urge to reach down and adjust myself, knowing that with Erin watching, it'd just draw more attention to it.

"Okay, so, are you touching the door or not?" Monica asked, impatiently. Her voice was every bit a DM who was just trying to move her players along. Her eyes, though -- amused, shrewd, calculating -- were flicking between me and Erin.

"Maybe..." Enna said, Erin making her words slow, deliberate,"... if we were touching... we'd both go."

I just nodded, wordlessly.

She glanced at Monica. I could see that the flush had crept down her neck again. She hesitated, and then blurted, "So, uh, Enna, um, grabs ahold of Cedwin before he touches the portal."

Monica steepled her fingers. "Okay, sorry to be such a stickler for details, but describe exactly what's happening here; who's touching whom where, who's touching the door, et cetera, all matters."

Erin got even redder.

She had done a fair amount of the talking and I felt like I ought to come to her verbal rescue. "It sounds like Enna's wrapping her hand around Cedwin's y'know... shaft, and they walk over to the portal and Cedwin touches the tip of his, uh, cock to the door."

My heart was beating fast. I had never said anything like this in front of Erin. I glanced at her for confirmation. She nodded.

Monica giggled. "Got it. Quite a mental picture." She glanced at me. "How's Cedwin feel about this?"

I swallowed. I felt a little like I was toeing the line here of what I wanted to be saying to Erin. "I don't think he objects."

Monica raised an eyebrow. "He doesn't object? Wow, thanks for the profound and eloquent insight into your character's mental state. Does he like it or not?"

What was I going to say? Yeah, his big dick gets really hard for Enna? I did kind of want to say that, see how Erin would react... but it felt like that would be too far. "Yeah, I mean, I think he, uh, has the... typical physical reaction to... that sort of thing. It feels good."

"I see. And how does it make Enna feel, when Cedwin starts getting harder in her hand?" Monica's voice was soft, confident. Clearly no worries about going too far from her.

"She, uh... I guess she likes it..." Erin's voice had a quality I hadn't heard before. Embarrassed, yeah. But underneath that, a slight breathlessness, the hint of a dizzy, excited undertone...

Erin was turned on by all of this.

My erection surged. I was absolutely fully hard now, straining against the tight pants.

Then Monica spoke in a more normal tone, cutting through the tension in the room. "Well, unfortunately, the moment Cedwin's tip touches the door, since he's the only one actually touching the door, he vanishes, leaving Enna holding nothing. Chris, c'mon." She stood up.

"Okay..." The sudden absence of tension in her voice left me confused. I stood, awkwardly, angling my body away from Erin so she wouldn't see the massive bulge that had formed in my pants.

"Are you serious?" Erin threw up her hands, exasperated. "God, Monica, I'm with Liz now. I hate these puzzles!"

Instead of heading towards the door to her apartment, this time Monica headed towards her bedroom. I followed uncertainly.

As we headed into her bedroom, Monica turned, calling back, "By the way, the riddle solution I was thinking of was a kiss. But I thought the two of you came up with an approach that was very... creative."

I saw Erin blushing as I shut the door behind us.

---

As I closed the door, Monica turned to face me. "Well that was interesting, wasn't it?"

"Monica, what're you--"

But she cut me off. "Sorry, Chris, we're already behind where I wanted to be for the session," she said, matter-of-factly. "I know you're turned on, but I don't have time to flirt with you. Besides, I structured this session in part to help you get... caught up, on some of the other dynamics going on, in advance of the finale."

Other dynamics? Flirt with me? As if that was what I had been about to say or ask about. I was speechless.

"Now, I need to head back to Liz and Mike. So here's what's happening. Cedwin appears, disoriented, in a small room. One wall of the room is a window, looking out on the snowy, windswept peaks. The other wall is hung with mirrors. A pair of ornate chairs sit in front of them. The mirrors seem to show scenes from other parts of the sanctum -- perhaps this is a control or security room, of sorts. Have a seat and take a look at the laptop over there. I'll be back eventually." She gestured at her vanity, which had been cleared off; instead, there was a laptop, and two chairs in front of it.

Warily, I sat down in one of the chairs.

"Great. Bye!"

Monica left.

I stared at the laptop.

The computer was on, with a number of windows open that covered the whole screen. Some of them appeared to show static images -- a view of snowy mountain peaks. A dungeon hallway. A treasure room.

But those static images seemed like they were just for ambience, effect; they weren't the main attraction. There were three images with motion, amongst those other pictures.

One was of Monica's living room. Erin was sitting at the table by herself, fidgeting a little. As I watched, Monica entered the room. "Back in a minute, Erin," she said, cheerfully. Whatever camera was showing this picked the audio up clearly. She moved across the screen and out of her apartment.

I glanced at the other video feeds.

One feed showed Liz, apparently in someone else's apartment. She was sitting at a completely different dining table, looking around, frustrated.

Another showed Mike, who appeared to be in someone else's bedroom. He was sitting on the edge of the bed, looking around, somewhat nonplussed.

Movement pulled my attention back to Liz's feed. Monica was entering the room.

Liz looked pissed. She opened her mouth and said something, but whatever it was didn't come through on audio. Quickly, I clicked over to that video feed, which seemed to switch the audio output -- the sound of Monica laughing came through the speakers, followed by her saying, "Okay, sorry, sorry. I know you've been sitting here a while."

"Monica, what're you doing? This is the dumbest, weirdest --" Liz's frustration was palpable.

Monica held up a hand. "Look, just give it a shot, okay? I know this is pretty different from our normal sessions."

Liz pinched the bridge of her nose, and then looked up. "Okay, fine. What's happening to Lucia?"

Monica sat down at the table across from her. "She appears to be in some kind of circular room, perhaps a prison cell. There are no doors that you can see. The walls are rough-hewn stone. Twenty feet above you is a circular opening in the ceiling; dim light filters through it. But your eyes are drawn to the center of the chamber where a statue of a minotaur towers over you. The statue stands nearly a full ten feet tall."

"Can I climb up it to reach the opening?" Liz asked the question, cautiously.

"Maybe... I wasn't done yet, though. The minotaur is naked, and, uh... well, let's just say the set of horns he's sporting aren't the only thing that's protruding impressively. He's also holding a giant bladed spear in both hands, raised above his head as if to strike. Set in the center of his forehead is a gemstone, a ruby the size of your fist. And at the base of the statue is an inscription..."

Monica continued talking, but I was distracted by something in the room with me. Something subtle -- a shift in the air, or a rustle of sound.

I glanced behind me.

And was practically startled out of my skin. "J-jesus Christ--"

There was a woman, sitting on the edge of Monica's bed looking at me.

Dusky skin. Dark hair, with a shock of purple running through it. Full lips, which were currently pursed, one finger against them, shushing me.

"Shh, quiet, sorry to startle you. You're either Chris or Mike... but based on what Monica's told me, I'm guessing you're Chris, right? She was right; you're cute when you're flustered."

She had that same aristocratic British accent as in the video.

It was Arcanatrix Ravenna. She was wearing a robe-like wrap dress, in the exact shade of purple that matched her hair.

My brain was having trouble keeping up. "H-how... how'd you get in here?"

She shrugged. "If you must know, I've been under the bed. For a little while, now. I thought the game would move faster than this, the way Monica described it to me. I think she would've preferred if I waited a little longer before revealing myself, but..." she stretched, languidly. "It was starting to get uncomfortable. God, it's good to be out of there You don't mind, do you?"

"I, uh, guess not..." I responded automatically. I was staring as she stretched. The material of the dress was thin; it clung to a lean body.

Something clicked into place. "So... you're, uh, helping Monica with this session?"

She gave another little shrug. "I suppose. It's Monica's thing, really. I've never really played D&D. Seems like an awful lot of complicated work. Who wants to do math for fun?" She sighed. "But I owe Monica a few favors, so..."

Always with the favors. "So you're... playing Arcanatrix Ravenna this session?"

"I suppose so, yes. Although I think all of this is a little convoluted, personally." She stood up from the bed and sat next to me in the other chair in front of the laptop. Monica and Liz had been going back and forth this whole time, and Liz looking increasingly frustrated.

I glanced at her as she sat down next to me, peering at the screens and cameras. "So... is the Arcanatrix in the room with Cedwin, now? Or..."

She waved her hand dismissively. "Yes, yes. Monica gave me some lines to memorize, but it was too flowery for my tastes. I'll just summarize for you: the two of us are going to watch your companions as they go through these trials that Monica has arranged. It's your job to try to convince the Arcanatrix. At the end, I get to decide whether or not she's siding with you, or with the Night Queen."

I blinked. So much for the kind of roleplaying Monica seemed to like. I wondered if this was what Monica had imagined this woman would be doing. "Uh, okay. How should I do that?"

The woman shrugged. "To be honest? I'm not really sure you can. Monica made it sound like she's beaten you all once before. It seems like the Arcanatrix would be pretty foolish to side with you."

"I mean, the Night Queen beat my friends the last time, yeah... but they didn't have my help."

She arched an eyebrow. "Monica made it sound like your character is practically on the Night Queen's team as-is, though."

I ran a hand through my hair. "T-that's not true! She's just... clever. She's orchestrated all these scenarios where... well, never mind." I paused, and then, thinking of the last few sessions, my face heated, and I added, "And she's persuasive. It's... confusing."

The woman laughed, softly. "Aptly put. Monica is both clever and very persuasive. All the more reason for the Arcanatrix to side with the Night Queen, isn't it?"

"No, you..." I realized something. "Okay, back up. What's your name?"

The woman opened her mouth, then closed it and broke into a grin. "You know, this is almost more fun if you don't know. And Monica probably wouldn't want me to tell you. Maybe you should just address me as the Arcanatrix. Or Ravenna. Either's fine."

"Fine. Ravenna." I paused, trying to decide what to say. "Don't you want to do the right thing? Don't you want the heroes to win? Good to defeat evil?"

"Sure, generally speaking. But this isn't real, is it? It's a game, or a story, or whatever. Sometimes evil wins, and I think more than anything, Ravenna would want to be on the winning team. I'm role-playing." She smiled broadly.

"Yeah, but..." I trailed off, frustrated. "Okay. Look. We're going to be winning team here. The four of us have never confronted the Night Queen together. We've got other allies. It'll be you and the Night Queen against a lot of others."

The smile played across her lips again. "Chris, come on. Monica's told me all about how she -- oh, wait a sec, you won't want to miss this..."

She cut off as Monica stood up from the table. We hadn't been paying attention to their conversation, but it was clearly drawing to a close., and Monica looked smug.

"Look, I see what you're going for, Monica..." Liz was saying, clearly frustrated.

"Well, see if you can come up with a different solution. I'll be back in a little bit; maybe you'll come up with something creative." Monica looked smug. "But suit yourself. I've got to check on Mike, he's been waiting the longest, now."

Monica walked off camera. Behind her, Liz flipped her off.

"And now the fun is beginning," the woman next to me murmured, leaning forward.

---

We both watched as Monica moved into the frame of the video feed Mike was on. She stood in front of him; Mike was seated on the edge of the bed. I switched the audio to that feed.

Monica was wearing the Consigliere's mask again, and wasted no time.

"Meldrin," she spoke, in the oddly unemotive voice of the Consigliere.

"I, uh..." Mike's eyes were on Monica's body, but he pulled himself together after a moment, shifting to his Meldrin voice. "I have returned and will challenge for control of the sanctum."

Monica studied him for a moment, odd, expressionless.

"You will fail," she said, in the flat tones of the Consigliere. "Just like you would have last time. You are still not ready."

"No," Meldrin protested. "I have grown stronger."

"You harbor the same weaknesses," she noted, blandly. "The same fixations. I see the way you still stare..." as she spoke, Monica brought her hands up. Her back was to the camera, but we could see that she was caressing her chest through the latex.

And Mike was staring, transfixed. I knew the feeling, I thought jealously.

"And your secret shame, Meldrin... have you mastered it, yet? Your insecurity?"

"I... I've been... trying," he muttered.

"Perhaps you have, but you still aren't in control of your feelings," she stated. "I can see it in your eyes."

"I have! It'll be different this time," he protested. He lowered his voice and said, a little embarrassed, "It doesn't... turn me on, like it used to."

"Will it be different?" The Consigliere's voice was soft, now. "If I started talking about your little cock? Somehow I doubt that."

I blinked in surprise.

Mike made a small sound of protest, but it was halfhearted. He was still looking up at Monica.

The Consigliere's voice was still expressionless, soft, but had an odd intensity was in it, now. "If I told you how I control that little dick, how it's mine to play with... that wouldn't turn you on? It would. I see how easily you would lose control, for me."

Mike didn't say anything, this time. But shame and arousal was written all over his face.

The Consigliere's voice went flat once again. "But you must attempt the trial nonetheless. You agreed."

Mike nodded. He looked embarrassed, perhaps resigned.

"So: prepare yourself. I shall return shortly for the trial." Monica turned, and left.

Mike closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

---

I was silent, trying to process what I'd just seen. I was feeling a lot less jealous of Mike, now, and a lot more pitying.

"Oh my god, that turned you on," Ravenna murmured. She was staring at my crotch.

I had gotten pretty hard, I realized, with a flush of shame. "I-I mean, it was kind of hot, but that doesn't--"

She laughed, richly, picking up our previous conversational thread. "Monica has you and Mike both wrapped around her finger. There's no way you're going to beat the Night Queen."

"Look, we're all good friends, if the four of us work together, we can--"

She cut me off. "Maybe, if you work together. But you won't, will you? You're rock hard watching her tease your friend. I bet you all haven't talked about this at all, have you? What Monica's doing? Probably too embarrassed to bring it up with each other directly. That just means she's going to play you off each other in the final confrontation, you know."

She was right. It was, admittedly, hard to argue with that. "Maybe she's got Mike and I wrapped around her finger, yeah, but the girls..." I trailed off, lamely, at the smile that played across her lips again.

"Maybe they're not wrapped around her finger, but trust me, she's playing them like fiddles too."

Clearly she knew something I didn't.

She looked back at the screen, down to my crotch, then snapped her fingers. "I've decided how I'm going to choose whether Ravenna sides with you or the Night Queen."

"How?"

"We'll play a little game. I'll tease you while you're in here. If you want Ravenna to side with you, all you have to do is get someone else to finish you off during this session. But if I finish you... or even if you don't finish... well, then Ravenna is siding with the Night Queen. It'll be proof that there's no way that you and your friends can figure this out."

She was silent for a moment, watching me process that. "And unlike your friends, Monica and I do know how to work together, by the way. You all won't stand a chance."

Sadly, I could believe that. "C'mon, that's not fair..."

But Ravenna just shook her head. "How is it not fair? In a way, I'm helping you out, pushing you to actually discuss this with your friends.

I rolled my eyes.

But she stood firm. "I've made my decision. Look, all you have to do is open that door, head out into Monica's living room, and ask Erin for some help. Easy peasy. Although it doesn't even have to be Erin; if you think Mike would do it for you, that'll count too. Just anyone else besides me."

I don't know what expression was on my face, but she laughed again, that rich sound. "I mean, you're all so good at working together, this should be no problem for you. At any rate, enough talking about this. You want to convince me? That's how. Now, I'm supposed to play a little video for Erin. I just have to find the right one. God, Monica made me record so many. Let's see... only Enna at the -- what did she call it? -- the Grand Lock... aha, this one..."

She pulled out her phone, fiddling with it for a long moment before putting it away. I turned my attention to the feed with Erin on it.

---

The TV on the table flared to life, startling Erin and whipping her attention it. It was Ravenna's face again.

"Well, well. Dear Enna, stuck alone, outside. And nobody left to kiss to get inside..."

Erin scoffed. She didn't seem to like the odd structure of this session much better than Liz did.

"You can't impress me with your performance in this trial if you aren't even inside, Enna." Ravenna's aristocratic voice on the video was amused, taunting.

"I'm not much for the roleplaying, but I'm really proud of that line, I sound like such an arsehole," Ravenna murmured, in my ear. I felt her hand drift down to palm my cock through my pants. I didn't pull away, but I tried to ignore her, my mind racing, trying to think of some way to get someone else to finish me off without making it really weird.

The video continued to play, Ravenna speaking again. "But I'm magnanimous. I'm going to offer you another path to get inside the sanctum. Look under the table."

Hesitantly, Erin glanced under the table. Slowly, she pulled out a small, black nylon bag, setting it on the table and opening it.

Erin pulled out a grey dildo. It was massive, and the kind that was made with a suction cup at the base, to attach it to an object. She stared at its thick length.

On the video, Ravenna said, "Now. I remember the last time you were here, the story you told to get entry about your first time, Enna's preferences with regards to size..." Even on the video feed, I could see Erin's face redden. "... I think the Grand Lock got the size right."

There was a long pause, and she finished, "Get this inside you, and the Lock will let you inside. Unless you're not up to the task, Enna."

---

I watched Erin who was sitting in silence, staring at the dildo, a strange look on her face.

"You're getting more turned on," Ravenna murmured. She'd been palming me through my pants this whole time, and now she was undoing the laces. "Maybe you do want to help the Night Queen. Maybe you like Monica dominating you and all your friends."

My mind was reeling. I didn't know what to think. I was, undeniably, rock hard. This was hot.

But it was also messing with my friends. Messing with me.

I did, however, want to see what Erin was going to do. Whether I'd get to watch her fuck that big dildo. Maybe she'd have an orgasm. The number of times I'd fantasized about that, how she'd look when...

I let out a moan as Ravenna's hand freed me, and stroked down my length. "Oh, my. You're leaking everywhere."

And then I realized that Monica was back in the room with Liz. She had been, for some time; I'd just been unable to tear my eyes off Erin and that dildo. I clicked on Liz's video stream, flipping the audio over. Liz was talking, her voice, tight.

"Fine, I get it, there aren't any traps to disarm. What does the inscription on the plaque say again?"

Monica's smiled. "It reads, sheathing the spear tames even the most savage of beasts; pleasure leads to escape and reward."

Liz said, carefully, "And the statue of this minotaur is... holding a greatspear?"

Monica nodded. "Right. The greatspear is raised, like it's going to bring it crashing down on whatever it's fighting. It's got an impressive set of horns, and an impressive, uh..." Monica trailed off, as if she was a little hesitant to say it.

Which I found hard to believe. She must be doing it for effect.

"Dick," Liz said, blandly. "I get it, yeah. Huge impressive horns, huge impressive dick. Uh... does this greatspear look... like part of the statue? Like it's not a separate weapon the statue's holding, it's also made of stone or whatever?"

Monica nodded. "Yeah, it all looks like it's hewn from one piece of stone."

Liz considered. "If she climbed up the statue and then up the length of the spear, could Lucia make it to the opening?"

Monica shook her head. "The way the spear is angled right now, it's more back, behind the minotaur, than it is up, above the minotaur. Doesn't get you enough additional height."

Liz sighed, pinching her brow again. "Okay. I see where this is heading, we can just skip right to it, Monica. You just want to hear me tell you how Lucia goes down on this minotaur statue, huh? This is so obvious it's stupid."

Monica shrugged. "Don't be mad at me because you missed the botany solution last time you were in the sanctum and can't think of another one this time. It's up to you how you want to try to resolve the situation."

Liz shook her head. "Fine. Describe the statue's anatomy."

With a grin, Monica reached under the table and pulled out another dildo. It looked like the same model as the one Erin was considering: grey, thick, a suction base.

"I mean, it looks pretty much like this. Why don't you show me." Monica set it on the table.

Liz sighed. "What a surprise that you brought a prop tailored for precisely this situation. Monica, do you ever get tired of--"

Monica cut her off -- a conversational gambit that I recognized, having been on the receiving end of it more than once. "Look, Liz. Maybe you just don't think Lucia could handle it. I mean, it might not be in character for her. Take a few minutes and see if you think of something else. I'll go see what Mike or Erin are--"

But as she was talking, a competitive glint had formed in Liz's eye that I also recognized.

I'd seen it dozens of times before. Mostly with video games, when some guy assumed she wasn't going to be good at them because she was a girl.

It was the look she got when she thought someone was underestimating her, and she was about to prove them wrong just as a fuck-you.

"Shut up, Monica." Liz took a deep breath, eyed the dildo.

Then in Lucia's smoky voice, looking up at Monica, she said, "Alright, big boy. Let's see if we can't tame the beast."

And Liz picked up the dildo.

---

I stared, openmouthed at the screen. My eyes were flicking between Liz and Erin -- each of whom were looking at the dildo in front of them with a determined look.

"See what I mean? Maybe not wrapped around her finger, but... I don't think the four of you can beat the Night Queen," Ravenna whispered. She was stroking me in earnest now, not just fondling me languidly, but pumping up and down my shaft.

"I-I can't believe Liz is going to..." It felt like the world had gone slightly insane, that I'd lost track of the people I knew, who they were.

Between the handjob I was getting and the scene playing out before me, I trailed off into silence. As we watched, Liz -- keeping eye contact with Monica the whole time -- took an impressive amount of the dildo's length in her mouth.

"F-fuck..." It was all I could say. My cock throbbed in Ravenna's hand at the sight.

"Do you really not believe it? I mean, they've been playing with Monica for months. She's had a long time to work on them, to tease them... and look at you, after only a few sessions. So turned on watching her play with your friends... I can feel you twitching in my hand while your friend sucks that dildo..." Ravenna's voice was amused.

I was so turned on. I tried to think, tried to make sense of the situation, but the reality was that Liz, doing this, while Ravenna jerked me off, made it impossible to think. Clever, sarcastic Liz, my friend... clearly really knew what she was doing.

"As Lucia takes the minotaur's thick length into her mouth, there's an odd sense of movement, a stir in the air," Monica intoned, eyes on Liz. "But you get the sense that you haven't really sheathed the entire... weapon... yet."

Liz made a sound that was half frustrated growl, half resigned groan. She pushed the dildo further into her mouth.

My pulse was racing. I let out a little grunt at the sight of Liz -- whose eyes were watering -- practically choking herself on the dildo. Ravenna's hand on my cock, slowly pumping as I watched, was exquisite. I was getting close to cumming.

"It doesn't matter anyway," Ravenna murmured. "Even if all of you did somehow work together to stop Monica, I don't think you can stop both of us... and if how hard you feel in my hand is any indication, you'd better go ask Erin or someone to finish you off now soon, or you will be working to stop both of us."

Erin. I glanced over at her video feed just in time to see her pick up the dildo, too, that determination still on her face.

Jesus. I watched, frozen, as she slid it between her thighs.

"Here, let me..." Ravenna murmured. She reached up with her free hand, clicked so that Erin's audio would come through.

The angle was such that we couldn't see what Erin was doing, exactly -- her dress and the table blocked some of the view.

But it was clear what was happening, and the series of shaky breaths she took came through the laptop's audio. So did the whispered, bitter, "Monica doesn't think I'll do it. But I'll show her."

So did the moan, that came next. Part arousal, part overwhelmed panic.

"Fuck, it's thick," Erin whimpered to herself, breathing hard. "I can do this, I can..."

"See what I mean? She's got all of you doing exactly what she wants..." Ravenna's hand continued to pump me, but slower, now. Dimly, I realized I probably would've cum if she hadn't slowed down; she was probably edging me on purpose.

Most of my attention was focused elsewhere. My gaze was flicking back and forth between Liz and Erin.

Erin had closed her eyes; we still couldn't see exactly what she was doing, but both her arms were down under the edge of the table, and she was moving slightly; perhaps fantasizing, trying to get herself turned on more, to make this easier.

Liz, on the other hand, had backed off, was wiping her mouth, breathing hard. Monica said something -- but since we had selected Erin's audio, we couldn't hear what -- and Liz responded, a frustrated look on her face.

"I wonder if they'll both fail," Ravenna murmured, resuming her stroking. "If they'll--"

"Oh, Chris..." Erin moaned my name, sending a jolt of arousal straight to my cock.

She was obviously working herself up to another attempt to get the dildo inside her. "A-ah -- fuck --"

And I was the fantasy she'd picked to help get herself turned on.

Oh god. I could feel my breathing accelerate, feel myself on the brink of an orgasm again.

Ravenna gasped in mock surprise, pulling her hand away. "Oh, my. I'm happy to keep going, but are you sure you don't want to go out there and see if you can help each other out?"

"I-I, uh..." I considered doing just that. Staring at the screen, the look on Erin's face, how turned on I was -- I almost did.

But what would I say when I opened the door? Hey, Monica set up video cameras so I was watching you, and it sounded like you wanted my help? Her friend was jerking me off in the next room so I'm really turned on too, maybe I should just fuck you on the dining room table?

The indecision went on for another moment and then Erin let out a frustrated, despairing sigh, and stood up, taking the dildo over to Monica's sink. We heard the sound of running water.

"Aw, too bad. Sounds like she's given up... it'd be kind of awkward if you showed up now..." Ravenna murmured. Her hand went back to my length, she began toying with me.

I glanced at the feed from where Liz and Monica were. Clicked the audio over.

Just in time to hear Liz make a muffled mmmfph, followed by a near-gagging sound, as she slid the entire length of the dildo in her mouth. Her eyes were watering, but her gaze was locked on Monica, and you could see the triumph in her eyes.

"Goodness gracious," Ravenna whispered, in my ear. "Did you know your friend could do that?"

I shook my head, watching the screen. It was all too easy to imagine what it'd feel like to have Liz doing that to my cock. Especially with Ravenna's hand, going up and down my length.

Monica gave a slow, amused clap. "Well, well. That's quite a surprise. Isn't Lucia talented."

Liz's face was bright red as she pulled the length out of her mouth with a gasp, but she was smug, now. "Jealousy doesn't suit you, Monica."

Monica's lips thinned. "Please," she scoffed. "Now. As Lucia pulls herself off of the minotaur's member, two things happen at once. First, there's a rumble, some kind of hidden mechanism in the statue, and the spear rises above its head. For a moment, you think it'll come crashing down on you -- but instead, it stops, raised at just the right angle for a skilled acrobat like you to climb up to the escape. Second, the ruby embedded in its forehead breaks free, with a crack. Lucia has just enough wherewithal to snatch it out of the air. You'll need to take a closer look at it, but it's clearly magical...."

I stopped listening. Ravenna started jacking me off quickly again, and I leaned back with a groan. She was talented, and it wasn't going to take much longer for me to cum, not with this kind of visual stimulation.

But she slowed again, after a moment. "Has Liz ever gone down on you?" Her voice was curious. "She hasn't, has she? No what-if-we-were-something-more talk to test the water? No have-you-ever-thought-about as teenagers?"

I shook my head. "None of us have..."

Ravenna shook her head, wryly, almost pitying. "You're a mess, Chris. A twitchy, leaking mess. But more than that, this game seems like it's an emotional mess for you. And your friends."

I had to agree.

"Now..." she whispered the words out. "I'm going to finish you off while you watch whatever Monica is about to do with Mike. And then -- when you all assault the Night Queen -- I'm going to be helping Monica toy with all of you."

I couldn't argue with that.

---

Monica headed to Mike's room. I swapped the audio over, trying to think of a way to convince Ravenna to side with us.

And then, innocuously, my phone pinged.

Ravenna looked at it, curiously. So did I. I almost never had the audible notifications on.

And then I remembered why I had turned the sound on.

I reached over to where I had set it down and pulled up my email. Sure enough, there was a note from the secret admirer.

---

Subj: We're going to turn the tables on her

I've had enough of Monica playing with us. Next session we're getting some revenge. Pre-session party planning next Friday, the week before next session. I'll come by your place at 5pm. Clear your calendar.

-- your secret admirer

---

Ravenna, peering over my shoulder, said, "Your secret admirer? Oooh. The plot thickens. But who is it?"

Suddenly, I was barely paying attention to her.

Monica was saying something to Mike, but I wasn't paying attention to that, either.

I was frantically looking at the video feeds of Erin and Liz, trying to figure out which one of them had sent that email.

There was only one problem: they were both on their phones. Both bent over, looking down at the screens, which of course I couldn't see. Both looked frustrated, annoyed, both behaving like they could've sent that kind of terse email.

I let out an annoyed growl. Fuck.

"No help there I guess, huh? Who do you hope it is?" Ravenna asked. "Liz, or Erin?"

I didn't know the answer to that, either.

And my attention was torn back when Monica spoke again. She was standing to one side of Mike, who was still sitting on the bed, looking up at her.

"Ravenna lasted eight minutes to become the Arcanatrix and wrest control of the sanctum from its previous owner. You'll need to last longer than that to become its new master. Its first master, actually. Are you ready to begin?" she said, in the Consigliere's expressionless tones.

Mike nodded.

I glanced at Ravenna, surprised. Her luscious lips curved up in a smile. "I bet you would've liked to see those eight minutes, huh? Your friend Mike doesn't stand a chance lasting that long."

She was right.

But a series of thoughts had occurred to me.

I realized, suddenly, that I desperately, badly wanted to turn the tables on Monica. Wanted to beat her at this, show her that my friends and I could outsmart her, beat her at her little game.

That started with getting the Arcanatrix as an ally. It was all too easy to imagine how with Ravenna helping Monica, we wouldn't stand a chance.

And I had an idea; a way to win the Arcanatrix's little test.

Unfortunately, it now relied entirely on what Mike would do. I was watching the video feed carefully.

"Very well," the Consigliere said. "We begin now."

Mike swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing.

"You aren't ready, though," the Consigliere stated, flatly. "You're already hard. You've gotten hard just from sitting here thinking about this. Thinking about what I'll say, what I'll do. The arousal is clear, flowing off you in waves as you look at my form. I'm not even human. But you don't care, do you? That's how little control you have over your own mind."

She paused, and then in that same toneless voice, ordered, "Get it out, Meldrin."

Mike did. He slowly undid the robe, revealing his cock. It was throbbing, so red and tight it looked almost painful.

The Consigliere's lips curved up into a smile. "So small, but so hard."

I had figured that was how this was going to go, but I winced nonetheless. It was on the small side, a bit thin and stubby.

"I-I cast Iron Mind," Mike said. I could hear in his voice something I'd never really heard before: a frantic, barely restrained embarrassment.

"No, you don't. The party didn't rest beforehand, and you failed your check. You can't cast any spells that require concentration." Monica's voice was casual, dismissive, and her smile when she finished speaking was catlike. "But you knew that, didn't you, Mike? You were just hoping I'd forget."

"Fuck," Mike said, under his breath.

"It is small," Monica said, shifting back to the Consigliere's voice. "Considerably below average, for humans."

Mike's face was beet red.

"Certainly less pleasurable for women," she noted, blandly. "Less stimulating."

"Yeah, I know it's small," Mike muttered. I saw him take a deep breath, trying to steady himself.

"But it being small isn't what has you so embarrassed, is it, Meldrin?" The Consigliere cocked her head.

Mike froze. He was staring at the Consigliere, a kind of aroused horror on his face.

"No, what has you so embarrassed is how much like hearing me talk about how small it is." The voice was curious, now.

Mike didn't respond. The Consigliere knelt in front of him, close.

"Human minds are strange, curious instruments, aren't they? It's turning you on more, even though it's humiliating for you. The more I talk about how inadequate your little cock is, the less in control you feel..." The Consigliere's voice had an odd, academic detatchment, like she was describing the sexual appetites of a strange animal species.

Mike was obviously breathing hard. The tip of his cock was glistening, now.

The Consigliere hadn't even touched him. Was inspecting him from inches away.

"Maybe I should tell you about your companions. Their preferences, their anatomy. Would you like that, Meldrin?"

He hesitated, but then he nodded, his face a mix of aroused enthusiasm and shame.

"Told you," Ravenna whispered in my ear. "Monica's going to make it harder for you all to work together. She's about to drive a wedge between you all."

"What do you want to hear about? How Lucia can handle a much thicker, longer length than yours? What Enna prefers? Or maybe you'd like to know how much bigger Cedwin is..."

Mike just let out a grunt, staring down at her, transfixed.

Ravenna gave me another pump with her hand. I was so turned on. I tried to think, to come up with some kind of plan. She had slowed down, was clearly edging me, keeping me close but not finishing me off.

The Consigliere continued, "He's much bigger, Meldrin. Thick. His cock would make women very happy. But yours..."

Mike made an aroused, whimpering sound. His cock was twitching so much it was visible on the camera.

"It's just too small. I mean, if I put it between my tits right now... I wouldn't even have to unzip this top, I'd make it disappear..."

She leaned forward, even closer, her tits just an inch away. "And I bet the moment it disappears, you'll lose control, Meldrin. You can't control your little dick, of course you can't control the sanctum..."

"Ah, fuck, wait... I--I call upon the strength of the grove," Mike said. You could hear the shame in his voice.

Monica hadn't even touched him, yet.

But I was elated. This was the chance I was hoping for.

Monica stood up immediately, surprised but smug. "Very well, I'll be right back." She made eye contact with the camera, briefly, on her way out.

"What's that? The strength of the grove? Why is she leaving?" Ravenna's voice was sharp.

I picked my next words carefully. I didn't know how Ravenna would react, and the more time I bought myself, the better off I'd be. "Uh, Mike's character and I completed this ceremony, where we--"

She rolled her eyes, despairingly, and interrupted me. "Spare me your little gaming story and tell me what it means."

"He can call on the bond between our characters. It buys him a reprieve, but..."

"But Monica's coming here to work on you for a bit instead." Ravenna's voice was appreciative. "And she might finish you off, I take it? I've gotten you very close after all. If she finishes you, you'll have won my support. Clever, Chris."

I mustered all the wherewithal I had and just met her gaze, levely. "The secret admirer. Our bonds. This is the stuff I'm talking about. My friends and I can do this. You'll want to be on our team, not the Night Queen's."

"Mmm. Well, I'll honor the terms, if that's what happens." She gave me a wicked smile, licked her lips. "But she's not here yet, is she?"

I opened my mouth to respond. I wanted to stall her a bit more, if I was honest. But I found my gaze locked on her mouth.

She pursed her pillowy lips together, in a mockery of blowing me a kiss, and then whispered, "Think of Liz, if you like. I don't mind."

With an enthusiastic moan, Ravenna lowered her mouth to my lap, wrapping her lips around my cock.

The next thirty seconds were some of the longest of my life.

She was extraordinarily talented, could take so much of me -- more than Monica had when she'd been playing Diphylla, the dryad. More than any of my ex-girlfriends. It made it impossible not to think of Liz, bottoming out that dildo, how her brown eyes might water, looking up at me, mouth stuffed full of my cock...

One of Ravenna's hands wrapped around my balls, massaging gently. The other found its way up under my shirt, went to my abdomen, stroking down the length of my body.

She'd been pumping my cock, on and off, stroking and teasing it, for more than an hour. I'd been watching my friends in all manner of compromising and sexual situations.

I was, in short, on edge.

I fought to keep control of myself, glancing at the video monitors. Monica had stopped to exchange words with Liz, who looked annoyed. She moved out of frame, headed back towards her own apartment.

I could feel the orgasm rising. I fought to keep control of myself, tried to re-route my thoughts. Liz's frustration, how pissed off she was.

My eyes flicked over to the next place Monica would appear: the video feed with Erin, who was looking forlorn and a little vulnerable. I stared at her, committing her dejected body language to memory, focusing on trying to last longer.

As if she realized who I was looking at, Ravenna pulled her mouth off of me long enough to whisper, "Erin would be so tight around this cock, Chris. Remember the sounds she made trying to take that dildo?" She engulfed my length once more, bobbing on it with abandon.

I moaned. She was working me in earnest. I knew she was doing her level best to make me cum.

And this would make me cum. There was no question about it. The only question was whether it would make me cum in ten seconds, or in twenty, or...

I heard the door to Monica's apartment open. Monica appeared, said something to Erin. Erin responded without making eye contact.

Ravenna was moaning, too, as she worked me. It was hot. I stared down at her, lips lasciviously working my shaft, the feel of her tongue and throat caressing me...

I was on the verge of losing control. The only thing that was slowing down the orgasm crashing towards me was the thought of Mike, ashamed and embarrassed. My friends, who had -- whatever game mechanics it had been couched in -- put his pride aside, to call on me for help when he need it.

I was just starting to think I wouldn't last long enough, to curse how fucking slowly Monica seemed to be moving, when the door to the room opened, and Ravenna pulled herself off me, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. She gave me a long, languid look... but there was some respect there, now.

"Hi, you two," Monica said, cheerfully. "Enjoying the show?"

I wondered what Ravenna would say. If she'd explain the situation to Monica.

But she didn't. "Mmm." Ravenna made an odd, unreadable sound.

"Has Chris been boring you?" Monica's gaze swept from Ravenna, to my cock, back to Ravenna, curious.

"No, he's been very interesting to play with, just like you said he would be." Ravenna stepped away. "I was just about to finish him, but..." her eyes flicked from me to Monica. "Perhaps you'd like to do the honors, since his friend called for aid?"

I tried to stifle my sigh of relief.

"I'd be very happy to." Monica knelt in front of me, making eye contact. She was still wearing the Consigliere mask. "Having a good session, Chris?"

"It's, uh... been complicated," I admitted.

"Has it?" She was amused. "Which part have you liked best?"

She reached out as she spoke and ran a finger along the length of my cock. I shuddered. I had gotten so close already. This wasn't going to take long.

"Personally," she whispered, "My favorite part was when Erin decided Enna should hold on to your cock to get inside the Grand Lock. How unexpectedly direct of her. I'm going to remember that for next session..." Monica shifted, going from a finger stroking me to a hand wrapped around me, pumping.

"Although," she mused, "I did like watching Liz suck that dildo... who knew she could deepthroat like that? What a naughty girl, I'm going to remember that for our finale too..." Monica was pumping me quickly, now, no pretense here.

"But," she said, with a wanton sigh, "If I'm honest, Cedwin and Meldrin are my favorite characters this campaign. Both so insistent that they can control their urges..." as she spoke, she leaned forward, bringing the head of my cock to her cleavage, nestling it between her exposed breasts as she continued to pump the shaft.

I was grateful that, for once, I wasn't trying to hold back. That now there wasn't a reason to.

Because if there had been, I wouldn't have been able to stop myself, to stop the orgasm was rushing towards me, that I could feel roiling up out of my balls whether I wanted it or not.

"... But both of you so unable to do so. I wonder," she said, dark eyes on mine, "whether you'll really be able to side with them against the Night Queen. If she offers herself to you again, will you really say no, just so Cedwin can side with his friends?"

That was the question, wasn't it? What it came down to, for each of us, when the pretenses of characters and the game stripped away.

I didn't know the answer, but it was a question for another day.

With a groan, my cock started jerking and spasming, spraying a load up her collarbone and neck. She tilted her chin away, making sure none got on the Consigliere mask. Her tits were expansive enough to provide plenty of area for me to coat as she coaxed a the load out of me.

As I came, coating her chest and neck, my eyes drifted over to Ravenna. She gave me a slight, imperceptible nod of acknowledgement.

I'd won her as an ally.

---

Monica cleaned up and left so rapidly it made my head spin. I knew she wanted to get back to Mike, finish him off too.

I turned to look at the screen, but the moment she was out of the room, Ravenna shut the laptop. I looked at her, a little crestfallen.

She scoffed. "Please. We both know how that's going to go, it'll just distract you, and we've only got a minute or two before you'll need to go back out to wrap up the session, and I..." she sighed, melodramatically, "Will need to go back under the bed, like some kind of confused troll. So, focus."

I tried to pull myself together, turned to face her instead of the laptop screen. "Yeah, fair enough, Ravenna."

"Since we're allies, now, my actual name is Fiona. Give me your phone, I'll give you my number." I handed her my phone.

As she put the number in, she said, "Now. Look, you won the wager. Very clever. Mike even had the good sense to call on you for help. Maybe you and your friends can do it, after all." She rubbed her hands together a little gleefully.

"Thanks, Fiona." I felt a tremendous amount of gratitude. The stakes in this game of D&D suddenly felt quite high. We'd need all the help we could get, I knew.

She waved it off. "If I'm honest, siding with you all seems like it's the more fun choice now, anyway. So here's what I'm going to do. I'll tell Monica that you weren't able to convince me. That gives us the best chance of beating the Night Queen. I'll turn on her at the moment that seems most opportune. Text me during the session if we need to be in touch."

I stared at her, impressed. The woman had a sense for dramatic irony. I barked out a short laugh. "Jesus. This is a DM's worst nightmare. You're terrifying. Remind me never to run a game for you."

"Are you sure? If you were running, I might play in it, and I thought we had fun playing today..." She winked at me. "You had better clean yourself up. See you next session."

I worked quickly to clean myself up, and before too long, Monica cracked the door. "Chris? We're basically wrapped up, but we're all gathering in the living room."

---

The elation I felt at the prospect of pulling one over on Monica was tempered by the expressions on everyone's faces as we went around the room, each of us -- vague as could possibly be -- describing what had happened. I was only half-listening, paying more attention to expressions and body language.

After all, I'd heard and watched most of what had happened.

Liz told us how she'd bested some kind of trap, now had some kind of transformation or summoning gem or something. But she was frustrated, pissed off.

Erin told us how she'd tried to get inside but had failed. She was subdued, a little sullen.

Mike told us how he'd tried to take control of the sanctum, and had failed that too. He was embarrassed, ashamed.

When my turn came, I simply said that the Arcanatrix had appeared to me, tested me, and then told me that we'd failed. That she'd be helping the Night Queen.

That got some curious looks, but everybody's descriptions had been light on details. And I think everyone was dwelling on their own particular test from the session.

I desperately wanted to bolster everyone's spirits, tell them how Ravenna was actually on our team, but I didn't want to give anything away. Not in front of Monica.

Monica was clearly doing her best not to rub it in. She adopted a consoling tone, full of little aphorisms. Not every potential ally is an ally in practice. Sometimes it's darkest before the dawn. We had the dryads and the Daughter of Blades on our side; they would have to be enough.

But this was the first time it felt like as a group, we had well and truly failed. We were oddly subdued as we finished the session and filtered out of her apartment.

There was one more thing I did before I started driving home. An email I needed to send.

---

Re: Subj: We're going to turn the tables on her

Hell yes. We've got a lot to talk about.

The Night Queen is going down. No pun intended.

And, by the way: I'm looking forward to finally meeting you.

Chris