Phaedra froze in mid step. She could smell it. Blood.

  However, the few guards she saw in the halls didn’t seem to notice, or mind. She sniffed the air a bit more and sighed. The smell of sweat and wet fur, and some of the blood smelled oddly… sweet. No wonder nobody looked concerned, that was her father’s and uncle’s blood.

  She soon heard the growls, grunts and thumps coming from the throne room. She paused outside it for a moment before engaging in one of her favorite pastimes ever since she was a little lamb. Eavesdropping. She motioned for the guard to leave.

  Once she was alone, she opened the door a crack to watch the two.

  “She’ll grow out of it before you know it,” Obsius said. He gave a light grunt, his right wing moving out to deflect one of Fenrir’s claws. A little blood was spilled, though from behind the door she couldn’t see which of the appendages it was from. Her father’s claws were deadly, but she’d seen those wings do quite a bit of damage.

  “Like her vocal struggles when she gets stressed?” Fenrir asked before fire formed in his hand and he sent it hurtling at his brother, the incubus narrowly moving aside and the flame instead turning one of the stone pillars to rubble.

  “It’s not quite the same thing,” Obsius said, paired blades of darkness forming in his hands. He slashed at Fenrir three times, the blades moving in perfect unison. Once from the left, then the right before finally coming down in a V. Her father wove around the first two strikes before lunging in and catching his brother’s wrists. He dove in, biting down deep on his shoulder. “Agh!” Obsius’ wings shifted their form, becoming like blades before closing in around Fenrir. He released his bite, but not before one of the wings managed to slash into his side and send more blood across the ground.

  Phaedra couldn’t help but wonder if this would be the time one of them FINALLY killed each other. She found it unlikely. She could still remember the first time she’d seen them fighting like this.

  ------

  “T-there’s s-s-so much blood,” Phaedra had said, staring up at the two of them. “W-why are you two fighting?”

  “It is what brothers do,” Fenrir had said, his right eye temporarily sealed shut and a jagged slash down his face.

  “W-what if he kills y-you?” Phaedra asked.

  “Ha! Unlikely!” Fenrir said before giving a boisterous laugh.

  “D-daddy!” Phaedra had yelled, her wool poofing up in frustration.

  “Don’t worry, niece,” Obsius said in a soothing tone as he’d rubbed the shredded remains of his wing. “Should the day come that I finally manage to slay this eyesore, I will become the new Fenrir. Until the day you or one of my children slay me and take the name for yourselves.”

  “But… but…” Phaedra said, the tears welling up in her eyes. “I don’t… want to… b-be alone…”

  That had knocked the smile off both their faces. Fenrir had reached out and, gently, pet her head. It hadn’t scared her then, but then she hadn’t realized who she was. “My dear, sweet Phaedra. You will never be alone. Should the day come that Obsius takes my heart, I will live on in him. He will love you as I do.”

  “I don’t want y-you to go…” Phaedra had said, unable to stop herself from crying, though she’d prevented him from hugging her by expanding her wool around herself in a big poofy ball. “You’re both driving me crazy!”

  “She did it again,” Obsius said. “Speaking gibberish.”

  “It’s okay, my little Phaedra,” Fenrir said in as soothing a tone as a giant wolf could. “You’ll never be alone. I promise. Your daddy won’t lose to anybody but you.”

  “P-promise?” Phaedra asked, staring up at him.

  “I promise,” Fenrir said.

  “T-then I’m going to be the second s-strongest in the world,” Phaedra said, slowly wiping her eyes.

  “Only second strongest?” Fenrir asked. “Then--”

  “S-so nobody can beat you and you’ll be around forever!” Phaedra said defiantly.

  Obsius gave a light chuckle and shook his head. “You know, when she says things like that, I almost wish I had found Hildr first. Half my children are already scheming about how to get my head, and the other half are training to fight me for it.”

  “What can I say? She has her mother’s spirit,” Fenrir said with a chuckle. “She’ll make a good Fenrir one day.”

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

  ------

  “She used to look at me like I was her hero,” Fenrir said before dropping down to all fours and charging at Obsius. “Now? Half the time she acts like she’s terrified of me.”

  Obsius disappeared, appearing across the throne room and moving so a pillar was between the two. “Perhaps she is attempting to lower your guard, to strike when you are vulnerable? She is part sheep; striking at such a moment would be ideal.”

  Fenrir charged through the pillar, shattering it. “If only, she -- AGHHH!” Electricity enveloped him when he ran into Obsius’ trap. However, he threw his arms out and spikes of stone rose up, piercing the two crystal orbs that were making the electricity. “She hasn’t even attempted to lay claim to any territory of her own. That dragon was the first thing she’s actually argued with me over since her return. But now she’s letting the thing damage her room!”

  “Perhaps it will do her good,” Obsius said before lifting his hands and forming a black spear of darkness, then hurtling it at Fenrir. “Allowing her to face one who isn’t coddling her constantly.”

  Fenrir growled and reached out a claw, snagging the spear from the air and crushing it. “Are you saying I’m too soft on her?” He then leaped forward.

  Obsius smirked and started to pull away. However, his eyes went wide and his features contorted in alarm. His feet were wrapped in stone, trapping him there. A moment later Fenrir was on him, tackling him to the ground and lifting his claws up. “I yield!” Obsius yelled. “And probably a bit.”

  Fenrir gave a light chuckle as he stood up, holding out a hand.

  Phaedra sighed before shoving the door open. The resounding crash made them both look over. If he wanted to have her claim territory, then she supposed she’d make his dream come true. She knew exactly how to do it, too. Especially now. She glanced to her uncle. It was a bit dirty, but she supposed it was his own fault for fighting her father and tiring himself out. Besides, she knew he’d never fight her for real. “Uncle Obby -- I mean, Obsius,” Phaedra said, clenching her fists tightly.

  “Phaedra?” he asked, staring at her.

  “I challenge you for the right of conquest,” Phaedra said.

  Fenrir paused for a moment, looking between the two. He then gave a small chuckle before moving back. Obsius gave a small smirk and nodded. “Oh? I see. Now what, I wonder, brings this on? Don’t you think you’re aiming a little high, my dear little niece?” he asked, reaching out to gently ruffle her hair. “Though it would break my heart to have to make you cry.”

  Phaedra’s cheeks went red and she reached up, knocking his hand aside. “No. I’m being greedy,” she said. “I have the dragon, now I want her territory. Her people, her lands. I want all of it.”

  That made the smile fall off his face. He gently shook his head. “Ah. I see. Well, my dear little niece. I would love to give them to you. But you see, that is not my territory.”

  “W-what?” Phaedra said. “I-it’s not? Why not? You captured Yr-- the dragon! You have the dragon, shouldn’t you get the loot?”

  “What?” Obsius asked, confusion on his face again. “Niece, you’re speaking gibberish again. Calm yourself.”

  Phaedra took a small, deep breath. “You captured her. Wouldn’t her territory be yours?”

  “I aided in her capture,” Obsius said. “But unfortunately, it’s held by a fox demon known as Carth. He doesn’t hold much, but he’s certainly a cunning thing. In fact, I believe--”

  “I’ve heard of him,” Phaedra said, barely able to suppress her wool from turning spiky. “So… if I want this territory…”

  “You’ll need to take it from him,” Obsius said, a small smile forming on his lips. “However, I do believe he has set his eyes on the name of Cerberus. Perhaps you and the general can--”

  “No,” Fenrir said.

  “No?” Obsius asked, glancing back to Fenrir.

  “If you desire this territory, Phaedra,” Fenrir said before turning to walk towards his throne. He sat on it, though a moment later the stone backrest collapsed to the ground. Like most of the stonework in the room. “You must take it for yourself. My generals will not aid you in this.”

  “I didn’t want their help anyway!” Phaedra said, standing up a little straighter and glaring up at him. “I can do this on my own. But I will be taking my new pet.”

  “As you wish,” Fenrir said before giving a low, throaty chuckle. “I’ll expect to hear good things about your conquests.”

  “As if you could hear anything else,” Phaedra said. She turned to leave the room, slamming the door behind herself.

  However, after a moment she leaned against it and listened.

  “Ohhhhh, she’s so adorable when she gets all angry and puffed up like that!” Fenrir said in a giddy, happy voice. “I just want to pinch her little chubby cheeks. She gets that from her mother, you know. I think she was even wearing her poofy amulet.”

  Obsius chuckled as well. “Ahhhh, your child’s first conquest. Is there any greater feeling for a parent? You’re not going to let her go on her own, are you? You saw how much she was shaking. Trying to act so tough. Just like little Jasmine when she first went off.”

  “Of course I did, but I trust her,” Fenrir said proudly. “She’s my little girl. I know she’ll make me proud. Did you see how adorable she was when she said she didn’t want help?”

  Phaedra pulled away, her cheeks going a little red. Well, it was good to know the person who had torn her limb from limb believed in her. Now if only she could get Yroth to believe in her like that.

  She was not looking forward to dealing with Carth, though. She’d heard of him from Gibs. Cunning, ruthless, weak but vicious. A true demon.

  Still, she was Fenrir’s daughter. Kind of. She was certain she could handle one little fox demon. And if she couldn’t? Well… all she had to do was get Yroth there and her people free.

  She’d figure out what to do afterwards.

  Phaedra waved her hand, once more opening the makeshift door to allow herself to step into her room, waving back to close it behind herself again. “I’m ba--”

  The words died in her throat when she saw the dragon wasn’t on her bed anymore. In fact, the dragon wasn’t anywhere. “No no no no--”

  A crash made her cringe and draw her eyes towards her closet, where the tip of the dragon’s tail sticking out.

  Oh. Good. She wasn’t free in the castle. Just going through all of her magic equipment. This was… slightly… less terrible. Even more of her stuff to destroy.

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