A Secret


Brick was in an even fouler mood than usual. Three days had passed since Boomer finished warding his and Bubbles' bedroom, bragging to anyone who'd listen about the constant sex they were having. Brick grew increasingly frustrated by the fact that he was the last prince of Hael to consummate his marriage. People were gossiping about him and Blossom, specifically how no one saw them in public together. They even speculated that Brick's union was a sham, that the princess had nullified their arrangement and returned to Floria, so he couldn't produce a legitimate heir and therefore shouldn't be considered to inherit the throne.

Of course, Morrigan and the kobolds were privy to the truth. They watched Blossom gradually warm up to their master, or at least no longer shoot him looks of disdain and contempt. They saw Brick take interest in her studies and suggest tomes for her to consult in the archives; he knew its contents like the back of his hand despite not having set foot inside for years. Blossom wondered why she was the only person to physically enter the room. She asked Morrigan to bring her an astronomy manual, watching her summon it with a fetch spell from the doorway. She told some kobolds exactly which shelf and row to retrieve her reference material from and they just didn't bring it to her, wandering out of sight and mind until Blossom mentioned it several hours later.

What was their issue? What was the point of having all that knowledge to freely access if no one took advantage of it besides her?

After Brick left for work following a particularly terse breakfast, Blossom folded her hands atop the table and looked Morrigan straight in the eye. "Why do all of you, including my husband, refuse to enter the archives?"

She lowered her gaze. "He has ordered me not to expound upon that subject."

"Because it has to do with his fire immunity." Blossom lifted her chin and squared her shoulders. "As your mistress, I order you to tell me how Brick acquired that power."

The Demon fidgeted before exuding a sigh. "Very well. Until age seventeen, His Highness was a prodigal fire mage. He was born with the ability to manipulate flame in the manner that archons wish to achieve. They said with proper training he would be able to wield fire like Magni himself."

"So Brick was equated to a god."

"Yes, and hearing that all his life certainly instilled the notion in his head. As a god in the making, should he not be able to commune with them? His talent far exceeded that of our peers and teachers. Only the God of Fire could instruct him on mastering his element." Morrigan sighed again, slumping. "Things went wrong so quickly, and no one noticed. Or perhaps we did and refused to say anything that would bruise Brick's ego. No one questioned him when he began studying spiritual magicks. Specifically, invocation rituals—"

"No!" Blossom gasped as cold dread washed over her. "Do not tell me that Brick believed himself strong enough to summon a god!"

Morrigan nodded once. "That is precisely what he did. But he lacked the spiritual prowess to form a connection with Magni. Instead, someone else answered his call."

"Someone or something?"

"The being is known to Demonkind. It was one of Kalix's familiars, a dark djinn named Dakshini. Her twin brother is called Daksha."

"A divine familiar…" Blossom could scarcely imagine coming face to face with a primordial creature such as that. Then her head snapped up. "You said Kalix, not Magni."

"Yes. Brick summoned a being from the Void." These events had only occurred five years ago, and recalling them still unnerved her. "When I found him, he had already made a pact with Dakshini. I know not the terms but it felt wrong. Brick's magic had left him, taken by the djinn, and she had started to dismantle the protective wards. I knew I must do everything in my power to prevent one of the Dark God's familiars from entering our mortal realm." A deep breath. "Brick and I combined our abilities to restrain Dakshini. He established a barrier as I sought to weaken her with gout after gout of fire. It seemed to be working until she reversed our spells, but Brick took the force of both."

Blossom slipped into scholar mode. "I surmise that Dakshini redirected the flow of your magicks and made Brick the sole conduit. Because he could not separate the elemental and spiritual channels, they fused within him. Shield to fire… it makes perfect sense."

Morrigan smiled partially. "I will admit that I did not pay my Theory of Spellcraft classes much attention, but I understand your logic."

"So Brick is no longer a mage, and cannot perform any magic whatsoever," Blossom deduced. "I suppose he was remiss to tell me because he assumes that I consider non-magi beneath me."

"Do you?" the Demon questioned. "You are one of the brightest celestial magi of the modern era, and at such a young age. Mistress, you are going to accomplish feats and make discoveries about our world that will evolve civilization. Never was there a celestial mage who failed to achieve archon status and become immortalized in history!"

"You flatter me. But no, I do not look down on those who cannot perform magic. Studying the heavens happens to be my calling, and it would be hypocritical to judge others for pursuing their own interests." She frowned with a realization. "Your story contained no mention of the archives."

Morrigan rose to her feet to take her leave. "I believe Master Brick is better suited to convey our collective reasoning. Inform him that you learned of his past, and he should divulge the remainder of our secret. If not… You are a clever Pixie, Mistress, and are capable of discerning the truth yourself."

She was probably right, but it was the principle of the matter. A husband didn't need to hide things from his wife, especially matters concerning the home they shared! But Morrigan was correct; Blossom already had an inkling as to the cause of the Demons' unease.

She knew Brick would continue to deflect and deny her queries unless she tempted him with something in return, and what better reward to offer than herself? She spent all day in the archives until hearing the commotion surrounding his return home; it perturbed him when she didn't greet him in the foyer. His booted footsteps echoed down the hall as he approached the carved wooden doors, which Blossom left wide open. He stopped at the threshold. "Put down the book, Blossom. It's time for dinner."

Due to the spiral placement of the shelves, neither could see each other. "It is so riveting, I cannot!" she called out. "Please eat without me."

"I won't do that," Brick replied, stern. "The kobolds told me you've been in there all day. Come out and socialize."

"I simply cannot stop reading. I must find out what happens to Lilian and her companion."

Brick made a face. He had hand-picked the archive's contents and couldn't recall any stories featuring a character named Lilian. In truth, Blossom referenced a children's tale from her youth. Lilian was the Pixie heroine from an adventure series, her animal companion a swallow named Aeron.

"Blossom, come on. The books will be there tomorrow and the day after. The food on the table will go to waste unless you eat it." He paused. "You're getting thinner, in case you haven't noticed. And I would prefer not to have a skin-and-bones Fae as my bedmate."

She shuffled some novels around before entering his line of sight. "Since I am apparently becoming so frail, I may need an escort to the dining room lest I pass out from the physical exertion." She extended an arm toward him and feigned a swoon. "Lead on, dear husband."

Brick only placed his hands on his hips and clenched his jaw. "You could join a thespian society with that act, darling wife. Quit the theatrics and let's go."

"I have not eaten and I have not the strength to traverse your grand halls."

Silence for a beat. "I'm not coming in there to get you."

Blossom let her arm drop. "Why not? Do not tell me you fear a room full of books." Brick stared at her with fury and another emotion she'd never seen in his eyes: shame. She took a few steps forward. "Is that the truth of it? Are you afraid of something contained on these shelves?" His mouth opened to refute her. "Is it Dakshini?"

Brick stood agape for all of three seconds, then he turned and roared down the hall. "Morrigan! I'll flay you, wench!"

"I commanded her to tell me the cause of your immunity," Blossom spoke calmly. "I am aware you have no magic, Brick." He rounded on her, his harsh remark dying on his tongue. "I would never judge anyone based on their magical aptitude. I will never belittle you for being unable to conjure fire."

"…How accepting of you," he grumbled. "That still doesn't excuse Morrigan for blurting out something she was supposed to keep between us." He gave Blossom a once-over. "Did you really order her to tell you?" She nodded, and he scoffed. "Nice to know you only use your authority when it's humiliating for me."

"That was never my intention. I only wanted to know why you own all these books you will never read."

"I've already read them," he said. Blossom's eyes widened in surprise. "What else was I supposed to do at the academy when I had nothing to learn? I read all day every day until I found the divine invocation manual. I was too arrogant, and I summoned a dark familiar instead of an avatar of my patron deity. Dakshini promised me the power of Magni in exchange for…"

As he trailed off, she moved closer. "Your magic, yes?"

"Right, but she didn't keep it. Dakshini was merely a conduit for channeling my energies to her lord, Kalix. The pact we made, the ritual Morrigan rightfully disrupted… was to break Kalix out of his prison in the Void so he could rejoin the other gods. She compelled me into thinking it was a good idea." Brick scanned the rows of tomes behind Blossom, landing on a specific spot. "Morrigan and I prevented Dakshini from delivering my magic to Kalix by sealing her in the invocation manual. It's there– fourth shelf back, fourth row up, fourth slot from the left." Blossom whirled around and flew to the coordinates. "Don't remove it!" Brick shouted with what sounded like genuine concern in his voice.

"What is the significance of this location?" Blossom asked while running her fingers down the innocuous leather spine. She sensed that ominous hunger seeking to sate itself but it died down quickly, like a hunting dog choosing to ignore prey. In lieu of removing the tome, she cast a permanence spell and brought an ethereal copy back to Brick, who recoiled when he saw it in her grip.

"Are you insane?!" He tensed as she opened the cover and thumbed through it. Dakshini's presence made the words shimmer and rearrange themselves into blasphemous incantations, perverting the original spells within.

"Why four?" Blossom wondered again. She glanced over her shoulder, missing the way Brick's hand phased right through the manual.

He grunted in annoyance. "Zhari is the fourth goddess of our pantheon. Light fends off Darkness."

"I see…" She dissipated the copy, stifling her amusement as Brick scowled at the particles. "I promise not to set free a servant of the Dark God. I know the limits of my abilities and dealing with primordial entities is not among my repertoire."

"Sure you didn't just learn from my mistake?" He forced a smile as she exited the archives, closing the doors behind her.

Dinner consisted of another stew, beef burgundy, fitting since Brick stewed in his rage. Blossom believed she'd done nothing wrong by pursuing a line of inquiry he repeatedly told her to drop. She just had to keep poking her nose into a matter that didn't concern her, becoming privy to a secret Brick thought he and Morrigan would take to their graves. Even though she said she wouldn't mess with Dakshini, he didn't trust her. Celestial mages worked with the fabrics of the world, Erd had been constructed by the gods… She'd inevitably stumble upon divine magicks one day. If Dakshini ever returned to Kalix laden with Brick's power, it might give him the strength to escape the Void and unleash chaos on the mortal realm.

As soon as they had both entered the bedroom, Brick slammed the door so hard that Blossom flinched. "What was that for?" she asked, palm on her pounding heart. He stalked toward her, and the fury in his eyes and body language triggered her flight instinct. Before he could trap her against the vanity, she darted across the bed.

"Don't you fly away from me, woman." Blossom was stunned by the vitriol in his tone. What had she done to make him so angry? He rounded the footboard and she darted back the other way, feeling his fingers brush her ankle. Since she was hardwired to avoid things snatching at her from the ground, Blossom hovered in the corner by the window, drawing up her legs. Brick glared daggers at her. "Get down here, now."

"Why should I?" she challenged. "You are clearly upset and attempting to punish me!"

"Of course I'm upset. You went behind my back to find out something you had no business knowing." He folded his arms and leaned against one of the bedposts. "I'll still be here when the fatigue hits you in ten hours."

Blossom wracked her brain for a way to rationalize his emotional state. "I swore to you and Morrigan that I do not consider you beneath me for being unable to use magic! We are supposed to be equals, Brick!"

"Supposed to be," he spat. "It's not really fair that you can do something I can't."

"How is that my fault?!" she cried. "You cannot fly and I am not immune to fire! You have compulsion and I have magic. That seems like an even distribution of talents to me!"

"The scope of your abilities far outweighs mine," he returned, "and as we've established… I have no power over you."

"Unless I allow you to have it." She held his gaze for a moment. "Which I am not inclined to permit due to your history of manipulating me into vulnerable positions!" Realization struck and her voice softened. "Is that what brought on this tirade? You feel vulnerable now that I know you have no magic? You feel… inferior to me?"

Brick stomped over to her nightstand, yanked the drawer open, and brandished the vial of laudanum. "What is this? Poison? Were you planning to dose me when I least expected it?"

"Why would I do that?!"

"You clearly despise me," he stated, "and if I died, our union would be annulled. You could go back to Floria and be the crown princess again. You could remarry someone you love."

Blossom's brow unfurrowed. "Those are all facts except the first– I do not despise you. And what you hold is laudanum, not poison."

"Laudanum?" He scrutinized it. "What could you possibly need this for?"

"So I feel nothing when we fulfill our marital duties."

Her blunt honesty deflated Brick's rage. "Is that so…" he uttered, remaining stationary and silent until Blossom set her feet on the floor. "If I still had fire magic, I could burn any poison that entered my veins. Without it, I'm rather easy to assassinate."

"Has something happened, Brick? Has there been an attempt on your life?"

He stowed the vial in her drawer. "Not recently, but after my birthday, just before our union was arranged. Me and my brothers woke up to daggers on our pillows, obsidian daggers our father had gifted to the royal families to apologize for our festivities." Right then, Blossom chose to kill him with kindness. She hugged him before second-guessing herself. He was startled by the unexpected embrace, then placed his hand atop hers. "I'm sorry."

"For?" She wanted him to acknowledge which behaviors were wrong.

"For threatening you. This is your home and you're supposed to feel safe in it. I guess… I've been sabotaging any attempts to make you feel comfortable and secure, haven't I? No wonder you never want to leave the only place I can't get to you." Blossom said nothing, releasing him. They studied each other for a while. "One more thing." Brick slid his palm beneath her necklace. "What's this? I can feel power in it, so it must be important."

Blossom glanced down at the white crystal against his copper skin. The energies within pulsed faintly, reacting to the proximity of a Demon. "This is the Tear of Iris, an artifact handed down through the Iridesca bloodline. In Fae mythos, Iris loved Haiden deeply and wept for him as the other gods sealed him within the Void. He loved her just as much, reaching out to stay her tears before he was locked away. That gentle part of him is said to have suffused this crystal." Brick hummed and let the pendant rest on her breast. "It has another function as well," she went on. "There is a potent spell for suspending people in facets such as this, where time does not pass and the body does not age. It is called a dominion prism."

"I've never heard of that." Brick lowered his head, smirking a little. "Are you going to use it on me?"

"If you severely cross the line, yes," Blossom answered.

"And what constitutes crossing the line?"

"Attacking me, forcing yourself on me, preventing me from walking away from you, trapping me in rooms, compelling me to do things I do not consent to…"

Brick gave her a long look. Blossom had a lot of leverage in their relationship but not all of it, and he intended to keep his trump cards in his back pocket in case things got misaligned between them. He'd actively work on controlling his temper and direct his energies away from her, but in return he wanted her not to instigate arguments or purposely press his buttons. With some boundaries finally established, they went to bed without any animosity for the first time since being married.

A few days later, Brick strode into Boomer's office. "Aren't you supposed to be knee-deep in lava right about now?" the latter questioned without looking up from his document. Brick stood before the desk with his arms crossed for several minutes, then he started tapping his foot. Boomer groaned. "Ugh, fine, you win. What do you want?"

"It's not a want. I need you to get your ass to my castle and place those wards like you said you would last week!"

Boomer set his chin in his hand, smirking. "Aww, what's the matter, Brick? You mad that your baby brothers are getting more pussy than you?"

He slammed his palms on the desk. "Yes, actually, I am mad that I can't fuck my wife who is much more brilliant and beautiful than either of yours."

"Insulting Bubbles doesn't make me feel inclined to help you."

"Then I challenge you to a duel."

"Seriously?"

"Seriously. I'm tired of waiting." Brick held out his hand.

Boomer sighed. "Jeez, you're such a drama king. Instead of stabbing at each other like barbarians, let's come to a civilized agreement. I will take off work to put up your wards if you pay the wages I miss out on."

"Deal," he agreed, and they shook on it.

"You know I make more carats than you and Butch, right?"

"I don't care." That was a lie anyway because Brick got exorbitant hazard pay on top of his hourly wage. "Let's go, right now. I'll help you draw the sigils."

Boomer snorted and took his time straightening his papers. "Uh, except for that whole 'can't do magic' thing."

"That's why I said draw," Brick snapped. "I don't need to use magic to burnish runes on my walls." They left the office building and made their way to his terminus, their subjects automatically parting.

Boomer noticed people noticing them. "Why haven't you taken Blossom out on the town yet, shown her off to everyone? That's why they're gossiping about you, y'know."

"She would rather read. And she doesn't like noise. I don't think hanging out in town with loud, dirty, smelly Demons is her cup of tea."

"She should still be seen," Boomer insisted. "Bubbles goes out every other day. The smithies all have 'Buttercup specials' to present when she goes shopping for knives and stuff. She and Butch had lunch with me and Bubbles the other day, and you know what they say about us? They've got betting pools on who'll pop out kids first and who'll become the next king. You're not in the running for either 'cause our people don't think you're even married!"

Brick wished he were unfazed by the opinions of the masses. He knew Boomer was right and he needed to be seen in public with his bride, but the timing was terrible. Thanks to Boomer's procrastination, Blossom had begun exhibiting symptoms of flitting or Pixie estrus, meaning she was ready to mate. She tried acting like nothing was going on but Brick was acutely aware of the changes in her body. He could close his eyes and follow a pheromone trail to her location in the castle. He awoke covered in lamina that she shed overnight; he made the mistake of licking some off his lips and spent all morning ignoring a raging erection. Her chest, cheeks, and ears displayed a perpetual blush. Worst of all, he smelled the arousal flowing from her core, so sweet and juicy he could almost taste it. They called it nectar for a reason, and Brick desperately wanted to gorge himself on her fruit. The threat of her being visited by an incubus had curbed his appetite until today, when he nearly surrendered to the temptation of waking her up with oral. Burying her nose in books was beneficial for Blossom right now. If she stepped outside she would attract legions of drooling Demons, not just the one who craved her more than the air he needed to live.

Boomer inhaled deeply as soon as they arrived in the foyer. "Whoa, what's that smell? It's so…" He didn't know the right word to describe it. "Good."

"Just a new fragrance we're trying out," Brick spoke through clenched teeth. His possessive tendencies might turn murderous if Blossom entered his brother's vicinity. He prayed she would remain a creature of habit and stay in the archives.

"I like it!" Boomer followed Brick to the bedroom where his heart rate increased and his pupils dilated. "Are you sure it's fragrance and not drugs? 'Cause I'm totally getting high."

"Can you focus on the wards, please?" He snatched up a burnishing wand, faltering. "Which rune goes first?"

"The order is shield, night, shadow, flower, blood. Don't write the next one until I've activated the one below."

"Right." Brick had to give credit where it was due. Even when he had magic, Boomer was way better at large-scale, multilayered spells than him or Butch. The two of them worked with surprising efficiency, alternating between drawing and activating the runes. They got two walls done in four hours; it was exacting work, and if a single symbol was misaligned, the sigil would be weak and fail to protect Blossom. Incubi were masters of stealth and illusion. If one got its claws on her… Brick shuddered at the thought. He refused to let her be brutalized by a nocturnal predator.

He still had a diurnal threat to contend with, however. The brothers took a break for lunch, loitering in the dining room with bowls of clam chowder. Morrigan sat at the table browsing through a summer fashion catalog; pastel-colored chemises were in vogue this season. While Brick washed his dishes, Boomer suddenly froze with his spoon halfway to his mouth. Blossom stood beneath the arch, sheepish. "I happened to notice the time. Have I missed the midday meal?"

Morrigan glanced between Brick and Boomer. Brick looked from Boomer to Blossom. Blossom's eyes flicked from Brick to Morrigan. Boomer stared at Blossom, his nostrils flaring to take in her scent. Eventually he swallowed hard and set his bowl in the sink. "I should probably get going…" he said in a strained manner.

"I was not informed you were even here." Blossom pursed her lips at Brick, then offered a curtsy. "You should stay for wine."

"Wine, huh." Boomer licked his lips. "Might I have a glass of you?" His brother grabbed him by the collar and dragged him out to the foyer before Blossom could comprehend what he just said. "Fuck, Brick. Your wife smells delicious right now."

"If you speak to her like that again, I'll rip your fucking throat out."

Boomer smirked in his face. "Oh yeah? With what magic?" His attention slid to the archway. "Why does she smell like that? How can you keep your hands off her? How have you kept your dick out of her?"

"It's just a Pixie thing," Brick sighed, "and I'm not as weak-willed as you." His nerves were all but shot, holding on by a single frayed thread. "The situation wouldn't be so dire if you had come put up the wards when you were supposed to."

"Yeah, sorry. That's on me." Boomer closed his eyes and took a few calming breaths. "Gods above… If I'd known Pixies could smell this good, I would've thrown shears."

Brick backed off, glowering. "You're leaving as soon as we finish the last two sigils."

"Okay," Boomer meekly agreed. He wanted to gtfo at the risk of being disloyal to Bubbles. Blossom's pheromones were a menace to married men. "Can Morrigan can smell her?" he wondered.

"She can. The kobolds too, to a much lesser extent. They've gotten a little frisky among themselves."

"So Blossom's like an aphrodisiac…"

"Let's stop talking about my wife," Brick suggested to preserve his dignity if not his sanity. If he heard her name he pictured her naked, and that was all it took to pitch a tent in his pants these days.

The last sigil flared to life just after sunset. Boomer's farewells were disrupted by his growling stomach demanding sustenance, reminding him why time and energy-consuming spells like virginal wards took several days to establish. But the job was done. Brick could finally convince Blossom to consummate their union.