Can I get you anything to drink, anything at all?” I sounded just as wooden and hated myself for doing it. I just didn’t know what else to do. She...settled into the couch and I sat across from her in the armchair.“Nate, look, I just need to tell you this, and I need to get it all out. I also need you to promise not to laugh or anything, okay? Can you do that?”“I’m here, and I’m listening. I promise I won’t laugh unless you give me permission, okay?” The smile was forced, and crooked, but at. He seemed to have stopped crying, but the wet trails were still visible across his cheeks. Whack! Her crop hit Nigel across the thigh without warning, and Nigel gasped in pain. Whack! and he had a matching red welt across his other thigh. ‘Thank you, Mistress,’ he whispered. ‘You see, Nicki. Nigel knows he is lucky that I pay him any attention at all after his disgusting display. Ignoring him would be the worst punishment of all. Undo his hands, please.’ I did as I was asked, but Nigel still. “You.” The trembling was back, tenfold. She stared into my eyes, her own full of wonder, disbelief - and something else, something I couldn’t identify. I thought the world would explode when she reached out with a hand that trembled just as hard as mine and brushed a stray ringlet of hair from my face. I forgot to breathe. Where she touched my cheek, burning fire flared up and burned its way, all through my body, until it reached my heart. “Mrs. Henderson…” “Joanne.” My breath hitched, but at. She struggled to rise to her hands and knees, to free herself from the weight of the chair. Her long blonde hair was disheveled and covered her face, making it difficult to see. Shock at what had just happened, along with anger and rage began to rise in the Enchantress. She was just now beginning to free herself, and was already planning what type of revenge she would invoke, when she received a rude interruption. Suddenly, a cloud of vapor appeared in the center of her chambers. An.